heart. Despite the frigid temperature, the realization that he cared made her body warm. “One does not swim in the ocean.” She coughed again. “One frolics with one’s clothing on.”
Leo’s hands clenched her upper arms, keeping her balanced. “Of all the bloody stupid—”
She glared up at him. “I had no choice. You practically forced me.”
They stared into each other’s eyes, annoyance, worry, and something else flashing. Heat seemed to pass between them, and instantly she was reminded that he was naked, completely and utterly naked. His gaze dropped to her mouth, and his jaw clenched. Ella couldn’t seem to breathe. She felt it…the need within him…for her? He wanted her?
He growled low in his throat and grabbed her hand, stepping away from her. “Come.”
She tried to ignore her disappointment. Surely she didn’t desire his kiss. Preposterous. But blast it all, what was that aching desire she felt when he looked at her? He pulled her toward the center of the small pond. The water rose to her chest and her panic flared.
“Leo, it’s getting deep.”
“Hang onto my neck.”
She slipped her arms around him and pressed her chest to his back. His body was stiff, his mind uncomfortable with her touch. She was uncomfortable touching him. Surely he could feel her nipples, hard as diamonds. The thought made her want to run back to the house and hide in her room. She started to pull away, but he latched onto her wrists, holding her close. Before she could argue, he leaned forward and skimmed through the water. The waves lapped up against her bare arms, tickling her flesh. Ella laughed. She felt his mind relax, and with it, she too seemed to calm.
He stilled next to the falls. Water cascaded over moss-covered rocks and sprinkled Ella with a fine mist. Before she could pull back, he turned in her arms so her breasts crushed to his chest. His lips were a breath away from hers, so close she had merely to tilt her head and her mouth would be on his. An aching need pulsed through her body, or his? She wasn’t sure and didn’t care.
His gaze lingered on her face…from her eyes to her lips, and she knew if he kissed her, she would never be able to resist.
“I can teach you to swim.”
Ella swallowed hard. It certainly wasn’t what she expected him to say. “I…I don’t know.”
He shrugged. “Suit yourself. But you’ll have to make it back to the rocks on your own.”
“You wouldn’t,” she gasped.
His face remained stoic. Frantic, she tightened her hold around his neck. “Please…” But she knew her words would mean nothing to this man, this barbarian . And part of her, a tiny bit, actually wanted to learn.
“Fine, teach me.”
A slow grin spread across his lips. Two smiles in one day? Was the man actually improving? He leaned forward, his mouth brushing against her ear and sending shivers over her skin. “Trust me.” His hands, warm and strong, moved to her waist.
She stiffened, her eyes going wide. No one had dared touch her so intimately. She knew her shift would be as clear as the stream and the frantic need to cover herself overwhelmed her.
“Lay back,” he demanded.
She did what he said, her breathing harsh, her body hot, realizing that through her wet shift he could see parts of her no man had seen.
“Just relax and you’ll float.” His hands supported her body.
Relax? Impossible!
Ella closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Water lapped against her in a soft lull. She focused on the nature surrounding her. Sunlight filtered through the branches above, spotting her eyelids with gold. She felt Leo remove a hand, yet still she floated.
“Stay relaxed and move your arms.” His voice was muffled through the water, as if she dreamed of him. Perhaps she did.
Slowly, she lifted her arms, stroking the water as she’d seen him do earlier. His other hand slid away, and she sank, water covering her face.
She came up sputtering.
“Good.” He pulled her close, into
Leo’s hands clenched her upper arms, keeping her balanced. “Of all the bloody stupid—”
She glared up at him. “I had no choice. You practically forced me.”
They stared into each other’s eyes, annoyance, worry, and something else flashing. Heat seemed to pass between them, and instantly she was reminded that he was naked, completely and utterly naked. His gaze dropped to her mouth, and his jaw clenched. Ella couldn’t seem to breathe. She felt it…the need within him…for her? He wanted her?
He growled low in his throat and grabbed her hand, stepping away from her. “Come.”
She tried to ignore her disappointment. Surely she didn’t desire his kiss. Preposterous. But blast it all, what was that aching desire she felt when he looked at her? He pulled her toward the center of the small pond. The water rose to her chest and her panic flared.
“Leo, it’s getting deep.”
“Hang onto my neck.”
She slipped her arms around him and pressed her chest to his back. His body was stiff, his mind uncomfortable with her touch. She was uncomfortable touching him. Surely he could feel her nipples, hard as diamonds. The thought made her want to run back to the house and hide in her room. She started to pull away, but he latched onto her wrists, holding her close. Before she could argue, he leaned forward and skimmed through the water. The waves lapped up against her bare arms, tickling her flesh. Ella laughed. She felt his mind relax, and with it, she too seemed to calm.
He stilled next to the falls. Water cascaded over moss-covered rocks and sprinkled Ella with a fine mist. Before she could pull back, he turned in her arms so her breasts crushed to his chest. His lips were a breath away from hers, so close she had merely to tilt her head and her mouth would be on his. An aching need pulsed through her body, or his? She wasn’t sure and didn’t care.
His gaze lingered on her face…from her eyes to her lips, and she knew if he kissed her, she would never be able to resist.
“I can teach you to swim.”
Ella swallowed hard. It certainly wasn’t what she expected him to say. “I…I don’t know.”
He shrugged. “Suit yourself. But you’ll have to make it back to the rocks on your own.”
“You wouldn’t,” she gasped.
His face remained stoic. Frantic, she tightened her hold around his neck. “Please…” But she knew her words would mean nothing to this man, this barbarian . And part of her, a tiny bit, actually wanted to learn.
“Fine, teach me.”
A slow grin spread across his lips. Two smiles in one day? Was the man actually improving? He leaned forward, his mouth brushing against her ear and sending shivers over her skin. “Trust me.” His hands, warm and strong, moved to her waist.
She stiffened, her eyes going wide. No one had dared touch her so intimately. She knew her shift would be as clear as the stream and the frantic need to cover herself overwhelmed her.
“Lay back,” he demanded.
She did what he said, her breathing harsh, her body hot, realizing that through her wet shift he could see parts of her no man had seen.
“Just relax and you’ll float.” His hands supported her body.
Relax? Impossible!
Ella closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Water lapped against her in a soft lull. She focused on the nature surrounding her. Sunlight filtered through the branches above, spotting her eyelids with gold. She felt Leo remove a hand, yet still she floated.
“Stay relaxed and move your arms.” His voice was muffled through the water, as if she dreamed of him. Perhaps she did.
Slowly, she lifted her arms, stroking the water as she’d seen him do earlier. His other hand slid away, and she sank, water covering her face.
She came up sputtering.
“Good.” He pulled her close, into
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