I’D never been skinny-dipping before, but I was definitely naked, the chill of the water raising goosebumps on my skin. In the blackness-shrouded privacy of Nathan’s pool, we swam lazy laps together, enjoying the tranquillity of the night-time chorus of insects.
Jess’s frantic whispered instructions replayed in my head—have fun, make me proud. Skinny-dipping with Nathan Banks at his Hollywood mansion fulfilled those requirements and would surely earn me brownie points with my adventurous friend.
Coming to the edge of the infinity pool, I rested my arms on the ledge and peered at the sprawling city below us, lit up like London a week before Christmas. Nathan closed in behind me, caging me with his arms and nuzzling into my neck. His springy chest hair tickled my back and his erection bobbed against my backside.
‘Do you like living here?’ I relaxed my head back onto his shoulder, enjoying the sparkling view and the heat from his body.
His lips found my temple, pressing warmth to my skin. ‘Yes. But I love London too.’
The seconds stretched, at first comfortable and then oppressive with the unresolved issue of my imminent departure.
‘The Emmys are in two days?’
His arms stiffened around me, but his lips continued their lazy glide over my face and neck. ‘Yes. I’d hoped my parents would come—I’ve been nominated.’
I spun around, clasping his shoulders. ‘You have?’
He nodded, grasping my waist beneath the water and tracing lazy circles over my skin with his thumbs.
‘And they can’t make it?’
His mouth pinched with tension. ‘My father hates Hollywood—he’s never once made it to an awards show here.’
I rested my arms on his shoulders, my fingers drawn to his wet hair, whether to soothe him or myself, I couldn’t tell. His hands gripped me tighter, perhaps as a reaction to the shock that must have registered on my face. ‘And your mum?’
‘She sometimes comes by herself.’ His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes as he shrugged.
He was alone. His father hated his career choices so much, he wouldn’t attend a prestigious awards ceremony in support of his son. The shock settled like a stone in my stomach, the edges rough and gnarly, irritating my gut until the bile rose to burn my throat. I forced my face to remain neutral, swallowing back my anger. There was no further room for debate in my mind.
‘Jess has to fly back in the morning—she starts her new job Monday, but I’d love to come with you, if the invitation is still open?’
He raised one hand from my waist, brushing the wet strands of hair back from my face. His solemn gaze held mine, my words chasing away the shadows from his eyes. ‘Are you sure? There’ll be lots of press, all the major networks. Are you ready to be that girl?’
I wasn’t certain I was ready to be anything at all, but there was a price to pay for being with Nathan, a price that looked more affordable the more time I spent in his company.
‘I can handle it. All I need is a killer frock and a smile, right?’ The aforementioned smile wobbled but I held it in place, determined to be strong for him. ‘And you’ll be there to protect me from intrusive questions?’
‘Always.’ His tone dropped, heat infecting his voice and his eyes. His lips found mine, the sensual glide of his mouth stealing my reason. His hands slipped to my buttocks and he pulled me onto the grind of his erection as his drugging kisses continued.
I succumbed to the toe-curling hedonism of his mouth on mine, shoving my doubts to the back of my mind where I locked them in a safe and swallowed the key. The immediacy of Nathan’s strong body pinning me to the side of the pool drew me to the here and now.
His breath gusted over my neck, raising a fresh wave of goosebumps. ‘I want you again.’ His erection surged against my belly as his fingers found my nipple beneath the waterline. ‘I want you all the time.’ His head reared back, his stare locking with mine as he spoke in a husky murmur that was not only laced with arousal, but also punctuated with sincerity.
I wanted to pry, to eviscerate the emotion that flashed in his eyes and examine every nuance microscopically, but instead I bit my lip and moaned, because he lifted my breast above the water to surround my aching nipple with the velvety heat of his mouth. My fingers clawed at his shoulders as I relinquished myself to the pleasure we created.
My own feelings surged up, rising to the surface where they fizzed and popped with the euphoria of freedom after being so long imprisoned by my natural caution and frenzied over-thinking.
I cradled his head, hypnotised by the strong pull of his beautiful mouth on my nipple. He was breathtaking in the moonlight, just as in every other light and right now, in this moment, he wanted me and worshipped my body with a reverence I knew mirrored my own desires for him.
Raising his head, he clasped my slick body to him tighter than ever before, his breaths gusting over my shoulder. ‘Fuck, Soph. We have to get out.’ His words were garbled against the skin of my throat on an anguished groan.
Playing catch up, my frazzled nervous system mustered enough coherence to enable speech. ‘Why?’
‘Because I want to be buried deep inside you and there are no condoms in this pool.’
Some of the lust-fog cleared and I dropped my legs from his hips, releasing him. ‘Of course.’
Torturing us both with the continued grind and roll of his hips, he imprisoned me against the tiled wall of the pool. ‘How would you feel about taking oral contraception?’
I stiffened, leaning back to read the meaning in his eyes. ‘That’s quite a … commitment.’
He nodded, the slow dip of his chin and the intense burn of his eyes declaring his sincerity. ‘Yes. We could go to the clinic together, get a sexual health check and a script.’ He flashed his dimple. ‘It’ll be … romantic.’
Romantic? At my hesitance, his hips stilled and his cajoling turned to a frown. ‘You don’t want to?’
As the last of the arousal left my blood, I shivered, sensing the chill of the water for the first time. ‘No, yes. It’s just …’ The contraception talk suggested longevity. Did he see a future between us that I couldn’t see myself, no matter how much I might have wanted it? Aspects of his life still terrified and appalled me. But with all his talk of romance … a girl could get carried away.
‘Too soon?’ A chink appeared in his confidence, and I hated myself for always being the sensible voice of caution.
My feet, grounded in cement for so many years, surprised me by jumping up and planting themselves firmly in my mouth. ‘I’ll be working in London and you’ll be travelling the world.’ What was wrong with me? I was sabotaging this moment, my fear running free like a chicken with no head.
‘So?’ The only sign of annoyance came in the minute tightening of his lips.
This was it, the precipice, the bungee jump of faith, the moment I secretly craved and equally dreaded. Making this work beyond what we had would require faith, trust and a monumental mind shift on my part. Inviting Nathan into my life would not only expose me to the public scrutiny and speculation I’d learned to detest growing up, it would also expose my vulnerable family to further inspection and possible harassment—something they didn’t need. Could I live with myself, knowing my choices affected the lives of my loved ones, people I’d always protected?
‘Wait a minute—are you dumping me?’ His face lit up, his dimpled smile brighter than the moon. ‘Sophia King. Have you been using me for my sexual prowess, only to cast me aside like a used condom when you’re done?’
His playfulness halted the dark path my thoughts had taken.
‘OMG I feel so cheap.’ His hammy acting continued. ‘You’re just like all the others!’
I couldn’t stay serious, my laughter bursting out. Cupping my hand on the surface of the pool, I doused his smug grin with a handful of water. ‘Shut up.’ I pushed at his shoulders, grunting when he barely moved.
He wiped his hand down his face, his expression turning serious as he flicked off the last of the drops. ‘I know it will be a juggling act with my schedule and your job, but I’d like to explore this.’ He pointed from his own chest to mine, his actions indicating what his words failed to describe. His eyes searched mine. ‘Wouldn’t you?’
My pulse thundered in my ears and I bit the inside of my cheek to hold in a smile. The urge to tease him was too great to pass up and my traitorous body remembered the results the last time I’d goaded him. I shrugged one shoulder, examining my fingernails with bored nonchalance. ‘I suppose.’
Before I could enjoy the crestfallen look on his face, I was airborne, sailing through the night, my squeal swallowed by the water as I slammed back into the pool. He was there to catch me and we surfaced, a spluttering, laughing tangle of lips and limbs. He hauled me form the pool, stooping to lift me over his shoulder as he padded across the terrace to the French doors leading to his bedroom.
‘I can see I have a lot more persuading to do,’ he said, slapping my backside.
By morning, I was pretty much convinced.