Chapter Ten

Lena

What the fuck am I doing?

I bury my face in my arms as I sit by the edge of the pool.

I was the one who decided to stay away from Riley, the one who asked him to leave me alone, the one who first hurled all those hateful words at him just so he wouldn't come closer because if he did, I knew I would fall for him even more. Yet here I am at a loss. I came out the winner of those board games, yet I feel more lost than ever.

Just the memory of that icy look in Riley's eyes makes me want to cringe. Those words he said still weigh heavily on my chest, threatening to split it open.

How could he say he'll forget me so easily? Wasn't he the one who said he wouldn't give up on me?

Fuck, it hurts. More than I can say. I thought that was what I wanted to hear. I thought I wanted everything to end like this. But I was wrong.

I don't want him to forget me, to hate me. Maybe it was too much to hope for him to love me, but I definitely don't want him to hate me. I don't want things to end this way.

By trying to keep myself from getting hurt, I just ended up hurting even more. I'm such a fool. But then, I already was a fool for falling for someone I can't have. This is almost like Thorn Birds. I knew it would end badly, but I still couldn't help myself.

Stupid Lena.

As I sit alternating between sobbing and chastising myself, the sky above me grows dark. The wind takes on a chill. I should probably go inside, but just as I'm about to, Riley appears in his shirt and swimming trunks.

Just the sight of him makes my heart want to fly out of my aching chest.

I open my mouth to say something but Riley walks past me as if I'm not there. Right. He's not here for me. He's here to swim.

My chest aches even more. I clutch it as I turn to gaze at his broad back.

I have a sudden urge to cling to it. If I'm already a fool anyway, I may as well embrace my role. If this story isn't ending well, then I may as well squeeze what happy memories I can from it. I may not be able to prevent the pain, but I can prevent the regret.

Ashley's right. I should savor this while it lasts.

Those words spur me to my feet and forward. I grab the back of his shirt and grip it with trembling hands.

"What?" Riley's voice is as cold as the stare he sends me over his shoulder. "I thought you wanted nothing to do with me anymore."

"I'm sorry." I look into his eyes. "I didn't mean to say those things."

"You didn't?"

"And I'm sorry for acting like a jerk all day, for being selfish, for being stupid." I shake my head. "I just... panicked."

"Panicked?" Riley turns to face me.

"Tomorrow, you'll be gone. We'll part ways. We won't be a couple anymore. I got scared." I rub my arm. "I still am scared of what's going to happen to me afterwards."

"What's going to happen to you?"

"But I'm not going to run away anymore," I go on. "I'm not going to throw these last few hours away." I meet his gaze. "I want to be with you."

Those dark eyes opposite mine widen slightly, but Riley says nothing.

I look away with a sigh. "I can understand if you hate me now. If--"

The swimming cap and the pair of goggles in Riley's hand fall to the floor. In the next moment, he grasps my chin and tilts it up so I'm gazing back into his eyes. They're narrowed now. Scorching.

"Oh, what am I going to do with you?"

I swallow. "Kiss me? Help me seize what's left of this crazy adventure?"

His thin lips curve into a grin. "I thought you'd never ask."

The next thing I know his lips are on mine. His hand moves to the back of my neck, the other gripping my hip to keep me from falling as he pushes me back with his mouth. His tongue slips past my lips.

My body trembles. My heart pounds and warmth erupts in my chest. Then heat. It flows through my veins all the way down to my toes, melting the silly fears swimming in my gut and unleashing a hunger I never knew I had.

I cling to Riley's shirt as I let my tongue dance with his. My blunt nails scrape the muscles of his abdomen through the cotton. Longing to touch them, I let my hands wander beneath his shirt. His warm flesh quivers beneath my fingertips and he groans.

I grip the hem of his shirt and pull it up to his armpits. He sets me down on the lounge chair before taking it the rest of the way off and casting it aside. His playful eyes hold mine.

"And here I thought I was the impatient one."

I can't retort because Riley's lips have mine trapped again. As his tongue wrestles mine, his hand travels up from my hip. My skin tingles from his touch. My nipples stiffen against the cups of my bra.

When his thumb brushes against one of them, I gasp into his mouth. Riley pulls away and nibbles along my jawline as he rubs the peak of my breast through its cotton prison. Then he sets it free as he plants a kiss on my neck. As he holds it between his fingers, a moan escapes me along with the heat between my legs.

He pulls off my shirt and takes off my bra. I feel the cool air on my blushing skin and the hard wood beneath me.

When he kisses me again, I wrap my hands around his neck. His hand pries my legs open and slips between them, rubbing me through layers of fabric. The friction feels good, sending more heat through my veins. It gathers in the place that he's rubbing, making it melt. At the same time, though, I feel like those layers are in the way and I wish they would melt as well so that I could feel bare pleasure.

Just after I think that, Riley's hands grip the elastic waistbands of my pants and my underwear. He pulls them down at the same time and I lift my hips so that they can slide down my thighs, past my knees and off my ankles.

Afterwards, his dark eyes wander from my shoulders down to my feet. I look away in embarrassment and cross my arms over my breasts. Even then, I can feel the intensity of his gaze burning my skin. I can hardly breathe.

I suddenly remember that there may be a camera around the pool and I pull my knees up.

Riley puts his hands on them. "What's wrong, Lena? Don't tell me you're being shy now."

"The camera," I whisper as he licks my ear.

He pulls away. "So do you want me to stop?"

My head shakes before I can consider it. "No."

I don't want him to stop. Not now. I don't know what I'll do if he does.

"Don't worry." His lips brush against my cheek. "They won't air any sexual content. They're not stupid."

I know. Even so...

Wait. The fact that they won't air it doesn't mean they can't see it. Someone must be watching right now.

"And we're not doing anything wrong." Riley holds my gaze as he tucks strands of hair behind my ear. "We're supposed to be married, remember?"

I manage to nod.

"Don't think of anyone else, of anything else," he asks--no, demands as his eyes stare deep into mine. "This is something that belongs to only you and me."

He captures my lower lip between his, tugging on it before dragging his lips across my cheek to my ear.

"Now, part your legs for me."

I shiver as I obey. My trembling knees fall apart and his hand slides between them, all the way down until his fingers brush against the place that's hot and wet and wanting. A finger slips in and I moan. My toes curl into the wood before my legs slowly stretch out.

I grip the edges of the chair as Riley licks my ear and moves his finger in and out. I feel more heat ooze out of me. He adds another finger and my moans spill freely into the air. My eyes squeeze shut.

His mouth keeps mine occupied once more as he pulls his fingers out. I whimper and then gasp as I feel them brush somewhere higher.

My eyes open wide.

What was that?

He finds that nub again, stroking it this time, and I grow weak. I pull my mouth away to force more air into my lungs. My eyelids drop as I throw my head back.

Riley kisses my neck as he teases that nub. My skin blushes all over. My body trembles. I grip his arm.

"Riley!" I cry out as a wave of intense pleasure washes over me.

It robs me of breath and sends ripples all the way down to my toes. Then it slowly recedes. Riley's hand withdraws as well.

I'm still feeling a bit numb, still trying to figure out what just happened, when Riley's arms wrap around me. Before I know it, he's carrying me to the pool.

"Riley, what are you doing?" I ask in alarm.

He answers by going into the water with me in his arms. I feel it splash against my skin.

He puts me down and my feet touch the tiles. I shiver from the cold but he sends warmth flowing through my body again with a kiss. He pushes me towards the edge and I feel the marble behind me.

"Put your elbows up over the edge," Riley orders as he grabs my hips and gives me a push.

I obey even though I don't know what he's trying to do. I trust that he knows.

"Now, grip the edge."

As I do that, his hands slide beneath my thighs. Then one of them disappears. When it returns, I feel something else against my skin. Something hard and thick.

My fingers tighten around marble.

"Relax," Riley tells me as his hand cups one of my breasts. "Everything will be alright."

I try to do that as I stare up at the night sky. My mouth opens to draw in gulps of air.

Slowly, I feel him enter me. Something stings momentarily but the pain fades quickly and all I'm left with is a feeling of being stretched, of being filled, of the heat of Riley's body melding with my own.

Then he stops, but only for a moment before he grips my thighs with both hands and begins thrusting rapidly. My body jerks. I close my eyes as I surrender it to him.

He pauses to suck on one of my breasts and kiss my lips. Then he pounds into me again. I want to wrap my arms around him, but I have to grip the marble or I'll fall. My fingers begin to ache. My elbows scrape the stone.

Suddenly, Riley's hands climb up my back. He pulls me into the water, against him. Then he grips my backside as he continues moving. My face falls against his shoulder as I cling to him. My nails dig into his back.

He moves even faster and I begin to moan against his skin. This pleasure is a bit different from what I experienced earlier. That one was sharp, too intense. This one seems to be gradually mounting, causing a buzz in my veins and making my head spin.

A particularly hard thrust sends me over the edge. I cry out. Riley trembles as his fingers bite into my skin. His cock quivers inside me as he grunts. Then he falls still and silent.

I rest my head against his chest as I catch my breath. He pulls out and puts me down, but my legs won't sustain me so I end up leaning on him. He lifts me in his arms and carries me to the side of the pool. Then he sits on the stairs and sets me down on his lap.

"Are you alright?" he asks me after a few seconds.

I nod, then lift my head to meet his gaze. My lips curve into a smile.

"It was amazing."

Riley grins. "I'm glad you think so."

As I rest my head against his strong chest again, I feel his heart beat against my ear. Maybe it's because of that sound, or maybe my mind is still muddled, turned to mush by all the pleasure I've just experienced. But somehow, I hear myself whispering what my heart has been screaming out loud.

"I love you."