He snatched it from my grasp, tossing it aside with a flick of his wrist.
I turned, chuckling, and grabbed the nearest object-a bright inflatable flamingo floatie-and began to whack him with it, laughter spilling from my lips.
“Down, boy,” I teased, landing a light hit on his chest.
His face remained serious, the humor absent from his expression. “Savannah, stop.”
I kept swinging, my laughter filling the space between us. “What? You gonna cry?”
“I said stop.”
In a swift motion, he yanked the float from my hands, tossing it aside, and before I knew it, he had me backed against the wall, the playful atmosphere shifting instantly.
“I said stop it,” he growled, his voice low and intense, a warning laced with something darker.
“Roman-“
His mouth crashed onto mine, hot and fierce, as if he had been waiting for this moment, tongue parting my lips in a way that sent shockwaves through me. I moaned before I could stop myself, fingers tangling in the damp strands of his hair, the towel slipping from my grasp.
His hand moved to my robe, fingers deftly working at the knot.
“Roman-“
With a swift tug, he undid the knot, the robe falling open to reveal my bikini-clad body. His mouth left mine just long enough to kiss down my jaw, along my throat, trailing heat that sent shivers straight to my core.
Oh God! This feels too good. How does he move his mouth like that?
What the hell are we even doing?
“You drive me insane,” he muttered against my skin, his breath hot and heavy.
Then his hand came up, cupping my breast through the fabric, and I gasped, arching into him, the sensation igniting every nerve ending. He squeezed, firm and possessive, sending a jolt of electricity coursing through me. His mouth returned to mine, rougher, hungrier, as if he were trying to consume me whole.
I felt him-hard, undeniable-pressing into my hip, the reality of our situation crashing down on me.
Oh.
His body pinned me to the wall, and suddenly, I was hot everywhere. Breathless. Throbbing.
“Roman,” I whispered, my hips instinctively shifting against him.
His other hand slid down to my thigh, gripping it tightly, fingers teasing the edge of my bikini bottoms. “You don’t know how hard you’re making this.”
“I think I do,” I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper.
His teeth grazed my neck, igniting a fire within me.
“We shouldn’t be doing this, Roman.” My voice was barely a whisper, a plea wrapped in uncertainty.
“I don’t care,” he replied, his determination unwavering.
He kissed me again, deeper this time, his hand kneading my breast, thumb flicking over my nipple through the fabric, sending tremors through me.
Just as his hand slipped lower-
A scream.
High-pitched. From outside. Then another.
Roman froze, the moment shattering like glass.
My body went cold, the warmth of desire evaporating in an instant.
We pulled apart, both of us breathless and disoriented, the reality of our situation crashing down around us. My robe hung open, my lips swollen from his kisses, his chest heaving with exertion. His erection still pressed against me for a moment longer before he stepped back, jaw tight with tension.
“What the hell-?”
We rushed toward the patio doors, another scream piercing through the air.
Someone was yelling near the pool.
Roman flung the doors open, and chaos met us, the world outside spiraling into a whirlwind of panic.
And just like that, our moment was gone.
Alyssa knelt at the edge of the shimmering pool, her clothes drenched and her hair a chaotic halo around her face. Panic surged through her as she screamed Emily’s name, each syllable laced with desperation. Lizzie stood nearby, frozen in shock, tears cascading down her cheeks as she pointed toward the deep end, where the water seemed to ripple ominously.
Chloe, rooted to the spot, looked on with wide, terrified eyes, her heart racing in sync with the chaos unfolding around her.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Roman dove into the water, a fierce determination etched on his face, his instincts taking over.
Dean, just returning from the other side of the house, held his phone loosely in one hand, droplets of water still glistening on his skin from his earlier swim.
“Jesus Christ,” he gasped, sprinting toward the pool’s edge, ready to assist Roman if the need arose.
I rushed to Alyssa’s side, sinking to my knees in the grass beside her. Grabbing her trembling hands, I felt the icy grip of fear coursing through her. “What happened?!” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“I-I turned around for just a second,” Alyssa stammered, her voice cracking as she struggled to catch her breath. “I swear, it was only a second! I was just trying to grab her snack. I didn’t think she’d-“
Roman’s powerful strokes cut through the water as he pulled Emily up, and my heart sank as I noticed her beloved stuffed unicorn bobbing forlornly in the pool’s depths.
Emily’s tiny arms dangled limply, like broken twigs, devoid of life. There was no cry, no movement-only a suffocating silence that felt as if it could split my chest wide open.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.