“Now, you get in the pool.”
I took off my jacket and put it on a chair. When I bent and started to take my shoes off, a huge splash echoed in the room. I glanced at Oanen’s pile of clothes then his wickedly handsome smirk as he treaded water.
“I think I see where this is going,” he said.
“Really? Because I’m not even sure where it’s going to go.” I unzipped my jeans and put them on the growing stack of my clothes. Oanen didn’t say anything as I tugged my shirt over my head and set it aside. I couldn’t talk if I wanted to. My hands shook. I was nervous about standing in front of him in my bra and underwear. But, more than that, I was nervous about everything going wrong.
I walked toward the pool and sat on the edge, sticking one leg at a time in the water. Steam hissed up around me at first contact. The cold water started pulling away the heat curling inside my limbs and the steam slowed.
“In theory, the pool should keep me from overheating because of the temperature control for the water creatures who normally use it. If it doesn’t, as soon as you feel the water starting to warm, you have to get out so I don’t slow boil you like a lobster. Deal?”
“Deal,” he said. “Now get in so we can test your theory.”
I took a deep breath to steady my nerves then eased myself the rest of the way into the pool. Oanen swam closer, an almost predatory glint reflected in his eyes.
“Relax, Megan,” he said with a slight grin. “I won’t hurt you.”
He wrapped one arm around my waist and pulled me against his chest while he gripped the edge of the pool with his other hand. The feel of his skin against mine escalated the heat inside me. Steam rose around us in the barest wisps while the water of the pool worked to keep me cool.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“No. You’re killing me. Kiss me already.”
I grinned and set my hands on his bare chest before closing the distance between us. I touched my lips to his hesitantly, paying more attention to how the contact was affecting me and the temperature of the water than the actual experience. Oanen didn’t allow that for long. He licked my upper lip then gripped me tighter and demanded more.
Holding tight, I groaned at the touch of his tongue against mine. His hand moved over my back, a cool stroke over my heated skin. We parted and looked at each other.
“Still good?” I asked.
“The best.”
His mouth claimed mine once more. The passion of it robbed me of breath and cautious thought. I clung to him, losing myself to the kiss. To the taste of him. To the feel of him. The water rose over my shoulders and climbed up my throat as he let go of the pool and wrapped my legs around his waist. The feel of his erection firmly pressed against my underwear brought in enough awareness that I broke the contact once more.
Oanen reached up to move a piece of wet hair from my temple as he treaded water with his legs and watched me with golden eyes.
“You are the most beautiful thing in my life. A perfection I never thought the gods could achieve,” he said.
“You’re not just saying that to get in my panties, are you,” I said, already knowing the answer.
“No. It’s not the truth because I want you; I want you because it’s the truth.”
I looked at him for a long moment, embracing what I felt for him.
“How have you become my everything?”
I kissed him softly, a gentle touch of my lips to his.
The soft melody of a song about love and acceptance wrapped around my heart and encouraged me to give myself over to the handsome, exceptional creature who wanted me for his own. I smoothed my hands over his shoulders and around his back, pressing my chest against his. He groaned into my mouth. The song threaded around us, coaxing us both to let our passion for each other free.
Oanen gripped my legs and arched his hips against mine. Pleasure tingled through me. The need to give and receive even more rose higher as we sank under the water, our mouths melded in a hot kiss that threatened to consume my soul. I felt his need for me. His desire to call me his other half. All that I felt for him collided and gelled together inside my chest, a ball of emotion so intense it burned to be shared.
I loosened my hold on everything I’d been too afraid to let myself feel and sent it straight toward Oanen.
Water exploded around us. I opened my eyes in shock as his lips were ripped from mine and, through the bubbles, watched him fly backwards. He hit the other side of the pool with so much force that I could hear the tile crack even under water.
I surfaced, not even close to out of breath, and frantically swam toward him. He wasn’t moving, his body floating face down near a ladder. I hooked one arm around him, just under his arms, and pulled him toward the edge, ignoring the ladder and heaving him out of the pool and onto the cement ledge.
The moment I was on my knees beside him, I pressed my ear to his chest. The beat of his heart and the rise and fall of his chest reassured me.
Sitting back on my heels, I brushed back his hair.
“Oanen?” I called.
His face was once again blistered. Most of his skin had some degree of burn. His hair hadn’t melted, but likely only because of the water.
“Oanen, can you hear me?”
He groaned slightly.
“Ooh. Looks bad,” a voice said from behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder in surprise at a green-faced girl swimming in the water.
“I think I hurt him,” I said, trying to fight my panic. “He’s not answering.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. Enjoy that kick to the face,” she said before diving under.
I didn’t know who she was, but I wanted to kill her. Oanen gripped my hand, his hold stopping me from jumping into the water. I turned back to him and found his eyes open.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“Yes and no. I’d like to go back in the water and try again, but I think I’ll need a few minutes.” He spoke slowly, taking small breaths after every third word. He would need far more than just a few minutes.
“You want to try again? Are you insane?” I asked.
“For you,” he said with a smile followed closely by a wince.
I felt sick.
“How bad is it?” I asked softly.
“I think I might have cracked a rib or two. Help me up.”
“I’m not sure you should stand. Let me call—”
“Megan, I’ll be all right. I just need a hand up so I don’t hurt myself more.”
I hesitated until he tried rolling on his side on his own. The pain on his face had me getting down beside him so he could use me as a brace to stand. Each wince that pulled at his features tore at me. I’d done that. I’d hurt him. Again. How many times was it now? I’d lost count.
As soon as he stood, I helped him around the pool to his clothes. Helping him put on pants was awkward. Mostly because the green-faced bitch kept popping her head above the water and openly eyeing Oanen’s ass.
Once he had pants on, I quickly dressed as well. When I turned to offer to be his crutch, I found him already halfway through the window.
“You’re going to kill yourself,” I said, not sure if I should help him climb out or pull him back in.
“I’ll be fine,” he said. He lifted his leg over the windowsill and disappeared from sight.
I leaned out the window, saw him lying in the snow, and quickly scrambled after him.
“We could have used the doors.” I helped him to his feet and guided him toward the parking lot.
“We could have, but then the new liaison would have needed to come here, and I don’t think she’s ready for a second round with you just yet.” Humor laced his words, an attempt to mask the strain in them.
“Second round?” I asked, playing along. “That’s sounds like I attacked her or something.”
“She’s afraid of you after just one meeting,” he said.
“Good. She should be afraid of everyone here. She’ll pay more attention that way.”
“Or become paranoid.”