Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
“Deal.”
One word, and my walls started to lower of their own volition. Staring into the depths of Victoria’s eyes, I felt safe, safer than I’d felt in months. Maybe it was because of the strength she was willing to lend me. Maybe it was because of the soft understanding in her eyes. It didn’t matter. All that did was that the words came out easier than they had in months, even more smoothly than when I told Dr. Kedir my darkest fears and secrets.
I sighed, settling down onto the rocky terrain. I pulled my legs up, resting my arms around them. Victoria settled next to me moments later, leaning into me, gifting me her strength. “It, uh…” I cleared my throat. “It started right after my first trip up here.”
The words flowed out as if I was telling someone else’s story. I told her all about my last acting job and what had brought me to Saint Stephen’s Lake for the first time. The high I felt when that film was done, sure that it was a new chapter in my life. About my move to New York, wanting to try different projects and push myself to new heights.
But that all came crashing down after only a few weeks. I thought the first envelope was a joke, some obsessed fan who was desperate for my attention. In fact, I didn’t take the first five to heart. It wasn’t until my email inbox got bombarded with messages that I started to think this was more than a fan.
My entire body shivered as I talked about my last night in the city. While I hid some of the details about the break-in, for once, I didn’t shy away from how weak and vulnerable I felt, telling her how, even now, living in an entirely different area code, I still checked the walls daily to make sure there wasn’t a message waiting for me.
Victoria stayed quiet the whole time I spoke. We stayed sitting on the shore, my eyes alternating between hers and the ground below us. But Victoria never wavered, never faltered. The only reason I knew she was affected was because she would flinch, her hand moving closer to mine. Just the smallest reaction let me know she was in this with me, that she was hanging on to my every word and hating what I had gone through.
There was a part of me that expected her to turn away in disgust. To judge me because I was unable to face this invisible threat. To tell me I was foolish not to hire guards and live my life behind my gated home, keeping away from the rest of the world.
But when I met her eyes, there was no hint of pity, no other emotion than empathy. It was a welcome relief and made me continue, even when I wanted to stop and erase this painful period of my past.
“And then, I decided to come here,” I sighed, thinking about the broken man who had shown up on Cole and Alex’s front porch—the one so haunted by invisible demons that he left his home without packing a single item. “I needed to get away from everything that was plaguing me. As much as I miss being in front of the camera, I needed this break. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I can breathe.”
Victoria’s eyes darted to the side, and her lips twisted like she was holding back. “What?” I asked.
She exhaled slowly, forcing herself to meet my eyes. “I’m glad you have a place like this, somewhere you can come when you need a break. But…” She chewed on her lower lip.
“Tell me, Tor.”
“I don’t want you to get upset with me.”
“Hey,” I said, taking my fingers to tilt her chin up to meet my eyes. “If I didn’t want your words, I wouldn’t have opened up to you. Don’t hold back on me, trouble. Tell me what you think.”
She sighed. “Breaks are meant to end . You’ve already said this isn’t your real life. One day, you’re going to want to go back to making movies, to acting. As I think you should. You’re way too talented to wallow away up here.”
“You think I’m talented?”
“Of course, that’s what you focused on,” she groaned, turning to place both of her hands on my chest. “I’m just worried about you, Adam. You said you have no idea who’s targeting you, that you don’t want to go back until you know more. But what if that never happens?” She shook her head. “I hate the idea of this invisible person ruining your life and getting away with it.”
“What would you do?” I asked, genuinely curious about her response.
“I don’t know,” Victoria answered. “I’ve always wanted to be this brave person, but at some point, it became easier to let my dreams stay just that—dreams. There’s no risk if you don’t try.” Her hands bunched in my shirt. “But you’re not me, Adam. You’ve already done the scary thing. You’ve worked so hard for so long. What did you tell me?” She smiled. “Be brave.”
“Be brave,” I repeated. “I…I’m getting there.”
“You will,” she said, pushing back to put some space between us. But before she could go too far, I grabbed her wrist, bringing her back to me.
“Not so fast, trouble.” I chuckled. “You owe me something.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ll work on my list tonight, I promise.”
I placed my hand on my chest in mock horror. “I opened up, offered you my darkest secrets, and that’s all you’re going to give me?” She stared at me. “I think it’s time to put your guts to the test, trouble.” I leaned in, inhaling another hit of her intoxicating scent. “I think you should cross something off right now.”
I expected some resistance, but this girl never ceased to surprise me. Victoria glanced over my shoulder, smiling brightly at the lake. She placed her hand on mine, and I released her wrist. I almost reached for her again, but something about her smirk stopped me. She spun and walked backward toward the water, her hands going to the straps of her dress.
“You know, ever since I got here, I’ve wanted to swim in the lake.”
I chuckled. “We gotta work on your fears, trouble. You could have gone swimming at any time. Hell, there’s a great beach only a couple of miles down the road.”
“You didn’t let me finish,” she teased. “But I didn’t bring a bathing suit. Thought it would be too cold.” She shrugged her shoulder. “So I guess I’m checking two things off my list today. Swimming in the lake…” She stopped long enough to let her dress pool at her feet, kicking it further into the sand. “And skinny dipping.”
My mouth dried as I took in her body, my eyes tracing every line of her curves. Her sun-kissed skin glowed in the fading daylight, making her pale underwear stand out even more. She was soft and feminine, my deepest desires brought to life. As she turned, showing off the curves of her firm ass, she called out over her shoulder, “You going to stare all night, or are you going to join me?”
Without another thought, I started pulling off my shoes, fumbling to join her as she walked deeper into the lake.
Victoria Campbell was a siren, luring me into a watery grave. And like the men of legend, I was helpless to her call, needing to follow her, even at my own peril.
The water cut like glass when I stepped into it. Despite the lingering summer heat, the water was frigid, almost enough to make me doubt my choice to follow Victoria. But when she dove under the water, the cold was the least of my worries. I swam faster, almost reaching the same spot when she popped back up with a broad smile on her face. “Took you long enough,” she chuckled. “God, I did not think it would be this cold.”
I pulled her into my arms, sighing deeply as her legs collided with mine. “I can help you out with that.”
For a moment, Cole’s face flashed in my mind, sternly telling me to stay the fuck away from his baby sister. Sorry, buddy, never going to happen. It’d be easier to cut out my tongue than stay away from her.
She leaned in, nothing but mischief written on her face. All of Victoria had captured me, but this version? The carefree, devious one? She was quickly becoming my favorite.
As her legs wrapped around my waist, my hands found her thighs under the water. I run my thumbs along her bare skin, wanting to move closer to her core. Victoria chuckled, leaning to whisper in my ear, “Thank you for helping me out. I’m feeling warmer already.”
“Trust me, trouble,” I groaned as I squeezed her thighs a little harder. “This is a lot more self-serving than you realize. I’ve been dying to get you back in my arms. This is just a convenient excuse.”
Her eyes widened as she looked at me. Her voice cracked a little as she asked, “You have?”
I pulled her harder into me, letting her feel what havoc her body was wrecking on my lower half. She gasped as she felt my length against her stomach. “You’ve been driving me crazy all week, Tor. I’m at the edge of my rope, and every time you wiggle in my arms, it’s getting harder and harder to hold back.”
“Then stop holding back.” Her smile got even wider, and she shifted closer to me, her lips pressing against my ear. “But…you’ll have to catch me first.”
She giggled as she shoved against my chest, swimming farther out into the lake. I waited, watching her move gracefully. As she got about ten yards away, she turned back to me. “Not even going to try to keep up?”
“This fucking girl,” I grumbled, unable to hold back my grin. She squealed as I pushed off, using all my swimming experience to catch up to her. When I got close enough, I reached out, grabbing her ankle. She tried to splash me back, but I had her back in my arms before she knew it. I chuckled at her pout. “Gotcha.”
She shivered as I held her, and I noticed the goosebumps breaking out over her body. “Shit,” I hissed. “We need to get you back to shore and into some warm clothes. ”
“Wait…” Victoria said, her fingernails digging into my arms. “One more moment of bravery before we go.”
Tentatively, she reached up, brushing my lips lightly with hers. It was barely enough to count as a kiss, but that small gesture lit my skin on fire. She pulled back just as quickly, her eyes widened in shock or horror. “Adam, I’m so sorry?—”
Her words died as I crashed my lips to hers, needing more. That one touch turned me into a man possessed, only thinking about Victoria. My hands gripped her supple curves, lifting her so I could devour her properly. Her tongue brushed mine, and all rational thoughts left my mind. I needed this woman, craved her like I did my next breath. Forget acting, forget anything else in this world—all I needed was more forbidden moments like this, with Victoria Campbell in my arms.
But just as she relaxed in my embrace, a loud cheer erupted from the party on the shores. The sound broke the dam in my mind, the one preventing me from thinking rationally. I pulled back, searching Victoria’s eyes, taking in her swollen lips. “Tor, I?—”
“Don’t,” she whispered, placing her hand on my mouth. “Don’t overthink this. It’s one night; that’s all I’m asking for. I want one night with you before I go back to my normal life.”
One night.
Her words soured on my tongue, dousing any thoughts I had of taking things further. Was that really all she wanted?
Here I was, thinking that this girl was something special, that she was the one I’d been searching for all this time. Perhaps it was a cruel twist of karma, to give me Victoria, knowing she was perfect for me, only for her to throw the words of my past in my face .
Suddenly, my throat dried up as I pictured the faces of the women I’d said similar sentiments to. How many had asked for more, begged for me to give them a chance? No wonder Victoria wasn’t looking for anything real with me. I wasn’t the guy you settled down with. I was the story you told your friends over drinks at the bar.
“I can’t,” I said, letting her out of my embrace.
“Oh...” Victoria sighed, pulling her lower lip between her teeth. “I thought–” She shook her head. “Right. That was so stupid of me to say. Of course, you don’t want that. We can just pretend it never happened.”
That was not even an option. Her taste was ingrained on my tongue, trapped there forever. But how did I explain to a woman I barely knew anymore that with one kiss, my world tilted on its axis? With the first tentative touch of her lips to mine, I knew those were the only ones I needed. The thought terrified me, and it was my mind that had latched onto her so suddenly. She wanted one night with me. I wanted all of hers. How could I explain that without scaring her away?
As I stared into the hurt expression in her eyes, no words came—at least, not enough to make this right.
“I don’t regret that kiss, Tor,” I said. “Not for a moment. But Cole?—”
“Doesn’t get a say in my sex life.”
“Shit, Tor,” I said, placing her down. “You can’t just say stuff like that.”
“Why?” she snapped, staring at me with a newfound fire in her glare. “Because I’m Cole’s little sister? Because I’m just a kid?”
“That’s not what I said.” She pushed further away from me, not waiting for me to continue. “I–”
“That’s fine, Adam,” Victoria whispered as she backed away and moved closer to the shore. “Please, please ; let’s forget this ever happened. Blame it on a loss of self-control, and we’ll go back to what we were before. You can be Cole’s best friend, and I’ll be his little sister. Those roles work for us, especially because I’m leaving soon.”
“Tor, wait!”
She never paused, calling out one more, “It’s fine,” before swimming back to shore. It took me longer than I wanted to reach her, hating how much space was suddenly between us. It was more than the distance. Victoria’s walls had been down. She’d completely opened herself up to me, and I shut it down without any explanation.
Fuck that. I’d baited her all night, daring her to be brave. Teased her, tempted her, then left her feeling like a fool. But when it came time for me to be honest and face my own fears, I shut down, refusing to speak the words that terrified me.
However, by the time I got to the shore, it was too late. All that remained were the remnants of her footprints along the shoreline, disappearing as she escaped into the grassy field above.
She was gone.