Chapter Sixteen
Rey
I’m seriously better than this.
Is that going to be my new mantra? I’m better than this? Shit.
I stomp out from behind the tree and do the only thing I can think to do to get him as off-balance as he’s gotten me. I start stripping right in front of him, starting with my jacket. Two can play this game, and considering I literally have everything to lose, I’m all in.
“Thank you so much for the invitation,” I say, toeing off my shoes. “I’ve been waiting years to get naked with you.”
Aric looms over me, eyes burning with unreadable emotion. Is it rage…or something worse? “Why are you here?”
I clench my fist around the hem of my T-shirt and yank it over my head, willing my pulse to chill the hell out. He’s the enemy. He’s furious. And he’s half naked.
Get it together, Rey!
“Your brother just asked me the same question. Education,” I say sweetly, as if this isn’t the worst idea I’ve had in at least a week.
I unhook my bra, toss it onto the bench, and shove out of my pants in one clean motion. Panties stay on. Can’t give the people everything they want.
Our gazes collide, then drop as one. Boxer briefs, like I saw in his room. My skin feels tight and my mouth waters as I step a bit closer. The air between us is charged, heavy with unsaid things, confessions, discussions about our past, all of it.
“You were right,” I tell him. “It’s my first time.” I nod toward the spring behind him. “So go ahead—teach me.”
His face goes deathly pale, then seconds later he’s flushing fire-alarm red.
“It’s more of a learn-as-you-go kind of thing,” he says finally, his voice rough as it skips across the suddenly frigid air hitting me in the face with such intensity that I suck in a breath. “I’m getting in.”
He backs up into the spring, his mahogany eyes dark and unblinking, which would be unnerving enough, but add to it that he never once breaks eye contact, causing heat to unfurl low in my stomach… Is he trying to intimidate me?
Well, I’m here. I’m naked. Does he really think I’ll fold that easily?
Then it hits me. He’s not trying to intimidate me.
He’s daring me.
His nostrils flare again, his jaw tightens, and then he swallows like he’s doing it to keep from saying something. I chalk it up to his hatred and absolute doubt that I’m here for charitable reasons.
My pulse is frantic, my breaths too shallow as I watch him disappear into the mist rising from the spring. The early-morning quiet is broken only by the sound of water rippling as he slips in. No pressure, no panic. I can do this.
I follow, stepping carefully over the rocky path until I reach the edge of the small spring.
I’m not a fan of water. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had nightmares about drowning.
Probably a result of Odin tossing me into the mansion’s deep end as a child.
His form of parenting was literally sink or swim.
But this pool doesn’t trigger the lurching feeling of dread in my stomach—the water’s clear, and I can see the stone lining the walls and edges.
The air is cool against my bare skin, but the moment I sink into the water, warmth overwhelms me.
What the hell am I doing?
“Reckless” doesn’t even cover it—I must be losing my mind…knowing what he could be capable of.
I need to get close, but this is too close, too soon.
I’ve only been here a day, and I’m already skinny-dipping with the enemy.
Now that I’m close enough to see him again, I notice Aric’s eyes are closed, his expression unreadable. I’m almost naked. He’s almost naked. And completely unbothered. I don’t know if I should be offended or thankful that he hasn’t said anything.
The charged silence stretching between us is heavy with an unspoken challenge.
I open my mouth, but before I can speak, his voice cuts through the stillness.
“Shhhh.” His tone is low, warning. “This is a quiet place. Make noise, and you might get eaten.”
I roll my eyes and flick water at him while dying a bit internally at the possible double meaning.
His reaction is instant. His eyes snap open, dark and intense, and then suddenly, I’m shoved against the muddy wall of the spring, my back pressing into the slick surface.
“Do that again.” His voice is a dare. A threat. He tilts his head to the side. “I liked it.”
His eyes flicker to my mouth.
I try not to react, but it’s impossible with Aric. I want to ask him questions, dig deep, for my own personal reasons but also because it’s the only way he’ll let me in. “You hate being challenged.”
“No, I never back away from a challenge. I hate losing,” he says quickly, and his eyes soften a bit. “And although I might be able to forgive you, fair warning, I’ll never forgive your father.”
“It’s unforgivable. All of it.” And it’s true. What my father did, what happened during a war Aric can’t remember his bloodline having any hand in…it’s all unforgivable.
He sighs. “It is, and yet, all I keep thinking is ‘damn, the lips of my enemy look so soft, I should indulge for just one second and take a bite.’”
It’s part of my plan, but his words shouldn’t make my blood rush. I suck in my bottom lip and imagine it’s him. “What’s stopping you?”
His eyes dart from my mouth back up to my eyes. “Loyalty.” He tilts his head. “What’s stopping you?”
“Self-control.”
He leans in and grazes my ear with his lips. “Surprised you have any left after living with Odin.”
I freeze. Even knowing he’s sleeping, it’s shocking to hear him refer to my father as Odin, not realizing the power of the name.
“Is this how it’s going to be the entire semester?” I ask him, breathless.
He pulls back. “Probably.”
“You mad about it?”
“Again, I like a challenge. Plus, I think you’re in over your head with Endir and especially with my family. I know you’re here for a reason. You want to get close to us and find out all our secrets? Be my guest, but the closer you get to me, the closer I get to you. Better tread carefully.”
“Mm, okay.” I nod. “I’ll take your advice to heart.”
I bite my lip again, heat pooling in my belly as he watches. Heart hammering, I throw caution to the wind and flick another drop of water toward his face. “Oops,” I murmur. “It slipped.”
A slow, wicked grin curves his lips. His hand disappears beneath the water, brushing against my thigh. I freeze again, my pulse racing as his fingers trail upward—slow, deliberate—gliding along the curve of my waist, up my ribs, until his palm is at my throat.
And then his lips are on my neck. Warm and decisive.
Not tentative, not testing. Just there, like he’s always known he’d end up exactly in this spot.
A breath catches in my throat. My hands hover, useless, unsure if I should shove him away or pull him closer.
He moves higher, slow and infuriatingly confident, dragging his mouth up to my jawline.
And when he bites—just enough pressure to make me gasp—I hate how much I want him to do it again.
He murmurs against my cheek, “I told you, I never back away from a challenge. You smell good, by the way. Too bad…”
Something cold and wet smears across my cheek. Is that…mud?
He releases me and shakes the excess from his fingers, his smirk dark and satisfied.
“Sorry,” he murmurs, voice rich with amusement. “It slipped.”
I wipe the mud from my face and flick it back at him, a genuine grin on my lips. “No apology needed. I like a good mud mask.”
“Oh, I wasn’t being helpful; it just pains me to see your face.”
I wrap my body around him and shove him down into the water. He goes easily, and when he pops back up, his expression is all amusement. He may be asleep, but he’s not dead inside after all. He can feel.
Better yet?
He wants to.
“Oops.” I shrug. “I slipped.”
He pushes me up against the wall of the spring again and grins. “You’re a real handful. Too bad you won’t last long. You might have been entertaining.”
I shrug again. “Who knows what the future holds.”
Aric presses his hands on either side of my head against the spring wall, caging me in, then lightly shoves back. The distance quickly grows between us. “Who knows indeed.”