Chapter 22
We didn’t linger in Vortex, not even for a drink.
For a brief moment, I did consider hitting the dance floor.
The memory of our bodies moving together made me forget all about what Bastian and I had said in Eaden’s office.
About how we weren’t a thing. Made me forget how disappointed I was hearing the sentiment voiced aloud.
The idea of his body rubbing mine had liquid desire dripping into my core. But then a new thought barged in. The thought of Luke lurking in the shadows, waiting for me to appear. That desire dried right up. I kept my hand in Bastian’s as he led me out of the club.
His bike materialized in front of us. I studied it.
The sleek build was perfect for navigating city streets.
A symbol was etched into the side, up near the handlebars.
My eyes narrowed, focusing on it. I hadn’t noticed it before.
A circle, topped with a crescent moon, and two crossed swords. Eaden’s words came rushing back.
Enforcer, the symbol screamed.
I glanced at Bastian. He walked with a swagger that most didn’t possess. It’s what I found so sexy about him.
He dropped my hand and turned, helmet appearing. He fit it over my head and gave it a little tug. Then his hands drifted down my torso, lingering, leaving a trail of heat. Another helmet appeared and he slid it over his head.
“Let’s go,” he said.
We climbed on the bike and I wrapped myself around him, my mind immediately jumping ahead.
We were going back to his place. He’d mentioned swimming, and the thought of being naked with him in the pool made my panties damp.
Was I in over my head? Bastian should have scared me.
Hell, he seemed to scare everyone else around him.
Bastian’s motorcycle revved. “Hold on, sugar.” A second later and we were off.
I wasn’t naive. I knew enough about goblins, how the fae used them for their dirty work. Bastian seemed to know everyone. Or rather, everyone seemed to know Bastian. That probably wasn’t a good thing. He moved like someone who was used to power, like he handled copious amounts of it.
My brow furrowed. Who was he to the fae? What kind of work did he do for them? Why had Eaden warned me to be careful?
These were the thoughts plaguing my mind for the entire trip back to Bastian’s house.
But when it came into sight, those thoughts slipped right out, replaced with new ones.
Part of me hoped Bastian had forgotten his earlier words.
The safe thing to do was turn in early for the night.
It was nearing 11:00pm. But I was a night owl, used to sleeping late and rising late.
The garage door opened. We slowed to a stop inside. The engine died as the door closed behind us. I climbed off, handing my helmet to Bastian, shaking out my curls. He pulled his off too, and they disappeared. “Still up for a swim, sugar?”
My heart skipped.
“Uh, yeah, that sounds great.”
“Great. I thought I’d open a bottle of wine. You game?” I nodded, not trusting my voice. “Awesome, I’ll just grab a couple of things. Meet you out back?”
“Yep, sure.”
He led me in and split away to the kitchen. I ducked into my room and closed the door, leaning against it, breathing harder than usual. Swimming—with Bastian. I glanced down at myself. My bra and panties were adequate. Maybe I’d just swim in that?
Slipping into the bathroom, I took a few minutes for myself, checking my reflection before heading back out. Bastian was already out back. Electric lanterns that looked gaslit lined the house’s back facade, paired with decorative lights that lined the pool’s perimeter. The place glowed with warmth.
A sound system trilled the electric guitar solo I knew from Maroon Rage in the background. I smiled. He’d done that on purpose. It wasn’t too loud. I could still enjoy the crickets and other nighttime noise.
Bastian stood at the table where we had lunch, his back to me.
He had a bottle of wine in hand, twisting the opener into its cork.
I approached, watching the way his muscles bunched as he worked.
A flare of boldness stole over me. I came up behind him, wrapping my arms around his torso, splaying my fingers over his rock-hard abdomen.
Still in my boots, I was able to reach the back of his neck. I planted a kiss there.
He hummed, pleased.
“What did you pick?” I asked, leaning around to look at the bottle in his large, capable hands.
“Thought you’d like a pinot noir.”
“I would. Good choice.”
“You’ll enjoy this one. Been holding on to it for a while. Snagged it at a wine auction.”
“A… A wine auction? They have things like that?”
He chuckled, pulling the cork free with effortless grace. He didn’t slosh any from the bottle like I did on occasion. I dropped my arms so that he could fill our glasses. The red liquid trickled out, pooling up. “They’ve got auctions for everything under the sun, sugar.”
“Right.” I swallowed, my throat suddenly parched. He filled each glass with a perfect pour, not a single drop wasted as he turned the bottle to avoid dripping, setting it into the ice bucket on the table.
I smiled. He liked his pinot noir chilled like a white. So did I.
“Got this one for a steal, actually. It’s a six-thousand-dollar bottle, but I practically stole it, for two.”
I sputtered. “Two?! You mean, like, two hundred?”
“Two thousand. Told you, been holding on to it for a while.”
I gawked, glancing between him and the bottle.
This wine would be wasted on me. Well, not entirely.
I treated myself to a fifty-dollar bottle occasionally.
But I’d never had one that cost more than a hundred and fifty, and that had been a special occasion last year.
A gift from Eaden on my birthday. I huffed and said, “I’m gonna to have to tell Eaden I feel short-changed. ”
He grinned, lifting the glasses, handing me one. “Cheers, sugar.”
“What are we toasting to?”
“To forgetting the past and embracing the future. To making worthwhile exceptions.” His eyes glittered with meaning.
“To worthwhile exceptions,” I repeated, trying to ignore the sensation expanding in my chest as I clinked my glass against his.
I took a sip. Light, crisp flavor exploded on my tongue. I swished it around a moment before swallowing. Then I took another sip. Bastian eagerly watched me. “God, this is so smooth!”
“Good, yes?”
I took another sip. There was no chance I’d recognize any of the flavors. I wasn’t anything close to a sommelier. But I could tell it was the best wine I’d ever had. “So freaking good. I could get in trouble with this.”
“Glad you like it. Thought the occasion called for it, after the day we’ve had.”
I nodded, setting my glass down to unzip my boots. I slipped out of them, discarded my socks, and grabbed my glass, going to sit at the side of the pool. Cool water met my skin and I sighed, swishing my legs through it, wiggling my toes. I could feel Bastian’s gaze digging into my back.
After a moment, the sound of his glass plinked on the table. I turned to regard him and caught an eyeful of skin as he slipped out of his shirt. Next came his pants.
My lips parted. Maybe I should look away, but I couldn’t.
His briefs hit the ground and he straightened to his full height, eyes heatedly challenging me.
I didn’t stop myself from looking my fill.
My gaze lingered on his hardening length.
I swallowed, mouth suddenly dry. He was…
huge. His cock stood proud, curving slightly.
I wasn’t close enough to make out the intimate details of it, but I saw enough.
For a brief moment, his glamor flashed, giving me an eyeful of his goblin form, which was—
I ripped my gaze away, turning toward the pool. His low rumble skittered over my skin, sending goosebumps in its wake. He knew exactly where my mind was. I refused to look at him. The splash of water was my only indication that he’d jumped in.
I watched him pop up. His wet hair slicked back, unbraided now. The ends fanned out around him in the water as he treaded in place. The pool rippled, but I could still see everything below the surface in a distorted way. Heat prickled my skin, set my toes curling.
My panties were dripping wet, an ache building between my legs. I wanted him—badly. I squeezed my thighs tightly together, as if that would make a difference.
Bastian swam in my direction, stopping several feet away. He made a show of inhaling before a smug smile spread across his face, enough to form a dimple. “Love that smell on you, baby girl.”
“You’re such a prying asshole,” I muttered under my breath, positive that he’d heard my words with his goblin hearing, especially when he chuckled and ducked beneath the surface.
I took the moment of privacy to pull my hair up off my neck, to cool myself.
It was no use. I was burning up, tiny beads of sweat forming at my temples.
I buried my nose in my wine, taking several big gulps to distract myself.
But nothing could distract me from the sight of him swimming around underwater.
The tattoos that lined his body. There was one low on his hip that wrapped around to the back of his left buttock. Fucking hell, I was so, so lost.
He popped back up, grinning. “Why don’t you join me, Elle? You shy?”
My answering laugh was brittle. He wanted me in the pool with him—naked.
I could keep my underclothes on. He didn’t have to see everything, which would make me look and feel like a total prude.
Ugh. I knew he’d seen plenty of female bodies, possibly even males too, if he enjoyed that sort of thing.
Someone as old as him probably did. But…
“Shall I turn around first, to allow you some privacy?”
I scoffed and stood, taking another gulp of wine, enjoying its warmth. Then I strode to the table and set it down before stripping. I kept my eyes locked with his as my shirt came off. Then I shimmied out of my shorts. Even at this distance, I could see his pupils dilate, swallowing up the green.
I reached for the clasp of my bra and paused, gauging his reaction.
His lips were parted, breaths coming a little faster than normal.
I snapped the clasp and let it fall down my arms and onto the pool deck.
I was a modest B cup. I’d been a dancer much of my life, so my curves were lean. I was fine with that.
Apparently, Bastian was, too.
I knew the moment his eyes lost the battle, trailing down to my chest. His gaze was fixed there.
I slipped my fingers beneath the band of my thong.
As soon as it began sliding down my hips, he followed the motion downward with a muttered, “Fuck,” that pierced the tense silence building between us.
I slipped it off, letting it fall beside my bra, then I walked gracefully to the deep end of the pool.
His eyes branded every inch of my exposed skin. I welcomed the heat, knowing the water would douse the flames. I’d need it, especially between my thighs, to temper the ache there.
Gently bending my knees, I sprang from the ground and executed a perfect swan dive.
I heard a distant, “Fucking hell,” right before I plunged beneath the water’s surface.
Cold rushed in around me, tightening my nipples.
I let myself sink all the way to the bottom, then gave a powerful kick, pushing up to the surface.
When I broke free, I opened my eyes and found Bastian’s hungry face, inches from mine.