CHAPTER 14 JARED #3
"But you've probably had more chances to enjoy yourself. Sometimes it's hard to deny yourself the little pleasures," I point out with a smile.
"I don't know about that. There weren't all that many pleasant moments in my life," he whispers before turning toward the window, as though he doesn't want to continue the conversation.
"How old are you?" I ask, since it's hard to tell.
"Thirty-four," Gianni replies, keeping his somber tone.
Well, I thought he was closer to forty. He's so pale, and those thick glasses give him the look of a librarian lurking in a corner. On top of that, his generally unkempt appearance doesn't help: messy hair and baggy clothes.
"You never know when life might finally change for the better," I answer diplomatically. "I'm still hoping that day will come for me," I add, catching myself sounding far bleaker than I'd intended.
Gianni looks back at me.
"I think that change is already beginning for you. You just don't know it yet," he snorts with a soft huff.
I decide not to comment.
Some subjects are simply too sensitive.
The swim trunks are still a little too loose, sliding down to my hip bones, so I tighten the drawstring even more.
Of course, I keep the leaf necklace around my neck.
My constant companion. A few years ago, I replaced the original thin gold chain with a special gold-plated one, but underneath the plating, it's made of fine braided titanium cable, because I don't want the chain to accidentally snap and send my necklace flying.
Gianni and I leave the room together, and he leads me downstairs to the ground floor, where the indoor pool occupies a spacious glass-walled area.
It's actually a pretty impressive pool, about twenty-six by sixteen feet, more than enough for private use.
The room itself is beautiful. The walls are covered in patterned green and turquoise tiles, while underwater lights cast shimmering emerald and azure reflections across the water.
One entire side is made of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the garden.
Even this late in the year it's filled with evergreen shrubs and lush plantings, creating a peaceful wall of greenery beyond the glass.
It's the kind of place I could easily get used to swimming in every day.
In the corner of the room, there's a small kiddie pool, though it's empty at the moment.
Of course, Silvio is already in the big pool, leisurely swimming a slow breaststroke from one end to the other. The moment he spots me, he stops and smiles.
"Come on in, Jared! I got you a float."
Under normal circumstances, I'd laugh at the idea because I'm an excellent swimmer, but considering how weak I still feel, simply floating on the water might actually be exactly what I need.
I stop at the steps, looking down at the water and wondering whether the pool is heated. Right then, the side door opens, and Mauro walks in.
Wow.
I have to admit, that's one hell of a view.
His hair is still damp from the shower, so the burgundy red sheen it takes on in the sunlight has disappeared.
The seemingly black locks curl softly against the nape of his neck.
Droplets of water shimmer across his beautifully sculpted chest, which is covered in tattoos.
They're all botanical in style, twisting vines, branches, stylized flowers…
but apart from my name, there isn't a single word inked anywhere else.
What catches my attention even more is that the tattoos are dark green rather than black.
An interesting choice.
He's wearing a pair of tiny, skin-tight black swim trunks, sitting somewhere between trunks and Speedos. They leave very little to the imagination, emphasizing the impressive bulge at his crotch. His waist is narrow, his eight-pack flawless, and his long, muscular legs look almost unfair.
A fleeting thought crosses my mind. Now, that I see him without clothes, he actually looks even more muscular than I thought, bringing him pretty damn close to the size of the forest fae.
Hmm. If I put a glow on him, wouldn't that golden-green light outlining his body make Mauro look like that forest entity after all?
But I quickly forget about those thoughts when I catch Mauro's gaze, his eyes boring into me with incredible intensity.
Heat instantly floods my cheeks as he takes in every inch of my body, with no intention whatsoever of hiding his interest. He stops a couple of steps away from me, and I can clearly trace the line of his gaze as it lingers on my nipples before sliding down to my crotch.
A low sound escapes his throat.
It’s a so-called ‘Appreciation’.
One of the basic AO vocalizations, used to express admiration and a sexual interest.
It still amazes me that, despite being mute, Mauro can produce AO sounds. I'd already noticed it during his interactions with Veyron, when he'd managed those deep warning growls jealous alphas use around omegas.
"Mauro, I don't think it's possible to be any more obvious," Silvio says with an amused chuckle as he swims over to the edge and watches us closely. "I'm pretty sure Jared has already figured out you're interested."
For an eighty-year-old, he's surprisingly fit. His skin bears the wrinkles of age, but there's still plenty of strength and vitality left in his body.
"So? Are you two going to join me, or are you planning to stand there staring at each other all day?"
I give him an apologetic smile.
"Yeah… of course."
I slowly step into the water. Damn. It's fairly cool. Not freezing, but I'd guess somewhere around seventy-seven degrees. Maybe that's a good thing, though. It helps bring my excitement down, which is definitely needed, since I started to feel blood pumping down my abdomen.
I take a moment to get used to the temperature before stretching out on my float and letting myself drift across the surface.
Mauro slips into the pool as well, except he doesn't bother adjusting to the temperature. He dives straight under, disappearing beneath the surface for what feels like an awfully long time.
Is he looking at my legs kicking gently through the water? Or my ass?
I’m starting to feel glad I painted my toenails green with little rhinestones embedded in the gel, and shaved, because at least he’s getting a pretty smooth view.
When he finally resurfaces, he runs his fingers through his hair, slicking it back. He flashes me the faintest smile before pushing off to swim.
What surprises me, though, is that he starts swimming in circles around me.
One lap.
Then another.
He's doing freestyle while I simply drift on the surface, resting against my inflatable float and trying to relax. It doesn't really work because there's a strange stirring just beneath my skin.
Meanwhile, Silvio continues swimming peacefully along the edge of the pool, occasionally glancing my way with that same knowing smile.
Time passes; I just keep drifting while Mauro keeps circling me.
At some point, I decide to interrupt his little hunting game… because what is this, him swimming around me like I'm his prey? Ha. It's fun, I have to admit, but I'm not going to just stay here and let myself be chased around the pool.
I do it deliberately, steering right into his path. The first time he gracefully curves around me. The second time, though, he obviously realizes I'm doing it on purpose.
Beneath the water, I feel his hands skimming around my waist, sliding gently along my sides before he slips past me and keeps swimming.
But I'm stubborn.
The third time he comes around, I move directly into his path again. This time I face him head-on and spread my legs slightly beneath the water.
Mauro obviously decides he's done pretending to be unaware of what I’m doing.
He catches me by the thighs and draws them around himself until my legs wrap around his hips and my crotch ends up directly against his.
The only thing separating us now is the float I'm still holding against my chest.
Mauro rises from beneath the surface until his face is right in front of mine. Water streams down his cheeks, damp strands frame his face, and droplets cling to his lashes. His lips are glossy, impossibly tempting.
Wow, he's breathtaking. Those dark hazel eyes are mysterious, like forest lakes. The way they're looking at me now is almost provocative, openly daring me.
Even though I know Silvio is watching us, I lift my hand and rest it against the back of Mauro's neck, my fingers delighting in the feel of his smooth skin.
His eyelids drift halfway closed. I answer by gently pulling him to me. Our lips, chilled by the pool water, meet, but… only for a heartbeat.
Then I jerk my head back, let go of the float, and dive beneath the surface.
Mauro has no intention of letting me get away.
He follows immediately.
Now we're both underwater. Through the pale green glow, I see him suspended in the water like some ancient god of the deep, his hair floating around his head like a black crown, teal and turquoise highlights falling in streaks across his sculpted skin.
Then he glides toward me with the effortless grace of his powerful body.
We kiss beneath the surface. His hands slide over my back before resting on my ass. With one firm pull, he draws me flush against him until our groins press together.
That's when I feel how hard he is. My pulse surges, but I also desperately need air.
I push myself upward and break the surface…
…only to find Veyron’s face hanging over me!
He’s crouching at the edge of the pool, smiling straight at us.
"Hey, guys. Mind if I join you?"
The next moment, he jumps into the pool right beside us, doing a cannonball and sending a huge splash of water in every direction.
Mauro surfaces and immediately lets out a growl.
"Okay, I guess we're not going to be friends," Veyron says with a laugh, simultaneously wiping his eyes and drifting around us.
"But really… Relax, I prefer more… mature brunets," he adds, then finishes in a dreamy tone, "with beautiful black eyes."
Mauro rolls his eyes slightly.