Happy Birthday to me.
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10pm
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The ice-cold water slammed into him like a brick wall.
He'd recalled the pool temperature being a tropical dream during the day, but the deceptive heat from the spa had given him a false sense of security.
He breast stroked under the water, once – twice, before he resurfaced, drawing in a deep breath, finding it a struggle to fill his lungs.
The dive had knocked the wind out of him.
As he continued to wade through the icy depths he spotted her – facing the wall of the pool, her arms folded in front of her, her chin propped up on her forearms. Her untouched cocktail perched on the edge of the pool.
His eyes dipped to the gold pieces of string that clung together messily, leaving two uneven pieces cascading down her back.
He doesn't want to think about how her sun-kissed skin looks a lot darker at night and that the moonlight appears to be creating a sheen around her. He instead takes, the few remaining strokes until he's inches away. As the water ripples against her back he takes in a deep, languid breath.
"You ok?" He whispers from behind, his words reverberating against the wall of the pool. He knows he shouldn't drop his cover, not even for a second - but it's been hours since they'd touch base. Hours since his hand ran across her smooth, firm legs. Hours since Charlie's hand slid inside her bikini top, Olivia's nipples hardening from her touch..
Jesus.
The water continues to lap at her shoulders and she's shown no response to his question, let alone his presence. He knows Charlie can see them from the spa – so he doesn't waste any time. He moves in, wrapping his arms around her stomach, pulling her softy until she's coming off the wall.
She doesn't resist, and he's surprised when she allows herself to fall back into him, as if she'd been expecting him. He takes a deep breath when the wet skin of her back sinks into his chest, and he tries to ignore the string that's now teasing his stomach.
He hadn't been conscious of where his hands were going and they'd ended up around her rib cage, just below the swell of her breasts - the undersides of her breasts now resting on his forearm.
For the love of God.
He knows he should have grabbed her lower.
The night air has since quenched the heat of the day and he can feel her body temperature is below norm. He holds her a little tighter and for a moment he just enjoys the way her body is starting to heat his.
"Liv," he whispers against her ear, prodding her to respond to his earlier query, but her silence is only fueling his concern. He lets his chin rest on the top of her shoulder and he tries instead to listen to her body, to her breathing, her movements – to any sign that she might be giving him.
Nothing.
He can feel it then. A nervous energy – and his heartbeat begins a solid thump against the wall of her back. He knows something's off. It's the first time in 12 hours that he's managed to get her alone, to check in and she isn't responding to him.
His mind is racing now because there was a solid patch during the day when he'd lost sight of her. He'd been helping Rodney with the drinks when she'd disappeared with Charlie. His mind swarmed at the possibilities of what could have happened.
Her hands start to move then, and slowly he feels her peeling off his grip. His eyebrows furrow in confusion, but he lets her detach herself, praying that she had some kind of reasoning for it – some kind of plan.
He wants to say something, anything. Because now the though occurs to him that she may not realize this is just for show. But before he has too long to mull on the possibility she's turned around to face him. Her wet hair is matted to the side face, and he notices for the first time that it spirals into curls when wet. Her eyes are damp from the pool water and if she'd been wearing makeup before, she hasn't got a hint of it left. The sight before him is natural - beautiful, and it almost seems unjust getting a glimpse of a woman he's never seen before.
She looks stunning.
His eyes are trained on her face, but it's the peripheral vision he can't ignore that's granting him access to the damp gold material clinging firmly to darkened bronze.
When she begins to remove the distance between them, his stomach drops as her hands encircle his neck. When the damp material of her bikini presses firmly into the wall of his chest, his teeth sink into his lower lip. His hands go instinctively to the curve of her back but he doesn't realize it's to his detriment because her lower half has no option but to fall softly against his. As the top of her thigh presses against his crotch he closes his eyes. His fingers bite into her skin, and he prays his body doesn't respond to the motion.
When he opens his eyes again, her eyes have fallen to his lips and damn it, he's trembling now, and he has no chance of blaming it on the cold. As she moves up, drawing her mouth excruciatingly close, he can feel her warm breath against his lips. He thinks she's getting closer to tell him something, but as the water laps against their chests, the restraint within him shatters when she mouths the words.
Kiss me.
TBC