Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 187(@300wpm)
Ruslan is uncharacteristically quiet as I reluctantly let go of Alina and put a couple of feet of water between us. It’s not enough to lessen the potent pull toward her, but it’ll have to do. There could be sharks in these waters, and though they’re unlikely to bother us, I refuse to be more than a meter away from her when there’s even the slightest chance of danger.
“I…” She licks her lips, moving her arms at her sides to stay afloat. “I’m going to swim a bit, okay?”
Not waiting for my response, she flips onto her stomach and heads toward the yacht with a determined but inefficient breaststroke. I follow her, staying at her side, and we do a couple of laps around the boat—at the end of which she’s visibly out of breath.
“I think I’ve had enough for now,” she says, grabbing hold of the ladder. “Feel free to swim more. I’ll see you later.”
With that, she hauls herself out of the water in a mouthwatering display of perfect curves and wet, gleaming skin.
Fuck. I’m hard again.
I’m about to climb up after her, but as she disappears from sight, I decide that a few more laps around the boat might be just the thing to cool the fire raging inside me. She’s likely headed to the shower, and if I see her there right now, I may break my word and take her.
“You should teach her to swim better.”
I turn to see Ruslan floating next to me. “Of course I will.”
That’s my goal for the next few weeks, in fact. My Alinyonok is an okay swimmer, at best. I already knew that from observing her during a few of her beach vacations, but her lack of skill has never mattered before. Now it does. We might be out at sea for a while, and I need to know that she’ll be able to swim to safety if, despite my vigilance, she somehow ends up overboard.
My brother regards me curiously. “You’re not worried she’ll try to escape?”
“She’ll try it regardless.”
“Fuck.” Ruslan blows out a breath, spraying water droplets around himself. “Lyosha, are you sure—”
“I know what I’m doing.” My tone is sharp, cutting. We’ve had this argument half a dozen times before, and I’m not about to back down when I’m so close to having everything I want.
A look disturbingly close to pity settles on my brother’s face. “Do you?”
“I do,” I say tightly, and not waiting for his reply, I swim away with long, furious strokes.
Chapter 10
Alina
My heart is still racing as I step out of the shower—not because of the exertion of the swim but because I can’t stop thinking about Alexei and my stupid, illogical reactions to him. Even worse, I’m beginning to suspect that the bargain we made this morning isn’t the same in his mind as it is in mine. I was hoping he wouldn’t touch me at all, but his actual words were that he wouldn’t fuck me, and given the way he’s been acting after the wedding, today is definitely not a no-touch day.
Trying to calm myself, I blow-dry my hair, reapply my makeup—after first putting on a thick layer of sunblock to avoid another ordeal at Alexei’s hands—and get dressed. I wish I had something to busy my mind, like a good video game, but I haven’t seen anything along those lines in the cabin. Still, I’m reluctant to head up to the deck again and face Alexei and his brother. Both men discomfit me, albeit for different reasons.
I walk over to the bed and sit down, thinking about what Ruslan started saying before Alexei interrupted him—something about leaving us to our “honeymoon.” The implication was that Alexei’s brother will depart soon. Does that mean we’re going to dock somewhere and drop him off? Or is there a chopper coming for him?
Either way, that means we’ll be close to land, which is probably where Alexei intends to get the doctor.
I squash the tiny bloom of hope as soon as it unfurls in my chest. Alexei wouldn’t be so foolish as to give me an opportunity to escape so quickly, not after everything he went through to bring me here. But still… what if—
The cabin door opens and Alexei steps in, his swimming trunks dripping wet and his powerful muscles flexing underneath his tattooed, water-dappled skin. He must’ve just finished his swim and come straight here—something I didn’t expect for some reason.
I swallow and cross my legs as casually as I can, trying to project the image of a cool, unaffected ice princess. It’s not easy. Alexei half-naked is a sight to behold, but Alexei half-naked and wet is the stuff my most fucked-up erotic dreams are made of. My breath speeds up as my inner muscles tighten, reminding me that I’m sore and that the salt water did not make it better.