****
She was insane. It was the only possible explanation for her behavior. Had she no clue the effect she had on him? He was quite honestly ready to take her right there underneath the waterfall, which he knew was probably not the most moral thing to do; nevertheless, he was a man, and sometimes men thought things they should not think.
Apparently, his brain was making a habit of thinking things it should not, especially in regards to Kessen. His earlier comment about seeing other women was said only out of anger and pure fear of the feelings she stirred within him.
He hoped to get a rise out of her; instead, she didn’t even put up a fight. She merely stripped down to her bikini and told him she was ready. He only needed a quick glance in her direction to confirm the pictures he had seen of her before hadn’t been retouched. In fact, she looked better in person, if it was even possible.
Her skin was a perfect tan against her white suit, and he could have sworn he saw sunlight pierce the clouds in the sky, highlighting only her, as if God was saying, “Take her; she’s all yours!”
How he wished it were true. The only reason he was able to even touch her after she fell strategically into his arms, was because he kept imagining all the horrible things that would happen to him if someone caught him ravishing the poor girl.
Her grandmother would probably cut off anything which wasn’t vital for his survival, and her father would probably fire him.
His father, however, would give him a cigar and a stiff drink and say, “Good job, son. I always knew you could do it.” But then again, his father’s moral compass didn’t exactly point due north.
Cursing himself for not being able to control his more carnal nature, he pushed the thoughts of her swimsuit out of his head and simultaneously moved as far away from Kessen as he could.
“This isn’t going to work,” he growled.
“I’m sorry?” she asked weakly.
“This, us—swimming. It isn’t going to work.”
Her gaze darted around the small area. “Because there isn’t any space?”
“No,” he groaned, splashing the cold water onto his face. “Because my body is on fire. It’s on fire, Kessen.”
Obviously not getting his hidden meaning, she scooted from her rock to sit next to him, as if she could somehow help him. She really was clueless.
“What do you mean?”
He sighed and turned to face her. She was a foot away from him; there was still time for him to react, still time for him to push her away. All he needed to do was come up with a lame excuse about finding Nick and Duncan, but when he opened his mouth to speak nothing came out.
She licked her pink lips and tilted her head as if asking him a question.
“I—” He started talking, but again the words wouldn’t come.
“Use your words,” she urged jokingly.
She licked her lips again and leaned closer.
“Forget it,” he muttered as he grabbed her and hungrily possessed her with a kiss. It obviously caught her off guard, and she didn’t respond for at least ten seconds.
Then, the fire he had been talking about spread to her, and they were both lost in its flames. He pulled her into his lap and took complete control of the situation.
They were alone; Nick and Duncan weren’t coming. Nobody was there to interrupt them, and he could do whatever he wanted.
His hands moved to the back of her swimsuit. It was suddenly clear he was faced with a dilemma.
He could break the trust of everyone he held dear by allowing his hands to do what they had been wanting to do since meeting Kessen, or he could keep her purity intact and wait five days, five whole days, to have his way with her.
Wars were fought over such decisions.
Her soft moan against his lips decided for him, and his hands roamed to her backside, pulling her close. Then, through a hazy cloud of lust, he heard someone yelling his name.
It was, he thought, purely a figure of his imagination.
That is, until a hand slapped him on the back of the head.
“Hands off!” Nick yelled.
Duncan was next to him with a camera, laughing. “I’m shocked. I had you working much faster than that, Christian. You are off your game, aren’t you, old boy?”
Kessen, who had been clueless as to their approach, looked up and blushed, then hid her head in Christian’s chest. He had half a mind to drown both Duncan and Nick for interrupting them.
“How did you get up here so fast?” Christian asked. “Wait, how did you get up here? We didn’t have enough supplies.”
Duncan suddenly took great interest in the sky, the dull, overcast sky.
“Duncan,” Christian ground out through clenched teeth.
Nick laughed and slapped Duncan on the back.
“Duncan!” Christian yelled louder this time.
His friend held his ground. “In my defense, I thought it would be good for the two of you to bond without us watching. Both of you are so stubborn, we had to trick you to even go off on your own, considering you’re so terrified of one another.”
Christian’s hands froze on Kessen’s shoulders.
“Terrified?” she said curiously.
“Oh yes, I’ve actually never seen Christian like this. Normally, he’s very smooth. I mean, he could seduce a happily married woman into signing over her will and house to him if he wanted to. But you’ve knocked him off his game; his confidence is wavering.”
Christian groaned.
“In fact, I was almost worried he didn’t know how to seduce a woman anymore. I did teach him everything he knows.”
“Really?” Kessen asked, suddenly intrigued. “What did you teach him, Duncan?”
Duncan, all smiles, answered, “You know that trick where he kisses down your neck and moves his hands just so—oh wait, here, I have it on camera.”
Christian swore.
“Let me rewind it.”
Nick was laughing in the background, obviously pleased with this sudden turn of events.
“Got it. Okay, so look where his hands are.” Duncan pointed to the recording. “Now as he slips them down the side of your arm, he uses that time to distract you by biting your bottom lip. Do you see that? Now as he bites you, and you respond—because what woman wouldn’t?—he wraps his other hand behind you and begins … well, you know…”
Kessen turned her head to the side. “No, I don’t, Duncan. Why don’t you tell me.”
Duncan smiled triumphantly, then whispered into her ear, “He tries to take off whatever you’re wearing, of course.”