Hope of having her. Of being man enough to deserve everything she was and stood for.
No, I wasn’t going to let go of my Piccola Furetta.
I would prove to Daisy that she had never been collateral damage in my life and never would be. Much less a mere moment of pleasure.
I looked at the crystal-clear water, at the lazy waves. “It’s pretty hot.” I began by saying, watching her face turn slightly toward me. “Let's go for a swim?”
I saw the hesitation in her gaze. The way her body shrank back at my suggestion. I didn’t want to wait, much less give hera chance to say no. I stood up and gently took her wrist, pulling her with me to the water’s edge.
Daisy let herself be guided, and I felt as though I’d won some kind of prize just for having the warmth of her body against mine again. Despite the night we spent together, I felt there was still some kind of wall between us.
An abyss I had dug with my own hands.
I had her wherever I wanted, however I wanted. But I threw it all away because my pride had been more important. Because I had refused to believe that there was once again a woman in my life, awakening my interest and making my heart race.
Now, all that was left was to fill the void I created.
I walked into the water, letting go of her. It was lukewarm, and I took a deep breath before diving in. I loved swimming, feeling the salty sea water fill my lips when I resurfaced, feeling the waves lapping against my skin. I turned back toward the shore, running my fingers through my hair, and saw Daisy standing in the same spot.
The high-waisted bottoms of her yellow bikini accentuated the delicate curve of her waist, and the top, a small yellow bandeau, made her round breasts stand out. She looked enchanting in it.
And in the midst of that landscape, on that beach surrounded by rocks and low-lying vegetation, with its sand and clear waters, she looked like some kind of paradisiacal dream.
“Aren’t you coming?” I asked, wanting her close to me.
She nodded very slowly and stepped into the water. When the waves kissed her waist, she plunged in and swam toward me with a few strokes.
“Is it normal for this place to be deserted?” she asked beside me, the water lapping at her shoulders. “I mean, it’s August. In Italy. Isn’t this supposed to be packed with tourists?” she pointed out, her tiny peridot eyes fixed on the sand.
I sighed and smiled. “Sì. But I made sure it would be empty today, just for us.”
She turned around very suddenly, gaping. “You cleared out a beach? Just like that?”
My heart raced at the sight of the sassy woman I adored so much, always with that defiant expression and upturned nose.
Piccola Furetta.
I allowed myself a satisfied smile. “What can I say? I have some influence.”
“Uh-huh.” She turned her gaze back to the sand, a hand shielding her eyes from the sun. “How many people did you have to blackmail to get your way? Or did you kill anyone in the process?”
I laughed and lay back against the calm waves, letting the sea rock me. “No one died and no one was blackmailed.”
“Wow. So it was just a monetary bribe?” She continued to tease, oblivious to how happy even the most absurd of her taunts made me. “Don’t tell me you’re losing your murderous streak.”
I dove under, surfacing seconds later to stare at her. She was standing still; the ruffled straps of her swimsuit top had slipped down, now revealing her sun-kissed shoulders.
I moved closer and couldn’t resist running my fingers along the curve of her shoulders, immediately seeing how her nipples were pressing against the fabric of her bikini.
I smiled. “All the qualities are still here…” I purred and grabbed her by the waist just as she tried to pull away. “All of them.”
‘Let’s not be more than this’ my ass. She and I would be everything.
Before she could escape, my lips met hers, and the water helped me lift her up to my height. I kissed her slowly, one arm locked around her waist and the other pressed against her back. Daisy barely resisted, parting her lips to welcome me, and I savored her mouth again.
Sweet, warm, velvety.
I breathed in her scent of strawberries and chamomile, now mingling with the sea air, and pressed my body closer to hers, feeling her breasts pressed against my bare chest.