Wild and Free (The Wilder Brothers)

“The center of the maze. We’re here.”

“Why do I hear water?”

“Why don’t you come out from your cocoon and see?”

“Don’t make me. It’s comfortable.”

She snuggled closer into me and I bit back a groan. My God, she felt incredible. Her small frame in my arms. Her lips against my neck. Her blonde hair fluttering with the wind as it blew past us, tickling the exposed skin of my face and neck. My eyes fell onto the fountain that poured into the swimming pool. The angelic statue lent an old-fashioned beauty to the modern-day in-ground structure. But that wasn’t what I had my sights set on.

The hot tub was what I wanted.

“Kick off your shoes,” I said.

“What?” Jessica asked.

“Just trust me. Kick off your shoes.”

I toed out of mine as hers hit the ground, then I walked with her in my arms over to the in-ground structure. I took each step gingerly, acclimating to the heat of the water before I slowly descended into it. Jessica gasped into my neck before her head whipped up, and I grinned as her eyes widened.

“The pool and the hot tub are in the center of the maze?” she asked.

“They are,” I said as I sat down on the edge.

“Oh, this water feels so good.”

“You wouldn’t think so in the middle of a South Carolina summer, but it actually does,” I said.

“And the fountain is filling up the pool!”

I chuckled at the way her eyes lit up. So innocent. So new to everything that surrounded her. I’d long become accustomed to things like this. Over-the-top elegance and expensive things for the sake of showing off monetary status. But watching Jessica take in such beauty for the first time reminded me of how I felt when I first understood the amount of money and work that went into my own surroundings. Being raised with this kind of money came with a muted appreciation for what was around me most times, but not for someone like Jessica. I enjoyed the way her eyes lit up.

“All of this is so incredible,” sh

e said.

Her legs straddled my lap as her eyes looked over my shoulders.

“Are those the trees you were talking about? They’re massive. I probably couldn't even get my arms around the trunk of it.”

“Are they at the edge of the property?” I asked.

“They look far away. The hedges are too high for me to see anything other than what I already do.”

“Then those are probably the trees I was talking about.”

“Are you sure nothing sprouts from these hedges? I see little buds on the ones around us.”

“The outer ones I know don’t sprout anything. The ones on the inside that surround the center of it all might sprout with something. I know the gardener was trying to bring a lively perspective to some of the plant life back here, but other than that I don’t know.”

Her eyes widened while she took everything in. My gaze danced around her face, taking in the shock and awe of it all. With each movement she made, her hips caressed my growing groin. She had no idea what her innocent beauty was doing to me, and it made me want her even more. I took a chance and placed my hands on her hips. Curled my fingertips around her petite frame while she slowly swiveled her head to take in all she could.

She didn’t even seem phased by my touch.

“I bet it’s even more beautiful out here during a sunrise. Or a sunset.”

“I think this is the most beautiful time there is,” I said.

“You enjoy the night?” I asked.