Loyal Heir (The Heirs 4)

“Why three? It’s not like you swim a lot,” I mutter as we finally walk out of the store.

“That’s going to change. I plan on swimming every night,” Carla mentions. “I’ve never been one for the gym or jogging, and I need to get exercise somehow.”

“Yeah, we’ll see how long that lasts,” I joke.

ARIA

Carla and I are excited to wear our bathing suits, so we convinced Forest to go swimming with us. Little does he know there’s a pool party happening on campus.

I pull on a pair of shorts and slip my feet into my sandals. Remembering to take a towel from my bathroom, I walk out of my room.

Forest is already waiting, checking something on his phone. “Oooh, that reminds me. Let’s take a photo so I can post it to Instagram.”

Forest gets up and throws his arm around my shoulders, which has me saying, “That’s my bad side.”

“You don’t have a bad side,” he mutters.

I move to his right and then smile as if I’m madly in love with him.

Forest grins at me as he takes the photo, and we both look at the result. “Oh yes, it came out great. Send it to me quickly.”

My phone buzzes, and opening the text from Forest, I retrieve the photo and post it to my Instagram account. “Hashtag, in love. Hashtag, my one and only. Hashtag, I have the best boyfriend in the world.”

“Yeah, as long as you remember that,” Forest jokes.

“How do I look?” Carla asks as she comes into the living room wearing a white bikini with black flowers on it.

Forest pulls a face. “Don’t ask me. We’re related.”

“You look amazing,” I reply. “God, I wish I had your legs and butt.”

“Thanks,” Carla chuckles, “cause one of us is still single and ready to mingle.”

A frown forms on Forest’s face. “Hold up. There’s a pool party, isn’t there?”

“Busted,” I grin while linking my fingers with his. “But you can’t back out now.”

“Clearly not,” he grumbles.

As soon as we step out of the dorm, I can see lights on in the pool house and students gathering around the building.

When we walk inside, someone shouts, “Royalty’s in the house!”

I shake my head while Carla rolls her eyes. Guys instantly flock to Carla, and we leave her to flirt to her heart’s content.

I let go of Forest’s hand and quickly shimmy out of my shorts while kicking my sandals off. I drop my belongings on one of the lounge chairs and let out a burst of laughter before I run and jump into the pool. As my head pops through the water, I smile up at Forest, where he’s still standing by the lounge chairs.

“The water is nice. Jump in.” Suddenly hands grab hold of my sides, and I let out a shriek as I go airborne. I hit the water, and when I manage to swim back to the surface, and I blink the water out of my eyes, I’m met with Noah’s laughing face. I splash water his way.

A wave of water hits me as someone jumps in, and then I let out a shocked gasp as hands grip my hips, and I’m yanked back against a hard chest. Glancing over my shoulder, I let out a breath of relief when I see it’s Forest. I turn to him and wrap my arms around his neck. “Now you can do all the hard work, and I’ll just hold onto you.”

“Lazy little shit,” he grumbles playfully.

Music fills the air, and a couple of guys holler before they jump into the pool.

Forest moves us to a corner, so we’re out of the way but still able to enjoy the cool water. As he wraps his arms around my waist, I turn my back to him and rest my head against his chest.

Just then, Julianne and Kristen walk into the pool house, and before I can even mention it to Forest, he presses a kiss to my shoulder.

“They’re looking our way,” I whisper, and it earns me a kiss against my neck. “Crap, they’re coming over.” I turn back to Forest and wrap my arms around his neck again. His eyes meet mine for a second before he lowers his head.

The instant his lips touch mine, he pulls me right up against his body, and it makes an explosion of tingles ripple through me.

Forest nips at my bottom lip, and when I part my lips, his tongue tentatively slips into my mouth. It feels as if someone tasers my heart as it starts to beat frantically against my ribs.

Forest’s muscled body presses against mine. His skin feels hot beneath my fingers. It all works me into a frenzy, and I begin to lose control over what’s real and what’s fake.

His tongue massages mine, and our breaths start to mingle faster, making a moan drift up my throat.