Hydromancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 4)

“Hi, Maya,” Felicity said meekly.

“Hey, Felicity. Long night?”

She even managed to smile at the girl. Felicity relaxed a bit, her tense shoulders slumping as Cesar stroked her back.

“I guess,” Felicity said with a blush spreading over her cheeks. “Tim was kind enough to bring me here.”

Maya looked back at Tim. “I caught you at a bad time. We can take a rain check on that swim.”

When she took a step in the direction of the door, Tim moved quickly, grabbing her hand. “I’d love an early morning swim. Give me a minute to change.”

He left her with that, making his way to his room, and she didn’t follow. She went back outside to stare at the ocean from the patio. Don’t let anyone in. What she needed was a few minutes to compose herself.

Cesar’s voice at her back almost made her jump.

“It’s not like that,” he said.

She put her mask in place before she turned to face him. “Not like what?”

He studied her for a second. “Don’t pretend to be unfazed. I can see you’re upset.”

“Don’t you dare tell me what I feel.”

His eyes only softened at her attack. “Tim’s a good man.”

“I’m sure he is,” she bit out. “Must be hell of a good man in bed.”

She nearly bit her tongue off for that unwarranted comment. She was acting like a jealous girlfriend.

Before either of them could say more, Tim stepped out of the house, dressed in blue swimming shorts and a beige T-shirt.

“Take care of Felicity, Cesar. Frida’s making her breakfast.”

Cesar nodded. With a last glance at Maya, he ducked his head and walked back inside.

“Let’s go,” Tim said brightly.

The breath she pulled into her lungs were meant to calm her, but it was a shaky intake of air that made her realize just how affected she was. She turned away from him quickly and made her way to the beach. At the edge of the water, they stripped down to their swimwear. The water would calm her and bring her back to her senses. This was about a job, not about her feelings.

Not waiting to see if Tim was following, she walked into the sea and started swimming with fast, strong strokes. She put effort into it, needing the exercise like a boxer would use a punching bag. It wasn’t until several minutes later that she stopped to see Tim close behind, near enough for his arm to wrap around her. With a swift movement, he pulled her close.

“I’m happy you came this morning,” he said, kissing her nose.

“Really?” She pushed away. “I thought walking in on Felicity may not have been the most pleasant of all moments for you.” Double shit. Why couldn’t she keep her big mouth shut?

He stilled, regarding her thoughtfully. “You think I’ve been with her.”

He was going to lie to her, and she didn’t want to hear it. The rational voice that said they were both lying to each other didn’t matter in that moment. It was her heart that thudded painfully. Even as she told it to stop, to stop this madness, she got no compliance in return. Nothing in the way her heart beat changed.

She turned on her back and kicked away from him. “It doesn’t matter what I think. It’s not my business.”

Tim didn’t answer. He caught up with her and continued to swim next to her silently, following her lead when she headed back to the shore.

She walked from the sea and lay down in the shallow water on the sand. The shift of the tide was a soft caress around her, a pull followed by a push, like giving and taking. Her muscles and lungs ached from the exertion, but the water did calm her, as she knew it would, and she closed her eyes. The sun was warm on her skin. Under normal circumstances, this would’ve been heaven. She opened her eyes when Tim flopped down next to her, his head resting in his hand.

His gaze traveled over her. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve laid eyes on.”

She chuckled. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

He brushed his knuckles down her neck and between the curve of her breasts. “I need you to listen to me, Maya.”

His sudden seriousness made her turn her head to look at him.

“What you think always matters,” he continued, “more than you know.”

She shrugged. “As I said, it’s none of my business.”

Tim’s weight shifted, and then he was on top of her, pinning her down in the sand. “I promised to always protect you. That also means not hurting you, not where it matters.” He placed a palm over her heart. “If you keep up this stubbornness,” he trailed his fingers down her side to her bottom, “I’d love to spank this beautiful ass pink with pleasure while you orgasm around my cock.”

Her breath caught at the dirty talk.