His nostrils flared, but his tone was smooth as cream. “You say the nicest things, Snoop.”

“Mmm . . . now off with the clothes, honey pie.”

Lucian’s brow quirked, but he was far too distracted by me pulling my dress overhead to reply for a good moment. When he did, his voice had gone gruff. “You’re stripping.”

I grinned wide. “Observant tonight, aren’t we?”

His lips twitched. “You really want to do this?”

I knew what he meant. High walls and greenery surrounded the pool on all sides, but it wasn’t a private home. There was a chance we might be seen by some enterprising wall-climbing paparazzi. An admitted infinitesimal chance. But Lucian and I were both hyperaware of our fame. Thing was, I didn’t care anymore. If someone wanted to go to such lengths to try to embarrass me, there was nothing I could do about it. I wanted to live. I wanted to rejoice in life and just be.

I reached behind me and unhooked my bra.

Lucian let out a low groan when I tossed it aside. “Hell, Em. I don’t think I’ll ever not want you.”

The intensity of his gaze felt like a velvet glove along my skin. “Good, because you’re going to get me. A lot.”

He grunted, the sound pleased and slightly predatory. A new pulse of heat went up my thighs and tightened my sex.

My fingers hooked on my panties, but I paused. “You’re not stripping.”

Lucian blinked, as if coming out of a fog, then shot me a wry look as he whipped off his shirt. Lord, but he was beautifully built, strong yet graceful, defined and tight. The olive tone of his skin took on shades of pale blue and grays in the dim of the evening. He held my gaze as his fingers fumbled with the button of his jeans. I grinned and slid my panties off.

“Fuck . . .” He blew out a hard breath, stalling, watching.

I laughed and slowly walked into the water, my breath catching a little at the sudden cool.

The first time Lucian had stripped for me, it had been a show. That much was clear now. This time, his clothes came off in a flash, flying onto a lounger in his haste. He gave me a narrow look as he walked up to the side and dropped into the water. But as soon as he swam near, I darted away.

“So it’s like that, huh?” He gave me an arch look, laughter in his eyes. Then came after me.

I squealed, for the fun of it, and evaded. The pool wasn’t very big or deep, and I wasn’t really trying to get away. He caught me in under a minute, chuckling as he hauled me against the hard, warm length of his body. Laughing, I clung to his water-slicked shoulders and brushed a lock of wet hair off his brow.

“You caught me. Now what are you going to do with me?”

Humming, Lucian drifted us around. “I’m creating a mental list.” His big hands slid down my back and cupped my butt, holding me against an impressive erection.

He chuckled again when I squirmed against him, biting my lip in lust and impatience. His mouth caught mine, and he softly suckled my abused lower lip. But he made no further move. He didn’t need to. We both luxuriated in the simple act of holding on to each other, kissing slowly, thoroughly.

“I should have done this the first time we were in a pool together,” he said against my lips, his hot and lazy.

I nuzzled his mouth. “Well, I tried to tempt you.”

“Tried?” Lucian huffed out a laugh that ended up a self-deprecating groan. “I ended up fucking my hand all night and wishing it was you.”

I wrapped my legs around his trim waist and wiggled, just enough for him to feel my slick sex against his hardness. He groaned again, his grip on my butt tightening. I bit his lower lip. “So did I.”

“Fuck, Em . . .”

For long moments we drifted and kissed, murmuring words of need and encouragement. Lucian’s shoulders hit the edge of the pool, and he held me close. Water spiked his long lashes, radiating them outward from pale-green eyes that weren’t cold but filled with affection. “I shouldn’t have resisted you. It was an exercise in failure.”

“Resistance is futile.”

Lucian laughed, slow and deep, but his expression remained thoughtful. “To think, we could have been doing this all along.”

I peppered kisses over his cheek, his jaw, then stopped and smiled wide. “Well, there is something to be said for anticipation.”

He touched my brow, wiping away a trickle of water, as his gaze searched my face. “God, Em, you look . . .”

“What?” I rasped, my heart thudding against the fragile wall of my chest.

“Happy,” he said, his own smile blooming. “You look so happy.”