Page 130 of Unleashed

Since it’s just us in the water, I say, “I swear to God my nuts retracted like a jet’s landing gear after takeoff.” Simone ignores me and paddles through ten feet of water. “Do I have cooties or something?”

Simone swims to a ladder and climbs out of the pool to head to the diving board. She’s wearing a black-and-white checkerboard bikini with green and pink shapes. Very eighties vibe. Very snug. Very problematic.

Even soaked, she’s graceful when she walks and always holds her head high like she’s balancing books. Her tits are perfect globes, and her nipples strain against her bikini top. My balls tighten, but not because of the cold water, which isn’t so cold anymore.

On the diving board, Simone eyes the water as she adjusts the bra part of her suit. I recall after she swam at the hotel’s pool how we fucked without removing her bikini. My dick throbs, thinking about it and watching Simone take fast steps and then spring into the water with a smooth dive. Every time I’ve tried diving, I’d given myself a bloody nose and a fat lip.

Simone swims to the surface and toward the shallower end, but still avoids me as she clings to the wall. I sigh and wade over to her.

She wrings out her hair again with her back to me. I fucked up today. I clear my throat, and her shoulders tense. Risking her kneeing me in the balls when we’re out of the water, I squeeze my hands on her shoulders. The walls amplify her deep breath. Her bikini is the string kind that ties at her neck and could fall off with the slightest move of my fingers.

When she doesn’t shove my hands off her, I kneed my fingers into her muscles. The chlorine smell is sharp, but so is her sugary scent. I move closer but try not to hit her ass with my hard-on since she’s not happy to see me.

Simone shrugs me off of her and clings to the wall. I don’t know how to say what I want without offending her more.

She leans her forehead onto her hands on top of the wall. Her voice is hollow and bleak. “I can’t do this anymore.”

“Do what?”

“This fake marriage.”

My heart thunders so loud that I swear it bounces off the walls. “Why not? Your father leaves soon.”

Simone lifts her head and stares at the cinderblock wall surrounding the pool. “It’s not worth it.”

I sigh and cross my arms over my bare chest like I keep my heart from plopping into the water. “Why? Because of our argument months ago, or what I did to you in the shed today? Or is it because of something else?”

“All of it.”

“I apologize about in the shed. I was kidding around, but it was a douche move.”

She flips her water-logged ponytail to the other side, and I want to kiss her neck. Our hickeys are fainter. I kind of hate that. Now I see why Wilder enjoys giving them to Hadley. Simone nods. “It was. I fucked up at the club, but that doesn’t mean I’m now your indentured whore.”

I wince, but she doesn’t see it. “I’m sorry.”

Simone blows a sigh against the pool wall. I move closer and lift her ponytail, twirling it with my fingers and snort. “I’m such a whore now because I’ll do anything for sex.”

She turns her head, whipping her hair from my hand. She glares at me with an arched blonde eyebrow but a frown on her lips. I miss the taste of her lips on my tongue. “Awesome. I’m sure Tansy loves that.” I have no desire to be up Tansy’s cooch but can’t tell Simone this. It’ll knock our lives out of balance. Glaciers will melt, volcanos will erupt, sinkholes will swallow cities, and some asshole will fucking reboot goddamn Friends.

“What about you?” I cage her between my arms, propped on the pool’s edge, and breathe against her neck. “Do you love it?”

She stutters, “Sex?” I nod against her head, having a beautiful view inside her bikini bra. “It’s okay.”

I straighten with a scowl. “Are you saying I’m not good at it? Ouch.” But it’s not like I have a hell of a lot of experience.

Simone gasps but mumbles, “You’re good.”

“I’m messing up somewhere. No orgasms or waterfalls.”

Her shoulders tense again with a shrug. “It’s not you.”

“Ha. Ha. Sure.” I slide my hand over my face as I sigh. “Oh. Maybe you come with... Damn.”

Shaking her head, Simone seems adamant as her limp ponytail swishes and drips down her back. “Not with anyone else, either. I haven’t felt like it, I guess.”

Lifting both hands to my face, I scratch my fingers over my light beard. I left my razor at Amos’s. I’ll need to shave soon or look like one of those guys from ZZ Top. I suppose I’ll be back with Amos after Simone’s graduation. Fuck me.

I pull her arm, so she turns. Her gaze falls to my chest while mine goes to hers. Simone doesn’t realize how much she turns me on. There’s something about her I’ve never been able to resist. Maybe it’s everything about her.

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