Page 54 of My Summer Girl

Now, we’re sitting at a lake. Not unsimilar to my favorite one in Amantes, and Raevar removes his shirt, almost in slow motion, before reaching for his pants.

“W-What are you doing?” I’m far too shocked at him undressing to really grasp that he’s nearly naked.

His eyes meet mine, almost teasingly. “It’s been days, sweetness. Need to refresh.”

“Naked?” I squeak, covering my eyes as he unbuttons his trousers. Peeking through two fingers, he chuckles at me.

“I find it’s freeing to be naked. Wouldn’t you agree?”

There’s a teasing lilt to his voice, as if he knows how I swim in the lake naked. There’s no way he’s aware of that, is there? I hear a splash before I open my eyes.

“Yes, I’m hidden,” he taunts. “Join me!”

I can’t help the giggle that leaves me at his carefree tone. I shouldn’t feel so happy to be with a stranger when Vex is more than likely worried sick about me. But they would want me to be happy. That’s the whole point of this summer, right? What else do I do? Ignore him?

“Close your eyes first!”

He does, his eyes shutting entirely to the point of scrunching as I near the water. He’s floating somehow, but I don’t see his limbs moving at all. Maybe he’s magically a buoy or something.

While he keeps his eyes closed, I remove the shirt I’ve been carting around since he offered it to me and then strip out of the school outfit. Of course, underneath, I’m wearing a bright red see-through lace outfit. Even though I’m used to swimming naked in the lake near my home, this is a whole new territory.

Literally.

“You going to stand there all day, sweetness?”

I scoff but stick out my tongue, and even though he can’t see me, he chuckles.

Dipping my toe into the water, I make sure it isn’t cold, and when warmth meets me, I’m both shocked and intrigued. Even the lake at home is chilly, not freezing all year, but sometimes it’s too cold for comfort.

“You fully in yet?” Raevar once again teases. I don’t respond, wanting to make sure he doesn’t take a peek before I’m fully emerged in the water.

“Covered as much as you can be with water this clear,” I grumble, not truly meaning it. It’s warm and welcoming, almost like a hug.

His eyes open and he swims over to me. Not once does he try to see beneath the water, and I can’t tell if I’m slightly disappointed or really happy he isn’t overly sexualizing this moment.

“How do you like it?”

“Not as nice as my favorite lake, but it’ll do.”

He hums, swimming around me, and I can’t help but smile at his playfulness. Instead of touching me, he waits for me to make any movement, watching me as I twirl with him.

I’m suddenly hit with the urge to splash him, so I do. I make a wave with my hands, hitting him square in the face. His mouth drops open, the adorable expression making me do it once more.

“Oh, you’re going to get it now,” he promises, reaching for me. His arms capture mine, squeezing and twirling us.

At this point, I’m a fit of giggles. “Stop! You’re going to make me dizzy!” I grumble with laughter. It’s so fun to see how free he’s being.

I don’t know Raevar much, but he feels like a soldier, someone who’s forced to be whatever everyone wants for him. A selfish part of me wants to keep him, introduce him to Vex, and see if they’ll keep him too.

He stops spinning me, our eyes caught in their own kind of current. “You’re beautiful,” he repeats what he said to me earlier, when he spoke in our shared language.

“Think you’re confused there, big guy.”

As soon as the words are out, I regret them. His gaze is not only narrowed at me in a chastising way, he looks almost offended.

“If I could rip out my eyes and give you my vision for a single moment, I would.”

“That’s a little intense.” I gasp, seeing how serious he is. My body burns where his skin and mine connects, almost as if we’re tethered. It feels like the bond I share with Vex, but different. That’s what doesn’t make sense. I’ve only met him. How could we possibly have a connection?

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