Page 56 of It's Not All Fake

The boat is still, and we’re mere feet from the edge where it drops off to black water. Liam doesn’t hesitate. He quickly pulls off his shirt. At the sight of his chiseled torso, I have to remind myself to breathe.

Adrenaline courses through me as I watch him step closer, his hands finding the sides of my skirt.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he offers me one last out before he undresses me further.

Fuck.

“Yes, I want to.” My breathing is stilted.

He pulls down my skirt slowly, keeping his eyes locked on mine, his fingers caressing my thighs as he peels it off. There's a reverence in his actions, and I stand there, caught in the gravity of his attention.

As I step out of my skirt, I’m left in my matching pink lace panties. He's looking at me with desire that makes my stomach tighten.

Eyes locked on mine, he pulls off his shorts, revealing a pair of white boxers that show off his well-defined bulge and I don’t think he’s even semi-hard.

A smirk spreads across his face and I get the feeling that he's issuing me a silent dare. Before I can react, he leaps—cannonballing into the water below us.

The splash is a brilliant neon blue. I can see him underwater, lit up by the glow, and I watch as he resurfaces, shaking the water from his hair.

“You coming?”

I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing for this. Racing over the boat’s edge, I take the plunge.

I hit the water, and it is fucking freezing, stealing my breath away.

My heart races as I break the surface, gasping for air, letting out a sound that’s a mix of terror and thrill.

Liam laughs as I swipe wet strands of hair from my face.

My adrenaline surges wildly—I feel anything but comfortable, but completely alive.

As I tread water, I notice the blue sparks dancing off my fingertips, my movement activating the biochemical glow. Glancing at Liam, he’s enveloped by the luminescent glow.

With a mischievous grin, I splash water at him, watching the droplets light up his face with an intense blue glow. His expression of surprise quickly shifts to playful retaliation.

“You’re asking for it,” he warns, smirking before sending a larger splash my way. I instinctively shut my eyes, feeling the cool water drench me.

Our laughter fills the air as we engage in a spirited splash battle, the water around us erupting in bursts of glowing blue.

Eventually, breathless, I call out, “Okay, I surrender!” I giggle, wiping the water from my eyes.

Liam’s chuckles echo over the gentle lapping of water against the yacht. We catch our breath, the only sounds the water and our own breathing. His gaze remains fixed on me, intense and unwavering.

As my breath slows, the smile on his lips fades into a more serious expression, reflecting a deeper sentiment in the midst of our playful chaos.

“Come here,” he finally says. His voice is deep and sexy. Even in the cold water, I feel heat between my thighs.

I oblige, swimming the short distance between us, still mesmerized by the sparkling blue water—and now by how he is looking at me. His eyes are filled with desire, but there's also a tenderness that makes my heart swell.

Liam pulls me into his arms. There’s no hesitation.

We are underlit by the blue sea—the shimmer reflected in his brown eyes—and it is unbelievably magical.

Our breathing is heavy as he pushes wet hair off my cheek, and I know what is next. It is inevitable. He looks at me with a certainty that makes me want to surrender to him completely.

Liam’s lips graze mine. He’s in complete control, and he is taking his time. He pulls back slightly, just enough to confirm the effect he’s having on me. He knows exactly what he’s doing to me.

My chest heaves because all I want is him.

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