Page 50 of The Fifth Soul

Brandon shrugs. “Joe doesn’t like when people come here.” He kicks off his shoes and lowers his pants.

I look back to the path we came from nervously. “Should we have asked?”

“Ask for forgiveness, not permission,” he says just before he jumps off a rock into the water.

The splash is loud, but nothing compares to the noise already in the air from the waterfall. He emerges from the water with wet hair plastered all over his face. He shakes from side to side as he gestures for me to join him.

I begin to unbutton my pants when I realize he’s watching me. Pink blossoms on my cheeks. “Turn around!”

The devilish smile that touches his lips makes me shiver. He says nothing else as he turns, giving me his back. I shed my clothes and jump after him in only my underwear. The freezing cold water covers my skin like a shock of electricity. It sharpens my senses and awakens my mind. When I pop out of the water, I find Brandon watching me.

“Better?” His eyes search mine.

“Better,” I confirm.

His laughter and easy smile warm my chest and settle something inside me. Would the masses believe this is their future king? Would their hearts skip a beat at the sight of his smile too?

We swim around back and forth as the night grows chilly. I’m not the best swimmer, but when my arms get tired, I let my body float while looking up at the stars. This is by far the most peace I have felt in a while. My body floats next to Brandon’s. Our heads side by side. We don’t turn to look at each other. Like mine, his eyes are on the sky.

“I could do this all night.” Somehow, my voice feels so loud as it breaks the silence between us.

Brandon looks around before his eyes finally land on something on the water’s edge. “Come.” He extends his hand toward me. “This is my favorite part.”

I look at it hesitantly but decide to take it. We climb some big rocks and reach the top of the waterfall. I stop and look at the new view. The moonlight touches the tops of trees all around us. I can also see the back of the island from here and am in awe of the abyss of darkness.

Brandon loosely wraps his arms around me from behind. His lips nearly touch the shell of my ear as he whispers, “When I say go, we jump.”

It’s hard to concentrate when his body heat is so close to me. I’m hyper-aware of his closeness. It takes a second for me to register what he said. I look at the direction he gestured to, then instantly shake my head, absolutely not.

“I’m not the best swimmer,” I say

That section also is where the water is hitting. From this angle, I can’t see the bottom, and that’s enough for me to decline. He steps in front of me and holds my head with both hands.

“Stop thinking so much,” he says an inch from my face. “I got you.”

The words hardly register as he takes my hand and jumps. Without warning, my body is pulled by his. One second, I’m standing on the top of the waterfall. Next, gravity is pulling me and I’m free-falling.

A rush of adrenaline flows through me, making me break into uncontrollable giggles. I might have gone mad. My hair is flying back, and my face is up to the sky. I’ve never felt so free. A mirror expression is on Brandon’s face as he joins me in laughter. The wind carries our happiness through the air mixed with the mist.

The first thing I notice is how much colder it feels when we hit the water. Second, my feet don’t touch the bottom. A bit of panic surges through me, and I swim up as fast as my body can manage. When my face breaks the water, I hear Brandon hoot in laughter.

I try to stay up, but my face goes under. Over and over again until arms wrap around my waist, pulling me out into the air. We are chest to chest and my legs close around his waist instinctively. The wind blows a chill down my neck, making goosebumps cover all my exposed skin.

“Are you okay?” His question is a whisper.

I gulp and nod. My cheeks blush, realizing how tight I am holding to him.

“I’m sorry.”

I try to unwrap my legs and push away, but his hands stop me. One of his palms stays on my leg while the other wraps around my hair on the back of my head. Our breaths intermingle so closely together, making me shiver.

“Brandon,” I say in a whisper before his lips land on mine.

His grip is firm, and I can’t help but melt into him. Heat blossoms between us, lighting me inside out.

When we finally break apart, we don’t exchange a single word. I feel out of breath. Despite the heat between us, my skin has chilled, and I shiver. Brandon kisses my forehead softly before leading us both out of the water. We gather our clothes and silently head back to the room, his hand never leaving mine.

Once inside, Brandon hands me a change of clothes and steps out. This time, I climb into bed without question. I cover my body with the blanket and close my eyes. I hear him return, turn off the light, and climb next to me.

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