Page 71 of Forsaken Oath

Without warning, he releases my hand and takes a step back, his fingers finding the back collar of his black t-shirt. In one fluid motion, he tugs it over his head, revealing the smooth expanse of his chest, the ripple of muscle across his abdomen, and the colorful tattoos cascading down one side of his torso. The moonlight plays over his skin like a caress, highlighting the dips and planes that my fingers itch to explore.

My breath catches in my throat as he reaches for the button of his jeans, popping it open with a flick of his fingers. The rasp of his zipper seems to echo in the quiet night, my pulse thudding in my ears as he slowly eases the denim down his hips. His boxer briefs sit low on his waist, hugging the hard lines of his thighs.

Heat floods my body as my gaze roams over him hungrily, taking in every inch of skin and hard muscle on display. He steps to the edge of the pool with a smirk, pausing for three breaths like he’s giving me time to appreciate him.

He sends me a flirty wink and jumps in.

The water splashes up in a glittering arc as Beau breaks the surface of the pool, sending ripples cascading across the moonlitwater. Droplets cling to his skin, catching the soft glow of the underwater lights and turning his body into a living work of art.

He emerges like some mythical sea god rising from the depths, water sluicing down the hard planes and angles of his body in rivulets. His dark blond hair is slicked back from his face, accentuating the sharp cut of his cheekbones and jaw.

“Your turn, Peach,” he murmurs, his voice low and rough with desire.

31

ELOISE

“Unless you’re planningto jump in fully clothed,” he teases, the corner of his mouth lifting in a grin. “I could be into that.”

I swallow hard, my fingers trembling as they pop the button of my denim shorts open. I wiggle them off my hips, letting them fall to the ground. I kick the shorts aside and reach for the hem of my tee next, pulling it up and over my head in one smooth motion.

The cool night air kisses my bare skin, raising goosebumps along my arms and legs as I stand at the edge of the pool in nothing but my red lace bralette and thong. Beau’s eyes are molten as they roam over my body, drinking me in like a man dying of thirst.

“Fuck, Peach,” he murmurs, his voice gravelly. “You’re a goddamn vision.”

Heat blooms across my cheeks at the raw appreciation in his tone. Emboldened, I walk into the pool, down the four steps, until it reaches my chest.

“I’ve never been in a heated pool before.” I move my arms around underneath the surface, enjoying the way it feels like it swirls around me.

“It’s a step up from the lake in Avalon Falls, hm?” Beau murmurs, swimming closer.

“Yeah,” I say on an exhale, sinking into the water until it reaches my neck. We didn’t spend a lot of time at the lake or the quarry or the actual waterfall growing up. The girls and I have gone to the lake a few times, but it was never something we did often. It felt like a novelty, something we did once in a while.

Beau swims closer until he's right in front of me, the heat of his body radiating through the water. His hands find my waist beneath the surface, his touch electric even through the barrier of the water. He pulls me flush against him, our chests pressed together, my breasts crushed against the hard planes of his torso.

"Hi," I whisper, my voice barely audible over the gentle lapping of the water against the sides of the pool.

“Hi, Peach,” he murmurs back, his lips quirking into that devastating half-smile that never fails to make my stomach flip. “I want to show you something.”

I tilt my head, curiosity piqued. “Okay.”

He swims backward, keeping his eyes locked on mine as he moves toward the edge of the pool. “Wait here.”

I watch as he pops out of the pool, doing that stupid-hot move guys do where they lift themselves out and hop onto the ledge. He jogs toward the half-wall, reaching for something. A second later, the pool lights are off, leaving only four emergency lights on.

He’s back in the water a second later, reaching for me and snagging my hand. He pulls me through the water, reminding me just how weightless I feel.

“Ready?”

My chest tightens, caught between the weight of his gaze and the easy confidence in his voice. I’ve never felt this before—this magnetic pull toward someone, like stepping closer to him might make the world tilt back into balance.

I let Beau pull me into his arms, our bodies pressing together beneath the warm, rippling surface of the pool. The heat of his skin sears into mine, the water lapping gently around us as we drift in the center of the pool.

One muscular arm wraps securely around my waist while the other rises up, his finger pointing toward the inky sky above.

“Look,” he murmurs, his breath tickling the shell of my ear. “There’s Orion, the hunter. See those three stars in a row? That’s his belt.”

I tilt my head back against his shoulder, my eyes tracing the line of stars he's pointing out. The night sky stretches above us like a velvet blanket studded with diamonds, the constellations twinkling against the darkness.

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