Page 65 of Vitaly

“It’sVegas.” I chuckle and lift the hem of my shirt. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten what a real winter feels like.”

“No, I haven’t forgotten.”

I pull my shirt over my head then open my door. “Good. Come on.” I waggle my brows before stepping out of the vehicle. Her door slams, and she comes around just as I’m stepping out of my jeans.

“Vitaly, seriously. The air may not be freezing, but the water is.”

My teeth flash as I pull my socks off and shrug. She wraps her arms around herself like already she’s bracing for the cold of the water.

She’s nervous. I can see it in the way her eyes bounce around. The sight has my lips stretching, and I give her one last look before running the few steps to the water. Cold water splashes onto my calves as my feet sink into mud, sending adrenaline rushing through my veins. As soon as the water is to my knees, I press my palms together and dive, submerging myself.

A brief second passes while I let my body accept the shock of the cold. It doesn’t so much as bite as it does envelope me, wrapping me in an icy cocoon that pauses my lungs.

Then, with as much fervor as my body will allow, I paddle my arms, kicking my legs to help glide me through the water. Endorphins flood my brain and spill out into my muscles, making the cold water feel like an old friend. One that doesn’t despise me.

When I feel the first dip of energy, I pull up, wading in the vast lake while sucking in large gusts of air. I turn to see Mila at the shoreline. She’s far away, the moonlight revealing just a peek of her bare skin.

Smiling, I start back to the shore, my pace leisured as I catch my breath. Mila’s heels are submerged by the time I approach, her arms wrapped around her exposed stomach.

She’s wearing a black lace bra and panties that hardly do much for modesty. Her waist curves into an hourglass, leading into hips my hands itch to hold. She’s undeniably sexy, but her face, so unsure and nervous, catches my attention more than anything. I doubt she’s nervous about the lake. She’s nervous about me. I can’t blame her. Trusting me is a dangerous thing.

“You’re insane,” she says as I trudge toward her, water dripping down my skin.

When I reach her, I gingerly take her hands and lead her a step forward.

“Vitaly,” she protests, tugging against my grasp and digging her heels into the mud. “I’m not letting you give me hypothermia.”

I chuckle and step closer to her until we’re nearly touching, causing Mila’s eyes to widen slightly. Water sloshes as she tries to shuffle backward, but I hold her hands close to my hips to keep her from getting far.

“You can swim for five minutes in ice cold water before hypothermia sets in. This water is at least twenty degrees warmer than that.”

“Oh really?” She huffs, but her words are breathless. “So you brought a thermometer with you, then?”

I snicker and release her hands when she tugs, but she doesn’t step back. She stares at me, her uneven breaths hitting my lips.

“No?”

I shake my head.

“Then what makes you so sure?” she asks, still trying to put on a teasing, sarcastic front. Still pretending she isn’t terrified of being this close to me.

I lift a shoulder as if I’m not sure of the water’s temperature, although I am. I know my body’s limits, along with others, and we aren’t even close to pushing it. “I’ve spent a lot of time cold.”

She’s hesitant for a few moments, but when she pulls in a deep breath, she seems to accept that answer.

Instead of taking her palms, I give in to temptation and wrap my hands around her waist. I tug her until she’s pressed against me, then I slowly move us backward into the water.

The ground dips several inches, and she gasps when she sinks, falling into me as she clings to my chest. I guide us until the water kisses her belly button, leaving her shivering against me. My body shivers as well, but I barely notice it. Can barely notice anything beyond the feel of Mila’s hips beneath my palms, her warm breath, the vulnerable look on her face.

My feet pause while I trail my hands to the backs of her thighs, studying the excited look in her wide eyes as I lift her from the water and bring her to my waist where she wraps her legs around me.

“Are you ready?” I ask, my voice low.

She takes a few seconds to answer, but finally, she peers down at my chest and opens her mouth. “I don’t know how to swim.” She clenches her eyes shut. “I mean, Ido. But I haven’t since I was a kid. I’m not sure I want to see how well I could do now, so let’s stay close to the shore, okay?”

Pushing back her hair, I lay my forehead on hers. When our noses touch, I close my eyes. “Do you trust me?”

“No.”

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