Page 59 of Fox
“Torch,” I growl as I walk to the edge of the pool. “Get in.”
Janie frowns at me before crouching and sitting on the pool's edge, putting her small feet in the water. “Happy?” She asks as she splashes me with her foot.
I wipe the water off my face and push my hair back. I swim closer until I’m in front of her knees. “I brought you here to cool off,” I say softly as I drip water over her thighs, causing her to shiver. “If you were going to just stay in the sun, we could’ve stayed home.”
“Fox,” she groans and looks around as if nervous. I instinctively follow her gaze but see nothing besides a few men giving her looks that make me want to claim her right on the edge of this pool.
I grip her chin and pull her face to look at me. “What baby doll?” Her lips quirk at my pet name for her.
She looks at me and sighs. “If you make fun of me, I will cry.” She warns and pokes my chest.
I hold three fingers up. “Scout’s honor.”
“You were never a scout, Simmons,” she scoffs before sighing again. “I can’t swim.”
I raise a brow and have to force the surprised laugh to stay back. “How? You live twenty minutes from a beach, and most apartments and homes have a pool.”
She shrugs and looks down at her feet under the water. “When I was about seven, my dad signed me up for swim lessons. The instructor wasn’t the most observant, and I was walking around the edge of the pool when I slipped and fell in. I was scared and inhaled underwater and began to drown.” She lets out a shaky breath as she relives the traumatic memory. “Luckily, my dad was on the other side watching and got to me. We were back out of the water before the instructor even noticed. After that, I didn’t want to try again; I was afraid. And then I got older, and Dad was too busy to teach me, and I was too shy when my tremors started to let anyone this close to me, you know, touch me. So, I always just dip my toes in.”
I frown at her words as I stand so we're near eye level. “You want to get in?” I ask as I press my wet trunks against her knees.
She shakes her head. “N-No, I know I could probably stand and be okay, but if I slip or…”
“Do you trust me?” I ask, and her eyes shoot to mine. I watch as they flick to my lips for a second before coming back up.
“Yes,” she breathes, and when she utters that tiny word, I feel an overwhelming warmth rush through me.
I smile at her as I press myself between her legs. “Wrap your arms around my neck, okay?”
She’s hesitant, but only for a second. My heart aches at how badly she’s shaking when she grips onto me. Once she’s wrapped around my neck and waist, I lift her off the side and lower our bodies into the water. She lets out a small gasp and grips me tighter.
“Please…” she says, letting out a small whimper. “Fox, please don’t let me go.”
“Never, baby doll.” I press my lips to her temple as I continue gliding slowly through the pool's shallow end. After several minutes, I feel her shifting, her body loosening slightly. I press my back against the pool wall as I look at her.
“Hey,” I say softly—the first word spoken between us in at least ten minutes.
She doesn’t speak; she just stares into my eyes. I wish I knew what she saw in them.
“What is it, baby doll?” I ask as I tuck a fallen strand behind her ear.
She looks as though she’s struggling to find the words. Her eyes flick to my mouth, and before I can think, she leans in, her lips capture mine. I grip her hips tighter to ensure I don't slip and knock her off me. Her tongue runs across my lips, earning her a growl.
“Damn it, Torch,” I whisper against her mouth as my tongue battles her. “This is wrong,” I nearly whimper when her wet tits press against me. “Janie, this is a horrible idea.” I wince instantly at my word choice. That came out completely wrong. “Fuck, wait,” I say as I feel her body go stiff, and she starts to pull away. “No, don’t pull back, Janie. Wait, I’m sorry. It came out wrong.”
Janie shakes her head and gives me that fake smile that I hate. Her face is red, and her eyes are going glassy. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it. I just wanted the other guys around here to stop looking at me. Thought maybe with us making out, they might take the hint and fuck off.”
That’s a good lie, I’ll give her that. She knows what to say to sidetrack me and bring out my possessive, jealous caveman side. And, if it weren’t for the fact that it looks as though I’ve justslapped her across the face with my words, I would believe it to be her real reason.
“I think I’m ready to get out,” she says, sounding defeated. I nod and walk her to the edge of the pool, where I easily set her down before pulling myself up and heading to the chairs to get dressed.
The ride homeis very quiet. So much so, I annoyingly keep fidgeting. I can’t think of a single thing to say to her.
I wanted to keep kissing her. Holding her like that was so strangely intimate. Feeling her heart beating against mine. I felt that feeling again that needed to stop before it was too late, and I ended up destroying her life, or she leaves and destroys me in the process.
“Fox, stop!” I slam on the brakes at Janie’s scream. I look around the empty back road but don’t see anything.
“What the fuck, Janie?” I yell at her while clutching my fucking chest. She ignores me and jumps out of my truck. “Son of a bitch.” I growl, slamming my truck into park and getting out to see what she’s doing. At the front of the truck, I see Janie half under it on the ground.
