Page 50 of Official

XANDER

While I change for our swim in the infinity pool, my tense jaw remains clenched through each movement, and my mind races with unappealing thoughts.

Birds.

Trees.

Socks.

Anything to get my stirring dick to calm down.

When I return to the main room, Sam is already outside and sitting on the edge of the pool, her feet dangling in the water.

Stepping through the open door, I ask, “What are we celebrating exactly?”

“Other than your win in the fight against your archnemesis?” She quirks a brow as she sips her margarita.

“I knew it would catch on.” I smirk and step down into the water, then tilt my head toward her expectantly. “Well? What else are we celebrating?”

The smile she gives me is coy and a little shy. “My first post after a week. I don’t think I’ve gone that long since I started my account.”

“Seriously?”

Tousling her hair down her back, she hums like a tune is playing in her head and she wants to share it with me.

It’s melodic and soothing.

It’s too easy to get wrapped up in it—and her—especially when it’s mixed with the soft breeze drifting through the palm trees below, producing a quiet song of its own.

Even though I’m in cool water, I’m on fire, so I dunk my head under in order to clear it.

When I come back up, I flick water at Sam, earning me a surprised squeal. “Are you just going to sit there, or get in? This was your idea, after all.”

“All right, all right. No need to get violent.” She wades into the pool until her shoulders are covered, and her red swimsuit lightens underneath the water, appearing pink, instead.

When she nears me, the water seems to get hotter, but I can’t escape it. This pool is nowhere near as big as the one downstairs at this resort.

After swimming around each other for a few minutes, we drift to the edge for our drinks as her phone lights up next to her cup.

“What’s the response been so far?” I ask over the top of my beer.

She swipes her finger along the screen. “Mixed. Some people say I’m only apologizing because my hands are tied, and it’s not genuine—as I expected. But there’s been an overwhelming number of supportive messages, comments, and shares, and that’s what I’m going to focus on.”

Sighing in contentment, she turns her phone over and leans her back against the edge.

There’s a glow about her that wasn’t there when we first arrived, and it fills my chest with gratitude and warmth. Even though there are still trolls out there trying to tear her down, she’s choosing to focus on the important things. On the positive.

She’s happy.

Before I realize it, I’ve inched toward her, standing a foot’s length away, and her scent wraps itself around me.

The scenery—the world—it all fades.

“Are you sure you’re still okay with pretending to be my boyfriend?” she asks. There’s curiosity and fire in her eyes, like she wanted to ask me something else entirely.

All I can manage is a nod as my gaze settles on her lips.

The way her teeth graze the bottom one. Would I taste margarita on her tongue if I leaned in and captured her mouth with mine?

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