Page 45 of Flame it Up

She looked at herself in the mirror. Her long brown hair looked messy, and her green eyes looked full of fear. She wanted to switch her clothes. "No," she told herself. "You can do this. You can be confident about this."

She could be sexy. She just never had to do it. She grabbed a towel, wrapped it around herself, and headed downstairs.

Pyrus was already by the pool, wearing swim shorts with his chest bare. His back was to her, but he turned when he heard her footsteps.

She drank him in, taking in the way his muscles bulged and his abs rippled under the low light.

He looked at the towel and gave her a confused look. "What's wrong?"

She was nervous. Sweat rolled down her back, and her fingers shook on the towel. She was rethinking this idea. "My swimsuit was still wet," she managed to muster out. "And I ..."

His eyebrows went up. "Are you naked?"

"No." She shook her head. "No, I'm wearing clothes." She pulled the towel free, and his eyes widened. He took in her bright pink matching set of underwear with lace threaded into it.

She swallowed, biting her lip. "Is this okay? I can change."

"Do not change," he said in a growl. He took a few steps toward her, reaching a hand up with a smirk. "You are breathtaking in that."

She stepped into his space, and he pulled her in for a kiss. She leaned into him, into the kiss. She felt like she was home.

Pyrus jumped into the pool, splashing water everywhere. She took the stairs, allowing herself to get used to the water. It was warmer than she expected.

Pyrus came up next to her in the water, pulling her into his arms. "I have a heater, so the water is a comfortable temperature."

"Convenient." She chuckled, wrapping her arms around him.

He kissed her, pulling her closer to him. His chest was rough against hers, and he wrapped her legs around his waist.

He pulled her tighter, deepening the kiss. She moaned when his lips trailed down her neck. She leaned her head back, feeling the water soak her hair.

She focused on the water and the way his lips felt on her skin. Her body was on fire, and she loved it.

She had known Pyrus for a short time, but she felt like she understood who he was. She knew his past, and he knew about hers. He made everything easy.

"Tell me how you found this place." She leaned back slightly, looking at him. "How did you land this home?"

He smiled, walking her farther into the water. "I was looking for a new place and needed a little more space. When I bought the penthouse, it needed a lot of work."

"Really?" She grinned as his hand snaked up her thigh, sending sparks up her spine.

He nodded. "Yes, I had the entire place remodeled, down to the flooring."

He had good taste. She gave him that much. "And the garden and the pool? Was that remodeled as well?"

"They were here, the pool was redone, and the garden was redesigned. It was about a year's worth of work." He pressed his forehead against hers. "I think it turned out well."

She chuckled. "I think it turned out amazing. You have a beautiful home."

His fingers graze over her panties, and she inhaled. His fingers drove her to new heights.

He kissed her neck, pulling at the band. "Have you ever skinny dipped?"

She smirked. "I can't say that I have."

He pulled her underwear down, tossing them outside the pool. He unclasped her bra, and her breasts fell free. She never thought that not wearing any fabric was freeing.

Pyrus pulled her closer, and his cock pressed hard against her thigh. She swallowed, her desire growing. How could it not? He was kind and cared about her. When they had sex before, god, it was mind-blowing.

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