Page 20 of Haunted Love

Fucking hell. I’ve never dreaded anything more.

My gaze remains locked on her back as she continues gazing out at the incredible view, and I notice the exact moment she realizes I’m here. Her body tenses, her back stiffening as the soft muscles in her arms tighten. She glances back over her bare shoulder, those deadly green eyes coming right to mine just as I step up to the side of the pool.

“Figured you might need another one of these,” I say, holding out the cocktail toward her.

“God, yes,” she says in a deep, gravelly tone that somehow reminds me of the innocent woman I was with in the private room last night. There was something so pure about her, so vulnerable and trusting, and for the first time, it made me stop and think about who I was with. I’ve never invited a woman to come back for more. My club is about other people and their needs, but I needed to taste her again, needed to feel the way her sweet pussy pulsed around me.

I’ve never nicknamed a woman at the club, but the second I touched her and felt that pure innocence about her, the name Little Birdy formed in my head, and the second the words fell from my lips, I couldn’t stop myself.

It felt right.

Aspen makes her way to the edge of the pool and reaches up to take the glass out of my hand before taking a hesitant sip and scrunching her face. “Holy shit. Is this just straight tequila?”

I grin. “Pretty much.”

“Jesus. And to think you own three clubs.”

Four.

“Just because I own them, doesn’t mean I know shit about mixing drinks,” I say, loving the easy conversation between us and how it seems so refreshing. “You want a beer, I got you, but the second you start ordering the girly shit, I’m out.”

Aspen laughs and moves back to the edge of the pool where her finished glass and her phone sit patiently awaiting her return. I put my full glass down before reaching behind my neck and shrugging out of my shirt. I toss it to the ground as she turns back and stares at me. “What are you doing?”

“Uhhh . . . going for a swim.”

Her gaze narrows with a deep suspicion. “I’ve known you all my life, Izaac, and I don’t think you’ve ever come for a swim with me.”

“Bullshit. We swim all the time.”

“Without Austin?” she challenges. “I’d go as far as to accuse you of purposefully avoiding swimming with me.”

She’s not wrong.

Her eyes sparkle, and for just a second, I could have sworn she was flirting with me. But that couldn’t be right. She’s too careful around me. She puts real effort into not crossing that invisible line. But then again, she’s on her second cocktail after demolishing a whole bottle of champagne with her mom over lunch.

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” I grin, not prepared to admit that she’s right despite both of us knowing damn well she is.

“Sure,” she scoffs, and with that, I dive into the huge pool.

I glide under the water, not coming up until I’m right next to her, and when I do, I find her curious gaze locked on me. I shake my head, droplets of water dancing across the pool as I move in behind her and reach around, plucking her glass from the edge of the pool and being careful not to brush up against her.

“Hey,” she snaps, but it’s too late, the glass is already at my lips.

I take a step back, putting some space between us before almost choking on her drink. “The fuck is this shit? That’s terrible.”

“You made it,” she laughs, taking the glass back and having another sip before splashing water up over me, the smile across her face making something ache inside my chest.

I can’t help but stand back and watch her, holding her green stare and getting lost within it. “There’s something different about you today,” I tell her.

Something sparkles in her eyes, and judging by the knowing grin creeping across her face, she knows exactly what I’m talking about, only she’s keeping it to herself. I knew she wouldn’t make this easy on me.

“Did you find yourself some hotshot lawyer at that fancy school of yours?” I question, the curiosity killing me.

“Ha. Don’t you think Mom would already be trying to plan my wedding if I was hooking up with some hotshot lawyer?”

“Good point,” I laugh, slowly moving back toward her as a strange relief pounds through my veins. Okay, so if she’s not dating anyone, then what the fuck has gotten into her?

Deciding it’s none of my business, I shift gears and get into the reason why I’m actually here. “So, lunch was intense.”

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