Page 96 of Phoenix

Chapter 23

Case

I’m not sure how I let her convince me of this, but the more I think about it, the more I realize I’d let her do just about anything to me.

I’d do anything for her.

She wants to help me. She truly cares, and I do trust her—so here I am—about to step into a pool for the first time in twenty-four years. All because this blonde-headed goddess is admitting she cares for me in at least come capacity.

“We’ll just take one step in, okay? Just to the first stair.” She turns to walk in backward so I can see her face the whole time.

“Careful. I don’t want you to fall.” I tighten my grip on her hand.

“You’re facing your fear head-on and you’re worried about me?” she asks, with a cock of her brow.

“Well, yes, I am. It’s who I am.”

She walks in to the first step and then the second, the water’s surface is at her thighs.

I stand on the edge of the pool and look down.

The first step is just a few inches down, but it may as well be a mile. A cold chill spreads over my skin and I start to step back.

“I’m here. You’re okay.”

Her voice is like a beacon. A warm blanket that wraps around me, and I know I’m going to be okay.

I take that first step, one foot following the other, and then I pause before taking this newfound strength and stepping to the next stair so the water is at my knees.

“You don’t have to rush this,” she says, stepping down off the next step so the water is just under her breasts.

“You’re with me. I feel like I can do anything right now.”

Having Nora here right now, as I finally do something I should have done years ago, is making the fear nearly disappear, but I’m only knee-deep.

The truest test will come when my feet are no longer touching the bottom.

“You have that much faith in me?”

“Baby, you’re the only thing I have faith in.” I bring her hand to my lips and kiss her fingertips one by one, and as I do, I take the next step down into the water so the surface is level with my waist.

“Is that the key? Distracting yourself with me?” Her voice is breathy, sexy.

“It seems to be working.” The anxiety is there, I can feel it in my chest, but it’s mixed with the arousing excitement of being with her here.

“Then don’t stop.” She takes another step back, sending herself a bit deeper into the water.

I slide my lips to her palm and follow suit, taking two steps farther into the pool. I can feel the cool caress lapping against my abdomen now, and instead of sending me running in fear, I want to dive in deeper if it means I can get closer to her.

With each step farther into the water, my lips come farther up her arm.

One step.

Her wrist.

Another step.

Her forearm.

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