Page 85 of Duke of the Sun

And with each passing day, Cordelia grew more in love with that man.

Michael finally drew in a long breath, his eyes falling on her once more. “I can do it,” he said. “Iwilldo it.”

She raised a brow. “It?”

“The -” he huffed irritably, arms crossing over his chest. “The lake, Cordelia. I’ll take a swim in the lake, if you still insist on -”

Cordelia jumped in the air and clapped a few times. The excitement rushed through her. After so long of asking and wanting, arguing against the trauma that lay within him, Michael was finally ready to face his fears alongside her. Cordelia bit back her immense pride for him, not wanting to embarrass him out of his decision. Instead, she closed the gap between them, and grasped onto his hands.

“The sun is bright and warm today, Michael,” she exclaimed. “Aperfectday for swimming!”

“If you say so,” he muttered.

Cordelia, ignoring his sour attitude, began to tug him out of the orangery, and back towards the estate. The staff readily prepared their swimwear, along with a few long sheets for drying. Cordelia could hardly contain herself as she awaited Michael to join her. When she first came to Solshire, she imagined what it would be like to have springs alongside the lake, or a hot summer beside the cool water. She imagined taking children out there, having moments alone, or simply alongside Michael. But his resilient antagonist perspective of the lake stopped those things from being real.

When he left the estate, following behind her to the lake, Cordelia could feel the tension begin to radiate off him. She paused in her path to reach for his hand, holding him tight as they continued forward. The sun was directly over their heads, rendering the water cool to the touch.

“Are you alright?” Cordelia asked him, her thumb circling over his scars.

Michael pressed his lips together and nodded.

Perhaps the only way forward was to have fun with it, showing Michael that the water was nothing to be feared, but merely enjoyed. It did not need to be a place of sorrow, if he did not wish for it to be. Cordelia inched closer to the shore, slipping one foot in.

“What if there are fish?” Michael suddenly blurted. “You wouldn’t want to swim over fish, would you?” He shook his head. “I’m sure you wouldn’t.”

Cordelia smirked. “Who are you trying to convince, Michael?”

“Well, I certainly am no man who would be afraid of some lake fish.”

She shrugged, slipping deeper within the water. “I am a woman,” she called out, “Whocertainlyisn’t afraid of the fish.”

His face burnt redder from her teasing. “If you are trying to imply something,” Michael paused to let a proud grin pass over his lips, “Then perhaps you should getoutof the water, and tell it to me.”

“Perhaps,” Cordelia mocked, the water coming up to her hips. She watched Michael’s eyes widen, his hands clench and release. “Aren’t you warm, Michael? You look a little red. The water will cool you right off!”

Michael frowned, growing redder by the second. “If insulting and teasing me is your strategy to get me comfortable with the lake, you are dreadfully mistaken.” Turning around on his heel, he began to stubbornly march up the hill, back towards the estate.

Cordelia, dipped down into the water, scooping up a handful and throwing it in his direction. The water flew through the air till it landed with asplashacross Michael’s back. He froze in his tracks, slowly turning around with a menacing look on his face. She covered her mouth, trying to hide the laughter but hardly able to do so.

“You find that funny, don’t you?” Michael snapped.

“I do, actually!” She swiped a stray tear from her eye. “You got in your swim clothes, Michael! You have to get them wet, at least!”

Michael rested his hands on his hips angrily, a smile beginning to peak out. “Well, you are far too drenched for the both of us. Let’s go back.”

“You are extraordinarily stubborn.”

He scoffed. “Andyou, Cordelia Celeston, are entirely too adventurous.” As he spoke, he drew closer and closer to the edge of the lake. Whether or not he realized it, he was as close as Cordelia had ever seen him go towards the water. Another step, and he’d practically be dipping his toes in it.

Cordelia grinned. “Is there really such a thing?”

“There is,” he replied. “And you read about it in novels!”

She laughed again. “All this to try and get me out of the water, or to keep you from having to come in?”

“There will be far too much to clean up if I go in.”

“Since when doyoudo any of the cleaning?”

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