Page 87 of Craving Francesca

“Sit on the edge,” he replied easily.

“I don’t mind if you wear your boxers,” I said quietly.

He didn’t respond, just lifted our entwined hands and kissed the back of mine.

The spring was big enough for ten people to sit in comfortably. A wood platform had been built on one side, and stairs had been carved into the rock along the edge at an angle.

“How deep is it?” I asked, leaning down to take my boots and socks off.

“Four feet at the far edge,” he replied, undressing beside me. He didn’t set my clothes down until he’d already stripped his bottom half, laying my clothes carefully on top of his. “Three and a half on this side.”

I stepped in as he stripped off his sweatshirt and T-shirt in one movement. The water was hot enough that I had to inch in, letting my body become accustomed to the heat bit by bit. Once I was in, he slid in up to his shoulders.

“Ow,” I blurted, watching him wide-eyed as he reached out to turn off the flashlight.

“It’s not so bad.”

“Um, I’m in here,” I argued. “It is so bad.”

“Not any worse than a hot tub.”

“It’s hotter.”

He just hummed, leaning back until his head rested against the outside ledge.

I took the time to explore, dropping down gradually until the water covered my shoulders. It really wasn’t that bad once I was in it. The ground was sandy, with little pebbles that scratched if I didn’t step carefully. There was a ledge around the entire outer ring perfect for sitting. Eventually, I pulled myself onto it and curled my knees to my chest.

“How did you find this place?” I asked quietly. The dark woods were insulating, it felt like we were the only people in the whole world. I wondered if that’s why he’d brought me.

“An old friend brought me years ago,” he replied. “There were a ton of people here during the day, which wasn’t my thing. But I figured most of the city people wouldn’t want to try and find it in the dark, and I was right.”

“An old girlfriend?”

His eyes opened as he lifted his head to look at me.

“Yes.”

I nodded.

“Neither one of us were virgins,” he stated baldly.

“I know that.”

He tilted his head back again.

“I saw you with the blonde woman,” I confessed, looking out into the woods.

“Emma.”

I kept my mouth shut.

“Where?”

“Outside a restaurant. Twice actually. Different restaurants.”

“Why didn’t you say hello?”

I snorted so hard that my chin dipped under the water. Yeah, I should’ve just walked up to them the morning after I’d fucked her boyfriend and introduced myself.

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