Page 34 of The Bratva's Auctioned Bride
“That’s good. For a moment there, I thought you were going to make some kind of excuse.” His eyes are shining with challenge. Bright and full of mischief.
I scoff.
“I never back away from a new adventure,” I say with confidence.
The truth is—he’s the reason I feel so daring. So alive. So ready to take on anything. I’ve never felt this way before, only dreamed of it.
Diomid leaves me to get ready and meets me downstairs with a car waiting.
It’s a short drive to Carlisle Beach, and my stomach is spinning all the way there.
But it turns out that I’m absolutelyobsessedwith diving. The water is so warm, though, that it hardly provides any relief from the heat of the day; however, it allows you to stay in for much longer without freezing your ass off.
Diomid rented a yacht for us to dive off. And whenever we need a break, we climb on board and enjoy an iced cold drink or a light snack prepared by the chef.
We swim with turtles, and past fish so colorful they could be fake. The water is clear enough to have a diamond-like glitter when the sun pierces through its layers. When you swim upside down, looking up at the surface, it resembles a work of art. Turquoise, shimmering and beautiful.
Diomid insists on leaping into the ocean from the top deck of the yacht, making me wince, completely sure that he’s going to break something in his body. And to make matters worse, he doesn’t just jump like a normal person; he somersaults like a madman.
I’m laughing when he surfaces a little way from me, a wild gleam in his eye, and his black hair a shaggy mess over his eyes. Treading the bright, clear water, I shake my head at him.
Diomid swims toward me.
“You’re a bit crazy,” I tease him.
“I’ve been told,” he says, slipping his hand around my waist to pull me against him. “You look tired. Rest, hold onto me.”
I wrap my arms around his neck and float in his arms. My heart races faster. “I can see why your family calls you the reckless one,” I say, mesmerized by how bright his eyes are today. He looks more alive than I’ve ever seen before. The salt on his skin and the ocean in his hair suit him. His body is pressed against mine, and I’m struggling to focus on anything else.
Beneath the water, he runs his hand over my thigh, wrapping my legs around his waist.
I bite my lip, wondering if I’m the only one who can feel the intense current of desire between us.
“You’ve been in the water all day, princess. Do you still want to see the garden?” he asks, but his voice is a whisper, his lips hovering close to mine.
“I still want to see the garden,” I repeat, but I’m hardly focused on my own words. I don’t even realize that I’m holding my breath.
“We should get going then. We can always come back with the yacht tomorrow again.”
Diomid’s hands slowly drift away from my waist, and just before he dips beneath the water, he winks at me. Then he’s swimming back to the yacht, yelling, “I’ll race you there. Whoever wins gets to choose dinner.”
My desire turns to annoyance that he didn’t kiss me. Then, to a sharp, instant need to beat him in a race I have no chance of winning, seeing as he got a head start.
“No fair!” I shout, swimming after him.
He’s already on the deck, leaning over to offer me his hand when I swim up to him. He pulls me out of the water with ease, laughing.
“You cheated,” I demand.
“True. Which means I’m disqualified, and you get to choose dinner.”
“Cheeky.” I can’t help smiling.
I’ve been doing nothing but smile around him.
Every single minute of the day brings something new to see and experience, and Diomid is giving me all the space and time I need to explore it in any way I choose. No rush, no rules, and nothing to hold me back.
He’s really special, isn’t he?
