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It’s not gentle.

It’s not sweet.

It’s everything I’ve been holding back since the second she danced with me under those fairy lights.

She melts into me instantly, her legs wrapping around my waist like instinct, her hands fisting in my wet hair as I press her to the wall and kiss her until neither of us can breathe.

The world fades.

The laughter. The splashing. The teasing shouts from the sidelines.

It all disappears.

Because this woman? This wild, curvy, sun-soaked miracle in my arms?

She’s my beginning.

She’s the end of every nightmare I’ve ever survived.

And one day very, very soon.

She’s going to carry my mark.

But for right now, I need to cool it. We have an audience, and every one of those fuckers has supernatural senses.

I don’t need them scenting my arousal. Or hers.

Grrr.

So instead of doing what I want to do—fuck her senseless—I turn our embrace into a little friendly pool play.

Sun’s blazing. Water’s cool. And my soon-to-be-mate?

She’s a menace.

Casey lets out a laugh that makes my entire fucking soul hum as she smacks a volleyball someone tosses our way clean across the pool—and straight into Kian’s idiot face.

If I didn’t love her already, I sure would now.

The ball bounces off his forehead with a splat.

“Damn it! Who did that?” Kian barks, flailing dramatically as water splashes around him.

“Oops!” she calls, grinning like the sweetest little devil I’ve ever seen. “My bad! I was aiming for your chest.”

“You missed by a mile!”

Arliss is cracking up beside him, clearly not sorry. “Maybe your chest is migrating, Babe.”

I can’t help the low rumble of laughter that rolls out of me. “You good, man?”

Kian glares. “You wanna test how good I am, bro?”

“You sure you’re not still dizzy?” I grin, bumping the ball lazily with one hand. “We wouldn’t want you passing out from a splash.”

Casey snorts, and I swear the sound makes my damn heart flutter. She’s leaning against my shoulder now, her bikini top clinging to her like a second skin, her curves slick and perfect beneath the water.

I hook an arm around her waist and pull her close, kissing her temple.