Page 47 of Lumi

I was about to say, “Suit yourself,” but of course, these damn handcuffs meant that I would have to go into the pool with Damian.

“I’m not in the mood for swimming.”

Damian stood up and looked down at me with a determined smile on his face. “But ye’ll do it anyway. Work isn’t everythin’, and ye need to learn to balance things. The more serious the work gets, the more ye need to have some fun too.”

“The pool might be fun for you, but I…”

Damian didn’t wait for me to finish the sentence before he picked me up over his shoulder and carried me into my bedroom. “No more excuses. Just get yer bikini, and let’s go.”

“You can’t just move me around like that. I have legs, and more importantly, I have pride. Don’t treat me like a petulant toddler.”

“Then don’t act like one. This experiment isn’tyershow. It’s ours! We’ve been in yer apartment, doing what ye wanted. Now, it’s time for ye to compromise and do some of the things I love as well.”

“Love? Who said that I’m doing anything I love? It’s work, Damian.”

“Exactly. With you, it’s always work! That’s the whole focking point of this experiment. To help you connect to a softer part of ye who doesn’t shut people out but allows them in. How will ye ever show people how amazin’ ye are if all ye do is work, work, work?”

I let out a long sigh in protest but still found my bikini as he’d requested. “Okay, I’ll go with you in the pool, but at least promise that you won’t get my hair wet. I already blow-dried it once today.”

Damian grinned and began walking.

“Promise me!” I said behind him.

“I never make promises that I don’t keep.”

“You’re a child,” I accused him.

“I know.” He looked over his shoulder with an amused grin. “And I’m plannin’ to bring out the child in ye too. Don’t worry. I once made ye purr like a kitten, and I’ll do it again.”

My eyes grew to double size as I came to a sudden halt that made Damian turn around.

“What?… what did you say?”

Damian blinked a few times. “Oh, no, I wasn’t talkin’ aboutthatkind of purrin’… I was referrin’ to the massage thing. Remember a few months ago when ye had a headache? At first, ye wouldn’t let me touch ye, but then I convinced ye, and ye purred with delight and said my hands felt good? I’m going to use the same persuasive talents to make ye have fun in the pool today.” With a confident wink, Damian nodded for me to come along, and as I did, my eyes looked up to the ceiling.

Oh Lord, have mercy on me. Why isn’t my attraction fading like it’s supposed to?