Page 97 of Rio

“As much as we can.”He intertwines his fingers in mine as we sit back, gazing out at the skyline.He asks if I have any plans for the things I want to do tomorrow.Any places or tourist attractions I want to see.

I move my foot and place it strategically over his cock.Just as I expected, its hard as steel.“We had a night in a hut during a storm on a tropical island.New York pales in comparison to that.I don’t need culture.”

“Just another adventure, then?”He grins, shifting in his seat, enjoying the weight of my foot.

“Some fun.”I press my big toe into him.His mouth falls open.Those dark, dangerous eyes meet mine.“What do you want?”

“Just you.”

“Come and get me, then.”

I jump up and walk towards the edge of the pool, where I shimmy out of my clothes, before diving into the pool.He strips off, too, and dives in.We splash around and laugh like kids.Something about being this high up, under cover of the night sky, imbues us with daring.Makes me feel invincible, capable of anything, with this man beside me.I love being in our own little bubble, where no one can touch us.Where his father, the injunction, and Pierce are a million miles away.

We kiss again, tongues tangling, just like our hands, all over each other, teasing and touching.He’s hard again, and his fingers sink inside me again, but we pull apart, making it last, the torture of restraint.

After a while, we float on our backs, naked, staring at the stars studded in the inky night sky.Floating like this, without a care in the world, we discover precious nuggets of information about one another, all the mundane but captivating things that form the foundation of who we’re becoming.Favorite colour.Favourite place to travel to.Favorite meal.Favorite film.It feels easy and natural, like we’ve known one another our entire lives.

Up here, on the rooftop, away from civilization, but closer to the stars, there are no more barriers between us.

Chapter 31

RAQUEL

I stretch coming out of the water, staring at the morning sky.I’m still getting used to the idea that this man has a pool all to himself.

What different worlds we live in.

Rio’s inside, making a fruit smoothie.I could get used to this.Not just a weekend break every now and then—this could be all our weekends.There’s a small problem about distance, but I’m getting ahead of myself again and I remind myself to enjoy each moment, and not to dwell on what might be.

Later, we head out for a long walk through Central Park, stopping off for coffee and brunch.It feels exhilarating, but normal, being with him, like this.Holding hands, exploring the city like a tourist, giddy with life and love, and not the highly stressed lawyer that I usually am.

Being with Rio has enabled me to give in, to let down my guard, to become vulnerable, but being vulnerable with Rio feels safe.Later, He rents a rowboat without asking me first.I protest, naturally, as he grins when handing me an oar.

“You want control?Take it.”

“Is this because of Belize?Does this remind you of how I ended up in that hut?”

“Oh, princesa, that was some night, huh?”

“I’ll say.”I remember stripping down, taking my shorts and panties off.I’ll never forget the look on his face.Just like I’ll never forget how we pleasured one another with our mouths.

“You scared the hell out of me,” he says quietly.

“I wanted to get more evidence.I was worried that being up against the Knights, I needed ironclad evidence.”

He’s quiet for a while.“The old man is up to something.”

“Isn’t he always?”

“Let’s not talk about all that stuff, not now, not today, while I have you.”

I nod, smiling, because I agree.We drift across the lake’s shiny surface, the city and crowd fade away.It’s just us, and it’s exciting, and exhilarating, and just perfect.I want all my weekends, all my free time, to be like this.

When we get back, we sink into the sofa, still holding hands like we can’t bear to let go.We’re just … resting.Doing nothing.Saying everything without having to say a word.

After a while, he reads the newspaper, says he has to see what’s going on.Keep abreast of the news.I’m pretending to check emails on my phone, but mostly I’m just watching him.We’re talking, low and easy.About life, art, stupid headlines.Random things.

I sigh loudly, seeing an email from Pierce pop up.He wants to know where I am with the Santos case.It just slips out.“Asshole,” I murmur, not really meaning to say it out loud.