Free As You Desire by Nichelle Gregory

water?”
His coffee-coloured eyes never left her face as he waited for her answer.
“Eighty degrees?”
“Cool. Step back, please. And just for the record…I zap, not poof.”
Lona moved to the stairs and watched Rafi lift one hand. A blast of brilliant blue light flashed before her as she shielded her eyes.
“Your pool awaits, Milady.”

Chapter Six
    She dropped her hands from her face and gasped. The deck had been a nice size, but now it was huge. Glass mosaic tiles lined the rim of the oval pool and glimmered in iridescent shades of blue at the bottom, reflecting the lights all around. Gorgeous green plants encircled the entire area, making it look more like a tropical getaway.
    “Wow!” She tore her eyes away from the water to shake her head in disbelief at Rafi. “Look at this. It’s amazing!”
Rafi smiled. “Test the water.”
Lona walked forward, holding on to the shiny railing leading down a few steps into the pool, and stuck her foot in. The water was warm and welcoming.
“It feels divine.”
She took another step down into the pool, longing to feel the balmy water all over her body. All of her reservations about swimming melted away.
“This is definitely my idea of the perfect swim. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
You’re incredible.
She bit her tongue to keep her gushy compliment to herself. He was a genie—no doubt this kind of stuff was everyday stock for him and the women he entertained.
“Do you need to change?”
Rafi winked at her as another flash of blue blinded her for a second. She blinked and found him clad in a pair of blue swimming trunks. The sleek material lovingly clung to his narrow hips. She shifted her attention from the tempting bulge front and centre in his swimming shorts to see Rafi gesturing towards her purple sundress with a lazy smile.
“What about you?”
Lona bent down, lifted her purple sundress up her body and pulled it over her head. She tossed it on the deck’s surface before turning to Rafi. “Let’s swim.”
He ran his gaze over her body for the briefest of moments and Lona wondered how she looked to him in her pink, polka-dot tankini. The shimmering fabric clung to her breasts and dipped a little to show off her cleavage. She liked the way the polka-dots drew attention away from her rounded stomach down to her solid pink bikini bottoms.
Rafi’s eyes seemed darker as he looked at her.
“Last one in is a rotten dragon egg.”
Lona giggled. “I’m already in the water.”
Rafi shook his head as he rounded the side of the pool. “Doesn’t count… I mean all the way in.”
“Ok—”
Water splattered all over her as Rafi disappeared into the deep end with a big splash as a result of his wild cannonball.
Lona wagged her finger at Rafi as she waded out towards him. “That was so unfair.”
Rafi shrugged, treading water as he chuckled. “Don’t be a sore loser, Lona.”
She rolled her eyes at him before dipping below the surface of the blissfully warm water. When she broke the surface, Rafi was right in front of her, sporting his heart-melting smile. On impulse, she splashed him, giggling at the look of surprise on his face.
“Hey!”
He caught her by the wrist, dragging her even closer to him. Her feet were firmly planted on the pool’s bottom, but she felt like she was floating on a cloud as Rafi stared down at her with that mesmerising twinkle in his eyes.
Damn these crazy hormones!
Yes, hormones were the reason for her racing pulse and the flutter in her chest. The hormones were to blame for the overwhelming desire rising within her to taste his kiss.
“I should apologise for not explaining the rules to the getting-into-the-pool game.”
Lona swayed with the flow of the water as she nodded her head. “Yes, you should.”
“Will you forgive me?”
Will you kiss me?
Heat suffused her body, heat that had nothing to do with the pool temperature.
Thank goodness he can’t read my mind.
    Her gaze fell to his mouth and she unconsciously ran the tip