Chapter 36 CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 36
KNOX
I swam toward her. “What are you doing here?”
She splashed water at me. “What am I doing here? What are you doing here?”
“I asked first.”
“Well I’m not answering first!”
I snorted. “Fine. I couldn’t sleep.”
She paused. “...me neither.”
Figures.
Because we were literally each other’s sleeping problems.
I tilted my head. “So you broke into the school pool?”
She flicked water at me again. “I didn’t break in. The window was already open.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
“Well…it opened for me.”
I laughed out loud. “So breaking and entering is only illegal if it’s me?”
“Yes,” she said simply.
Jesus. She was so cute when she was annoyed.
I floated closer, stopping just a breath away.
“You really couldn’t sleep?”
She looked down, biting her lip. “It’s…complicated.”
Ah.
Me.
I was the complication.
“Wanna race?” I asked suddenly.
She blinked. “What?”
“A race. First to the deep end wins.”
“You think you can beat me?” she scoffed.
“Oh, I know I can beat you.”
“Funny,” she smirked, hair slicked back, “I didn’t know delusion was hereditary.”
I laughed. “Trash talk. Interesting tactic from someone who’s about to lose.”
She splashed me. “Shut up.”
We lined up at the edge of the pool.
“You ready, princess?”
She glared. “Call me that again and I’ll drown you.”
“Promises, promises.”
She splashed me again. I was starting to think she enjoyed doing that.
We both inhaled.
“On go,” I said. “Three…two…go!”
We shot forward.
She was fast. Faster than I expected. My competitive streak kicked in and I sped up — but she touched the far wall half a second before I did.
She whooped triumphantly. “Ha! Take THAT!”
I stared at her, breathless, annoyed, and stupidly impressed.
“Beginner’s luck,” I muttered.
“Oh please.” She floated on her back, a smug smile spreading across her face. “Admit it. I destroyed you.”
“You got lucky.”
She flipped upright. “You’re such a sore loser.”
I moved closer without realizing it. “Or maybe you’re just distracting.”
She blinked—slow, confused, a little flustered. “Wh—what does that mean?”
I didn’t answer.
Because my eyes — traitorous, unfiltered — dipped for one tiny split second.
Not disrespectfully.
Not intentionally.
Just long enough to notice the water clinging to her skin, the way the dim pool lights reflected off her collarbone.
I snapped my gaze back up instantly.
Too late.
She caught it.
Her breath hitched.
Then she did the one thing she absolutely should not have done—
She licked her lips.
I froze.
Completely.
Like someone hit pause on my entire nervous system.
“Yael…”
My voice came out lower than I intended.
She raised her chin. “What?”
“Don’t…do that.”
She looked confused. “Do what?”
“That—” my jaw clenched “—thing with your mouth.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “Why? What’s wrong with it?”
I exhaled, struggling for control.
Everything.
Everything was wrong with it.
But I didn’t say a word.
Because if I opened my mouth again, something dangerous was going to come out.
And she looked like she knew it.
Her gaze flicked from my eyes
to my lips
and back.
The air between us tightened. Heated.
My pulse hammered.
Her breathing softened.
One more second.
One more inch.
One more slip of control—
The air between us turned thick, electric.
I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears, louder than the water lapping at the tiles.
“Yael,” I said again, rougher this time. A warning.
She didn’t move back. She leaned in.
That was it.
I snapped.
My hands shot to her waist, fingers digging in, and I crushed her against the pool wall so fast the water sloshed over the edge. My mouth slammed down on hers—no gentle, no teasing, just pure, desperate hunger.
She gasped into the kiss, then kissed me back just as hard, nails scraping my shoulders.
“Fuck,” I growled against her lips. “You have no idea what you do to me.”
“Then show me,” she breathed, biting my bottom lip.
That did it.
I kissed her deeper, tongue sliding against hers, tasting chlorine and her and everything I’d been dying for. My hips pinned hers to the wall, and she rolled against me like she couldn’t help it.
“Knox—”
“Shut up,” I muttered, dragging my mouth down her jaw, her throat. “Just—fuck—let me.”
My hands moved on their own. Up her sides, thumbs brushing the edge of her soaked sports bra. I needed skin. Now.
I yanked the wet fabric up, along with her bikini top underneath. It caught for half a second, then gave way.
Her breasts spilled free—heavy, perfect, way bigger than that damn bra had any right to hide. Water streamed down them, nipples hard from the cold and from me.
I stared for one stunned second.
“Jesus Christ, Yael.”
She laughed, breathless and shaky. “Surprise?”
I didn’t answer with words.
I dropped my head and took one nipple into my mouth, hard.
She cried out, back arching, hands flying to my hair.
“Knox—oh my God—”
I sucked harder, tongue flicking, teeth grazing just enough. My other hand cupped her, squeezing, rolling her nipple between my fingers until she was shaking.
“You’re so fucking gorgeous,” I rasped, switching sides, giving the other the same treatment. “Been thinking about these for weeks.”
“Really?” she gasped, grinding against my stomach. “Because—ah—I thought you hated me.”
“Hate you?” I laughed darkly, biting down lightly. “Baby, I want to ruin you.”
She moaned so loud it echoed off the ceiling.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
I hooked my arms under her thighs and lifted her clean out of the water in one move. She squeaked, clinging to my neck as I climbed the steps, water pouring off us.
I laid her on the edge of the pool, knees in the shallow water, her back on the warm tile.
She was sprawled out, chest heaving, breasts bouncing with every breath, looking like every filthy fantasy I’d ever had.
I dropped between her legs and dragged her bikini bottoms down her thighs.
“Knox—”
“Spread,” I ordered.
She did. Instantly.
I groaned at the sight of her—pink, glistening, soaked for me.
I didn’t wait.
I buried my face between her thighs and licked her like I was starving.
Her hips bucked. “Holy—Knox!”
I held her down, tongue circling her clit, sucking, flicking, devouring. She tasted so fucking good I almost came again just from that.
“Tell me how it feels,” I growled against her.
“So good—don’t stop—please—”
I slid two fingers inside her, curling, pumping slow while my mouth worked her clit.
She was loud. So loud. Whining, moaning my name, thighs shaking around my head.
“Look at you,” I muttered, glancing up. Her head was thrown back, mouth open, breasts bouncing every time she gasped. “Coming apart on my tongue already.”
“Knox—I’m gonna—”
“Do it,” I said, sucking hard. “Come for me, baby.”
She shattered.
Her whole body locked up, then spasmed, a broken cry tearing out of her as she came all over my fingers, my mouth.
But I didn’t stop.
I kept licking, softer now, drawing it out, until she was trembling and pushing at my head.
“Too much—Knox—wait—”
I lifted my head, smirking, lips shiny with her. “We’re not done.”
I crawled up her body, kissing her hard so she could taste herself.
She moaned into my mouth, legs wrapping around my waist.
I ground against her, still painfully hard in my swim trunks.
“Feel that?” I whispered. “That’s what you do to me. Every fucking time you look at me.”
“Knox,” she whimpered, rocking up. “I want—”
“I know what you want.” I kissed her neck, her jaw, her lips again. “But not here. Not like this.”
She blinked up at me, dazed. “Then…where?”
I laughed under my breath, resting my forehead against hers.
“Somewhere I can take my time,” I said. “Somewhere I can fuck you properly. Loud. Slow. All night.”
Her breath hitched. “You’re evil.”
“You have no idea.”
I kissed her once more—soft this time—then pulled her bikini back into place, fixed her top, and helped her sit up.
She was still shaking.
I cupped her face,
thumb brushing her swollen bottom lip.
Then I stood, pulled her up with me, and wrapped my hoodie around her shoulders even though we were both soaked.
“Come on,” I said, voice low. “My place is closer.”
She looked up at me, eyes dark, lips parted.
“Lead the way, Knox.”