Chapter 58 Sudden Tide
Roman leaned closer, just enough for her to feel his presence. “Wear it for me,” he murmured. “Please.”
That was unfair.
She had just promised herself she’d stop hiding. Stop shrinking. Stop letting shyness win.
Evelyn bit her lip, her resolve trembling—but holding.
“There’s a private cove just below the villa,” he continued in a fit to convince her. “The water’s clear.” His gaze didn’t leave her face. “I badly want to see you in this, hmm?”
“…Okay,” she said softly.
Relief flickered across his face, quickly replaced by something far more dangerous.
She breathed, the word barely audible. “But… I need a drink first. To… to calm my nerves. Can we… can we make it like a little cocktail party? Just us, by the water?”
Roman studied her for a long moment, then smiled slowly. “A cocktail party by the sea, then.”
He brushed his thumb lightly over her knuckles as he stepped back. “Go change. I’ll take care of the drinks.”
Her pulse raced.
“And Evelyn?” he added, turning slightly.
She looked up.
“I’m very much looking forward to seeing you in that.”
She fled upstairs before her legs gave out.
Roman chuckled to himself as Evelyn disappeared upstairs. The image of her wearing what was in that box was going to haunt him. Just the thought of it made his body tense, uncomfortable in a way he very much recognized.
She really had no idea what she did to him.
He took a slow breath, trying to steady himself, and headed to the kitchen.
He moved on quickly, pulling a bottle of chilled prosecco and a bowl of ripe peaches from the fridge. He needed to keep his hands busy. The simple act of slicing fruit, mashing it into puree, and mixing the drinks was a welcome distraction from the ache in his pants.
—-
Upstairs, Evelyn let out a shaky breath once the door was closed. She leaned back against it. Her heart was pounding so hard she could hear it.
“Okay,” she whispered. “Just swimming. Just Roman. Just…” She inhaled, steadying herself. “…be brave. You decided to do this. Just do it.”
With trembling fingers, she opened the box again and wrestled the strange, rope-like bikini on. It was confusing, all ties and knots, and she had to redo one side twice.
Finally, it was on.
She forced herself to look in the mirror.
A hot wave of embarrassment hit her.
The dark red ropes looked indecent. Beautiful, maybe, but indecent, emphasizing every curve she usually tried to hide.
She swallowed.
‘For someone who looks so composed,’ she thought dazedly, ‘Roman really has… taste.’ but she felt a thrill underneath the shame.
Her face heated at the thought.
Unable to stare any longer, she grabbed a short silky robe she’d packed, and slipped it on—barely reaching her thighs. It didn’t hide much, but it gave her courage.
She took one last breath.
Then she stepped out, before she could change her mind.
Downstairs, Roman had just finished pouring the drinks when he felt her presence. He turned slowly, and his whole body stilled. His eyes went dark, tracking her from head to toe, lingering on where the robe clung.
The way it moved when she walked. The bare line of her legs.
She stopped at the bottom of the stairs, suddenly shy again under his attention. “I— I’ll take it off at the cove,” she said quickly. “Didn’t want to… ruin the surprise.”
His lips curved. “You’re doing the opposite.”
He picked up the drinks, offering her one. Their fingers brushed. She felt it all the way up her spine.
The path down to the sea wound along stone steps carved into the cliffside, hidden from view. Roman let her walk ahead, guiding her gently when the steps narrowed, his attention never straying far from her. His gaze burning a hole into her back the whole way down.
When they reached the cove, Evelyn slowed.
The water below was impossibly clear, faint sunlight shimmering across smooth stone and pale sand. Cliffs rose around them like a quiet embrace, the sea stretching endlessly beyond.
“Wow. It’s beautiful,” she breathed, her nerves momentarily forgotten.
“Mm,” Roman agreed, though his eyes were on her.
They set the drinks down on a flat rock, the sound of water lapping against stone drifting through the air.
Before he could move, Evelyn lifted her glass and took a long sip. Then another.
“Hold on,” she said, cheeks flushed, smiling. “Give me a second.”
Amused, Roman stepped back, slipping out of his shirt and tossing it aside.
Evelyn’s core tightened involuntarily at the sight of his bare chest, the defined planes. He was all lean muscle.
He waded into the water in his shorts, the fabric clinging instantly to the powerful muscles of his thighs. He turned, standing waist-deep, the water shimmering around him, cool against his skin.
Her pulse fluttered watching him, her mouth went dry. She quickly took another sip.
“You make really good cocktails,” she said, a little breathless. “I thought you were just… improvising. How are you this good at everything?”
He smirked. “I don’t do random, sweetheart,” he murmured, “I’ve only just begun to show you what I’m good at.”
A full-body shiver coursed through her, one that had nothing to do with the cool Mediterranean water. The water around them felt charged, and the last of her shyness dissolved, not in fear, but in a surge of desire.
With a steadying breath, Evelyn untied the robe and let it slip down her shoulders, pooling at her feet.
Roman went still. The air left his lungs in a silent rush, replaced almost instantly by the sharp urge to pounce on her— to rip that thing off her body.
He clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay still. He didn’t want to scare her. His throat bobbed as he swallowed, clearly struggling for control. He reached out for one of the drinks and downed it in a gulp.
Evelyn stood there, feeling nervous by his reaction. He hadn’t said anything since she took off the robe. Instead, he looked flustered, avoiding her eyes before reaching for a drink.
“Well?” she asked softly, breaking the silence between them.
His gaze met hers, taking every inch of her slow and appreciative.
The dark oxblood ropes against her skin, made her look even more captivating than he had even imagined. From the curve of her breasts to the planes of her stomach, down to her thighs. The bikini was barely covering anything. It was as good as being naked.
“You’re killing me,” he whispered hoarsely. He set his glass down and came out of the water quickly. His movement was a haze of blurriness, stunning Evelyn.
For a split second, she thought something had gone wrong, or that she’d missed something entirely.
Before she had time to process it—
Roman already pounced. His hands came to her hips, lifting her in one swift motion before he jumped back into the water, the splash rising high enough to make her yelp.