Chapter 7:

Chapter 7:
Chapter 7:

SOPHIA

The information sends another chill through my stomach.

“I’ll get changed and be right back. Do the same.”

“Where are we going?”

“We’re taking a ride.”

“Does that mean I should wear a bikini or something else?”

“A bikini, definitely.” He winks with a mischievous look before disappearing and closing the door.

My bags arrive shortly after, and I busy myself choosing a bikini, wondering which one would actually make Salvatore’s jaw drop.

I end up picking a red one and leave my hair down.

Minutes later, someone knocks on my door.

When I open it, he’s standing on the other side, wearing only a pair of swim trunks and a shirt with the buttons undone, giving me a perfect glimpse of his chest and sculpted abs.

God! I’m the one left speechless. I clear my throat, finally realizing that he’s staring at me the same way—with a hungry, dark gaze.

“Beautiful.” He says, taking a deep breath, not bothering to hide it.

“Thank you.” I reply, shivering as a chill runs up my spine.

“Shall we?”

I nod, and he extends his hand.

“One second.” I say before turning around.

I walk back to the bed to grab my bag, fully aware Salvatore has a perfect view of my ass. I can feel the weight of his eyes on it.

When I turn back around, our eyes meet, and I could swear I see something even stronger than desire in his gaze.

“All set.” I walk past him with my bag in hand and wait for him to close the door.

“Let’s go.” He places one of his large hands on my lower back, just above my ass, making my whole body shiver.

Outside, I don’t see Chloe on the deck, but I finally discover Salvatore’s plans. A jet ski is waiting for us on a platform. Instantly, the idea sparks excitement in me. It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve had any real fun.

Salvatore helps me with my life jacket. Once he’s done with his, I wait for him to climb on the jet ski before settling behind him.

Wrapping my arms around his waist, I feel the firmness of his toned abs under my fingers. The heat radiating from his body makes me burn, and I know he can feel my heart pounding hard against my chest.

“Hold on tight, sweet thing.” He says, making me smile just before he starts the engine.

✽

I don’t know how to explain it, but after spending some time together, I already feel closer to Salvatore, as if he’s no longer a complete stranger.

The flutter in my stomach is slowly turning into a heat inside me, making me restless.

After the jet ski ride, we return to the yacht, and I discover yet another skill of the mysterious man when Salvatore decides to cook for me.

I’m sitting on a lounge chair on the deck, trying to reach my back with sunscreen, when he approaches.

“I can do that.”

He’s offering to put it on me? The simple offer sends a shiver through my body, and I nod.

“Lie on your stomach.” His command sends another shiver down my spine.

I obey, and when I feel his large, firm hands against my skin, the heat inside me intensifies, making me crave his touch somewhere else.

Salvatore takes the opportunity to massage me lightly, pulling a sigh out of me and making me relax.

Suddenly, I’m caught off guard by the sensation of his lips on my skin as he presses a soft kiss, making me shiver and leaving me burning inside.

What is he doing to me?

“You’re not playing fair…” I turn to look at him, and he just smiles with wicked intent.

“I never play fair, sweetheart.” He brushes his knuckles over my stomach. “Are you hungry? Because I’m starving.” The way he looks at me makes it clear he isn’t talking about food.

“It’s so hot here… I was thinking about going for a swim.”

“Mmm… I like the idea of seeing you wet.” He teases, making my cheeks burn.

“Just keep saying things like that.” I murmur.

“I know.” He gives me a smug smile.

I almost forget how arrogant he can be.

“I think there’s a submerged cave nearby, and a couple of shipwrecks too. What do you say we dive there?”

“That sounds amazing.”

“Perfect.”

“But first… let’s see what you’ve prepared.”

“Come on.” He holds out his hand to me.

We’re in the kitchen when Chloe and Stephan finally show up, and I don’t even dare to ask what they were doing.

We all gather around a table on the deck to have lunch together.

“Salvatore and I are going to dive into a cave. Don’t you two want to come with us?”

“I think we’ll stay here and enjoy ourselves.” Chloe says, winking at Salvatore, making her intention to leave us alone more than clear.

Stephan doesn’t even bother to respond.

“Then I guess it’s just us.”

“Yes… just us.” He says with exaggerated satisfaction. “Are you ready?”

✽

After helping me with the diving gear, Salvatore puts on his own. He keeps impressing me, moving with careful precision and showing himself to be skilled at everything he does.

But as fascinated as I am, my suspicion grows too. Salvatore doesn’t just carry an air of mystery — his entire presence screams danger. And I have to admit, that’s exactly what’s making me obsessed.

When we reach the cave and dive in, I’m completely mesmerized by the beauty of the place.

We see a few shipwrecks and even turtles. Everything is perfect until something goes wrong with my oxygen tank and bubbles begin to spill around me, sending me into full panic.

We’re so deep I’m convinced I’m going to die. But Salvatore reacts fast, pulling me back up to the surface.

He tries to calm me down as we return to the yacht, but I’m still in shock when we climb aboard.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asks, holding my chin with concern after helping me out of the diving suit.

“Yeah… I think so. I guess I’m getting used to this kind of thing happening to me.”

All it takes is one trigger to drag me back to the trauma of that day — the day my parents died, and by some miracle, I was the only one who survived.

It always makes me wonder if I should have died too.

Salvatore suddenly grabs my hips, squeezing and pulling me back to reality.

Closing the distance between us, he kisses me hard, pressing me against his solid chest, making me forget everything.

Our kiss is deep and wet, leaving me hot and breathless. My hands explore his strong arms, feeling the firm skin beneath my fingers.

Things escalate too quickly. I can feel his erection growing against my stomach, making me wet.

His hands slide down to my ass, squeezing, making me feel like I’m about to burst into flames.

Then I push him back, gasping. What he makes me feel is so intense it’s almost frightening.

“I… I think I need a shower,” I whisper before turning my back on him, still dazed.

I head to the bedroom and go straight into the bathroom. After stripping off my clothes, I step under the spray. I need a cold shower.

It doesn’t feel like a good idea to move this fast with Salvatore. Even though it’s exactly what I want, my intuition is screaming to slow down.

And over time, I’ve learned never to ignore it. But that man is making every bit of my reason slip away.

I hear the bathroom door open and turn, completely shocked when I see him stepping into the shower — completely naked.