CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Cora struggled to suck air into her lungs. Her legs felt like jelly and her shirt clung to her body. She could smell the sweat on her skin mixing with the perfume she had sprayed on this morning. Cora actually thought that it would be a good idea back then but now she was really regretting it. She also expected them to walk only a short distance and not climb a damn mountain.
“V-Vlad,” she breathed. “I can’t g-go any further.”
Her legs gave way beneath her, making her hit the ground with a hard thud. He was next to her within seconds. Vlad pulled the back bag from his shoulders and dropped it to the ground. In the next second he pressed something cool against her lips. She parted her lips and eagerly drank from the bottle. He pulled it away once she drank enough.
A gasp fell from her lips when he splashed cold water against her face. It came as a shock but once the shock had died down, it felt amazing. She opened her eyes and tilted her head back to look up at him. His face was so close to hers that she could feel his breath on her lips.
Cora sucked in a deep breath and slowly blew it out. Vlad smelled like man—sweat and the aftershave he had used this morning. He smelled better than she did.
“Why didn’t you ask to rest earlier?” he asked softly.
She licked her dry lips and averted her eyes. How was she going to tell him that she didn’t want him to think of her as weak? He was fit and managed to walk miles without sounding out of breath or looking tired. It was obvious that Cora needed to hit up the gym more often. She thought herself to be in great shape, but it was obvious that she clearly wasn’t.
“Cora?”
“I’m fine,” she muttered.
His eyes narrowed. “You don’t look fine to me. You look like you’re about to pass out.”
“I’m just feeling hot.”
His eyes darted around them. With his attention no longer focused on her, Cora tried to compose herself, but it didn’t work. His eyes darted back to hers within a few seconds. Vlad stared at her silently for a few seconds before he gave her a smile.
“Can you swim?”
His question caught her off-guard so it took her a few minutes to answer him. She blinked and then nodded her head. Vlad gripped her arm as he straightened to pull her up along with him. She had to clutch his arms to keep standing because her legs couldn’t carry her weight.
“I know the perfect place for us to cool down.”
She blinked up at him. Cool down? What was he talking about? Before she could question him, Vlad swung her up into his arms. She gasped, gripping his shoulders to steady herself. Vlad bent forwards slightly.
“Grab the bag,” he ordered softly.
The muscles in her arms strained as she picked up the heavy bag. Cora clutched it to her chest when he started moving. Instead of following the path like they’ve been following since they started the hike. Vlad walked through the trees and deeper into the woods.
“We’re going to get lost,” she said softly after glancing over his shoulder. She could no longer see the path.
“We won’t.”
“How do you know?”
He smiled down at her. Like this morning, he ignored her question. Cora wasn’t sure for how long they were walking before the sound of water could be heard. The closer they got, the louder the sound. Her eyes widened in amazement when they stepped out of the tree-line into a clearing. There was a big waterfall with a medium-sized pool beneath it.
She was barely aware of Vlad lowering her to her feet or taking the bag from her. Cora moved toward the pool to get a better look. The water was so clean that she could actually see the bottom. Her eyes darted up to the waterfall. It looked so beautiful.
“Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to join me?”
Cora blinked and then turned towards him. Her eyes widened when she realized that he was busy undressing. Her eyes were glued to every inch of tanned skin he revealed. Vlad paused with his fingers hooked in the band of his boxer briefs. He raised his head to glance up at her when she said nothing.
“I. . .I don’t have a bikini,” she whispered.
His lips twitched. “You don’t need a bikini,” he said softly. “You can either swim in your underwear or naked.”
She pulled a face at him. Shock washed through her when he pushed his underwear down his legs and moved towards the pool. Colour flooded her cheeks. She has seen him naked twice before so it shouldn’t bother her that much. Cora was shocked that he would walk around naked.
She swallowed, and turned around when she heard the sound of splashing water. Vlad dived under the water and resurfaced a few feet away. He reached up to swipe the wet hair out of his eyes. His icy blue eyes locked with hers.
“Are you coming?”
Cora licked her lips and took a few steps back. She still hesitated but in the end curiosity won out. She bent down to pull off the hiking boots and socks. Straightening, she gripped the hem of her shirt and tugged it over her head. Her pants were next to hit the ground. Her eyes darted up to find him watching her.
He might not want to take things further, but she affected him as much as he was affecting her. She reached back to un-clip her bra and then slowly slid it down her arms. The single garment hit the ground without a sound and her panties were next to follow. Cora stood still for a few more seconds before walking toward the edge of the pool.
After sucking in a deep breath, Cora dived into the water. It was colder than she expected it to be. She surfaced with a gasp. Her eyes instantly searched for Vlad but he was nowhere in sight. A scream fell from her lips when something clamped around her ankle. She started struggling, causing her to slip underneath the water. A mouth full of water had her choking.
“I’m sorry. Relax, it’s me.”
She blinked the tears from her eyes and hit his chest with her fists. An arm slid around her waist while a hand gripped her wrist to stop her hits.
“Why would you do that?” she yelled once she had managed to catch her breath.
“I was just playing,” Vlad said softly. “I didn’t expect you to freak out like this.”
“You don’t do stuff like that!” Cora dropped her forehead against his shoulder.
Her heart was still beating erratically in her chest, but now it had nothing to do with the way he had scared her. It had everything to do with their naked bodies pressed so tightly together. His hand slid from her wrists and around her waist. She sighed when he hugged her closer.
“I’m sorry.” He pressed a kiss against her hair. “I really didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted you to let loose a little.”
“Are you saying that I’m uptight?”
He smiled. “A little, yes.”
Cora raised her head to stare up at him. “That’s just mean.”
“But the truth.” Vlad reached up to move a wet strand of hair from her forehead. “I know that you’re not happy here, but we can try and make the best out of this.”
Her eyes darted around them before locking with his again. Make the best of it, he said. She supposed she could try that. Cora could use the time to learn how to do things she has never done before, like cooking. With them so isolated Cora had the perfect opportunity to get to know more about the man her father hired.
Where was he anyway? Cora was used to her father leaving for trips abroad, but he usually called her to let her know when he would be returning. Of course with everything that had happened, there was no way for him to contact her. What if he was worried sick about her? What if something had happened to him?
Fear for her father made her clutch Vlad’s shoulders tighter. She couldn’t stop the whimper from escaping. “Vlad, my father.”
“What about him?” His eyes darted over her face. “Why do you look so worried?”
“What if he’s in trouble?” she asked softly. “We haven’t heard from him since he left. What if he’s in trouble?”
She heard him swallow. Vlad cupped her cheek and stroked the skin over her cheekbone with his thumb. “He’s fine.”
“Are you sure?” Her eyes darted between his. “Is he safe?”
He hesitated and then nodded. Cora felt like he was hiding something from her, but she stayed silent. She didn’t want to ruin their fun. Later, when they were back at the cabin, she would ask him more about this.