Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 65156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
With every step I take closer, my heart pounds harder, the rhythmic beat echoing in my chest. She watches me approach, and for a moment, the world narrows to just us. The rush of the waterfall, the soft breeze, everything else just simply fades away. It's just the two of us, standing in the middle of this secluded lake, a world away from everything else.
I stop just a breath away, the water reaching my thighs now, but it’s the heat between us that makes me feel like I’m burning up inside. I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face, and as I look into her eyes, I feel like I’m standing on the edge of something dangerous and thrilling all at once.
"Perfect day for a swim," I say, my voice low, though the way we’re locking eyes tells me the water isn’t the only thing making it hard to breathe.
Violet lets out a light, carefree laugh before she disappears under the water. I watch her for a moment, mesmerized by the playful energy she exudes. She surfaces, splashing me with a mischievous grin. I chuckle and dive in after her, and soon we’re chasing each other through the water, laughter bouncing off the mountains around us. The cold, refreshing lake surrounds us, but the heat between us grows with every glance, every brush of skin.
For a while, it feels like we’re kids again. We’re splashing, teasing, laughing without a care in the world. But then, as if the lake itself holds its breath, the energy shifts. The playful splashing dies down, and the atmosphere between us thickens. My heart pounds, no longer from the swim, but from the way Violet is looking at me. It’s like she’s daring me to close the space between us.
The water stills around us, but inside, everything is on fire. I can’t take my eyes off her. It’s those tempting lips, slightly parted, as if she’s inviting me closer. Every instinct in my body pulls me toward her, the memory of her taste lingering in the back of my mind, and I crave it more than I should.
“Violet,” I whisper, the sound barely carrying above the gentle lapping of the water. We’re treading water now, floating in the middle of the lake, our feet barely brushing the soft, muddy bed beneath us.
“Yeah,” she breathes out, her voice soft and breathless, her eyes locked on mine. Her chest rises and falls rapidly, and I can’t tell if it’s from the swim or from something deeper, something neither of us is ready to name.
The air between us feels charged, thick with the unspoken tension we’ve been dancing around for days. The world seems to have stopped, the waterfall behind us a faint whisper as I inch closer to her, drawn in by a force I can’t resist. And in this moment, I know one thing for certain—I’m falling. Hard.
Chapter 19
Violet
Callum’s eyes are locked on mine, searching for something, and I hope to God he finds it. The intensity of his gaze has my heart racing, my pulse thundering in my ears. Every nerve in my body is on high alert, waiting, anticipating. The tension between us is thick, almost unbearable, and I feel like I’m going to combust if something doesn’t happen soon.
The cold water from the waterfall is supposed to be refreshing, but it does nothing to cool the heat rising inside me. It’s like a fire is spreading through my veins, and Callum is the match that lit it. His gaze is scorching, searing into me, making my skin tingle as if he’s touching me without even laying a finger on me.
The way he’s looking at me, like he wants to devour me, sends shivers down my spine. It’s primal, raw, and so incredibly hot that I can barely breathe. There’s an unspoken hunger in his eyes, a desire that matches my own, and it makes my knees weak.
God, I want him to kiss me.
No, I need him to kiss me.
The thought is overwhelming. My lips part slightly, my breath hitching as I inch closer to him. The tension is thick enough to cut with a knife, and I swear, if he doesn’t kiss me soon, I might just go crazy.
His eyes flick to my mouth, and my heart nearly stops. Every beat feels like it's dragging, slow and heavy, as I wait for him to close the distance, to make the move I’m too afraid to make.
“I—” I begin, but the words die on my lips as Callum’s hand moves, almost in slow motion, lifting toward my face.
It’s as if time itself slows down, and for a moment, the world around us disappears. I hold my breath, my body vibrating with anticipation, and then his fingers graze my cheek, and it’s like an electric shock. My skin ignites under his touch, and my breath catches in my throat.