Giving in to Him~

Chapter 17

Jennifer opened the door slowly, doubting her bikini. 

After checking in the the hotel, Jennifer decided a dip in the pool would be nice before dinner, and before getting back to all that was Rick and her dreams.

She had stared at the mirror for a long time, looking at how the red color of the bikini contrasted her skin tone. She felt pretty, but doubted herself when the thought of Rick seeing her came up. But she didn't let that stop her. The fact that there was an indoor heated swimming pool open through the night gave her a shot of excitement, it has been a long day after all.

Finally, she got the courage to open the door and step out, only to bump into a very shirtless Rick. Her breath caught up in her throat.

"I'm s-sorry." She hated her voice for sounding so weak but that was now his constant effect on her, and he knew it too.  

Her eyes lingered on his chest, unconsciously checking him out. His chest was hard, he had to have worked out every day of his life for his body to look this damn good. Eight packs followed by perfect pecks and then the all too undeniable attraction of his v-lines. Life was so unfair.  

Rick cleared his throat causing her to look up at him. He had a smirk on his face, that's when she realized she'd beens staring for a moment too long. 

"That's some bikini you got there," Rick's eyes then traveled down as Jennifer started to doubt how she looked.

"I-It looked better on the mannequin that's why I picked it." She looked down at her self and smiled in embarrassment, fearing her body hadn't satisfied what he might've thought it would look like.

He reached his hand up and grasped her chin lightly, he let his thumb rub her lower lip before tilting her head up at him and continuing, "If I could, I'd show you just how good you look. But I have to take things slow with you Jennifer."

"Take things slow? What makes you think this is going to go anywhere." She challenged and dared to raise an eyebrow.

"Careful, or I just might have to prove it to you," he leaned down smiling.

She knew he was going to kiss her, and a tiny part of her brain was hollering at her to back away, but she couldn't. She was stuck in place as his lips rested on hers. So she stood there, frozen. He leaned back up and looked her in her eyes, dropping his hand from her chin.

"I'm going to take things slow, but you have to open up a little to me."

She smiled a little, "We should go swim,"

She tried to move around him but his hand came to her waist stopping her, "Jenn, I don't know how many times I can tell you this, but you can trust me. You know that, don't you?"

She wanted to tell him the truth, but she knew there was only one right answer to that question, but just as she was about to answer, he showed her that she'd waited too long.

Rick's eyes darkened as he took a step towards her. Jennifer took a step back, worried. The cold wall met her back and Rick had his body glued to her. His hands on her hips, he glided them upwards, caressing her body. He kissed her forehead and then brought his lips to her ear.

"Do you want me to show you again, how much you can trust me," he whispered. "The way I did last night. Remember how you felt?"

He let his hands squeeze her flesh as she closed her eyes, hoping he wouldn't stop touching her.

"Mhm." was all she could squeeze out.

"Tonight, I'll show you again." he pulled away from her and moved to the door, "For now, you wanted to go swimming."

Embarrassed of the effect that he had on her and how he pulled away so fast, Jennifer scoffed at him, grabbed a towel, wrapped herself up in it, and took long strides to the door and to the pool, not bothering to check if he was still with her.

* * *

At the pool, Jennifer dipped in leisurely, enjoying the warmth of the water. She tried to ignore Rick staring at her from outside the water as she put her head into the water, sitting down at the bottom of the pool. After 20 seconds, she came back up and took a look at the water surrounding her. It had been years since she'd last been able to even afford to go to the pool. And unlike in her dreams, she wasn't terrified of this moment. Whereas she knew what would follow next in her dreams. When she noticed Rick coming into the pool, she decided to try and avoid him, she dipped back all the way into the pool, and swam the length of the pool to the other side. When she surfaced again Rick smiled at her from the other side.

"Wanna race?" she said absent-mindedly.

"You don't wanna race me,"

"Why not?"

"Because I'll win"

"You know what, you're probably right. I'm not up for losing another bet."

"What do you have to lose? We're already sharing a bed. You already know what we're doing tonight."

"Exactly, God only knows what you'd want to add to that."

"What if I give you a chance to change one of those things."

"You would do that?"

"Sure, I am a better swimmer than you, granted. So how about this, if you make it to the middle of the pool before I make it all the way to your side... I'll sleep on the floor."

"I would love that, but it sounds too good to be true."

"But if you don't," he continued ignoring her, "then you kiss me, right here, right now."

"Fine, enough talking. Swim on 3. I...2...3!"

She threw herself underwater, her arms and legs kicking as hard as she could to get to the middle. She hadn't even checked to see if Rick started swimming, she hadn't even thought of it until two strong arms stopped her where she was and lifted her out of the water. Her head came out of the water and she smoother her hair down to see Rick standing directly in front of her, his hands around waist, holding her firmly, obviously making sure she didn't try to get away.

Her heart started to beat faster as she looked up at him in his eyes.

"I knew there was some kind of catch, you weren't going to let me win, were you."

"No, I wasn't." he smiled.

She smiled back, and then, to her own surprise. She gently leaned up, standing on her tippy toes now in the water. She didn't wait for Rick as her lips found his, and she kissed him, with all that she had.

She didn't realize that they'd been moving until the water left their bodies. Rick had held her bridal style, pulled her out of the water, and began striding to their room.

Only one thing echoed in her mind as Rick walked, never breaking their kiss.

Tonight, I'll show you again.