A War of Guns and Roses

Chapter 33

His mouth hungrily swallowed mine as he tugged on my hair to get a better angle. We were both breathless when we pulled apart, both of us staring into each other's eyes as if we were lovers of some sort.

We floated around in the water for a bit and swam from one end to another. I challenged Xavier to do 3 laps in one breath and he completed it without a single break or hint of exhaustion.

I looked at him, impressed.

"Now your turn," he said, moving over to me.

"What? No, no. No way. I can't hold my breath for so long."

"So you're telling me that you're ready to lose?"

"What? No!"

"Then do it," he challenged.

"Fine," I muttered.

The stream wasn't very deep but I still couldn't reach the ground. I stood at one end and took a deep breath, filling my lungs with as much air as possible.

Then, I dunked my head in the water and started doing free-style, without the breathing part. I was halfway through the third lap, when I couldn't take it anymore and I started struggling to get a foot grip and rise from the water. Panic seized me when I realized that I couldn't rise from the water, with weeds and what not tangling in my legs.

Arms surrounded me and pulled me up as I gasped for air. My shivery arms wrapped around his neck as he held me.

"I'm never trying that again," I gasped out.

He chuckled and swam me over to the banks of the stream. Seating me on the edge, so that only my legs were immersed in the water, he stood between them.

I was still gasping for breath and I'm pretty sure my face had turned red from the excursion.

"You think this is funny?" I scowled, referring to his previous chuckle.

"I would have caught you anyway," he replied.

I didn't say anything, but just glared at him, eliciting another one of his rich laughs.

He leant in and brushed his nose against mine. I froze up all over before I forced myself to relax at the intimate gesture.

"Sei bello. Soprattutto quando arrossisci."

"Okay, let's make another rule. No speaking in Italian while we are here," I warned.

"Don't tell me you don't find it hot?" he teased.

"What? No, of course not." But my blush gave it all away.

He chuckled again and leant in.

"You wanna know what I just said?" he whispered.

I nodded mutely, once again speechless with him in such close proximity.

"Well then, you will have to bring a translator with you next time," he laughed again at my expression before swimming away.

"You...!" I cursed and quickly started chasing him in the water. Managing to catch up; he purposely moved slower, I swung myself onto his back. He didn't stop swimming, instead he continued at an even faster pace with me clinging onto his back. The skin to skin contact was amazing and I had no plan of getting off of him anytime soon.