Leo stood and drew her attention to his tall form. When his hands reached for the buttons on his shirt, she jumped to her feet. “Wh…what are you doing?”
His gaze locked on hers, but he offered no response. Slowly, his fingers traveled down his chest until the shirt hung open and loose. With a quirk of his brow, he tossed the garment aside and stood before her bare-chested. Heat raced to her face. Had it warmed outside? Really, it was uncomfortably hot today. She slid her finger between her neck and collar, pulling the material from her damp skin.
“Leo, this is not very proper,” she said in a breathless whisper. “You really should—” Her voice caught as his hands went to the waistband of his trousers.
Blimey, no.
He couldn’t…He wouldn’t.
He did.
Ella spun around and squeezed her eyes shut. She heard the distinct swoosh of material and resisted the urge to peek.
“Leo, I know you do not understand English society, but this is most definitely not proper.”
A splash broke through the air. She turned. Leo stood in waist-high water. Never had she seen a man without his shirt on. Mesmerized, she could only stare, watching drops of water slip over each muscle, until trailing down below the surface. He raked his long, wet locks from his face and smiled up at her. It was the first time she’d seen him truly happy.
For a split second, she swore her heart actually stopped beating in her chest.
He held out his hand. An invitation her body begged her to accept. But her mind said no.
She shook her head, her eyes wide and unblinking.
He quirked a brow.
“It…it wouldn’t be proper,” she replied in a hoarse whisper.
“No one will see.”
His words thrilled, delighted, and frightened her. It would be so easy to be seduced by this man and his eerie eyes.
“Come,” he urged.
Her fingers curled into fists as she resisted the urge to comply. “No.”
If someone found them, she’d be fired for sure. He was…dear God, he was naked, she realized, taking in the clothing scattered across the rocks. Socks…shirt…trousers…yes, definitely naked. Blimey, she was going to faint.
“Ella,” he demanded. “Come.”
She tilted her chin, ignoring the pulsing desire that muddled her mind. “No,” she snapped back, crossing her arms over her chest.
“If you swim, I promise to come to my dance lesson tomorrow.”
She hesitated and took her lip between her teeth, mulling over the offer.
“If you don’t, I’ll be gone before you wake. That is the offer. It can be easy tomorrow, or it can be difficult. How badly do you want me to learn? How badly do you need this position?”
Ella’s mouth dropped open. “You…you are trying to blackmail me!”
He didn’t smile.
She narrowed her eyes, wanting so badly to tell him to go to hell. “Fine.”
The moment the word came out, she groaned. What in God’s name was she thinking? She jerked the boots and stockings from her feet before she could dwell on the inappropriateness of the situation. She refused to blush. Gingerly, she picked up the hem of her dress and stuck her toe into the water. Bitter cold shot through her like a needle.
“It’s freezing!”
“You’ll grow accustomed.” He leaned back and slowly moved his arms through the water, stroking backward, his gaze focused on her.
She frowned. “Turn around then.”
He sighed and turned his back to her. With her attention on him the entire time, she slipped her necklace over her head and placed it in her skirt pocket. Then quickly, she pulled the dress from her body. Only her shift, bloomers, and corset remained.
Dare she?
A shiver of anticipation caressed her skin. No one would know. Not Lady Buckley, not her small village, not Lord Roberts. How many times, during the heat of summer, had she wished to swim? She dared another glance toward the trail. The horse was attempting to eat its reins, but no other movement caught her attention.
Deftly, she undid her corset and dropped the contraption to the boulder. She took in a deep breath, her pinched lungs expanding. Leo moved toward the falls, his back still to her. Taking advantage of his lack of attention, she pulled the bloomers out from under her shift. A cool breeze blew up under her skirt, caressing her thighs like a lover’s touch. She sighed even as heat pooled sinfully in her stomach.
Leo disappeared under the water. Ella took her lower lip between her teeth. Surely the water was shallow enough. Steeling her courage, she jumped. The cold water stung her skin and she shrieked. Frantically, she tried to gain her balance on the slippery rocks, but her body had grown numb and useless. She only had time to suck in a deep breath before going under. Her shift, a white ghost, floated around her, binding her legs and drawing her further down. Above, sunlight glistened on the water’s surface seemingly so close, yet she couldn’t seem to reach it.
She felt his strength, his presence right before he appeared. Leo wrapped his arms around her waist, and together they burst through the surface. Fresh air forced the water from her lungs, and she coughed water all over his chest.
“Do you not know how to swim?”
She shook her head between coughs and clung to his broad shoulders.
“I thought you said you loved the ocean!”
She felt his worry, icier than the water, pierce her heart. Despite the frigid temperature, the realization that he cared made her body warm. “One does not swim in the ocean.” She coughed again. “One frolics with one’s clothing on.”
Leo’s hands clenched her upper arms, keeping her balanced. “Of all the bloody stupid—”
She glared up at him. “I had no choice. You practically forced me.”
They stared into each other’s eyes, annoyance, worry, and something else flashing. Heat seemed to pass between them, and instantly she was reminded that he was naked, completely and utterly naked. His gaze dropped to her mouth, and his jaw clenched. Ella couldn’t seem to breathe. She felt it…the need within him…for her? He wanted her?
He growled low in his throat and grabbed her hand, stepping away from her. “Come.”
She tried to ignore her disappointment. Surely she didn’t desire his kiss. Preposterous. But blast it all, what was that aching desire she felt when he looked at her? He pulled her toward the center of the small pond. The water rose to her chest and her panic flared.
“Leo, it’s getting deep.”
“Hang onto my neck.”
She slipped her arms around him and pressed her chest to his back. His body was stiff, his mind uncomfortable with her touch. She was uncomfortable touching him. Surely he could feel her nipples, hard as diamonds. The thought made her want to run back to the house and hide in her room. She started to pull away, but he latched onto her wrists, holding her close. Before she could argue, he leaned forward and skimmed through the water. The waves lapped up against her bare arms, tickling her flesh. Ella laughed. She felt his mind relax, and with it, she too seemed to calm.
He stilled next to the falls. Water cascaded over moss-covered rocks and sprinkled Ella with a fine mist. Before she could pull back, he turned in her arms so her