Chapter 198

Agnes

We broke apart from our kiss breathlessly, my body humming with a different kind of heat now. Elijah’s eyes darkened as he stared at me.

“Want to test the space out?” he asked huskily, glancing toward the pool.

I bit my lip, instantly catching his meaning. “Right now?”

“Why not?” His hands slid down to my waist. “The door’s locked. No one’s coming down here.”

A thrill ran through me. We hadn’t had much privacy since the fire—living in a hotel room with Thea sleeping right next to us meant our intimate moments had been pretty much nonexistent. But here…

“Okay,” I nodded, already kicking off my shoes.

Elijah grinned, tugging his shirt over his head in one fluid motion. I paused for a moment, admiring the sight. Even after all this time, the sight of his bare chest still made my heart skip. He had the body of someone who worked out regularly, all defined muscle and smooth skin, interrupted only by the occasional scar from pack challenges over the years.

Suddenly impatient, I peeled off my own shirt and shimmied out of my jeans. Elijah was already naked, standing at the edge of the pool with a mischievous glint in his eye.

“Last one in is a rotten egg,” he teased, and before I could respond, he dove into the water with a splash that sprayed me with droplets.

“Hey!” I laughed, quickly removing the last of my clothes. The cool air against my bare skin sent goosebumps racing across my body. I took a running jump and plunged into the pool after him.

The moment I was submerged, I felt an immediate sense of peace. The water was the perfect temperature—warm enough to be comfortable but cool enough to instantly soothe the lingering heat in my veins. The saltwater buoyed me up, making me feel weightless as I glided beneath the surface.

I broke through the water, pushing my wet hair from my face and blinking droplets from my eyelashes. Elijah was a few feet away, grinning at me.

“How’s the water?” he asked, even though he was already in it.

“Perfect. Just like everything else about this place.”

When I was within reach, he sent a splash of water toward my face. I sputtered, wiping saltwater from my eyes. “You’re such an ass,” I laughed, sweeping my arm across the surface to send a wave in his direction. “See how you like having salt in your eyes.”

He ducked beneath it, emerging with a laugh. “You’ll have to do better than that.”

What followed was an all-out splash war, our laughter echoing off the steel walls. Eventually, breathless and still giggling, I called a truce. “Okay, okay! You win!”

Elijah swam closer. “What’s my prize?”

“What do you want?” I asked. I already knew the answer, of course.

Just as I suspected, his hand found my waist underwater, pulling me against him. Our wet bodies pressed against one another, skin sliding against skin as he lowered his mouth to mine. My arms wrapped around his neck, our legs tangling together beneath the surface.

The water made everything feel dreamlike, our movements slowed and weightless. Elijah’s hands roamed my body, tracing my curves before settling on my ass and squeezing gently. I moaned into his mouth, my fingers threading through his wet hair.

He began to guide us toward the edge of the pool, never breaking the kiss. When my back hit the smooth tile wall, he pressed closer, his hard length grazing my stomach. I wrapped my legs around his waist, using the buoyancy of the water to my advantage.

“I want to taste you,” Elijah murmured against my neck, leaving a trail of kisses down to my collarbone.

Before I could respond, he was lifting me up and out of the pool in one powerful motion, setting me on the edge with my legs dangling in the water. The air felt cool against my wet skin, soothing the heat that had formed from my arousal.

Elijah remained in the water between my thighs, his hands stroking up and down my legs. His tongue flicked across my hip, tasting the salt off of me. Then, his mouth moved further downward, his tongue finding my clit immediately.

A gasp escaped me at the first contact, my hips bucking involuntarily. He held me steady with his hands on my thighs, but he never pulled his mouth away from me.

His tongue circled and flicked, occasionally dipping lower to tease my entrance before returning to my clit. When he added his fingers, curling them inside of me just right and hitting the most sensitive spot, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I let out a tender growl, curling my fingers hard into his hair.

He hummed against me at the tug I gave him, and the sound sent a new wave of pleasure through my body. My thighs began to tremble, my back arching as the tension built and built.

And then everything shattered, and the room tilted around me.

I collapsed backward, breathing hard, my limbs feeling like jelly. But Elijah wasn’t done. He pulled himself up out of the pool in one smooth motion, water cascading from his muscled body as he covered mine with his. His mouth found mine again, letting me taste myself on his lips.

“I need you,” he groaned, positioning himself between my legs.

“Yes,” I agreed, wrapping my legs around his waist once more. “Please.”

He entered me in one slow thrust, both of us groaning at the sensation. After my orgasm, I was sensitive and hyper-aware of every movement, every inch of him stretching and filling me. He began to move, setting a rhythm that had me clinging to him, my nails digging into his back.

The tile was hard beneath me, but I barely noticed the discomfort. All I could focus on was Elijah—his weight on top of me, his breath hot against my neck, the way he whispered my name. I was already building toward another peak.

“Wait,” Elijah suddenly said, stopping abruptly. “Let’s move to the shower. Get all this saltwater off.”

Before I could protest, he withdrew from me, then lifted me like I was nothing. I pouted at the sudden loss of his cock inside of me, nipping angrily at his neck and shoulder and earlobe as he carried me to the shower. He laughed, a low rumble that vibrated against my pussy, which was pressed firmly to his abdomen.

Elijah turned on the water, adjusting the temperature until it was just right. He set me down and pulled me under the spray with him, his mouth finding mine again as the water cascaded over us. His hands roamed my body, soaping up my curves with a body wash that smelled like lavender and vanilla.

“When did you stock the shower?” I asked breathlessly as his fingers worked their magic between my legs again.

“Before we got here,” he murmured, his lips trailing down my neck. “Wanted everything to be perfect.”

I wanted to tell him it was, but words failed me as he turned me around, pressing me gently against the cool tile wall. His hard length brushed against my backside. I widened my stance in invitation, and he entered me from behind, one hand reaching around to continue the delicious friction against my clit.

The double stimulation had me climbing toward another orgasm rapidly. I braced my hands against the wall, pushing back against each of his thrusts. Each one seemed to heighten his own pleasure, because his huffs grew into grunts, then deep, rumbling growls.

His arms tightened around me, holding me close as we both tumbled over the edge together. My vision went spotty as wave after wave of pleasure crashed through me. Behind me, Elijah buried his face against my neck, one last guttural groan escaping him as he found his own release.

For a few moments, we just stood there under the warm spray, our bodies still joined, catching our breath. Then Elijah gently withdrew, turning me in his arms so he could kiss me properly. The kiss was slower now, tender rather than urgent, and I leaned into him, letting his strong body support me.

Then, slowly, I reached for the loofah and began to scrub him. I started at his arms, sliding the sponge up and down one at a time, before moving to his chest, his abdomen, his back and legs. He pressed one hand against the shower wall, eyes shut and head bowed, as I massaged his muscular thighs and ass.

By the time we stepped out of the shower, wrapped in the plush towels he’d stocked in a cabinet nearby, I felt utterly relaxed and content.

We made our way to the bed once we were dry, abandoning our towels on the floor. The mattress was firm but cushiony, the sheets smooth and luxurious. It was clear that he’d ensured everything in this home spa was of the highest quality.

Flicking on the TV and putting on some random music streaming station, Elijah pulled me close, my back against his chest, his arm draped protectively over my waist. He pressed a switch by the bed, and the lighting went from cozy amber to a cool, calming purple.

I couldn’t help but smirk up at him. “Did you design this room with multiple purposes in mind, Alpha?”

I felt rather than saw his answering smile, his lips pressed against my shoulder. “Maybe. I was hoping we could sneak away down here sometimes, just the two of us.” He propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at me with sudden seriousness. “But I meant what I said earlier. I won’t ever come in here without your permission. This is your space first and foremost.”

His words touched me deeply. Even in creating something that could benefit us both, he was putting my needs first. I reached up, cupping his cheek in my palm.

“Thank you,” I whispered, leaning up to kiss him softly. “For everything.”

Just as our lips met, a buzzing sound interrupted the moment. Elijah sighed, rolling over to grab his phone from the pile of clothes we’d left by the bed. James’ name illuminated the screen.

“Alpha…” James’s voice came through the speaker when Elijah answered. “We have to talk. You and Luna Agnes should come upstairs as soon as possible.”