“Even though you were on birth control? Wasn’t your relationship with Colin monogamous?”

“Yes. Or I thought it was,” she said, thinking of Amanda and frowning.

“Why did you still use protection then?” Vanni asked behind her.

“It was my choice. And I don’t know why,” she said quietly, studying the rippling pool in front of her. “I was just thinking about that while I was showering before I came down.”

A silence ensued as he rubbed some lotion along the tender strip of skin above her bikini bottoms. That thick, heavy pressure in her sex amplified. She suddenly felt hot. Very hot.

“Just once. With one woman, I mean . . . a long time ago,” he said. She forced her attention back to the topic she’d broached. He was speaking of his wife, she knew by the tone of his voice. She wished she could ask him about her, but knew that had to be something he brought up. She couldn’t force him to talk about it. His finger glided along that sensitive patch of skin. Her clit prickled with excitement at his nearness. “But otherwise, no,” he mumbled. “Never.”

“What?” she asked, her attention diverted once again by his magical hands.

“I haven’t been with a woman like that in almost a decade. And there have been a lot of women, Emma.”

His brutally honest words seemed to hang in the air around them.

“Is that because of what you told Astrid that night?” she asked shakily, continuing to avoid his gaze. It seemed safer somehow, talking to the shimmering pool. “About having little to offer a woman? Is it because you don’t want to get too close to begin with?”

She sensed his tension at the question, but also his intent focus. Was he as caught up in the fragile moment as she was?

“Yes,” he said quietly, still rubbing that strip of skin so close to her pussy.

“Do you not want to get too close because you’re afraid of caring?”

His rubbing finger stilled. Emma couldn’t expand her lungs in the silence that followed.

“Because you’ve lost so many people,” she said on a gasp, already regretting her words, but knowing it was too late to turn back. Typical me, always having to fall face-first into the graves I dig. “I just thought maybe that was why you’d prefer not to get too close. This way, you don’t have to lose anything else.”

He still didn’t say anything, although his hand remained frozen on her pelvis.

She rolled her eyes, disgusted with herself for having brought it up. She pushed off his thighs forcefully. The next second, she was dropping, cool water rushing around her overheated sex and cheeks.

If only she could stay underwater forever.

She felt his legs swoosh against her belly as she rose, and then his hands were on her upper arms, lifting them both in the water. She broke the surface with a gasp, laughing a little when she saw his wet, scowling face. He pushed his hair out of his eyes.

“Why’d you do that?” he demanded.

“I thought you might be getting tired of my questions,” she said honestly, treading water. A rush of ebullience went through her at the delicious feeling of being in the cold pool in such a stunning setting. She spun in the water, looking around the landscaped terrace.

“It’s so beautiful here,” she said softly.

“Yeah . . . it’s okay,” he said, glancing around as if he hadn’t seen it in a while. His gaze seemed to clear when he looked at her face again. “It’s not La Mer, though.”

“La Mer?”

“My villa near Saint-Jeannet. It’s nestled on the cliff, but you can take a long staircase down the mountain to the Mediterranean. It was my father’s family’s home. Saint-Jeannet itself is this picturesque little medieval village. I can’t wait to show it to you.”

Emma blinked. He looked like a different man at that moment—relaxed and unguarded.

“It agrees with you,” she said.

“What does?” he asked, brows quirked.

“La Mer,” she murmured, studying his face. “You look happy when you talk about it.”

“Do I?” he said, looking vaguely surprised.

She nodded. “Why don’t you live there full-time?”

“Because my company is here. One of them, anyway. And because the Breakers is where I belong.”

She hated the shadow that fell across his face. She found the Breakers to be sublimely beautiful, but she had a feeling Vanni felt trapped there, somehow. Not by physical barriers, but mental ones. Spiritual ones. She sighed, knowing she couldn’t bring up such a weighty topic with him. But maybe she could lighten his mood, even in the midst of his shadows?

She splashed him full in the face. Emma couldn’t help but laugh, seeing the aloof prince sputtering and blinking water out of his eyes, an incredulous expression dawning. Laughing, she splashed him again. His eyes flashed dangerously when he got the water out of them. She gave a little yelp, guessing his next move, and plunged back in the water. She swam for all she was worth, unable to contain her laughter despite the water that splashed into her eyes and mouth. She’d just reached the far side of the pool, when he grabbed her ankle and yanked.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he growled, hauling her back against him.

She snorted with laughter, squirming in his firm hold. Things got worse when his fingers dug into her sides, tickling her.

“Oh no,” she gasped, laughing. “Stop. I hate to be tickled.”

“Well I hate having water splashed in my face,” he replied dryly.

“You do?” she asked, her eyebrows pinching in concern despite her inability to stop laughing and writhing around in his hold. He sobered and his tickling abruptly halted. He grabbed on to the side of the pool, steadying them.

“No,” he said, pulling her tighter against him so that her bare breasts crushed against the hard plane of his chest. His gaze traveled over her face hungrily. “I don’t.”

Then he was kissing her, deep and hard, his mouth hot in comparison to the cool water. Emma clutched his shoulders and forgot everything but the sensation of him.

“You give yourself so completely,” he said quietly against her lips a moment later.

“What?” she asked, her lust-impaired brain having trouble decoding his words.

“Just now. When I make love to you. You give yourself completely every time I touch you,” he said, his gaze traveling over her face with a tight focus. “I can feel it, Emma. I’m not sure it’s a healthy thing for you.”

“No?” she whispered.

He shook his head, a steely look overcoming his face as he stared at her lips. “No. But I’m becoming addicted to it, nevertheless.”

Suddenly he was moving along the pool wall, pulling her with him. When he reached the shallow end of the pool, he transferred her, carrying her with one arm at her back, the other below her knees. He took the steps out of the water and walked onto the terrace, moving very quickly.

“Where are we going?” she asked him as he stormed toward the house, his gaze fixed on the entrance.

“To bed,” he replied grimly.

He carried her all the way to his bedroom suite, closing the door behind them with a slam. Emma looked around curiously when they entered the bathroom. It was a wonderland, featuring warm, mahogany paneling on the walls, streamlined but beautiful white marble sinks, and a bidet. A small lounging area with two deep taupe armchairs and a table was arranged before a huge, deep, white marble tub. He set her in front of a stainless steel and glass shower. He opened the door and twisted the handle. Immediately water started to spout out from various directions and steam began to build.

“Get in,” he urged, sinking his thumbs into his trunks. He pulled the waistband forward in order to release his cock and then bent to jerk them down his thighs. He stood.

“Emma?” he said in a hard tone.

Her gaze skipped up to his face. She’d been staring at his full, flagrant erection. It bobbed in the air, jutting out from his taut, toned body. He nodded at her bikini bottoms.