Mute

Aria’s POV

The pool area was tranquil, the water reflecting the soft, golden rays of the morning sun. I sat back in a lounge chair, my eyes fixed on Caspian as he sliced through the water with powerful, fluid strokes.

I couldn’t understand why he insisted on having me here, waiting by the pool, ready to attend to him once he was done. It felt like another way for him to invade my life, to get under my skin even when I didn’t want him there.

Caspian surfaced, his wet hair slicked back, and swam towards the edge. As he climbed out of the pool, I couldn’t help but hold my breath for a second.

Water cascaded down his chiseled torso, each ripple of muscle defined and glistening in the light.

He was wearing only a black brief, which clung to his body, leaving little to the imagination. His broad shoulders, sculpted chest, and the faint trail of hair leading down from his navel were all too mesmerizing.

I felt a flush rise to my cheeks, heat pooling in my lower abdomen.

The season was making it harder to control my reactions.

Damn the heat season.

This was the man I was supposed to hate, the source of so much drama and conflict in my life.

Yet, as I watched him, memories of the times we were naked together flooded my mind. The way his hands felt on my skin, the intensity of his gaze when he looked at me like I was the only one that mattered. To f**k of course.

I shook my head, trying to dispel the thoughts, but it was useless. My body was betraying me, and I was starting to get turned on just watching him. Why did he have to be so infuriatingly beautiful?

Ing the towel I had been holding

Caspian cleared his throat, snapping me back to reality. I hurried to his side, onto. As I handed it to him, our fingers brushed, sending an electric jolt up my arm. I quickly pulled my hand away, my eyes avoiding his.

“Thank you, Aria,” he said, his voice low and rich. He took the towel, his fingers lingering on mine for just a moment longer than necessary.

I nodded in response, stepping back.

He wrapped the towel around his waist, his gaze never leaving my face. “Are you alright?” he asked, his tone softening.

‘I’m fine,’ I lied, forcing myself to meet his eyes. They were so blue, so intense, and Lhated how they made me feel vulnerable. ‘Just… distracted’Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

ced to rest or take a break, you should. The

He nodded, as if understanding more than I wanted him to “If you need heat season is hard on all of us.”

‘I can handle it,’ I signed, more defensively than I intended. I’m not some delicate flower.

Caspian smiled slightly, a knowing glint in his eyes. ‘I never said you were. But you don’t have to prove anything to me, Aria.’

I clenched my jaw, hating how he always seemed to see right through me. ‘I should get back to my duties,’ I signed, turning away before he could say anything else.

As I made to leave, the tension between Caspian and me was evident, I felt a strong shove against my back.

Before I could react, I was airborne, plunging into the cool water with a splash. The shock of it took my breath away, and I surfaced, sputtering and disoriented.

‘Are you crazy?’ I gasped, pushing wet hair out of my eyes. But before I could say more, Caspian dove in after me, his powerful strokes bringing him to my side in an instant.

“Aria,” he murmured, his voice low and husky as he pulled me close. His hands were firm and possessive, and I could feel the heat of his body even through the water. Without warning, his lips crashed onto mine.

The kiss was demanding, intense, unlike anything I had ever experienced before. His mouth moved over mine with a hunger that sent shivers down my spine. I tried to resist, to remember all the reasons I was supposed to hate him, but my body betrayed me. His touch ignited a fire within me that I couldn’t quell.

Caspian’s hands roamed my body, caressing and holding me as if I were something precious and fragile. He pressed me against him, grinding into me with a raw need that made my legs weak. I clung to him, momentarily lost in the torrent of sensations he evoked.

Under the water, everything felt surreal, our movements fluid and weightless. His lips trailed down my neck, leaving a trail of burning kisses that made me ache for more. The way he touched me, the way he kissed me-it was overwhelming, intoxicating. My uprightness wavered, my mind clouded with desire.

But then, a sliver of rational thought pierced through the haze. This was Caspian, the source of so much turmoil in my life. I couldn’t afford to lose myself to him, not like this. Summoning every ounce of willpower, I pushed against his chest, breaking the contact between us.

‘No,’ I yelled even though a sound could not be heard from me. Trembling with the effort it took to deny what my body craved. I kicked away from him, swimming to the edge of the pool and pulling myself out with trembling

arms.

I stood there, panting heavily, trying to steady my ring heart. Caspian surfaced, his eyes dark and intense as they locked onto mine. He made no move to apologize, a wicked glint in his gaze.

“You’re the only one I want, Aria,” he said, his voice carrying a note of challenge.

Still catching my breath, I signed at him furiously, ‘You’re insane.’

I could see the mix of frustration and amusement on his face as I turned and stormed off from the pool area. My heart was pounding, and my mind was in turmoil. I needed to get away from him, from the confusing emotions he stirred within me.

As I walked away, I could still feel the ghost of his touch on my skin, the taste of his kiss lingering on my lips. The encounter left me shaken, a maelstrom of conflicting desires and emotions swirling within me. I needed space, distance, anything to clear my head and regain control over my heart and mind.

But even as I tried to put distance between us, I

knew that Caspian’s words and actions had left an indelible mark on me