Nathan Lockwood was the first to react, diving straight into the pool.
Right after, Chase Shaw and Aaron Xavier followed him in. Within monts, everyone was in the pool.
With four tall, strapping Alphas in the water, Zoe Pierce imdiately felt the spacious pool seem to shrink.
They weren’t doing anything—just standing there in the water.
But their presence was so overwhelming she couldn’t ignore it.
’Help. For so reason, this whole situation is starting to feel a little tense.’
After a few more strokes, Zoe Pierce couldn’t take it anymore. "Don’t look at ..."
’Under their stares, I can barely keep my strokes coordinated.’
With that, she grabbed the poolside railing, hoisted herself out of the water, and headed for the path to the ocean. She warned them in a low voice, "Don’t any of you follow . The Intelligent Brain is sharing my location."
She’d realized she couldn’t enjoy herself at all swimming right under their noses.
The mont the words left her mouth, she leaped into the sea.
She easily swam away from the dock, out into the open water, basking in the sunlight.
The seawater was crystal clear, its surface glittering.
Free from the annoying Alphas, Zoe Pierce swam to her heart’s content.
Back in the pool, with Zoe Pierce gone, Chase Shaw and Aaron Xavier dropped the act and got straight up.
Their bodies dripped, leaving wet trails on the floor. The water made their swim trunks cling snugly to their forms.
The two of them headed to the second floor.
Nathan Lockwood and Miles Sherman, however, exchanged a look. "Care for a race?"
The two of them swam over to the starting blocks. With the BEEP BEEP of the tir, they dove into the pool, arms churning through the water.
Battle-hardened Alphas had to adapt to any environnt, and the water was no exception.
...
After swimming a lap around the shallow part of the sea, Zoe Pierce started heading back.
A figure was sitting by the railing near the dock, sipping a drink. When he saw her looking, he waved.
Who else could it be, looking so relaxed, but Aaron Xavier?
The mont she erged from the water, Aaron Xavier was there to wrap a towel around her.
"Zoe, want a drink?"
Zoe Pierce took the clearly chilled drink, pressing it to her cheek before sitting down beside Aaron Xavier. "Just hanging out here?"
Aaron Xavier leaned back on his arms, looking at her from the side. "I was waiting especially for you, Zoe."
He was used to the ocean. This was the most boring, unexciting activity imaginable; it held no interest for him.
The only thing that held any interest for him was Zoe Pierce. Her coming on vacation with them for the first ti was what made this trip special.
"Without your permission, Miles and the others wouldn’t dare follow," he said lazily.
Zoe Pierce glanced at him. "So how co you’re here?"
Aaron Xavier giggled. "Because I couldn’t bear the thought of no one being here to greet you."
Frankly, he was just bolder, always testing Zoe Pierce’s limits. He figured that as long as he just stayed on the shore, he wouldn’t make her angry.
And it looked like he’d bet correctly.
Zoe Pierce wasn’t angry.
"You’re such a smooth-talker," Zoe Pierce remarked.
Aaron Xavier didn’t seem to mind.
Their feet dangled in the water, idly kicking at the surface.
"So, Zoe, how about rewarding ?" Aaron Xavier continued, pushing his luck.
Zoe Pierce shot him a look. Knowing Aaron Xavier’s personality, she didn’t need to guess what kind of ’reward’ he had in mind.
"No."
Aaron Xavier suddenly leaned closer. "Hey, why not?"
"No one will see," he said with a smile. "I have a plan."
"What plan?" The mont she took the bait, Zoe Pierce realized she’d fallen into his trap. ’I can’t stay here with him any longer,’ she thought, scooting back and preparing to stand up.
But then Aaron Xavier grabbed the towel beside him and suddenly draped it over both of their heads.
The next instant, he grabbed Zoe Pierce’s wrist, leaned in, and planted a quick kiss on her cheek. As his lips brushed past, he imdiately leaned back. "I just wanted to kiss your cheek."
"See? Aren’t I being good?"
"Is a reward like that too much to ask? Why are you trying to get away from , Zoe?"
The towel blocked the harsh sunlight. They sat side by side, and beneath it, Aaron Xavier’s face was less than ten centiters from Zoe Pierce’s.
’Zoe Pierce was at her wit’s end. First Chase Shaw started acting unreasonably, and now Aaron Xavier was doing it too.’
’A simple kiss on the cheek wasn’t asking for much, not for soone like Aaron Xavier. But the issue wasn’t the kiss itself.’
Pulling down the suggestive towel, Zoe Pierce pushed his face away.
"Aaron Xavier. Three months," she reminded him.
Aaron Xavier knew, of course. At first, he’d wanted to test the waters but hadn’t had the nerve.
But Chase Shaw had clearly set a precedent, which made him much bolder. Still, he didn’t dare go too far, genuinely afraid of making Zoe Pierce angry, which was why he’d co up with this little sche.
He even offered a justification: "Chase used up my ti before, rember, Zoe?"
He refused to believe Zoe Pierce could have forgotten that rainy night.
Zoe Pierce: "..."
’And thanks to him, now I rember.’
’So this whole trend of misbehavior started with Chase Shaw. Both tis.’
’I can’t let this continue.’
Zoe Pierce suddenly reached out and cupped Aaron Xavier’s face, her thumb pressing against his jaw. "Be good. Don’t cause trouble."
"When it’s our turn, I’ll give you your reward."
’Threats might not work on Aaron Xavier, but a little bribery just might.’
Sure enough, Aaron Xavier, who had been excitedly preparing a rebuttal, instantly quieted down.
His eyes shone even brighter than before. "You promised."
"What kind of reward?"
’He wasn’t about to agree to such a thankless task without getting the details first.’
Zoe Pierce couldn’t think of a reward on the spot.
"It’ll be... sothing we’ve never done together before." Despite the vague, placating answer, Aaron Xavier imdiately agreed.
"Zoe, you have a deal."
He bead at Zoe Pierce. "I can be very good."
He even made a mischievous suggestion: "If Chase doesn’t behave, why don’t we shorten his ti?"
He had no qualms about selling out Chase Shaw.
Seeing that Aaron Xavier was handled, Zoe Pierce cut to the chase. She stood up, re-wrapping the towel around herself. "Fine. I’ll talk to him. You just make sure to keep your end of the bargain."
She turned, but her steps faltered.
Aaron Xavier turned as well. Seeing Nathan Lockwood leaning against the doorfra, he gave a sheepish grin. "Nathan, when did you get here?"
Neither of them had been using spiritual power while they talked, so they hadn’t noticed him at all.
Nathan Lockwood walked over. "Just when Zoe was telling you to be good."
Wrapping an arm around Zoe Pierce’s waist, he smiled faintly. "Let’s go. Everyone’s waiting for you two for the barbecue. Chase is grilling himself."
He whispered in Zoe Pierce’s ear, "There are plenty of things we haven’t done together, too. I’m coming to your room tonight."
’She knew it.’
’Once you say sothing like that, you have to take responsibility for it.’
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