Pure

She sighed. “I know. What do you guys think I’m going to say? That I love daimons?”

It wouldn’t surprise me. “Just don’t elaborate on anything. Answer yes or no, and that is it.”

“I’m not stupid, Seth.”

I arched a brow. Stupid? No. Reckless? Yes. “I didn’t say you were. I just know you tend… to talk a lot.”

“Oh. Like you’re one—”

I dove in, going right for her. I grabbed for dress, but she smacked my hand away. Resurfacing, I shook my head, sending water flying everywhere.

She splashed me. “You talk more than I do.”

Going to the side, I swung one arm over the edge and turned to her. Good gods, water did the girl good. “You look like a drowned monkey.”

“What? I do not.” She ran a hand over her hair and then her eyes. “Wait. Do I?”

I nodded, fighting the nearly all-consuming urge to throw myself at her. “Honestly, you look like a mess. This was a bad idea. What was I thinking?”

“Shut up. You don’t look so hot yourself.”

There was a spike of interest that wasn’t mine, betraying her words. I gri

She struggled with the edges of her dress. “Watch what?”

Using the water element, I let the water spin, then shot it up, directing the typhoon toward her. This started an all-out water war, and even though she knew she was no match, Alex didn’t give up. Not even when the play turned more physical, and I had her suspended in air above me, kicking and squealing like a little banshee. And for the first time, in a very long time, I was actually having…fun. Childish, stupid fun, but fun nonetheless.

In the back of my mind, I knew why I’d brought her here, but by the third time I’d tossed her a good twenty feet in the air, watching her come right back to me, I started to forget the whole reason as a new, better idea took hold.

She gri

Sighing, I lowered her back into the water. “Now you really do look like drowned monkey.”

“Thanks.” She started to swim away.

I let her get only so far before I circled an around her waist and flipped her back around. “Where do you think you’re going?” I wasn’t sure what I was doing. Yeah, I flirted with her and pushed the limits, but there was always this invisible line between us. It had a name—Aiden. But right now, that line had been drowned.

She placed her hands on my shoulders, and I gritted my teeth. “Don’t throw me again.”

“I’m not going to throw you.”

“Then I win the water war?”

“No,” I said, my gaze dropping down the curve of her neck. The tags were barely noticeable.

“Damn. Well, I guess you have to be better than me at something. Congratulations.”

“I’m always better than you. I’m—”

“Egotistical?” she cut in, her eyes gleaming in the dim light like whiskey. “Narcissistic?”

Tipping my chin down, I backed her up until she hit the edge of the pool. “I have some words for you, too. How about stubborn? Impudent?”

Her breath caught. “Was ‘impudent’ your word choice of the day?”

I put my finger on her lips. “Well, yes it is. I could even use it in a sentence if you like.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Her eyes narrowed.

Planting my hands on either side of her, I watched the water-soaked lashes lift, her eyes met mine, and it was like being sucker-punched in the gut. The rush of confusion, tinged red with attraction, burned at the back of my throat.

There was also a great deal of nervousness radiating from her, and for good reason. She swallowed. “I think… we should head back now. I’m cold and it’s getting late.”

I smiled. “No.”

“No?”

“I’m not done being stupid yet.” I leaned in, so close that the edges of my hair brushed her forehead. “Actually, there’s a lot of stupid left in me.” Because this really wasstupid.

Alex placed her hands on my chest, and a jolt of electricity shot through me. Uncertainty pinched her features, but she wasn’t pushing me away. I took that as a good sign. My hands found her waist without much thought, the material thin enough that I could feel her hot skin. “You know what?” I said. “There are a lot of stupid things to do, but I really want to do the stupidest thing possible.”

“What’s that?”

I inhaled her, breathed her in. “I want to kiss you.”

She stiffened. “That is crazy. I’m not Elena… or any other number of girls.”

“I know. Maybe that’s why I want to,” I admitted. Alex was different. None of the other girls had my skin prickling. It might not even be her, but what lay resting inside her. Either way, I knew it wanted this, because it was what lingered in me wanted.

Alex turned her head toward mine. Another really good sign. “You don’t want to kiss me.”

“But I do.” My lips brushed against her soft cheek.

Her hands slipped away and gripped the edge of the pool. “No, you don’t.”

I laughed, slipping my fingers up her spine, curving my hand around the base of her neck.

“Are you arguing with me over what I want?”

“You’re arguing with me.”

“You’re ridiculous.” I smiled for a moment before recognizing that my touch had come in contact with the bruise the Master had left behind. Anger rushed through me, heightening the tension. “It’s such an a

“Well… you’re a

I laughed again, because she was fu

Resting her cheek against my shoulder, I felt her lashes flutter. “This is your one chance to talk without me telling you to shut up, because we aren’t doing... anything else.”

“Do you know how amusing I find you?” I shifted closer, ru

“What are… you doing?” she whispered.

“Do you know why I think you’re so amusing?”

“Why?”

“Because I know how badly you want me to kiss you.” I cupped her chin, tipping her head back with my other hand.

“That’s not true.”

Such a little liar—her need beat at mine, blurring who each of us were. “You lie. Why? I have no idea.” I kissed her cheek and then her throat, her shoulder as my hand on her thigh slipped further down. She jerked, and I gri

Her little nails dug into my arm. “It’s not…”

“Not what?” I lifted my head, bringing my mouth so very close to hers.

“I…”

“Just let me kiss you.”

And I knew she wanted me to— neededme to. It roared through the bond, and I felt the marks bleed through my skin, churning as they slid over me. Alex was fighting it, because that’s what she did. And then there was the other issue, a sense of guilt I was picking up from her.

She opened her eyes. “Is this real?”

“Very real.” I brushed the soaked strands off her cheek, wondering if I was lying or not and if I should care if I was. “Angel, just let me kiss you.”

Her lips parted not even an inch from mine, and my stomach tightened. So close…and then I felt the guilt growing, becoming more powerful than the need. The marks stilled on my skin. She wasn’t thinking of me right now—son of a bitch. I dropped her, wincing when she smacked off the pool edge. “You’re thinking about Aiden.”

She bit her lip, but the truth was in her eyes. “Not in the way you think I am.”

Frustration whipped through me, and I knew I needed to leave before I did or said something I’d regret, but I pushed forward, getting right up in her face. “You know, I don’t know which is worse. That I was stupid enough to want to kiss you, or the fact that you’re still hung up on someone who doesn’t even want you.”

Her eyes gleamed. “Wow. That’s a little harsh.”