The Time I Tripped into a Curse and got two Mates

Chapter 37

We stood in the clearing, the silence between us thick with unspoken words, and both of us were aware of the intimacy hanging in the air. His eyes held mine for what felt like an eternity, and though we both felt the pull, neither of us was brave enough to close the distance. The energy between us was electric, but still, neither of us moved. The sun was high overhead, and I could feel its warmth bearing down on me. I glanced over at the small lake nearby, and an idea sparked in my mind. Then a mischievous grin tugged at my lips.

“Wanna go for a swim?” I asked playfully.

Malcolm blinked, clearly startled, as though I had just suggested something utterly foreign. “What?” he asked, his voice laced with uncertainty.

“A swim!” I repeated as I laughed at his expression. “It’s hot out, and there’s this beautiful lake right there.”

He followed my gaze to the lake, then back to me as a slow smile spread across his face. “We don’t have bathing suits,” he pointed out, as if that were the end of the conversation.

I stared at him blankly for a moment, then shrugged as I felt a boldness I didn’t quite recognize in myself. Without hesitation, I bent down to slip off my shoes. “It’s a good thing we don't need bathing suits then, isn’t it.” I said, as I flashed him a confident grin.

The way Malcolm looked at me made me feel that I could almost see the wheels turning in his head as he processed what was happening. His expression was priceless as he did a double take when I reached for the zipper of my dress. Slowly, I pulled it down, the fabric sliding over my skin until it fell into a soft heap at my feet. I stood there, before him, clad in only my bra and underwear, as I felt a mixture of adrenaline and excitement. I didn’t know where this boldness came from, but I planned on riding it until the shyness took over again.

His face turned a deep, scarlet red. SCARLET! I couldn’t believe how flustered he looked. Wasn’t he supposed to be the smooth, confident one? It was such a role reversal that I almost burst out laughing right then and there.

“Are you coming or not?” I teased as I raised an eyebrow and gave him a cheeky wink before turning on my heels and sprinting towards the water.

I plunged into the lake with a loud splash, then I turned to look at him. He was still standing on the shore, red as a cherry.

“Get in the water!” I called out as I splashed noisily to emphasize my point.

He finally got the memo and undressed himself down to his underwear. I laughed to myself when I saw that he had pineapples on his boxers. That’s an interesting choice. When he got to the water line, he cautiously dipped a toe in and shivered. I thought he was going to chicken out, but he decided to step back a few feet, then take a running jump into the lake. His body soared through the air before crashing into the lake with a massive splash. The water exploded around him and sent a wave that nearly knocked me off balance.

“Dang, you jumped far!” I said, impressed.

He smirked, “Well, you know, Lycan strength and all.” He replied playfully.

I splashed him and giggled. “Show-off.” He just smirked in response, clearly enjoying himself.

We spent the next few minutes splashing and chasing after each other around the lake. The cool water was a perfect relief from the heat of the day. The tension that was between us evaporated and was replaced by laughter and a sense of freedom. The sunlight danced on the surface of the water and reflected in his eyes as he swam closer to me. For a moment, the intimacy returned, but it was lighter now, playful.

He swam up beside me and grinned mischievously, clearly plotting something. Before I could react, he dunked me under the water with a swift, unexpected move. His laughter rang out above me as I came up sputtering. I laughed heartily as my heart pounded with exhilaration.

“You’re going to pay for that!” I shouted as I lunged at him, but he dodged away with ease.

“Good luck catching me!” he taunted, voice full of laughter.

I bounded through the water as I chased after him. I missed a few times, but soon I had the brilliant idea to dive beneath the water and pop up behind him. Fortunately for me, I was able to hold my breath for a fair amount of time, but unfortunately for him, it meant that it gave me the perfect opportunity to yank him under.

I pulled him down relatively easily, which gave me the feeling of satisfaction. Once he was under the water with me, I wrapped my legs around his hips and kissed him playfully. He was stunned at first, but he quickly pulled me in closer to deepen the kiss. Then I nibbled his lip, pulled away, then rushed to the surface. Malcolm followed close behind me as we raced to see who would take the first breath, and therefore, win the advantage of the next round of playfulness.

As expected, I reached the surface first, gasping for air as I swam to the shore as fast as my limbs would allow. My mind raced with ideas for my next prank, then a mischievous grin tugged at my lips. By the time Malcolm finally broke the surface, I was almost to the shore. I glanced back at him as I bounded up the sandy beach, then I bent down to snatch the discarded clothes. I saw his mouth fall open as he realized what I was doing, and the playful smirk on my face only deepened.

With a final, playful look in his direction, I sprinted away behind the ruins to find the perfect hiding spot. Behind me, I heard Malcolm’s low, playful laugh echo through the clearing, which was followed by frantic splashes as he hurried toward the shore.

“Evelette,” he sang, “I’ll find you.”

Suppressing a giggle, I crouched low behind a thick bush. I wasn’t planning on staying hidden for long, I just wanted to see him walk around in his boxers…

A few moments passed in suspenseful silence before I grabbed one of his shoes and tossed it in his direction. It landed with a soft thud, and he spun around, and dashed towards it. While he was distracted, I quietly slinked to another spot as I watched from the shadows. I repeated the same trick with his other shoe, both of his socks, and finally, his jeans. Each item was launched in his direction before I disappeared again.

My latest hiding spot was a small circle of grass that was surrounded by a ring of tall bushes. It felt like a little secret world. The soft grass beneath my feet and the overhead canopy of leaves created a surprisingly intimate space that was hidden from view. I crouched lower, heart racing, as I felt the cool air prickle my skin.

I heard Malcolm walking nearer to my newest hiding spot, and I got a sudden rush of inspiration. I still had his shirt in my hands, but instead of throwing it, I reached behind my back and unhooked my bra with trembling fingers. My pulse quickened with nervous excitement as I tossed it toward him. I chanced a peek through the branches to catch his reaction.

He darted toward the flying garment, his usual quick reflexes kicking in, but the moment his fingers grasped the lacy fabric, he froze. His expression shifted from amusement to shock as he looked down at the bra, his face turning the deepest shade of scarlet I had ever seen. He stood there as he scanned the area frantically.

Unable to resist pushing things further, I gripped the waistband of my panties and slowly shimmied them over my hips as I felt a mixture of exhilaration and nervousness. I freed myself of the final barrier, and stood tall. I took a deep, steadying breath before letting out a soft whistle that cut through the quiet air. I tossed my panties toward him with a flick of my wrist, and watched them land directly in front of his feet. His eyes widened as he stared down at them, disbelief and embarrassment painted across his features. His hand reached for them cautiously, his movements slower this time, and when he finally picked them up, his blush deepened further.

He stood there for a moment, frozen in place, but his gaze quickly darted up and locked onto mine as I stood up from my hiding spot. I was fully exposed in the clearing, and my heart raced as I swallowed hard. I pushed away the remnants of my shyness as I met his gaze with a steady determination.

The look in his eyes shifted from playful to something more intense. He dropped the pile of clothes he had been carrying, and in an instant, he moved toward me with purpose.