Once upon a Time

Chapter Fifteen:

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(Flash back)

Her black long hair cascading down her back was to her liking. She smelled rich and her radiant beauty was pronounced for her aged, similar to Daniel's if possible. The man who sat opposite her puffed out smoke in reply as she gave out her plan.

"Burn it down, make sure it is to the ground." She told him "I want to make her realize the consequences of what she's doing, She'll regret all she has ever done against my son!"

"No problem, I will do as I've been told, never to disappoint."

(Ends)

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Clarissa did turn around and he smirked in amusement. "You in a swimming suit is quite the view."

"Is anything wrong with it?"

"Nope, it's just that you look...." He trailed, smiling when he watched her get curious on what he was going to say.

Sexy-

"Okay, you look okay." He finished not daring to say what was on his mind and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Sweet of you to leave me with a compliment for once." She held back her smile.

"I didn't get to see you much today, it's going to take me a while to get use to Becky as my personal assistant now."

"That's what happens when you don't value something earlier." She stuck her tongue out at him in mockery before turning and swimming further away from him.

He rolled his eyes at the childish gesture.

"I bet I beat you in a race." She said and he immediately went after her. Moments later, he was swimming right next to her. Instead of swimming pass her and making a mockery out of her swimming techniques, he did something unforgivable.

He pulled her into the water with a force that left her grasping for air and his laughter followed after it.

0-1/

When she emerged from the water, she gasped before bursting out in laughter.

"You cheated!"

"No way, I was going to win anyways." He laughed.

"Keep telling yourself that, whatever you name is, I was already at the end, I repeat, at the end!" She argued.

He didn't say he was caught off guard by the nickname but the fact that she remembered it so easily made his smile drop instantly. He hated that name so badly.

"Don't you dare call me that again okay. Why are you so poor at endearment? I would prefer you called me Darling," her eyes widened, she wasn't expecting that. His unimpressed expression turned to his signature smirk.

She scoffed. "Or sweetheart,"

"Delinquent!"

"What?! Of course that doesn't work."

"Of course it wouldn't, endearment adds to your cockiness, I wouldn't want you to go insane already." She teased.

"You are far from it. If you think your endearment can make me go insane, my sanity couldn't be more tempered with."

"Oh, is that so?" He nodded. He eyed as suspiciously when she swam closer to him hoping to try her luck.

"Darling," She dared running her hands over those thick muscles of his. He stilled obviously and she smiled in victory. She went from admiring his body to stare at his eyes with that smile.

"Hope your brain didn't freeze out," He blinked.

"This will wake you up!" She winked before doing something she knew she would probably regret.

She splashed him.

1-1/

...

"s**t!" He cursed once managed to get some water out of his nose. She watched him, smiling at his actions in success leaving him with the privilege of glaring at her.

"You'll pay for that!" She giggled and began to swim away.

"Do something obviously, don't act like a robot!" She squealed in excitement when he swam after her. When he tried to catch her, she ducked to the other direction.

"I'll show you," In a few seconds, he had gripped her waist to himself.

"Alright, alright! Did you win Olympics or something? You're as fast as a dolphin."

"Actually, I'm just a very good swimmer."

"How can I forget, Let go already." she squirmed unconsciously rubbing herself against him.

"It's pay back alright and for goodness sake stop squirming already, I am certainly not a robot!" She gasped at the realization.

"Then let me go," and he did. "God, you have an iron grip-" With that she was hit with a huge amount of water.

"You were saying?" He urged.

She had a coughing fit trying to get all the water she had accidentally taking in, out and he watched delightfully.

"Jesus Christ, you are so mean. Remind me never to get in a water fight with you again."

"I will gladly," With that he bursts into laughter.

"Meanie, jackass!"

"We have established that I am not a robot, don't you think?" He smiled at her.

"Did we though-" she feigned being in thoughts. "I don't think so."

They were at the end of the pool but she never really discovered this till now. So she leaned the wall and supported herself as best as she could letting the warmth of the water envelop her. She finally glance back at him wondering why he hadn't made any snarky comment since and found him looking at her. She wondered how this whole marriage thing was like for him.

With the intense look he was giving her, she almost squirmed under his stare. Both of them, almost naked, in a pool, this close to each other. Those green eyes stirred something inside her that she willed to let loose. She quickly cleared her throat before looking away only to find out he was closer than before.

He couldn't have moved closer-

She turned to leave but he gripped her hands to stop her. "What happened-"

"I think I should go, it's late already." She told him but his hands stroked hers with ease before gripping it to stare at it. Her breath hitched in her throat unexpectedly.

"Clarissa-"

"It's been half an hour already." She suddenly said.

He nodded. "We should get to bed then." He said finally letting go of her hands and pulling himself out of the pool.

The time he had his back turned to her, she had the chance to ogle him as his muscles contracted and flexed.

Just as he went out, she expected him to leave but he only squatted and gave his hand to her. She stared at the hand she had been dying to hold and bit her lips in contemplation knowing what the feel of his hand could do to her body but still she connected hers with his in ignorance.

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