C7 Perfect you pt 2

The water covered every inch of her except her head and yet he still felt like he was doing something wrong as he looked at her.

"Want to talk about it?" he asked, his question followed by a gulp as he tried to figure out where to look.

"Want to come in?" she countered, her flirtatious eyes daring him to refuse. "I could always come out if you prefer."

Saw that coming. Bart's brain flashed back to the state he'd found her in and he turned his back on her.

"Are you going to tell me about Diane if I do?"

A light giggle fell from Aria's lips. She couldn't see the man who kept turning away from her coming in after her unless he intended to do it fully clothed.

"Okay, but you have to strip down to your undies. No tricks," she said, calling his bluff.

His jacket hit the floor and it was her turn to gulp. He undid one button and then another until his shirt was on the floor too. Aria inhaled sharply. She knew he was completely ripped under his tailored suits, but damn if seeing it wasn't something else. Aria was not a stranger to shirtless men. She had sparred with her fair share of them. Bart didn't sparr without a shirt though, so this was all new to her.

When Bart stood before her in nothing but briefs, she found herself unconsciously taking a step back. He hadn't moved yet. He just looked at her with that arrogant, stern gaze. Aria found she was suddenly extremely hot. Wasn't the water ice cold a moment ago?

Bart dove into the pool head first and swam a lap before popping his head back up in front of her. She watched his perfect form as he glided through the water.

"That's just not fair," she muttered, watching the water he'd brought up with him pour down his burly body.

He grinned at her stunned face, enjoyed the fact that he'd finally one upped her.

"So? A deal's a deal."

She smiled back at him, reaching out to touch his chest. Aria wasn't thinking about Ethan or Diane or their messed up situation. All she wanted was to be wrapped around him.

"You should probably talk to him about it yourself."

Bart had been getting looks like that for years. He didn't know it of course, because he didn't usually get close enough to women to see it. He'd certainly never stripped down to his underwear for one. The more her hands explored his torso, the less he wanted to talk about Ethan and Diane. Aria had tied her hair up into a bun, presumably for the swim. Having last seen her hair down at his birthday ball, it suddenly seemed very important to him that she had it down and not up.

His hand went to her hair and he undid the bun, pulling the scrunchie onto his wrist as he brought her hair down.

"You should wear it down more," he whispered.

She looked up at him and found his deep blue eyes staring down into her amber eyes. Unguarded tenderness greeted her. Okay fine, so maybe he was the one making her all hot and bothered. So, so hot and so damn close.

"It looks better down," he added, running his fingers through her knotted hair carefully so as not to hurt her.

What was she thinking inviting him in? She was a total fake, a complete flirt and nothing more. Aria didn't do stuff like this. Why hadn't she been as on edge as he was when he got here? She might have been laughing then, but she certainly wasn't now.

"Diane doesn't love Ethan, certainly not like he loves her," she caved.

Aria wasn't sure why she was telling Bart their personal family drama, but it seemed to distract him enough that he didn't mind her arms going around his neck.

"Then why—"

"Remember the prince from the ball? The one who was dancing with your girlfriend?"

Having CC brought up stung. Suddenly Bart realized that he hadn't thought about CC since his arrival. It had been a whole day. Bart's thoughts had been all Aria and Ethan until now. And while the idea hurt, Bart knew that he would be thinking of CC even less in the future.

Seeing Bart frown, Aria pulled away. This Bart was surprised to find, stung too.

"Looks like you do. Well Princess Diane is his older sister. Ethan and Diane's engagement, it's purely political. A way to unite nations or whatever," Aria said with an eye roll, splashing at the water in frustration.

"I see," Bart answered, waiting for her to carry on.

"I just don't want Ethan to be unhappy. There are rumors about Diane having a thing with someone from her home country. That's probably why she freaks out every time Ethan goes near her. Stupid idiot fell for her the moment he laid eyes on her."

Bart was smiling at her again, resulting in her directly her frustrated splashes at him.

"I'd put those pearly whites away if I was you."

"Was I smiling?" Bart chuckled, mesmerized by her pouting lips.

"Yes, you've been doing that a lot lately," she answered, laughing too, splashing him again.

Bart needed to stop smiling at Aria so much, it was unfair. His body, his laugh. The way he'd already won over her entire family. Just a few seconds ago he was depressed again about the princess from Caines. His princess. Aria's heart couldn't take the back and forth. He made getting hurt look so good though.

Taking action for the first time since he'd come to stand before her, Bart slipped hos arms around her waist and lifted her up. She gasped as her legs naturally wrapped around his waist, her hands cupping his neck as her thighs tightened around his hard core. He'd made the move, but now his eyes seemed to be wavering.

"It's just cute how worried you are about your brother," Bart said, his gaze dropping to her lips. "But he's a grown ass man. He can take care of himself."

As their lips neared each other's, she let out a sigh. He wasn't going to kiss her. This just wasn't their moment.

"Guess I'm being a hypocrite. I'm always in the boat he's in with Diane, even now."

"Ria—"

When he started pulling away, she tightened her hold on him.

"Get me out of here, won't you handsome?"

Bart pressed his forehead against Aria's. She was beautiful, fun, smart and packed a mean punch. Bart had never smiled or laughed so much in his life. Why couldn't it just be enough that he wanted to kiss her? Why did he have to go thinking about bloody consequences?

She saw the internal conflict on his face and kissed his cheek.

"Just walk Barry."

As Aria clung to Bart, he laid his hands on her back, holding her in place as he crossed the pool. His feet and mind were at war, debating whether to get to the end quickly or drag it out. She laid her head down on his chest like she had the first time. His arms tightened around her as he endeavored not to say anything and just do what she asked.