Chapter 9: NINE
"Well, she's given orders." Elizabeth chuckled.
"She's a piece of work. That's what she is." He smiled. "Come I'll help you."
She skipped a breath. "Yes. Do that." She turned so that he could see the laces of the back of the dress.
He worked quickly and so fast that she didn't feel his hands moving until her dress loosened and she felt a weight immediately off her chest.
"Thank you." She glanced back at him, and tried to maneuver her way out of the dress.
"Here." He grabbed her arm to help support her.
The moment she felt his hand wrap tightly around her arm, an electrifying wave of excitement shook her. His hand was warm against her cool skin, and the pressure of his grip let her know she needed to know about his strength. What had he been while he was away? It had to be more than studying at university. Much more.
With hands like those, he could grab her, take her wrists, and press her against the ground.
Her clothes were still dripping wet, and she left only in a thin blue dress undergarment. Most of her body was wet and exposed.
And if he wanted, he could touch, feel, and grope her dripping body.
In fact, she wanted him to grab more than her arm, and do more than help her out of her dress.
"There you go." He released her, the moment she was done getting down to the thinnest of her clothes.
Her spike of excitement shrunk. "T-Thanks."
"Come on guys! Hurry up! I wanna play water volley now! Get over here!" Louise called to her from the lake.
"Don't rush us, you little princess brat!" Nickolas shouted back, laughing as he started to slide an arm out from his shirt.
Elizabeth stood place, following his hands.
"Elizabeth!" Louise bellowed, making her flinch.
"Huh? What Louise!" Elizabeth huffed, pulling her eyes away from the Nickolas.
"If you're done you can your arse over here!" Louise demanded.
What in the world was she doing? She wondered to herself, turning away from the undressing Nickolas with a blush.
"Coming now Louise!" She hurried to the lake.
"About time!" Louise laughed, tossing the balled-up skirt to her as jumped in.
Splat!
Elizabeth caught the balled-up shirt, water getting into her squinting eyes. "You better not cheat this time!" She smiled, tossing the shirt back to Louise.
Louise puckered her lips, innocently puppy eyeing. "I promise I won't!"
SPLASH!
Nickolas splashed into the water and swam to them. "Don't let her lie to you, Elizabeth. She's definitely going to cheat."
"Nicky!" Louise dramatically gaped. "I said I not I'm going to cheat!" She chucked the skirt to him and he caught it as he bobbed around in the water.
Elizabeth and Nickolas glanced at each other.
"She's gonna cheat." They loudly said in unison.
"Guys!" Louise laughed.
SPLASH! SPLASH! SPALSH!
After a while, they had splashed, played, and laughed into exhaustion. So, they settled down to wading and floating in the water, staring into the sky. They moved and swayed with the rhymes of the lake current. In silence, they appreciated the calm serene peace of the area. The sun was setting behind the horizon, and the chatter and chitter of bugs and nature had begun their music.
"This was my favorite thing to do, you know?" Elizabeth spoke up gently, her eyes gazing into the tender blue world above her.
"I know it was," Louise said, strands of her yellow hair bobbing along the surface of the waters.
"I miss our dormitory days," Elizabeth muttered, her heart beat steady and paced. The water was cool against her rising and falling chest.
"I do too."
Nickolas glanced at them, suddenly speaking up. "You know I was so, so, angry that I couldn't go with you two. I was so frustrated and mad, I just kept thinking if only I had grown breasts."
"What?" Louise turned her head slightly to him, a layer of water touching her eyes. "Did you just say you wanted to grow breasts?"
"I did." Nickolas proudly confirmed, eyes on the sky.
Both girls burst into a riot of laughter and snickers.
"Oh, my poor, Nicky," Louise said through laughs. "I'm sorry I teased you about that growing up. I didn't realize it would traumatize you that much."
"It did." Nickolas joined in their laughter with hearty chuckles. "You girls were quite ruthless. But Louise you were the worst." He cut his eyes to her. "But Elizabeth?"
They held looks.
"You were like honey to me," he said lowly.
"....." Elizabeth turned her head completely to him, floating coils of hair swimming around her face.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone