2.

Belle

I've heard tales of the bayou my whole life, but I never knew it would be like this. I feel as if I'm in the middle of an enchantment. Lights and shadows dance together, casting a spell over everything they touch.

The moon is slim in the sky, its frail shine making everything around me shimmer. I move through the water, feeling its cool caress envelope me. This place, so wild and untamed, feels like a hidden realm where everything can happen and everything is allowed. Here there can't be no rules.

The water ripples as I swim, my strokes languid and unhurried. It should make me feel peaceful, but instead I'm restless. It's as if the bayou itself is watching, holding its breath and waiting for something. I pause, my senses alert, but see nothing out of the ordinary. Just the stillness of the night and the silent swooshing of the wind through the cypresses.

And then, in an instant, everything changes. A strong arm wraps around my waist, pulling me back against a solid, warm chest. I gasp in fear, my heart leaping into my throat. Panic surges through me, but before I can react, I'm held tightly, my struggles futile against the strength of the man holding me.

His grip is firm, but there's something in his touch that sends a warm shiver down my spine. When he turns me around, I swallow. It's the same man that tried to catch me last time. He's rough around the edges, almost unkempt with his long hair and beard, but I'm drawn to him. Somehow his ruggedness only enhances his allure. I can feel the rise and fall of his broad chest against mine, the heat of his body seeping into mine. My heart races, a wild, erratic beat that mirrors the chaos of this moment.

I tilt my head slightly, daring to catch a proper glimpse of him. His eyes are intense, a stormy blue that seems to pierce through me. His gaze holds me captive, and despite the fear, I feel a strange thrill again, a rush of desire that I can't deny. He's so…wild, and in this moment, I'm unable to resist him.

He whispers something, his voice a low, commanding rumble that sends another shiver through me.

"I knew I would find you again and this time you're not going anywhere." He frowns."Wrap your legs around me, woman."

Without thinking, I helplessly obey, my legs encircling his waist. The intimate position makes my head swim, my breath coming in shallow gasps. Our bodies are pressed together, the water lapping gently around us, and I can feel every hard plane of his muscles, every inch of his power. I'm desperate to explore more of him, my fingertips sinking into his shoulders.

His face is so close to mine now, our lips just a breath apart. The air between us is charged, electric, and his breath mingles with mine. We linger there, on the edge of a kiss, our eyes locked. My lips part slightly, aching for the contact, but he doesn't move. The anticipation is maddening, my pulse racing as if my very life depends on this moment.

The bayou surrounds us, its beauty a backdrop to the intense connection we share. Branches coated with Spanish moss sway back and forth, and we're lost in each other under the moon. Our bodies sculpting and adjusting to the other.

He starts to move, pulling me with him toward the shore. His grip on me is unyielding, letting me know he's not going to let me go. I don't resist. I can't. My mind is a whirlwind of emotions, my body responding to his in ways I've never experienced. There's a certainty in his movements, a confidence that sweeps me along in its wake. I let him lead me, take me away, trusting him despite his brusque appearance.

We emerge from the water, and he lifts me effortlessly, carrying me as if I weigh nothing. The night air is cool against my naked skin, but his warmth surrounds me, a protective cage that I don't want to leave. I glance up at him, and his eyes meet mine, filled with an intensity that makes my heart skip a beat.

In this moment, nothing else exists. Just the bayou, this wild, beautiful man, and the overwhelming attraction that binds us. My head spins with the sheer magnitude of it, and I know, deep in my soul, that my life will never be the same. I'm his, and I'll go wherever he wants to take me.