“It’s a surprise,” he murmured, helping her into a white satin nightgown.
“Put this on for me.”
She took the garment from his hands and slid it over her head, the cool silk slipping down her body and pooling at her feet.
He led her out of the bedroom and down the stairs to the basement door. She felt a shiver run through her at the realization of where they were going. He opened the door and motioned for her to descend the stairs first.
The room at the bottom was dark when they got there, but he switched on a light.
Her gasp was instant when she saw the pool of water.
It was clear and sparkling and seemed to glow under the low light. But it was more than that. It seemed to hum with an otherworldly power. It was deep, much deeper than the hot tub, and she could only imagine what wonders it held.
He let go of her hand and stepped away from her.
She stood frozen in place, feeling like she was in a trance. A sound echoed around her, music that seemed to come from the pool.
It drew her to it, and she went without thinking.
He didn’t stop her.
She felt his eyes on her back, burning into her skin. It was like he could see everything about her, everything she hid. It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.
He took a step closer to her. “Take off your nightgown.” His voice was deep and dark, and the sound of it made a rush of heat go through her body. It wasn’t the first time he’d spoken to her like that, but this time it was different. This time, she felt something deeper in his voice.
She hesitated for a second, knowing it would make no difference in the end. She knew she would do it, knew she had no choice. Not really. She let the nightgown fall to her feet, leaving her naked for him.
She looked back at him over her shoulder. He stood still, his hands fisted at his side.
“Go on, Autumn.”
He didn’t have to tell her twice. She stepped to the edge of the pool and slipped down into the water.
It covered her body, and she slipped beneath the surface.
The water seemed to have a life of its own, sliding over her like a living thing. It moved around her, cocooning her in its warmth.
The music came from the water, she realized, not from around her. It was low and gentle, drawing her down into the depths.
She went willingly, not caring at this point. Everything had been taken from her anyway. All she had now was this, this strange pool of water that seemed to be pulling her in.
She went deeper and deeper until it seemed like she was being swallowed whole.
Something touched her arm, but she barely felt it. It was soft and warm, but it wasn’t Jacob. It couldn’t be. The thought was distant, but she was aware enough to know that.
Something brushed her leg and she felt a rush of adrenaline, her lungs burning from lack of air. But she couldn’t bring herself to move.
Then, she was pulled up. Up and out of the water, breaking through the surface. She sucked in a breath, her eyes flying open.
He was looking down at her, and he was smiling.
She was on the bed in their bedroom, she realized, the pool gone as if it never had been.
She pushed her wet hair back from her face and sat up, searching the room for any sign that the pool had even been real. It had seemed so real, but it hadn’t been. The pool, the water, the touch of something against her body.
He got up from where he had been sitting in a chair and came over to sit beside her.
“It was just a dream,” she said, looking at him. “Right?”
He didn’t answer. His eyes were narrowed, his jaw clenched. He stared at her like he didn’t know what to do with her.
“What happened?” she asked.
“You slipped into a trance or something. I called your name and you wouldn’t answer.”
She searched her memory, trying to recall what had happened after she’d gone into the pool. She had no memory of it. None. She remembered swimming deeper and then...nothing.
“Why did you call me out of it?”
His jaw clenched tighter. “Because I was afraid. I was afraid that I had done something to hurt you.”
Her chest tightened. She reached out and took his hand. “You wouldn’t hurt me, Jacob.” She looked up at him, trying to read him. She needed him to know that she trusted him. “I know you wouldn’t.”
He shook his head, his brows pulling together. “You don’t understand, Autumn. I have darkness inside of me. It comes out when I lose control. It’s like a storm in my mind and soul.”
She squeezed his hand, trying to offer some comfort.
He pulled away from her, standing and going to the other side of the room.
“What can I do?” she asked softly.
He shook his head. “There’s nothing you can do.” He paced back and forth, his hands on his hips. “I don’t know why I called for you tonight.”
She didn’t understand. Why would he not call her down to the pool, if he’d wanted her to go?
He went over to the window and looked out, his back to her.
“You should get some sleep,” he said.
She slid beneath the covers, watching as he walked out of the room. She wondered if he would come to her tonight. She wanted him to.
When she woke again, it was morning and he wasn’t in the bed. She went downstairs and into the living room, finding him sitting at a desk. He looked up when she came in.