She turned her back on him and let the shift drop. He sucked in a sharp breath as her bare backside was exposed. She hastily stepped into the water, letting the heat lick at her cold extremities. Once she was in up to her chin, she met Fordham’s eyes.

“Come on, princeling. I wasn’t ready for the party to be over.”

His jaw was set and his eyes hard. As if she’d tricked him into something he didn’t want. She opened her mouth to tell him that, of course, he didn’t have to come in, but then, he was jerking free the laces of his pants and stripping. When he’d done so in their game, she’d watched with intent interest. But that had been a game, and this wasn’t. Her cheeks bloomed red, and she hastily faced away from him until she heard him gently splash into the water.

She slowly turned back to face him, her eyes snagging on the steam hugging tight to his abdominal muscles, the broad sweep of his shoulders, and then finally that stormy gaze, as inimitable as ever.

“What are you thinking?” she whispered, sliding backward into the water.

“Are we back to Challenge or Consequence?” He sank deeper into the pool as he approached her.

“Truth or Dare,” she teased. Her cheeks flared hot again as she thought about how far they had gotten in their consequence.

“A truth for a truth,” he countered.

She nodded, intrigued. “Okay. What are you thinking?”

“That a siren has ensnared me in these waters.”

Her breath caught. “Oh.”

He stepped forward again until there was only steam between them. His face was still a mask. If he hadn’t just said that he found her to be a siren, she’d never have guessed his true feelings.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“I don’t know how you hide your true self so easily.”

He startled at her words. “I don’t.”

She choked out a laugh. “You do. You hide from everyone, even me.”

“I was raised to do it,” he admitted. “I’m not sure I could break the habit. It’s a defense mechanism.”

“Against me?”

He paused. “Especially you.”

She opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but he arched an eyebrow.

“I believe it’s my turn.”

She huffed. “Fine, princeling. Ask away.”

“What did you see in your bonding ceremony?”

The air left her lungs in a rush, as if she’d been punched. Of course he would ask the one question she hadn’t wanted to answer. The one that she’d taken a consequence for in their twisted little game. But it was just the two of them here. If she couldn’t trust Fordham, who could she trust?