After he disappeared into the forest, Leda threw herself into chores. She didn't bother to change or wash until every animal and plant on her land had been tended to, but when her stomach growled, she decided she couldn't bring her filthy shift into the cottage.
Without thinking she went to the lake and walked into the rocky shallows. She thought about taking off the shift, and washing it and her body properly, but she was too tired to take it off. She walked over the rocks until she was wet to the waist, and then she submerged herself in the cold water and swam.
Under the water, the calm washed over her. Her hair and shift floated around her in a ghostly cloud, her body felt free of it's shell. She opened her eyes. All around her there was nothing but rock and water. On land, the lake always looked blue, either a dazzling sparkling blue or the torrid grey blue of raining days. But when she was underwater, she'd open her eyes and be suspended in green.
She surfaced for air. When she looked to the shore, she saw Rob.
It was the first time she had ever seen him in daylight. He looked just as large and brooding as he had the night before, but his wild looks seemed more out of place in the daylight. His hair and beard were black and his eyes were a steely grey, made all the more severe by his thick, furrowed brow. She was surprised by the harshness of his looks, considering how gentle he had been when they slept together. The arms that had held her steady on his chest looked like bludgeons in the daylight. And the hands which he had run through her hair to comfort her could just as easily crush her windpipe.
Just as she going to swim ashore to him, he walked into the water, submerging his breaches quickly. Unlike Leda, who had only learned to propel herself weakly in order to save herself from drowning, Rob could swim like a man born to water. In a few powerful strokes, he reached her.
"Good morning, Leda," he was treading water effortlessly.
"Good morning." she said. She could tread water, but with a great deal of effort.
"Been up long?" he smiled a crooked smile.
"I had to take care of the animals," she said, suddenly embarrassed.
"All animals have needs," he said, still smiling. "Horses, pigs, men, women."
Leda tried to think of something to say, but before the words came, her swimming failed her, and her chin dipped under the water. Before she could pull herself up, Rob caught her into his arms.
"Can't you swim?"
"I can swim," Leda tried to remove herself from his grasp, but he held her tightly. "Although you're better at it, I'll admit it."
"If you hold onto me I can use my hands to keep us up better," he said.
"Or you could just let me go," she suggested.
Rob thought about it and gave her that strange half grin again. "Alright, then"
He dropped her suddenly, and Leda felt her head go underwater so fast, it terrified her. She shot back up to the surface, throwing her arms around Rob's neck.
"Whoa, easy, I've got you."
Leda breathed deeply into the man's neck, trying not to run her hands over the taught muscles of his back and shoulders.
"Why don't you put your legs around my waist," he said in a low voice. "It'll be easier for me to hold you."
"You don't need to hold me. I swim in this lake all summer. I'm just not used to doing it with other people."
"Who taught you how to swim?"
"I taught myself."
"How?"
The look that Leda gave Rob couldn't be described as anything less than a glare. She could hide her fear, desire, terror, sadness, but annoyance was an emotion that spelled itself plainly over her face whenever she felt it.
"By starting somewhere I could stand, then pulling up my feet from the ground and trying not to drown," she said sharply, but Rob only met her indignant words with laughter.
"That's as good a method as any."
"I live alone."
"But you're not alone now," he smiled, reaching his hands under water and pulling her legs around him. Caught by surprise, Leda tried to cover her legs with her skirts, but not only was her shift floating around her uselessly, but it had gone almost transparent in the water. It occurred to her then that she should be feeling some kind of shame, to be almost naked and wrapped around a strange man from a strange place, but he acted as though it was the most normal thing in the world, so she didn't. When they were close like this, she felt safe, even though she knew she shouldn't.
They stayed together like this for a time, not saying anything, as Rob swam in small circles with her holding onto him. Then he dipped under the water with her, and together they were suspended in the green calm of the lake. Leda opened her eyes underwater, and when she looked at him she saw he was doing the same. With a smile, she detached herself from his body and kicked deeper into the lake, her shift floating around her like a spirit, and touched the rocks at the bottom with her hands. Then she felt his arms on her waist, and she allowed him to pull her up to the surface.
When their heads were above water, they both gasped for air. When her lungs were full, Leda laughed.
"Did you think I was drowning again?"
"I thought you might be soon," Even though she floated comfortably at the surface of the water, Rob drew her into him again. He was standing now, and this time when he took her legs around him his hands lingered over them, tracing their shape. Leda shivered. Rob met her eyes for a moment, then slowly he moved his hands higher, taking her ass in his hands and pushing her pelvis into him.
A tiny gasp escaped Leda as she felt her sex grinding against him.
"Shh... it's alright," Rob whispered in her ear. He pressed his cheek against hers and continued to hush her as he readjusted her against him, moving her cunt against the hard bulge of his cock. "Do you want this?"
Yes, she wanted it, but before she could say anything, he rocked her against him slightly and she caught her breath as a spark coursed through her.
"You're in heat, girl, you have been since the moment I met you," he let his harsh grey eyes travel from her eyes to her lips.
"I'm not in heat, I'm not an animal," she said.
"Everyone's an animal, Leda, and right now you're begging to be mounted and fucked. Let me be the one to do it." Rob kissed her then, roughly, pulling her head towards him with his hands. Leda cried out at the sudden force of it, only to hear her voice smothered as his mouth despoiled hers. His tongue penetrated her mouth and sought her response impatiently - If Brandon had coaxed pleasure out of her; Rob was demanded it. Leda was shocked to find herself submitting to his kiss, moving her mouth against his as she pressed her pussy against him.
He broke off the kiss and began to carry her towards the shore, and Leda began to panic.
"Please Rob, I... can't," she said the words but couldn't bring herself to let go of him.
"Are you sure?" He looked in her eyes searchingly.
"I can't, I... I don't want a baby."
Rob thought for a moment, then continued to the shore with her in his arms. As they came up on the banks of the lake, he carried her out of the water effortlessly, still holding her up as her legs were wrapped around him in the air now. When he found a soft spot of dirt between the rocks, he placed her feet softly on the ground.
"Alright, I won't fuck you," he said gruffly. "But I'd like to watch you come."
He stepped away from her, putting a space between them which felt unbearably far to Leda. "Is that what you want?"
