“Kolt?” I call.
“Hi, trouble,” He calls back and my stomach does this weird little flop.
“You’re swimming.”
“It certainly looks that way,” He treads water, facing me, “You coming in?”
“I’m not dressed for swimming.” I tell him.
“Neither am I,” He teases.
Oh.Oh.
Swallowing, I take the hem of my tee, watching him. He seems to home in on where my fingers hook the bottom of my shirt, and he stills, barely moving in the water as I drag it up over my head.
“Are you naked?” I ask, swallowing down the nerves.
I’d been semi-nude in front of guys before, but never completely, and this information is important.
“No, I have boxers on. The water looked too appealing.”
I nod, shimmying out of my leggings, slipping them off until I’m left in my mismatched bra and panty set.
“Fuck,” I hear Kolt breathe.
“What?”
“You are stunning, trouble. Truly stunning.”
Heat blooms in my cheeks as I take a few steps to the end of the dock, “Is it cold?”
“Freezing,” He answers.
“Good.”
I need it, I think to myself, and then I dive into the water.
Water rushes past my ears and I continue to swim down, silence surrounding me. He wasn’t exaggerating, the water is icy, all my muscles contract, my stomach bottoming out and my whole system screams at me. I break for the surface, sucking in a shocked breath as I frantically push at the hair that covers my eyes, and suck in a breath.
But hands are right there, moving the hair, holding me above the water.
“You’re okay,” Kolten assures, “I’ve got you.”
My legs frantically kick beneath me, my fingers digging into his shoulders as I grip him to keep myself afloat.
“Breathe, Ness,” He demands, “Deep breaths, baby.”
“That was colder than I expected,” I admit.
He chuckles, shifting until he can grab my thighs and then he wraps them around his hips, my arms automatically going around his shoulders.
“Hold on to me,” He tells me, “I’ve got you.”
“I never thought I’d get you in the water.”
“I was waiting, a swim seemed like a great idea.”
“It’s cold!”
