He picked up speed and caught up to her and put his arms around her, pulling her tight to his body, which she was very aware was very wet. He turned and arched over her as she felt an impact. Someone or something had hit Roshan.
“Oh man,” a young voice said. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t even see you.” Nimita peeked over Roshan’s shoulder to see a boy about ten years old standing where she had been a moment ago. He held a Frisbee in his hand.
“It’s fine,” Roshan told the boy, pulling away from Nimita a little. “She didn’t see you, you didn’t see her. And she’s already got a sprained ankle.”
The boy’s eyes widened. “Sorry.”
“All okay,” Roshan dismissed the boy, who returned to his game. Which was when Nimita realized that Roshan still had one arm around her still pulling her into him. He smelled of the ocean and coconut sunscreen. It was…pleasant.
“Um, hey. Do you mind?” she said as she wiggled to get away from him.
“Oh. Yeah.” He stood straight but kept his hands on her waist. “Hold still. Get your balance.”
“Fine,” she hissed out with exaggerated impatience. She just needed some distance from him. Physical distance. But she stopped moving. Strong hands were warm on her bare waist. He took a step back from her and slowly released her, his eyes never leaving hers. Like he was making a point to not ogle her body. Not that she would have minded.
Wait, what?
She looked away, more than aware of the flush that climbed up her face.
“You’re welcome,” he murmured.
“Oh, uh, yeah. Thanks. Though I would have been fine,” she lied. She hadn’t even seen the boy coming. He would have collided with her. She would have gone down, and then where would she be?
“Uh-huh.” He shook his head and looked away for a moment. “Why were you up anyway? You need to rest that foot.”
She looked at him. “I wanted to go in the water,” she said, fully expecting to argue with him again.
Instead, he shrugged. “Okay. Let’s go.” He put his arm around her waist again (wow!) and helped her hobble to the water. She sat down at the edge and allowed the light waves to cool her off. It was glorious. If she could get past the rocks, she could swim. She lay down on the sand and closed her eyes, letting the shallow ocean wash over her.
“Weren’t you a swimmer in high school?” Roshan asked from next to her.
How did he remember that? She had been on the swim team in high school. She hadn’t won any medals, but she had loved the sensation of being in the water. She opened one eye. “You can hang with your friends. I’m fine.”
“I know.”
She closed her eyes and shrugged. “Yes. I was a swimmer high school.” She sighed. “What I’ve always loved is swimming in the ocean. Didn’t do it a lot growing up, but whenever I travel and there’s ocean, I swim in it.” She paused. “There’s a peace to it, you know?”
“Yes,” he said quietly.
Silence drifted between them. But this silence was calm. Almost comfortable. The water continue to ebb and flow around her.
“Do you want to swim now?” he asked softly.
She chuckled. “Of course, but I have to get past the shallows and the shells and rocks. And as much as I hate to admit it, the left foot is not going to hold me.”
She heard him sigh as if he were struggling with himself. “I’ll take you out.”
She popped both eyes open. “What?”
“I’ll take you out far enough to swim. That left foot may not be able to really kick—”
“That’s okay. It doesn’t have to,” she said quickly, leaning up on her elbows.
“Is that a yes?” He smirked at her, but there was no real sarcasm in it.
“Yes.” She sat up as he stood. “Please.”
“Give me your hands and push only with the right foot,” he instructed her.
