After stripping down to her chemise and drawers, she walked close to the water. She stopped just at the edge of the lake, watching as the waves lapped against the sand.
Taking a deep breath, Sonya stepped in, until her ankles were covered. The water was cold, and she stepped further in, surprised by how the water was moving. It was astounding.
The waves were stronger than she had expected, like a living, breathing thing pulling her in and pushing her out.
When the water came up to her waist and she felt covered enough, she called out to him. Azam turned back and swam over, until he was standing across from her. She tried very hard not to gawk at his bare chest as he held both hands out for her.
Trembling slightly, she put her hands in his. He walked backwards, gently pulling her along with him until she was deeper and deeper in the water, just on her tiptoes to keep her head above. She tightened her grip on his hands.
‘That’s it,’ he said, encouraging her. ‘You’ve got it.’
‘Don’t let go,’ she said. The water was over her shoulders now, and she was glad, for her chemise was surely see-through from being wet, which also meant she needed to stay submerged to preserve a modicum of modesty.
He was standing just in front of her, his hair wet and pushed back. She could see each of his facial features in perfect clarity: the long curve of his dark eyelashes, a light stubble across his cheeks, the soft flesh of his lips. He even had a light smattering of freckles across his nose.
He smiled, and she noticed that some of his teeth were crooked, but she only found it endearing. She knew she was staring, but she couldn’t help it.
At least he didn’t seem to mind. When he noticed, he lowered a bit into the water so they were eye-level.
‘Dip your head under,’ he said.
‘No!’ She was much too frightened.
‘Come on! It’s fun,’ he said. ‘I’ll go with you.’
Nerves spread through her, but she battled against them. ‘Okay, okay.’ She held his hands tighter and then, together, they both went under. The pressure was immediately too much and she came up gasping for breath.
‘That was not fun!’ she protested.
‘You have to hold your breath,’ Azam said, trying not to laugh. ‘Like this.’ He showed her, taking in a big breath, his chest expanding, and then he held. She tried to mimic him, doing it a few times before she felt confident enough.
‘Ready? One, two, three…’ They both took in a gulp of air and then went under. The pressure was still there, but it wasn’t as terrifying. Once she pushed past the initial discomfort, she felt awed by how quiet it was under the water. She could hear her blood pounding loudly in her ears.
Once her lungs began burning, she broke the surface again.
He grinned at her. ‘Good girl. Now, let’s try again, but this time, open your eyes.’
‘Open my eyes?’ She was shocked.
‘Just trust me.’
And she did. They went under and this time, she opened her eyes. It felt strange, but it didn’t hurt as she had expected it to. Things were blurry around her, but she could see Azam, shafts of sunlight beaming into the water around his hair, which made a dark halo around his head.
They went back up, and it was her turn to grin. ‘That was amazing!’
She was so excited that she moved forward just as the water pulled in the same direction. A wave knocked Sonya from her tiptoes, and she gasped, head dipping before she had the chance to hold her breath. She was under for barely a second before Azam let go of her hands and brought his hands to her waist, hoisting her up.
‘Hey, you’re okay.’ Azam’s voice was clear as she took in deep breaths. ‘Put your hands on my shoulders. I’ve got you.’
She did so as he continued to hold her waist. She felt weightless in the water and now doubly so with Azam holding her.
His fingers pressed into her skin, and her entire body felt liquified, as if she was just another part of the lake. Desire seared through her. When she looked into his eyes, they were dark, scorching.
‘You’re okay,’ he said again, but this time his voice was low, his face closer to hers. She felt untethered, in a way that she had never felt before.
Her feet were off the ground and she was floating, Azam her anchor. She could see his feet were still firmly on the bottom of the lake—of course they were; he was so much taller than she was.
‘Relax,’ he said.
