What if he tries to talk to me?
Hard pass.
I flex my calves and roll my ankles. It’s as good as it’s going to get.
Slipping back into the pool, I don’t bother with my goggles this time before I dive right back into my swim, switching it up with a back stroke so I can keep track of his movements. I don’t like that it’s only the two of us here. He’s not even swimming, so what is he doing here?
It’s a question I don’t have the balls to ask him.
Gabriel stays in his spot, never moving, not even to get comfortable. It's unnerving, to say the least. This time around, I count my laps as a distraction. Ten turns into twenty and twenty turns into thirty-three.
One mile.
If I had to guess, I did two miles before.
I figured he’d take off at some point. Get bored watching me and give up on whatever it is he’s waiting to say, but he never does. With another twenty minutes under my belt and my body screaming for relief, I admit defeat and drag myself back up the swim ladder and out of the pool.
Tension pulls at my shoulders, tightening the muscles in my lower back.
I’ll have to hear him out or risk drowning. Not as unappealing as you’d think, but what puts a real damper on that thought is knowing he’ll try, and likely succeed, in rescuing me all over again.
Yay me.
Have I mentioned how much I hate having my own guardian angel?
Not wasting any time, Gabriel pushes from his seat and walks straight for me. But when he gets close, a frantic urge to run consumes me and I slip back into the pool to tread water in the middle of my lane.Shit.
Something flickers in his eyes.
My left leg cramps and I swallow hard, desperate to keep the grimace of pain from my face.Don’t show any signs of weakness.Guys will jump on it. He’ll use it to his advantage to hurt me. I won’t let him hurt me.
My throat tightens just thinking about what he could do to me. Here, alone, with nobody else around.
He hovers a few feet away from the pool's edge, his frown deepening.
“I thought you were done?” He shoves his hands into his pockets and rocks back on his heels.
I try to take him in. To get my mind off what ifs and onto the here and now.
He’s not in the same clothes he wore earlier. He’s wearing a tight white shirt that hugs his muscular frame and he’s traded inhis low-slung jeans for a pair of black athletic pants that are as revealing as they are modest.
Gray sweatpants have nothing on these when Gabriel shifts his stance, angling his body to the side.
I squeeze my eyes closed for a second and shake my head.Do not stare at his dick.
“I am.” My words come out garbled. I swallow hard and try again. “Done, I mean.” My left leg seizes again, and I have to use my arms to keep myself afloat. He’s standing right in front of the ladder, effectively blocking my escape.
I don’t like the idea of getting out when we’re alone, let alone when he’s this close. It’s one thing to be in a crowded hallway, which is moderately safe, thanks to the sea of potential witnesses if anyone was to step out of line.
But it’s a whole other story to be alone in a room with a guy I don’t know anything about, wearing nothing but a swimsuit.
I’m smarter than this.
Confusion is written all over his face. “If you’re done, why did you jump back in the pool?”
I hesitate and try not to let him see how much he unnerves me.
Squaring my shoulders as best I can while treading water, I lift my chin and push the tremor from my voice. “Because you all but lunged for me. Call me crazy, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.”
