For all he’d just coerced me to take up swimming as my new exercise regimen, Kai didn’t seem in too much of a hurry to start me off training.Instead he trod water as I dunked my head, then bobbed, grinning at me as I wiped my eyes.
“What?”I asked him, feeling a little unnerved by his expression.
“Honestly, I didn’t think you’d cave so quickly.I was all ready for an argument.”
I scowled at him.“Don’t make me change my mind.”
Chapter Four
He’d taken my adviceand dropped the subject; swam a dozen more lengths or so, before thanking me again for the invitation and pulling himself out of the water.I tried - and failed - not to watch his strong, muscled legs as he lifted himself; tried - and failed - not to stare at the way the wet red fabric clung to the high curves of his ass.The material creasing into the cleft between his buttocks, only emphasizing just how pert and round each cheek was.
I’d looked away just before he turned, hiding both my attention and my flushed face.
Part of me knew I could decline his exercise plan, simply turn him down sufficient times that he would drop the idea altogether.Yet despite that, I still found myself at the mall on my lunch break, walking the aisles of the unfamiliar sports section.
There were, it felt like, a whole lot more options for sportswear than when I was in high school.It took me five minutes just to find the swimming section, though only seconds after that to feel overwhelmed.Different brands, styles, fabrics, and cuts...I’d expected maybe a couple of options, but instead found myself spoiled for choice.
It was hard not to imagine Kai wearing each of them in turn.His body, coursing with water, barely covered with scraps of cloth: some brightly colored, some more simple.
Trying to picture myself wearing them was more difficult.Or, more accurately, it was only triggering feelings of disappointment, not lust.As someone loathe to take his shirt off when in company, the idea of strutting around the pool - even if it was my own pool, and with Kai at most for the company - was anathema to me.
“Can I help you at all?”
The voice jerked me from my preoccupation, and sent my hand skittering along the rail.Turning, I found an attentive-looking salesman watching me, a professionally-courteous smile fixed across his face.
“Oh...oh, no, I’m fine, thank you,” I stuttered out in reply.
He gave me a nod and turned away.
Hurriedly I flicked through the hangers, looking for little other than something in my size and a color combination that wasn’t reminiscent of a Brazilian carnival float.It felt like I was smuggling contraband across the border when I approached the counter, as though everybody in the mall could see my imagination stripping Kai down to his trunks as I nervously swiped my credit card and waited what seemed like an eternity for it to demand my signature.
I only started breathing again, it felt like, when I was on the sidewalk, shopping bag clutched in my damp hand and cursing my choice of rentals.
#
The first evening,the bag sat on the dining table, contents ignored.Just thinking about it made my stomach twist into knots.It was ridiculous, I knew, but I couldn’t shake the feeling.
