Too Close In The Water

AVA

“Hey!” I yelled, glaring up at him. “That is mine! Give it back!”

“Take back what you said earlier, dork,” he said, holding the towel just out of my reach.

“You said it yourself, so what is there for me to take back?” I argued, crossing my arms in the water. From my angle down in the pool, he looked incredibly tall, broad, and powerful. It was intimidating.

“Is that really what you think I am, Ava? Some sort of whore who just jumps from girl to girl?” he asked. He took a slow step closer to the very edge of the pool, his eyes darkening as he stared down at me.

I swallowed hard, but I refused to let him see how much he was affecting me. “Wow. Honestly, I couldn't have put it any other way myself,” I said, giving him a fake, sassy smile.

Miles let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “You are so—”

“Look, I’m sorry! Okay? I take it back,” I interrupted quickly. The water was starting to feel a bit chilly, and I just wanted my towel.

Miles narrowed his eyes, studying my face suspiciously to see if I was lying.

“I really am sorry, Miles. Now please, just give me my towel,” I said, softening my voice.

“No, you're not sorry at all, dork,” he said, folding his arms across his chest, still holding the towel tight.

“I am serious, Miles. Please.” I looked up at him, silently praying that he would believe my fake apology.

It worked. Miles let out a soft sigh and stepped right up to the very edge of the concrete. “Fine. Here,” he said, leaning down slightly and offering the towel out to me.

A sudden wave of mischief rushed through my veins. I smiled sweetly as I swam closer to him. I reached my hands out, making it look like I was grabbing the fabric of the towel—but instead, I bypassed the cloth entirely.

My fingers wrapped tightly around his wrists. With all the strength I had, I yanked him forward.

Miles lost his balance instantly. He let out a loud curse as he fell forward, crashing directly into the water right on top of me. It made a massive, violent splash that sent water flying everywhere.

“Ava!” he screamed the moment his head broke through the surface.

I burst into a loud laugh, immediately spinning around to swim toward the steps so I could escape. But Miles was a fast, athletic swimmer, and he was ten times faster than me. Before I could even reach the first step, his large hand clamped firmly around my ankle.

With one strong pull, he dragged me right back into the deep water.

I choked, lifting my head out of the water to catch my breath. I started coughing violently, wiping the chlorine out of my eyes.

“Fucking asshole!” I gasped, trying to get myself together as I sputtered.

Suddenly, I felt a pair of large, warm, firm hands wrap securely around my waist. He lifted me up slightly so I could breathe easier.

I quickly pushed my wet hair away from my face. When my vision cleared, my heart completely stopped. Miles was standing right in front of me in the water. We were so close that our chests were almost touching. I could feel the heat radiating off his skin despite the cool water.

“Let go of me, Miles,” I whispered, my voice suddenly losing all its strength.

“No, the fuck I won't,” he murmured, a low, dangerous rumble in his chest. “You think you're really funny, don't you, dork? You know damn well I am going to get you back for this.”

He didn't let go. His grip on my waist remained tight, his thumbs resting against my bare skin. I kept looking at him, completely trapped by his gaze. He didn't look annoyed anymore. In fact, his dark eyes were darting down to my lips, and he looked like he was already plotting his next highly calculated move in his head.

“Miles!” Riley’s voice suddenly called out loudly from the back door.

The sound shattered the intense spell between us. Miles finally let go of my waist, stepping back. The second his hands left my skin, I swam to the edge and scrambled out of the pool as fast as my limbs could move.

As I stood up on the concrete, I could feel his eyes burning into my back. A sudden wave of intense self-consciousness washed over me. This wasn't the first time he had seen me in a bathing suit, and it definitely wasn't the hundredth time either. But for some reason, today felt completely different. My skin felt like it was on fire.

I quickly rushed over to a spare towel that had been kept aside on a lounge chair and wrapped it tightly around my body.

I turned around slowly to look back at the water. And just as I thought, Miles was still resting his arms on the edge of the pool, his dark eyes locked entirely on me, watching my every single move.