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So much for trying to forget about him. Just swim.
Lap after lap, I couldn’t shake him. I kept thinking about every little touch from last night. From how he’d made sure to touch my hand when he passed the chicken to when he’d rested his hand on my thigh under the table, before I’d immediately pushed it off. With every touch, my heart beat as if someone had finally shocked it with a defibrillator. I’m not going to lie, it made me angry. Kane had no right to touch me. And he certainly had no right to affect me so strongly after so many years. After he’d made me fall in love with him and then left me with no cause or warning.
Focus on your breathing. Become one with the water. You can do this, Scarlett. You became a doctor. You’re strong and smart. Yes. Yes, I am.
Those were good thoughts until I was interrupted by a huge splash, startling me so badly I swallowed a gallon of water, then began violently coughing while flailing my arms in an attempt to keep my head above water before I drowned. Although that might have been a good alternative to Kane coming to the rescue.
“Scarlett.” He grabbed me, pulled me to the shallow end of the pool, then started patting my back while I gasped for air, and not just because of the water I’d sucked into my lungs. My body, though convulsing, was very aware it was in Kane’s arms, against his bare chest, and there was little clothing between us. My traitorous body longed to sink into him and rest my head against his chest. Worse, my heart screamed that it was alive and home. That, I couldn’t have.
I pushed away from him, but he wasn’t letting me go.
“Breathe.” He kept patting my back.
“I . . . am,” I stuttered between coughs, hardly able to get oxygen into my lungs. Why did I always do embarrassing things around him? I mean, he wasn’t the only witness to my idiocy, but he was the last person I wanted as my audience.
“I didn’t mean to scare you.” He stopped patting my back and brushed some of the hair that had fallen out of my messy bun away from my face.
His touch scared me more than anything. I took a good deep breath in without coughing and pushed away. “I’m fine. The pool is all yours.” I turned to swim back to the steps.
Kane was quick on the draw and reached for me, gently grabbing my wrist. “Scarlett,” he said tenderly.
I hung my head and sighed. Why wouldn’t he leave me alone?
“Please look at me.”
I’d been doing my best to avoid it at all costs. His rich caramel eyes did things to me. They made me believe anything was possible. That dreams could come true. They were false advertisers. But I couldn’t avoid him forever, so I dared a peek. That was my first mistake. Not only were his eyes irresistible and full of wonder, but he hadn’t shaved yet this morning, and, in a word, he was beautiful. I noticed he now had a bit of gray in his dark stubble. It only added to his distinguished air.
Kane drew me closer, and I was so mesmerized by those eyes of his, it didn’t even register until we were so close that I could smell the spearmint mouthwash on his breath.
“What are you doing?” I breathed out.
“Having the best morning I’ve had in a long time.”
“What does that even mean?”
“I think you know.”
I shook my head. I wasn’t allowing myself to go where his undertones were heading. I couldn’t believe his audacity. “I need to go.”
“Scarlett, I missed you,” he blurted.
“No. No. Don’t say things like that. You don’t get to say things like that.”
“Why?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “You know why. I told you I . . . well, never mind.” Good one, Scarlett. Bring up how you humiliated yourself and told him you loved him, only to have him tell you to go fall in love with other men. “You left.” It was as simple as that. I yanked away from him and dove into the water.
The athletic man made it to the steps before I did. No matter, I was still leaving. I ignored him and walked out of the pool, only to have him follow me to the towel valet. He stood in front of it like a juvenile, preventing me from reaching for a towel.
I stood there dripping wet in my red tankini, staring at him, dumbfounded. Meanwhile, he looked me over from head to toe, a big grin spreading across his face.
Oh, I got it. “Is this body now worthy of you?” I spun and headed for the house, not caring if I dripped water all the way up to my room. I’d always known he wanted someone more attractive than me, given his supermodel propensity. Not to say I would be hitting the runways anytime soon. I wasn’t even close to that level. But, I wasn’t oblivious to the fact I had received more male attention since I’d lost weight.
