Page 7 of Summer Affair

When she surfaced by the stairs, he was right beside her, grinning.

“I still can’t believe how great it is to work here.” He sighed as he leaned against the edge of the pool. His arms crossed over one another as he looked out to the view beyond the pool deck. “Every time I tell myself I should move on, there are moments like this.” He glanced sideways at her.

His dark hair was slicked back from his face, showcasing his chiseled jawline, his perfect features, those lips she’d dreamed of enjoying.

His eyes ran over her and, when they locked with her own, she felt a shiver of excitement race through her.

What would she do if he kissed her now? How would she be able to control what came next?

Just then, the sound of footsteps approached, and they saw a few guests making their way to the pool area.

Dean sighed theatrically. “Our private paradise is invaded.”

“Guess it’s time to head inside,” she said, pulling herself out of the pool. She offered Dean a hand. “Come on, we’ll head over and grab some breakfast.”

Dean took her hand, and she held a breath as he pulled himself out of the pool. The water dripped off him, and her mouth watered. Why had she waited so long to make a move on him? It wasn’t like her. She’d never denied herself physical enjoyments before. But this was Dean. How long had she crushed on him?

As they walked towards their clothes on the chairs, he leaned in and whispered, “You know, I think this could be the start of a beautiful morning tradition.”

She laughed, giving him a playful shove. “Only if I can keep throwing you into the pool.”

Dean grinned. “No promises.”

They toweled off quickly and then she pulled her shorts and T-shirt over her wet suit. She hated watching him cover those lean, toned muscles in his chest with the camp T-shirt and had to hold in a sigh of appreciation before the view disappeared.

With her hair still damp from the pool, they made their way inside the pool house where she worked. She was in charge of four small massage therapy rooms, each with its own small bathroom and shower to rinse off the oils and lotions. There were also separate bathrooms for pool guests, and a locker room. Each employee had their own locker to store extra clothes in.

The cool air of the building greeted them, and they both shivered slightly as they entered the building.

“I can’t wait for summer to fully get here,” she said with a slight sigh as she wrapped her arms around herself.

“It’ll be here soon enough,” he said as they made their way back to the locker rooms.

She always kept a change of clothes in her locker besides her work scrubs. She’d learned early on in the job that she often needed a few pairs of shorts and several camp shirts to make it through a week.

She and Dean each changed in one of the small changing booths and then tossed their wet clothes in the washer/dryer units she used to launder the many towels and sheets they used each day.

Suddenly, to her horror, her stomach growled very loudly. Dean laughed beside her, taking her hand. “Don’t worry, my stomach is just as loud. Let’s go get some food.”

A few minutes later, they walked into the employee dining room. The room was full of people she considered friends.

The sound of all those people talking was slightly shocking after the quiet of the outdoors. But she loved the loudness, the laughter, the sounds of employees enjoying breakfast together. They were one big happy family, not just coworkers.

That was the main reason she chose to eat here instead of grabbing food before coming into work each day. Also, the food was so much better here than she could make herself.

The aroma of freshly cooked breakfast wafted through the air, making her stomach growl audibly again. Thankfully, at that very same moment, she heard Dean’s stomach growl loudly as well.

“I suppose my stomach controls me as much as yours does you,” he pointed out.

They moved together to get in line so they could grab food from the buffet line. Dean leaned closer and whispered, “Do you think the rumors will start about us walking in together?”

“No, they’ll just talk about how I have poor taste in friends.” She nudged him with her elbow playfully.

They grabbed trays and quickly filled their plates with pancakes, eggs, and bacon from the food line.

When they entered the sitting area there were a few other employees gathered around a large table, enjoying their breakfast.

Sarah, one of the lifeguards, waved them over. “Hey, you two, join us!”