Page 119 of One Wealthy Wedding

“Looks to me like you’re drowning,” he says cheerfully.

I stick my tongue out. “I’m very tired.”

“Let me help you.” He swims closer, until he’s right behind me. I can feel his heat even in the water.

“I need to do this alone,” I say.

“Okay,” he says. “I’m behind you if you need me.”

Two minutes.

“Distract me,” I pant. “I think my legs have fallen off.”

“Why can’t you swim?”

“I never learned. I hated swimming in that stupid lake. I always thought there were monsters in it. Sentient eels or something. Blech.” I shudder.

He laughs. “Sentient eels? You have quite the imagination.”

“Don’t make fun. I could drown in this pool right now.”

“And your last thoughts would be about sentient eels.”

“It would serve you right,” I mutter. “How come you’re such a good swimmer?”

“You have to be if you’re going to kite surf.”

“Of course you kite surf.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks.

One minute, thirty seconds. Thank fuck.

“Just that it goes with your whole aesthetic.” I focus on the words and Theo’s annoying presence instead of the way it feels like I’m dragging a tire through the water on my right arm.

“What’s my aesthetic?” Theo is laughing at me, and I can’t bring myself to care.

“Too hot for your own good,” I respond.

He barks a laugh. “You think I’m hot?”

“You know you’re hot. Even that stupid hat is hot. And the tattoo. And all the…swaggering.”

“Swaggering?”

I’m glad I can’t see his face right now, because I’m blushing. “Yes. Normal people don’t walk like that.”

“Tell me more. Walk like what?”

I finally round on him in frustration. Just one minute left. His eyes are laughing at me.

“You walk like you have a huge dick,” I hiss. “There’s no need to flaunt it. We all assumed.”

His eyes fly wide, and he laughs, tipping his head back as he treads water. “You assumed, did you?” He’s smiling like this is the best thing he’s heard in a while.

“I mean—” I gesture at him. “It’s the hands. And the glint in your eye.”

“Tell me more.”

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