Page 33 of Finding Delaware

“Technically, yeah. It’s after hours. Pool’s closed.”

“You’re here,” he points out, shaking water from his ears, and I track a droplet running down the side of his neck.

“I have permission from the swim coach. Doctor says it’ll help me get my arm strength back.”

Taylor merely hums before twisting around, moving into a breaststroke. I watch the sculpted muscles of his back work as he swims to the other side of the pool before kicking off theedge and swimming back. Goddammit. Being half-naked with him in a pool is the last place I want to be right now.

So I ignore him, putting my goggles back on and continuing with my own laps. We pass each other in silence as he does the same, and I try to keep my eyes from gravitating toward him every time he flashes his abs. And fail miserably. Honestly, he’s a good swimmer. His form is near perfect. No part of his arms or hands come back past his shoulders when he sweeps them to the side; on the glide, his hands and feet touch like they’re supposed to. Truly magnificent. It isn’t until he stops to look at me curiously mid-stroke that I realize I’ve been floating here staring at him like a creep.

Clearing my throat, I pull my goggles off and fling them onto the ledge. “Looks like someone paid attention in swim team after all.”

“Sure did, Captain,” he grins, mocking me with a salute.

“So why’d you quit?”

His grin fades, eyes darkening before he looks away. “Wasn’t my thing.”

Now, that feels like bullshit. He wasn’t on the swim team for long, maybe half a semester, but he showed up for every practice and every meet. Of course, I’d done my best to stay out of his way, so I don’t remember much, but I do remember seeing joy on his face in the pool that wasn’t there during football. It was the same joy as mine.

But I don’t call him out on his blatant lie because I really don’t give a shit. Whatever internal stuff he’s going through is none of my concern. It’s not like he’s ever cared about what I go through. So I turn to swim toward the ladder that’ll take me out of the pool, planning on leaving him here alone to drown,hopefully, but then I remember that Coach gave me the key. So I can’t.

Fuck.

“Is there a reason you’re here,” I growl irritably, turning around to jolt with surprise when I find him inches from me, close enough to feel the heat of his skin. Sneaky fucker.

“I was lifting late.” His eyes search my face. “Saw the door to the pool open. Figured I’d investigate.”

“Well, it’s just me.” My voice is rough when I respond, watching the reflection of the water shimmer in his eyes. “So you can leave now.”

He swallows, moving closer, and I tread backward to keep the distance between us.

“Is that what you want?” he asks softly, licking his bottom lip. “For me to leave?”

Say yes. Say yes, my mind screams at me, but when I open my mouth, no words come out. I can only float and stare as his gorgeous face moves toward me. Our chests brush and my breath hitches, his eyes intently holding mine when he leans in close enough for our mouths to barely touch.

“I don’t think you do,” he whispers, gazing at my lips. “I think that you want me to stay.”

But I don’t.I don’t.

My nerve endings feel like they’re on fire when his fingertips brush my biceps, trailing over my shoulders and leaving molten lava in their wake. He presses himself against me, cupping the back of my neck, and I can feel when my heart jumps as if it wants to leap out of my chest and into his.

Warm breath caresses my face. “Say it. Say you want me to stay, Huck.”

No.

“I don’t.” It comes out breathless, barely audible over my speaker, so I raise my voice louder. “I don’t want you to stay.”

It sounds unconvincing, even to my own ears.

Taylor tilts his head, studying me for a moment before a slow, wicked grin forms on his face.

“Liar.”

Somehow, my body knows what’s coming before my brain does.

I breathe in just before he shoves me under the water, his hands gripping my shoulders. Struggling against him, I kick out my legs, but we’re in the deep end, and it’s useless. He holds me down until my lungs begin to burn, nostrils stinging from the chlorine I accidentally snorted. Just when I think he’s going to keep me there until I pass out, he yanks me to the surface.

My lips part as I gasp for air, and suddenly, Taylor’s mouth is on mine, breathing life into me. He crushes my body to him, gliding our tongues together with such fervor that I’m breathless again when he pulls away and shoves me back under. Punching through the water, I try to hit his torso, to wriggle out of his grasp as terror ices my veins, but I’m weak from months of inactivity due to the splint.

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