Page 10 of Body Shot

“Come play with us!” Sloane calls out.

“You want to?” I ask her.

“Sure.” We splash into the somewhat calm waters and make our way toward the game.

“This is nice,” Claudia says, submerging herself up to her neck. “It’s so hot out.”

“Yeah, and I just got back from Sweden, where it was like sixty.”

“Are you from there?”

I nod. “Yes, a suburb of Stockholm.”

“How do you like it here compared to there?”

“I love both,” I admit. “I’ve been in the U.S. for eight years, and in Florida for three, so the lines have begun to blur when it comes to where home is. My parents’ house will always be home, along with my hometown, but this is where I live. Work. Where most of my friends are. How can I not call it home?”

She nods. “I never thought of it that way, but it makes sense.”

The ball sails in our direction and she turns, ready to engage.

Just then, someone on a jet ski appears out of nowhere, coming dangerously close to us. Everyone scatters as a huge wake overtakes us, but Claudia had jumped in the air to hit the ball, and she comes down right in the middle of it, disappearing beneath the wave.

FOUR

Claudia

I can swim,but I’m usually in a pool, somewhere nice and sedate.

I’m not expecting a wave to crash over me in the otherwise calm waters, and I’m momentarily disoriented, thrashing around to get my footing as I swallow a mouthful of saltwater.

Then strong hands are around my waist, lifting me so my head and shoulders are above the water.

“You okay?” Anders’ blue eyes are filled with worry as I cough and sputter.

“Fuck,” I mutter. “Caught me by surprise.”

“I’ve got you,” Anders says, one arm around my waist as he holds me steady.

Damn, even as I get my bearings, I’m painfully aware of his hard, muscular torso. His strong, warm arm. The concern on his face as he waits for me to catch my breath.

He’s hot.

And nice.

And he thinks I’m attractive.

That has to be a joke, right?

I immediately hear Hana’s voice in my head telling me to knock it off. That there are nice guys in the world. That I need to learn to enjoy myself. That there’s more to life than school and work and computers.

Normally, I disagree with her.

But Anders…well, he makes me want to be someone else.

Someone confident and sexy and…interesting.

“I’m okay,” I say after a moment. “Just caught me off-guard.”

---