Page 59 of Hot in Witch City
I covered my heart. "Please don’t tell me those benefits are slashed."
She slanted her head. "Depends."
"What?"
"On whether you take up my offer to come to the pool with me."
My pulse quickened. "You minx,” I teased. “If that's what I have to face to be with you, I’ll suck up my humiliation and expose myself as a fool." As I pictured what I’d just agreed to, fear churned inside, leaving my palms clammy. "Promise me one thing, Gianna."
"What?"
"Don't let me drown."
Chapter 12
Gianna
As I walked toward the gym entrance with Sebastian the next day, he stopped in the parking lot.
When I glanced at him, he was ghostly pale. “Are you okay?”
“Just give me a second.” The smile he flashed appeared forced. "I can't believe you convinced me to do this."
Why I had was odd. His fear of water shouldn't matter to me, yet it did. His story had tugged at my heartstrings. Tormented by his pack, no wonder he'd left. He started over without family or friends to make it on his own. I admired and respected that.
Besides, it gave me something else to think about other than my own confused state and my mommy issues.
"Just think.” I took his hand and squeezed it. “Much of the fear is in your head. Once you face it, then it will no longer be able to control you.”
“You’re right.” He nodded and resumed walking. "Rationally, I know it's true. But you know what they say about irrational fears?”
"They’re irrational?" I replied with a laugh.
"Exactly." He grinned, and a twinge of heat churned in my stomach.
What was it about this shifter that affected me so?
He opened the door and held it for me. Once we checked him in as a guest, I told him, “I’ll meet you at the pool.”
We went into the separate locker rooms, and I waited for him. After a few minutes passed, I wondered if he was coming. It shouldn’t take him much longer than me to change and rinse off.
Over the next couple of minutes, more doubts rose. Did he bail on me?
When the door from the men’s locker room opened, and Sebastian walked out, I stared. He looked sinfully alluring in a pair of black swim trunks. Water glistened on his muscular torso. I bit my lower lip as my gaze followed droplets of water rolling down. A woman swimming laps paused at the wall and glanced at him with a longer perusal than was necessary—for my comfort, at least. It twisted me with unease.
Jealousy wasn’t an emotion I was well acquainted with, yet this wasn’t the first time it had happened since I’d met Sebastian
When his gaze locked on mine, any negativity flitted away.
He strode over. “Sorry, it took a pep talk in the shower to work up the nerve.”
“I’m glad you did.”
His gaze roamed down my body, clad only in a black swimsuit. "Me, too.” When his eyes met mine again, he said, “Mission accomplished.’
“With what?”
He flashed a lopsided grin. “You succeeded in distracting me from what I’m about to do."
