Chapter 8

Chapter

Eight

Shay swam long, steady strokes across the Colevilles' lake. The cold water invigorated her and being in the water made her feel like she'd come home. They didn't have any goggles, but that was a minor inconvenience. She'd spent so many hours in the water she could swim without goggles, and it wasn't as if anyone was timing her or it mattered if she swam a perfectly straight line. She lived to compete, but swimming like this was freeing and restorative. Pure joy. She prayed as she swam—gratitude for safety, Paul and the Colevilles, pleas for her family, students, teammates, and FBI agents, understanding for what was happening with her and Paul.

Paul and Walker Coleville were on the bank, watching out for her. Walker was a thoughtful, handsome roper with a devastating slow grin. She liked him, but not the way she liked Paul. Nobody was like Paul.

At first it had been unnerving thinking that Paul was watching, but she'd swum in front of crowds and on camera too many times to let someone watching bother her.

Yet, it was Paul. She was confused by him and far too interested in him. If she was a boy, her friends could call her a ‘simp' about Paul. Willing to do almost anything to get his interest. Her cheeks heated, even in the frigid water, as she thought of flirting with Easton Coleville to make Paul jealous. That was petty and not like her at all. She didn't want to lead Easton on, though she suspected he flirted with so many women he wouldn't be too put out when she threw him a curve and he found out she wasn't into him. She also didn't want Paul to be jealous or uncomfortable. She only wanted him to want her.

She'd been jealous when Paul had talked to Autumn and Autumn kept calling him ‘her handsome pilot'. Was Paul Autumn's? He'd admitted she was beautiful without hesitation, and he smiled when he talked about Autumn. Autumn had said to ‘kick him in the pants or kiss him' for her. Did he kiss Autumn while they worked together?

She swam faster and harder. Her mind wandered to the nightmare she was in and being attacked last night. She had to find a way to shove those thoughts out. So she focused on Paul. The way he'd looked so heroic and manly and straight fire when he'd rescued her. Their incredible kiss. The warmth in his deep brown eyes. The way it felt when he teased with her, looked at her, touched her.

A loud splash sounded directly in front of her. She surfaced and blinked water out of her eyes. Walker was still standing on the bluff above the lake, glancing around at their surroundings.

Paul surfaced in front of her, his handsome face sparkling with droplets of water and sunshine. He swiped a hand over his face and through his wet hair, smiled at her, and splashed her. He sunk lower from pulling his hand out to splash her and quickly used both hands again to tread water.

"Hey! Are you messing with me?" She splashed him back. She could tread water all day.

"No, ma'am." He grinned at her. His shoulder muscles rippled with his hands rotating under the water and he glistened like Adonis. "I've been waiting until you'd worked some energy out so I could challenge you to a race."

"A swimming race?" She laughed. "You think you can beat me in the water?"

"No. But I figured you've been swimming for over an hour and maybe you were tired."

She hid a smile. No need to tell him she spent hours in the pool every day and then time lifting weights and doing yoga and other recovery training on land. At least she used to before protective custody.

Still, she doubted any ‘air man' could beat her in the water. Even a Navy SEAL would need a head start.

"I'm just thrashed." She fluttered her eyelashes. "But I'll let you talk me into it a quick race. Down and back?"

His eyes widened. She'd guess the lake was about 500 feet at its longest point, roughly three lengths of an Olympic pool.

"Oh, come on. It's not that long, and I'm all tuckered out. You should want a longer race." She looked up at Walker and pumped her eyebrows.

He grinned at her. "He doesn't stand a chance, does he?"

"No, sir."

They all laughed.

"All right. Let's do it. Let me get warm." Paul did a slow breaststroke toward the far edge of the lake .

Shay followed, trying not to giggle. "That's your race stroke?"

His cheek crinkled appealingly as they reached a shallow spot where they could both touch. The bottom of the lake was silty muck with a few rocks.

"Slow but steady wins the race," he said.

"Not this race." She was going to demolish him. "Walker," she called. "You want to count us down?"

"Sure."

"Give me a moment." Paul moved up close to her. His arm brushed hers and she filled with tingly warmth.

"Distracting me isn't going to help you," she teased him.

"I'm distracting you?" He trailed his fingers across her arm and then to her lower back. Heat pulsed through her and her eyes widened. What was he doing?

He slid his arm around her waist.

"What kind of a swim race is this?" she asked breathlessly.

His dark eyes sparkled. "One I'm going to win."

"How will you do that?" She tried to talk normally, but she was too affected by his hand on her hip, his muscular arm against her bare back, his side pressed against hers.

"You'll see." He winked.

Did he plan on winning by taking all of her oxygen because of his mind-blowing touch?

"Okay, count it, Walker," he called.

"Three … Two …"

She tried to pull free, but his other hand came around her waist and he effectively trapped her in his arms.

"Paul," she cried out, laughing.

"One!"

Paul's strong hands framed her waist and lifted her into the air. "Wait for it," he teased, holding her aloft. She'd never felt so small and light. He launched her into the air. She splashed into the water and came up sputtering and laughing.

"No shot," she yelled at him, but he wasn't there.

Paul was swimming fast, hard strokes across the lake, racing away from her. She couldn't help but laugh and heard Walker laughing too, then she took off. She swam after him like it was the World Championships.

He was nearing the other bank when she drew level with him. She reached the end of the lake and flipped the other direction. He did an ungraceful turn. She sailed away from him. Her arms actually felt a lactic acid build up as she raced for the other bank. She was pushing hard, and she hadn't had a challenge in over two months.

She reached the bank and stood in the three-foot water, punching her fists in the air. "Yes! I'm cracked!"

"That was lightning fast," Walker called from the shore above her.

"Thank you!"

Paul swam up to her, popped out of the water, and wrapped his hands around her waist, lifting her into the air. He was visibly out of breath.

"Are you going to toss me again, you cheater?" She rested her palms on his warm, firm shoulders and looked down into his brown eyes. She'd never felt sensations like this with anyone but him.

He chuckled and said between breaths, "Forgive me. I had to get some advantage."

"And it worked so well."

He spun a circle. "Hail the conquering hero. Our swimming champion. Miss Shay Cannon. "

She lifted her hands up and he lifted her higher. Walker cheered.

Paul slowly lowered her until she was in the water up to her waist. He didn't let her go but held her close to his chest. Did he realize what he was doing to her? How could he claim he saw her as a little sister and touch and tease with her like this?

"You are incredible," he said. "I can't believe how fast you are."

"Ah, thank you." She rested her hands on his well-built shoulders and a thrill traced through her. "You can glaze your girl all you want."

"Glaze you?" His eyebrows lifted and his eyes smoldered like the richest fudge. What did he think glazing meant?

"Glaze me. Brag me up unnecessarily," she clarified.

"Oh." He gave a chagrined grin and released her waist. Dang. She was still holding onto his incredible shoulders. She forced herself to let go.

"I thought you meant …" He licked his lips and then turned away. "Can we swim some more? You can help me with my technique and I need a good workout. I didn't lift today."

She wondered what he thought ‘glazing' was but nodded her agreement. "We'd better get you a workout in." She pushed at his muscular arm. "Growing soft, no cap."

He laughed and dove into the water. Shay followed him. She had no problem swimming or instructing or anything that happened in the water and with Paul. The incidental and deliberate touches that occurred made the bright late-summer afternoon even brighter.

But she still wanted to know … what did he think ‘glaze' meant?