Page 41 of Taking the Heat

‘You’re bluffing.’ Dante didn’t sound so sure.

‘Try me.’ Chris grinned, his eyes hard.

Dante shrugged. ‘I don’t need this …’ He muttered something in Italian, then wandered off.

Even once he was gone, my hands shook. I clutched at the neck of my loose shirt, unable to catch my breath. ‘I can’t do this, I can’t, I thought I could, but I can’t, oh god, oh god …’

‘Shhh … babe, look at me.’ Chris shepherded me over to the empty bar area. ‘Look at me.’

‘Chris, I can’t do this! How can I go into a dark room and have sex with someone who might be him? I’m gonna lose. I’m gonna lose!’

‘No, you’re not.’ His calm blue eyes were like still pools and I clung to their steadying influence. ‘You won’t lose. And it won’t be Dante.’

I sank onto a bar stool. ‘There’s a one in ten chance it will be, Chris. I’m gonna lose the money, and Ella will be screwed and she’ll never forgive me.’

‘Forgive you for what? You’re here for her, that’s an act of bravery.’

‘You don’t understand, it’s not about here, it’s about that night. I can’t, I can’t …’ I broke down into hiccoughy sobs.I need a hug and no one can touch me!

Chris crouched down between my legs, looking up into my face. ‘Tara, Tara, breathe. Just like we did the other day, remember? In, two, three, four. Out, two, three, four. Again …’

He talked me down, and even though I couldn’t think straight, I could follow his simple breathing instructions. Finally, my tears were gone and so was most of the panic.

Chris stood. ‘You’re tougher than that creep, babe. Don’t let him get to you like this. You’re gonna win another challenge, find out he’s not your cabin mate, and you’ll be fine.’

‘Thank you,’ I said, in a tiny voice.

‘You going to tell me what you meant about your sister?’

‘Maybe another day.’

‘I’ll hold you to that,’ he said. ‘I want to know everything about you.’

Wiping my eyes, I squeezed my nose, trying to stem its running. ‘I think I make more mucous than the average person.’

‘See? I’m learning things about you already!’ Chris tipped his head towards the far end of the pool, where Miles and the others waited patiently. ‘Come on, babe. Let’s go kick some arse.’

***

‘The rules today are simple!’ Miles lifted his tanned hand and pointed to the sky. ‘If you can reach the key, you can have it!’

Strung to a wire high above the pool, twenty keys twinkled in the sun. They were all attached to the wire by loose ribbons and they danced above our heads, so near and yet so far.

‘You’ll divide into teams of four. Using only your bodies, you may retrieve up to four keys. You’ll have five minutes in the water, and the usual touch restrictions are lifted from now until the end of your time. So, hurry now, and find your team mates!’

People immediately began to cluster off into little groups. It felt a bit like school, when you were asked to make teams and everybody panicked because no one wanted to be the loser standing by the side, looking for a group.

As I searched for a team, the first person I saw was Dante, who made a V with his fingers and pushed his tongue between them grotesquely. My face pulled into a mask of nausea and he laughed.

‘Ignore him. You’re with us.’ Chris’ warm arm pulled me close. Suddenly, beside his huge frame covered with muscles, I felt soothed. And turned on. Mostly soothed.

‘Who’s us?’ I asked, looking for the other members of my new team.

‘Why, moi,of course!’ trilled a squeaky French voice.

‘Hi, Babette.’ I wasn’t trying very hard to sound enthusiastic. ‘Lars? You’re with us too?’

‘Ja!’ The burly blond waved happily at me. ‘Loris is off chasing the Russian lady. Is it okay?’

---