Page 62 of Love Sick

“What?”

She points at my foot. Ah. Yes. I stubbed my toe, didn’t I?

Her eyes narrow, and I laugh. Don’t know why. It just bursts out of me, uncontrollable.

I have never been this awkward. I am a total sleaze brought low by simple white daisies.

And fantastic breasts.

And delusions.

Throwing the towel on her chair, I mumble something about being hot before ripping off my shirt. I hop into the pool and stay submerged in the coolish water until the desire for her ebbs and my lungs beg for air. Breaking the surface, I’ve regained my composure.

My hands clasp the edge of the pool, and I sneak a peek at her.

She’s sitting at the end of her lounge chair, head cocked, staring at me in question. “Did I just witness a heatstroke?”

It coaxes a smile from me. “Something like that.”

Sweat has gathered on her brow and in her cleavage, but unlike me, she’s luxuriating in it.

Her bare feet bring her closer, and she sits at the edge to dip her feet in the water beside me. “Is the great Julian Santini, Golden Boy, really made speechless by the sight of a woman in a bikini?”

My forehead falls to the backs of my hands where they grasp the pool edge. “I plead the fifth.” I pause. “But like… Have you seen that bikini?”

She chuckles. “I’m starting to believe Adorable Julian does exist.”

I pinch her toe beneath the water, and she screeches, jerking her foot away, but I grab both ankles.

She gives me a warning look. “Julian, don’t.”

The smirk on my face grows, and I tug. “What? Afraid you’ll melt?”

She shrieks as I pull until she’s at the edge, bracing her weight on my shoulders.

Her eyes widen. “No—”

Sinking beneath the surface, I snicker inwardly and she follows me underwater. The splash of her plunging below the surface reverberates, and bubbles float around my skin along with the brush of her legs as she kicks to the surface.

I come up for air again, already laughing.

She pushes my shoulder and wipes water out of her eyes. “This is cruel punishment for a crime I didn’t commit.”

“I’m sure if you dig deep, you’ll find you deserved it.”

She splashes me. “Is this what you wanted, Julian? You happy now?” She rolls her eyes before dropping her voice to a falsely seductive tone. “You got me all wet.”

Sarcasm, but my dick still responds—a situation not improved by her hoisting herself out of the water, droplets streaming down her smooth skin, over the curves of her ass. She returns to her post at the edge of the pool, only now she’s dripping wet.

I am an idiot.

She flicks water over me. “Well, Adorable Julian lasted all of thirty seconds. Now that that’s out of your system, can I have normal Julian back?”

“Yes. I am back to functioning capacity.”

She gives a satisfied nod. “I heard you’re doing well on GYN.”

I hoist myself out of the pool and sit next to her, feet dangling in the water. “Did you?”

---