Page 51 of Flirty Thirty

So I guess I want a pool? Ugh, what has that man done to me?

I lift my head and take a deep breath before settling back into the water. I watch my clothes float around me, my hair curtain out on the surface. This is relaxing—maybe I should flip to my back and sleep here.

The water jostles around me, a flurry of bubbles popping right next to my body. Next thing I know there is a tight grip on my stomach, whirling me around and making me gasp in a mouthful of water.

“Maya, Maya!” Cooper rushes out as I sputter water in his face. His hand is frantically wiping away droplets from my cheeks, his other arm holding me so close that even if I tried to cough away from him, I’d hit his skin anyway.

“I’m fine,” I choke out. “Well, I was until you scared the crap out of me.”

“Iscaredyou?” His blue eyes flash with fury, and I jolt a little in his arms. “Damn it, Maya. What are you doing down here?”

“I… I couldn’t sleep.” I blink a few times, trying to get the water out of my eyes and catch up to his mood. “How’d you know where I was?”

“Security cameras.” He reaches up, the anger in his eyes slowly dissolving as he smooths my hair back. “Scared the hell out of me.”

I give him an apologetic look, biting my bottom lip. “Sorry.”

He shakes his head. “Like hell you are.”

“You’re… really mad. I’ve never seen you mad before.”

“Picture this,” he says, tilting his head. “It’s three a.m. and the security alarm wakes you up. Your groggy eyes open to check out the camera, and you see your girl face down in the pool, fully clothed.”

“You’re a good story teller,” I tease. “Ever thought about writing a book?”

His hand drags down from the small of my back to my butt, and he gives me a pinch. “Shit… you can’t do that to me.”

My playfulness starts to dissipate, and I put a hand on his chest. His heart pounds under my palm, and I kick myself even closer into his embrace.

“I’m sorry,” I tell him sincerely this time, but his brow tilts in skepticism as he runs a wet finger across my smile.

“Yeah… you sure look it.”

“I am.” I tap my forehead to his. “It’s just… well, you called me your girl. The smile cannot be helped.”

I thought he’d be happy about that admission, and I think a part of him is, deep under all the concern swirling in his baby blues. We bob in silence for a bit, the water the only sound around us until he says, “I’m surprised it makes you smile. The endearment.”

“Trust me,” I whisper-laugh. “No one’s as surprised as I am.”

The corner of his mouth twitches in that adorable, magical way. He moves in close, his breath a warm wave over my lips.

“I’m gonna kiss you,” he says.

“Go for it.”

“I’m not gonna stop.”

“Fine with me.”

“I’ll probably tell you something…”

I tilt my head at him. “Like…?”

“Like I’m falling for you.” His fingers knot up in my hair, his eyes closing as he blows out a long breath. “I’m falling hard, Maya, and I know you don’t want to hear that, but my mouth just likes to tell you every thought in my head.”

My heart jumps up on a cloud, and I float up there with it. He has no idea…none…just how much I like that he tells me his thoughts. How I feel like I know so much about him and yet he still manages to surprise and shock me. I want to do this every day for the rest of my life. I want to let go of the edge and fall right alongside him.

“Okay,” I say, and he jerks back and blinks.

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