Page 28 of Ace My Heart

Viral Sex

“It hurts!” I complained to Joel. His eyes pierced me and I knew that I wasn’t getting out of this so easily.

“Just five more laps and then you’re done!” he called from the shallow end of the pool where he was waiting for me. “If you swim back to me, I’ll do the last four with you.”

I grunted and kicked off, gritting my teeth against the tenderness in my ankle.

The early morning sun glistened over Sydney Harbour, the temperature promising to zoom up into the forties before lunch. Joel waited for me at the shallow end leaning against the edge, his tanned pecs glowing.

I made it back to him and lifted my leg out of the water, sticking my ankle in Joel’s face.

“Are you sure we’re not making it worse?” I asked. I watched as his gaze slid along the length of my calf before settling on my ankle, his fingers probing gently around the joint.

“It’s still a bit swollen, but it’s not getting worse,” he reassured me. “Nice pins by the way, Stink.”

I grimaced. “I’m serious, Joel. Are you sure we’re not jumping into this too soon?”

He rolled his eyes. “Believe me, it’s not too soon, Mel. And if you think this is hard, you’re going to hate me tomorrow!”

He sounded altogether too satisfied with himself about that.

“And I thought your father was a hard-arse,” I muttered. Joel froze.

I swallowed. “Listen, Joel, I didn’t … I’m sorry.”

Joel shook his head, refusing to meet my eyes. “No, don’t worry about it. It’s all good.”

It clearly wasn’t. My stomach churned with guilt. It just still felt so surreal. A few days ago, I would have made the same comment and Joel would’ve laughed and agreed with me.

Joel swam away and I followed, my complaining silenced.

We finished the last four laps and Joel immediately got out of the pool and dried himself, not even trying to show his gorgeous body off. I knew then that I’d really upset him. I followed him out of the pool, careful not to put too much weight on my ankle. I wasn’t allowed to use the crutches anymore, but I still needed to be tentative. I towelled off and slipped a singlet on over my swimmers.

“Joel, I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”

Joel glanced away as he collapsed into a chair on the deck. I followed. Sandra had laid out some cereal and fruit for us.

“I’ve been waking up screaming in the middle of the night,” Joel muttered as he poured cereal. I turned to stare at him. He usually wouldn’t open up to me about stuff like this.

“Me too,” I replied. “The nightmares are … intense.”

Joel nodded as he topped his cereal with banana. “It freaks Mum out. She has no idea just how bad it was, really. I mean, she knows what happened, but … the blood, Mel. And the look on his face.” Joel’s shudder matched my own. I remembered those parts all too clearly.

He cleared his throat, his expression calmer, although his eyes remained dark. “Maybe you should come and stay here, Stink, until your ankle’s better. Then I won’t have to come and pick you up for training at the crack of dawn every morning.”

I paused, considering the offer. Living alone wasn’t ideal at a time like this. Waking up after a nightmare to no one. No tangible reminder that I wasn’t the last human left alive on Earth.

“What about Connor?” I asked.

“Your cat can come stay too, I guess.Ifhe doesn’t claw the furniture or take a shit on the carpet.”

I sneered at him. “My cat is perfectly house trained!” I replied. “Are you sure Sandra won’t mind us coming to stay?”

Joel shook his head immediately. “I think Mum would be as happy as I would be to know that …” His words trailed off. I found myself blushing, although I wasn’t entirely sure why.

“Okay, Joel. Just until my ankle’s better though.”Only until I can sleep through the night again, I added silently to myself. I wondered if Joel hadn’t been angling for me to stay for that same reason. No, his mum had probably put him up to it.

We ate in peaceful quiet, watching Sydney Harbour become bluer as the sun rose. My hair had dried into beachy waves by the time I finished my cereal.

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