Page 44 of Enemies to Lovers

‘Yes!’ I say, getting rid of three cards in a row, and then a fourth. Jamie gets two. We go at it quickly, Jamie leaping out of his seat to get a better angle for doling out his cards rapidly, too. Bam, another. Bam, another. Bam! Another!

When we’re both left with a single card in our hands, we know we’re so close it’s painful and it suspends time for a moment. But then I see a small spider’s web that matches the spider’s web on my card and I throw it down with force and shout, ‘DOBBLE! Yes!’

Jamie drops his jaw and looks at me like he can’t believe it.

‘No way!’ he exclaims, and his expression is priceless.

‘Oh my god,’ I say. ‘You look like you’re about to cry. Are you okay?’ I put on a silly voice. ‘Is Jamie-Wamie not very good at being aloser?’

He pulls a face, rising to my bait. ‘Two out of three,’ he says. ‘Because I guarantee you can’t do that again.’

I issue a hoot. ‘Ha!’ It’s not an attractive sound, but it’s an authentic one. ‘I don’t think I dare,’ I say. ‘Because when I do win again, you mightactuallycry, and then where would we be?’

‘Right,’ Jamie retorts. ‘That’s it!’

Before I realise what’s happening, he’s lunged at me, scooping me up and throwing me over his shoulderso that my butt is by his face and my legs are up in the air.

‘You’re getting dunked,’ he yells.

And I squeal, ‘No. I hate chlorine water on my face. NO!’

‘Lies!’ shouts Alex from the pool. ‘She says that all the time and it’s not true. Don’t believe her.’

Jamie lingers at the edge of the pool. ‘Who is telling the truth?’ he asks, his voice low and serious.

‘Me,’ I yell, still kicking. ‘I promise.’

‘Lies! Lies! Lies!’ Alex reiterates. ‘She was swimming underwater just this morning.’

‘I’m going to kill you, Alex,’ I holla.

And Jamie shifts me in his arms so that he’s dangling me over the water, holding me like a kid under the arms, as if I weigh nothing. I close my eyes as Jamie counts, ‘Three, two …’

Before he gets to one he launches me into the pool, flinging me with incredible muscle power so that I hit the water hard and sink to the bottom, where I find the tiles with my feet and use them to launch myself up. I come to the surface fast, wiping my face with a hand and catching my breath, to see Jamie holding his arms aloft at the side of the pool – the champion personified.

Well, revenge is sweet, dear Jamie Kramer.

‘I can’t believe you!’ I say, making a song and dance about being ‘upset’. I need to throw him off the scent, because I’ve got a plan …

I swim to the edge and hoist myself out, walkinground the side like I’m furious, convincingly enough that even Laurie issues an ‘Oooooh!’ from the water.

‘Are you all right, Flo?’ Adonis asks, and I feel fleetingly guilty as I say, ‘No! Jamie is such an ass.’

‘Flo …’ Jamie says, walking towards me. ‘I was just messing around! I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist.’

I dodge out of his path, in the direction of the water, so I’m closer to the edge of the pool. As Jamie comes near, I take my chance and grab his arm.

‘Gotcha!’ I cry, pulling him towards the water, and he yelps, ‘Flo!’

I give a pantomime laugh, and Laurie and Alex start to chant, ‘Dunk him! Dunk him!’

I pull and pull, side-stepping Jamie so that I’m behind and can give him a massively satisfying shove. But right at the last second, Jamie manages to grab me, so that as he falls over the edge I go with him and we hit the water together.

The force pushes my body into his, so that when we’re underwater we’re entwined. Everything slows down. When I was in the water alone, I came up for air so fast. But together, it’s like being on the pause button. I open my eyes underwater and see that he is doing the same – and he’s smiling. I give a small wave. Jamie waves back and then moves towards me, taking my hand so that we emerge at the top together. I take a gulp of oxygen and twist round to see where he’s gone, and he throws himself at me.

It becomes all-out war. I lob myself towards himwhen I break the surface again, getting enough force to dunk him successfully in return. Squealing with delight, I let him splutter, and then push off the side of the pool directly towards his legs underwater, where I manage to grab both sides of his shorts and pull.

‘Florence!’ he yells, horrified, as he scrambles to pull them back up. ‘This will result in your punishment,’ he intones, and I swim to the steps to climb out, happy that if I haven’t won the war, I have at least won this battle.

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