Page 8 of Protecting Clove
Bud glanced up and caught Clove’s gaze. “Maybe I can give you a few swimming lessons. There’s a pool not that far from here.”
“Mommy, can we get swimming lessons?”
She smiled, unsure how that would go. “Um, I’m sure we can figure something out.”
“I’d be happy to help. Of course, the lessons would have to fit with my schedule.”
Clove nodded, feeling weird about the fact she was looking forward to spending time with Bud. He was just trying to be nice, and she was having selfish thoughts about seeing him in a swimsuit.
Bud wasn’t sure why he’d volunteered to teach Neo how to swim, but the thought of seeing Clove in a swimsuit made himtingle all over. He bet she would be pissed if she knew he was thinking sexy thoughts about her.
“I have a calendar. We could set up a time.”
He hadn’t spent much time around kids, but Neo was different. Even he could tell that. “How about this afternoon? Are you both free?”
Clove wasn’t prepared for this to happen so soon. She had made enough money doing shopping last weekend that she planned to shop on Sunday morning, and that was it.
“Um, I think we have time today.”
Bud pulled out his phone and opened something on it. “The pool opens at eleven. It’s best we get there before it gets crowded. You okay leaving in thirty minutes?”
That gave her no time to shave her legs, but she wasn’t going to the pool with Bud to be sexy and attract attention. She was there so her daughter could learn to swim. Going today wouldn’t give Neo time to investigate and come up with an excuse for why she couldn’t learn to swim. Her daughter was smart, but that also meant she could understand that bad things could happen.
“Yes. We can be ready to leave in thirty minutes.”
“Good. I’ll see you out front in thirty.” He moved to the door, and she watched him leave, wondering what she was getting herself into.
She clapped her hands together and turned to face Neo. “Time to change.”
Neo nodded and turned slowly before glancing back. “Do you think Bud will put safety first?”
“Yes. I’m sure he will. I’ll be right there, too.”
Neo waited a second before giving a sharp nod, then raced to her room to change. Clove was relieved Neo wasn’t overthinking this. Her daughter liked Bud, so maybe that had something to do with her willingness to learn to swim.
6
Bud was surprised that Neo was so quick to pick up swimming. All he had to do was tell her about the physics of buoyancy. It made it easier to teach her because she was thinking about what her body was doing and not just the fact that bodies tended to sink in water.
After the lesson, they were drying off when some guy came up to Clove and started getting too close, touching her shoulder and trying to flirt. He could see that Clove was uncomfortable, so he got Neo out of the pool with him and moved to Clove, not even trying to cover his muscles as he grabbed the towel from Clove and met the guy’s gaze.
“Everything okay?” He saw the way the man flinched and took a step back.
“Yeah, no, everything’s fine.” The guy turned and took off.
He hated how guys ignored women saying no and kept pushing them even when it was obvious she was uncomfortable. From across the pool he could tell that Clove wasn’t interested in the man, but he hadn’t left her alone.
With Neo right there, he didn’t want to mention what had happened. The girl was smart and already picked up on too much stuff.
“Neo did great. I think we need a few more sessions. And Neo, I don’t want you pushing yourself unless I’m here. You wear those water wings if you two come to the pool without me.”
She nodded and pulled her towel tighter. “Yes, sir. I’ll be careful.”
“Good. Now then, how about we all go home and grab some lunch? I have chicken that I was planning on grilling and some hotdogs if you’d rather have those.”
“Yea!” Neo cheered, then pulled her towel tighter around her waist.
He smiled and met Clove’s gaze. “Is that okay?”
