She tried to move, but her muscles locked into place. She tried to scream, but a rush of freezing water poured into her mouth. Her body tensed and chilled, but before she could start to panic, he released her and she shot to the surface once more—breaking forth into the sunlight with a piercing cry.
He popped up a second later, bobbing there with a cheerful smile.
“Oh hello—fancy meeting you here.”
“Oh my gosh! You scared me. Time for payback.” Then she attacked him without a moment’s pause.
It was probably the most action the lake had seen in a hundred years. They leapt on top of each other with no abandon. Kicking and dunking and spitting water in each other’s faces, as a flock of birds looked on with disinterest from the beach. Fighting turned into groping, which might have turned into something more if the water weren’t so damn cold! Not exactly the best conditions for sex. Not exactly the best conditions for sustaining human life, for that matter.
Of course, neither of them could be the first to admit it.
After a few minutes, the fighting died down and both of
them were simply standing there, shivering silently as they gazed at dry land. Praying the other would be the first to break.
“So...you want to go in?” Lacy finally asked, wishing like hell he’d say yes and they could end this excruciating display of pride as quickly as possible.
His eyes shot to hers, wishing the exact same thing.
“If you do.”
She jutted up her chin, trying her best not to shiver.
“I’m fine.”
He braced himself with a quick nod.
“I’m fine too.”
“Good.”
“Good.”
Another minute went past. She began drafting the outline of a basic will in her mind. He looked longingly towards the shore, but said nothing.
Chapter 8
It had gotten to the point where she was worried about losing one or more of her toes, when he spoke up suddenly. “I think I felt something in the water.”
She looked over in surprise. Surprise that quickly turned to fear as she glanced down at the waves. “You did?! Like what?!”
“I don’t know,” he said quietly. “I couldn’t tell.” His face turned very grave. “But it felt big. Do they have eels in here?”
Her eyes widened in sheer panic, as her heart stopped in her chest. For a split second, she half-imagined she felt it too. Then his poker face cracked, and she splashed him with a laughing shriek. “You bastard! I totally believed you!”
He dodged the water with a grin. “Anything to get us out of this frozen hell...”
“Oh you’ve had enough, have you?” she teased, trailing her arms leisurely in the water, as if it couldn’t bother her less. “Want to go back to the shore?”
Please. Say. Yes.
He opened his mouth to respond, then bowed his head with a shivering smile. Instead, he picked her up, threw her over his shoulder, and walked back out onto dry land.
It couldn’t have come a moment too soon. The second they were out of the water, their bodies fell apart. Shaking with both the cold and their own self-deprecating laughter, as they spread the picnic blanket on the ground, and curled up in each other’s arms.
The afternoon sunlight made quick work of the rest. It wasn’t long before there was steam rising off their bodies, heating their skin as they stretched out upon the shore.
Not that it was enough. Dylan had other ideas for how they could heat back up. He caressed her face and told her how beautiful she was. His words melted her heart and made her feel special. He slid his hands into her hair and started to kiss her deeply, passionately, sending electric shots all the way down to her toes. She loved how his tongue explored her warm mouth and shivered beneath his touch. Her hands ran over his powerful chest and muscular shoulders.