Chapter Four
NATE
Zaria moved over to sit alongside me on my sun lounge, and now we’re deep in tutoring.
Her method of picture-word association definitely helps.
It seems to be manipulating the word into something that’s not so daunting or that I can decipher.
Instead of letters, I’m seeing images, and the association looks to be paying off.
I’ve already chosen a word correctly three times without the aid of the pictures.
It’s encouraging and makes me feel like I’m making significant progress.
“Nate, you’re doing so well. You’ve finished three lessons’ worth of work in one session. You have done so much better today than I could have possibly imagined you’d do, and I’m so proud of you.” Her leg slightly touches mine as she leans into my side with a friendly bump.
Turning to look at her, she glances back at me.
Our eyes meet, and we both still. Swallowing hard as nervous energy flickers between us, I peek down at her lips as she parts them infinitesimally, and our breathing quickens.
My heart rate spikes while the hairs on the back of my neck stand, and she blinks slowly as she takes a deep breath and looks away, breaking the tension.
I clear my throat, take in some much-needed oxygen, and stare out over the crystal-clear pool. “We should go for a dip,” I suggest, and she smiles.
“Yes, we should.”
Zaria stands abruptly and pulls off her sarong, leaving her in her bikini.
She strolls over to the sandy, shallow end.
I jump up and pull off my shirt, leaving me in my swimming trunks as Zaria looks back at me, trying to hide her grin.
As I stand there, I flex just a little bit, but not enough to make it obvious.
When she glances at me sideways, I know she’s checking me out, and I bite my lip, trying to hide my smirk while watching her watch me.
She laughs lightly before looking away, then turns, stepping into the water. Being the depraved bastard that I am, I can’t stop my mind from hoping her white bikini will turn see-through in the clear blue pool, and then I mentally slap myself for being a pervert.
Zaria glides into the water, and as I follow, I do my best to watch her ass as I move in behind her.
The water is warm and feels great on my skin.
It glistens and gleams in the midday sun, and rays sparkle, shimmering light off her body.
The effect causes Zaria to light up, giving her that angelic look I love.
She wades in a little further so the water is just above her tits, and I move in next to her.
“The water is so refreshing,” I say as we stand here in the middle of the pool.
She smiles. “I love this pool. I spend most of my time out here when I’m home.”
“I can see why. Plus, the water shows off your assets,” I tease with a wink.
She scoffs like she’s offended, but then finishes it with a giant smirk. Suddenly, she sweeps her hands through the water, causing a ripple of liquid to splash me right in the face.
Shaking my head to rid it of the droplets, I laugh and open my eyes, narrowing them at her.
“Don’t you dare, artist,” she warns.
“Payback’s a bitch,” I say and splash her with a massive wave of water.
Zaria screams joyfully as her hair flattens, soaked with water.
When she meets my eye, a sour expression covers her face.
“You’re gonna pay for that!” Then she lunges, and before I have time to think, she’s on me and pushing me under the water.
I laugh, but with my mouth closed, as she’s basically jumping on me.
I don’t mind, and even though she’s trying to drown me, she is touching me, and it makes me feel more alive than I’ve felt in years.
After a few seconds, I grab her around the waist and pull her under with me.
Opening my eyes, I look to see her eyes are open, too, and a bright smile is plastered on her face.
Our eyes lock, and a moment passes between us.
We’re under the water staring at each other, and the heat it’s creating could set this pool on fire.
Without warning, something in her clicks, and she sticks her tongue out at me, then uses all her force to shove me in the chest. I’m startled by her swift turn as I’m forced away from her, and she swims off, bobbing up from below the surface.
I realize I, too, need air, so I swim up to the surface.
Zaria’s laughing and swims away from me like she’s playing a game.
I don’t get it.
We go from smoldering to playful in a few seconds.
It seems like she doesn’t want any seriousness between us at all.
But the way she’s looking back at me and laughing, I can tell she wants me to join in her little game.
And who am I to deny her?
So I plaster on a happy face, covering my confused one, and take chase, swimming after her. “When I catch you, you’re in big trouble, Miss Shafir,” I call out, and she snickers.
“If you catch me, Mr. Levine,” she replies as she swims around and heads back to the shallow end.
After a few strokes, I begin the chase and gain on Zaria pretty quickly, approaching her as we reach the middle of the pool.
My hands wrap around her waist, and I pull her to me.
She lets out a fake scream as I spin her around, and she throws her head back in a fit of laughter while I hold her to me tightly.
“No escaping now,” I tease.
Her whole body is riddled with laughter as she wraps her arms around my neck, and her eyes come back in line with mine.
This woman is mesmerizing—every inch of her screams flawless beauty.
Her sparkling doe eyes, the chestnut waves of her hair that still look perfect even when soaked, the slight flush in her cheeks, her full, inviting lips, and her petite yet curvaceous frame…
everything about her is breathtaking. I can’t fathom how someone like her is single.
Any man who lands her is tremendously lucky.
My cock is aching from simply staring at her.
Her laughter dies down to small giggles. I give Zaria a smile as her legs wrap around my waist, and I basically hold her to me in the pool.
This right here is all my fantasies come to life.
My heart is racing as I stare at her, taking in her beauty.
She’s everything I could want.
But I have no idea if she wants me in return.
Swallowing hard, I look into her eyes once more.
Her laughter fades, giving way to a quiet stillness as her breath catches.
She stares back at me, and for a moment, it feels like the whole world has gone silent.
A surge so intense pulses through me, almost causing me to lose my balance, while a buzz crackles and sizzles between us, sending shockwaves through the pool.
A primed tension fills the air while she chews on her bottom lip.
Zaria’s eyes glisten and sparkle as I stare into them, and it makes me want to kiss her so badly. So I inch closer, testing the boundaries. Her breathing hitches as she watches me move in. She tilts her head, and her lips part as her eyes shoot down to my mouth.
My heart, no shit, literally skips a beat as Zaria’s tongue darts out, licking her bottom lip.
Getting ready to kiss her for the first time, I inch closer and closer. I’m merely an inch away—my heart’s pounding, electricity’s surging around us like a tornado—when she takes a deep breath, turns her head, and pulls back, effectively stopping me from going further.
My heart sinks as I pause, giving it a moment to restore its proper rhythm. Then I take a breath, pulling back to fake a smile.
“I’m sorry. I just… I think we should… have some food.” She says the last part quickly, bordering on curtly.
Raising my eyebrow at her avoidance of the topic, I say, “Yeah, sure.” I release her, and she unwraps her legs from around my waist while clearing her throat. Then she swims to the shallow end of the pool. Trying to gather myself, I continue to stand there for a second longer than I should.
I went in for a kiss, but she blatantly refused me.
She just isn’t that into me.
Maybe I need to accept that.
Clenching my eyes, I swallow hard, trying to compose myself, then nod once and open my eyes, turning and walking out of the pool.
We both head to the sun lounges, where towels are draped over the back, and start drying off. Neither of us speaks a word. My shoulders are tense, and I notice hers are too. The awkward silence speaks volumes about the tension between us, and I wonder if I should leave when she turns toward me.
“I’ll get us some drinks.”
Okay, so she doesn’t want me to go.
That’s a good sign, I suppose.
Zaria walks over to the bar fridge and grabs another beer, then she pours herself some kind of fruity-looking thing, adding another fucking weird straw, of course.
She walks over, handing it to me, and as I take it, our fingers connect.
I don’t miss the fact that she gently slides her finger against mine.
It’s a nice gesture, but a fucking confusing one.
Needing to calm down, I lift the bottle to my lips and take a long gulp, letting the cool, refreshing bite of the beer wash over me.
The chill seeps into my body, a welcome distraction that cools the heat simmering inside me.
Each swallow brings a little more clarity, a little more calm, as if the coldness is grounding me, steadying my pulse, and bringing me back to my center.
Zaria looks at me and sighs. “You know, Zaria is my full name and stage persona, but all my family and really close friends call me Ria.”
I take a sip of my beer. “That’s pretty.”
“It is, and I’d like you to call me Ria, Nate.”
Warmth fills my chest, and my lips tip up into a genuine smile. I feel that perhaps Zaria likes me more than she’s letting on. But I’m not getting my hopes up. She rejected me for a reason. I have to remember that.
“Okay, Ria it is. Thanks.”