Noah #3
I stayed behind Emery and Timothy as we boarded the elevator and then waited for them to exit the car once we got to the lobby. I stayed a few steps behind them as they led the way to the pool. Abigail and Bash were standing by one of the tables with a few boxes of pizza spread out.
Timothy demanded that everyone swim first even though Emery told him that the pizza would get cold.
He held his mom’s gaze as he told her that she would make him wait thirty minutes after eating and he really wasn’t that hungry.
They made a deal that we would swim for thirty minutes then eat, and that seemed to appease Timothy.
He cannonballed into the water as soon as they completed their pinky swear.
When he surfaced, he waved his little hand, beckoning for us to join him.
I kept my gaze forward so as not to get distracted by Emery who was currently untying her sarong.
I turned to face the pool and focused my attention on the water as I pulled off my shirt and tossed it on the chair next to me.
As soon as I got to the edge, I dove into the deep end, reveling in cold water as it pricked my skin.
When I surfaced, I wiped the droplets from my face and then ran my hand through my hair to push it off of my forehead.
I treaded water as I glanced around and instantly picked out Emery.
She was sliding into the water on the shallow end, her body tense like she didn’t appreciating the cool temperature. Abigail followed suit next to her.
We played a game of Marco polo. I may have cheated a bit, keeping myself closer to Timothy when he was it. I loved that kid and wanted him to win.
“Got you!” he squealed as he grabbed ahold of my shoulders and hoisted himself up onto my back.
I pretended to be disappointed as he pumped his little fist in the air. I let him celebrate for a few seconds before I slipped him off my shoulders and tossed him into the water. He let out a gleeful scream before disappearing under the water just to bounce back up moments later.
I was the new Marco guy.
I glanced around the pool, noting where Emery, Abigail, Bash, and Timothy were. Then, I closed my eyes and reached my hands out while saying, “Marco.”
My ears twitched as I took in the different voices around me. Timothy was easy to pick out. In his excitement, he splashed an exorbitant amount. The movement caused the water to lap against my stomach. Finding him would be easy, but he was not my intended target.
“Marco,” I called out again.
Everyone responded and I took note that Abigail and Bash seemed much farther away the second time. Timothy had moved behind me and Emery was still in front. I swiped my hands through the air in search of her.
“Marco.”
“Polo.” Emery’s voice was soft like she didn’t want to give away her location but she couldn’t be that far. I could still hear her over Timothy’s splashing.
“Marco?”
Seconds ticked by before I heard Emery’s “Polo.” I tipped my head in the direction her voice came. I was closer to her now.
I reached out and the tip of my finger brushed something. My heart raced as I moved closer.
“Marco?” I asked again.
“Polo.” She responded.
I took a giant step in her direction with my hand out. I bumped into what felt like a shoulder. When I slid my hand down, I was able to wrap my fingers around her upper arm. Without thinking, I pulled her through the water to me. Her soft gasp created a volcanic eruption inside my stomach.
I opened my eyes and glanced down to see Emery’s wide eyes and parted lips as she stared up at me. The warmth in her gaze confused me. I thought she would be more startled by my touch.
“Got you,” I said as I studied her.
So many sensations raced in my body and I struggled to process any of them.
From the feeling of her warm skin pressed against my fingertips, to the softness in her gaze as she glanced up at me through her eyelashes.
It was extremely hard to ignore the fact that she wasn’t pulling away.
It was almost like she wanted to be caught.
“You’re it, mommy.”
Timothy’s voice startled us both. I instantly dropped my hand at the same time she took a giant step back. She blinked and then turned in his direction.
“I am?” she asked as she walked toward him and scooped him up.
He nodded and started to explain the rules once more to which she apologized and said she would do better. We played a few more rounds before Emery declared that it was time to eat and held up her finger to hush Timothy when he started to protest, citing their pinky promise.
Reluctantly, Timothy got out of the pool and we all joined him at the table where we sat and ate pizza. I kept my distance from Emery, choosing the seat furthest from her.
Everything about Emery was confusing me. And since all I seemed to want was for this to be real and for a brief moment in the pool, it was as if she might want that as well.
I just wasn’t ready to pull at that thread based solely on a hypothesis. If I was wrong, it would destroy everything I’d worked so hard to get. I was here for one purpose and one purpose only: to take care of Carson’s widow.
I couldn’t be the idiot who let his feelings get involved.