Chapter 31

Ardal

We hit the water in a heap, the impact of our bodies sending a splash upward. As I go under the surface, Kadeem’s hand leaves my wrist, but that doesn’t mean we’re no longer touching.

No, instead our legs tangle and then untangle, our hips brush, our hands bump each other's stomachs. Our limbs inevitably connect as we try to correct ourselves, but - while me touching him is purely accidental - I’m not sure I can say the same thing for Kadeem.

After ten seconds of our little dance, my skin is left burning despite the cold water that surrounds us. I finally manage to gain space between us, allowing me to shoot up and break through the surface once more.

“You’re an asshole,” I tell Kadeem when he pops up too. I’m panting a little, but I’m still able to give him a firm glare.

But Kadeem doesn’t care for my disapproval. Instead, he eats it up as he usually does.

“What?” he asks. “You slipped.”

My annoyed gaze only hardens on him, my arms tempted to send a big splash toward his face. But that’s when it hits me.

Kadeem is in the water, and he doesn’t necessarily seem afraid. Just like when I spotted him beside the pool, he doesn’t shake or tremble. But that doesn’t mean he’s completely comfortable either.

His feet stay planted on the bottom of the pool - not even attempting to wade through the water or swim around. Instead, he seems to decide that the spot he’s taking up is currently enough.

And yet, it’s such a drastic change to how he’d been during our last swimming session. I’m curious as to what has caused it, but I’m not sure Kadeem would be able to understand it either.

Finally, my eyes clip back up to him. There, I find the amusement has left Kadeem’s face as he simply stares at me.

But looking at Kadeem feels like a mistake. I should have just kept my eyes down on the rippling water. Now I’m left gazing at his face that is covered in droplets, his hair soaked and laying beautifully over his forehead.

The top of his chest and shoulders are raised out of the water due to his height. He looks like a perfectly sculpted statue coated with rain. My hands want to brush the water from him to preserve his beauty.

Oh Goddess. No. I resist the urge to violently shake my head as I wave my thoughts away.

Instead, I gather determination as I prepare to jump into our lesson. But when I glance up at Kadeem’s eyes again, I pause a second time as I notice the new way he’s staring. He looks…intrigued.

“What?” I foolishly ask.

His lips twitch, but no official smile appears.

“I like you like this,” he states plainly.

His words begin to pull my brows together, confused by what he means.

“Wet,” he finishes, his tone dipping and pulling heat straight from my stomach.

Maybe lower.

“Kadeem,” I warn despite the flush. “You can’t say things like that.”

“Why not?” he dares to ask.

“You know exactly why,” I retort.

He has a girlfriend. A child on the way. We’ve already had one act of infidelity and we can’t have another.

Not that I’m saying this is where this is leading. No, not at all. I wouldn’t allow Kadeem to pull me down to that level again - even if I can still feel the heat of his words and touch.

But despite my words, Kadeem seems to see that warmth hidden away in my body. Again, he smirks.

“I can say whatever I want,” he states. “I’m the Alpha.”

I nearly scoff at him. “Oh, so you make a habit of going around flirting with other women while you’re dating someone? Good to know.”

“I don’t,” Kadeem tosses back. “Only you.”

Only you. Those are two words I never thought I’d hear Kadeem say again. And maybe under different circumstances they would feel like a nice embrace, a tender kiss. But not today.

“Let’s swim,” I say coldly. I give him a nod, my features still tight. “Move into the position I showed you the other day.”

Kadeem releases a slight breath, but he does as I say. His limbs move slowly as he lowers down to the water, his arms beginning to kick out and his arms extending.

“If I drown,” he starts as he moves a little. “Would you save me again?”

Before, Kadeem may have asked this question out of panic. However, it’s clear he’s not asking just to settle his nerves. Once more, his tone comes out low and smooth - tossing another flirt in my direction.

“No,” I answer, ignoring the amused look he gives as my eyes scan his form.

“Oh, come on, Chels,” he trails out, sending another spark through me. “It’s nothing a little mouth to mouth couldn’t -“

“Stop talking,” I order, cutting him off. Once more, humor falls on his face, but I turn my attention back to the little distance he’s managed.

“Move your arms in front of you and push them back to the sides of my body. Try to mirror the same movement with your legs,” I clip out. “You’ll cover more distance that way.”

Absorbing my advice, Kadeem showcases the movements and shoots forward a little. Even despite his indifference and lack of experience in the water, he still moves well. As an Alpha, his movements are always controlled, adaptive.

“Good,” I say with a nod. “Keep going.”

I follow alongside him as Kadeem covers more distance. As we move deeper into the water, I can see his brow pull closer and closer together, his hands slowly tightening to closed fists.

“Relax,” I tell him, a little kinder now. I can still tell his worries are slowly making their way to the surface, looking to take over. Even despite my frustrations, my heart still doesn’t want to see him succumb to fear.

Maybe it’s just my usual motherly instincts rearing their head, or at least that’s what I want to believe. But still, my simple word has an effect of Kadeem as I see his fingers uncurl.

A few more feet of water covered, and I give a nod.

“Okay,” I state. “Now stop.”

Kadeem instantly does what I say, allowing me to turn my body toward the direction we’d just come from. I’m ready to lead him through the next exercise, but words get caught in my throat as I feel Kadeem’s arm suddenly wrap around my waist.

I jolt, eyes widened again as his warmth envelopes me. I instantly want to shake him off, to ask him what the hell he’s doing. But then I feel something else.

He’s shaking. It’s subtle, not as violent as last time. But the sensation ripples from him and causes my own body to tremble.

“Kadeem,” I say as soon as I turn to stare at him. Worry is evident on his features, his breathing faster and eyes scattered each time the water brushes too high on his chest.

“Relax,” I say softly, realizing my hands have wrapped around each of his biceps. But I’m too concerned with my “student” to care. “Relax. Slow your breathing.”

Kadeem swallows, his gaze coming to steady on me. And then he follows my own breathing as we slowly inhale together - our chest brushing - before we release it. With a few more breaths, Kadeem becomes more stable.

“Good,” I tell him softly. “Now, we’re going to swim back to the other side.”

At first, Kadeem is a little reluctant, but eventually his fingers and palms peel away from me. Cold water meets my stomach as we step away from each other. Then Kadeem takes another deep breath before he swims again.

Just like before, I follow beside him, staying calm as I watch his actions. When we reach the end, Kadeem once again reaches out to me. But this time he merely takes my hand, and I let him.

“Other side again,” I say once he’s ready.

Back down the pool we go, but this time Kadeem needs no correction. In fact, he’s perfect as he moves as if he’s water himself. It’s almost captivating - so captivating that I don’t even stop him when we reach the same spot we swam to before.

Instead, I let him keep going, wondering how far he can go before he realizes. But he doesn’t. He just keeps swimming, waiting for me to stop him. However, I’m too concerned with his progress to realize how truly far we’ve gone.

One second the floor of the pool is beneath my feet and the next it’s not.

I’m barely able to take a breath before I sink under, realizing as my limbs kick out that we’ve suddenly reached the section that dips down to seven feet. I’m too short to keep my head above water.

Correcting myself, I know I need to reach the surface again to make sure Kadeem is okay. Only, my body seems to stop and melt as I feel arms wrap around me again.

A hand goes under one of my thighs, making my body instantly react on its own accord. My legs move forward, wrapping around the waist in front of me as I slide my arms around firm shoulders.

I’m being pulled upward, seconds before my head comes through the water. I give a small gasp, still clutching onto the muscle beneath my palms as I feel my body slide a few steps toward shallower water.

But then we stop.

And I’m left blinking up at Kadeem.

“Are you okay?” he asks, scanning my face. He almost looks worried, causing me to blink.

But I also become aware of all the places we’re touching. One of his hands is still on my thigh, the other on my back. My arms and legs are around him, bringing our bodies basically flush. And his face is less than a foot away.

So are his lips.

I blink again, trying to get my brain to catch up.

“I could have swam up on my own,” is the first thing I manage to say.

Kadeem’s lips part, hints of his breath brushing my own mouth. I refuse to let myself shudder.

“I know, but…” he begins and I swear I can feel the hand on my thigh tighten. I swallow as I wait for him to continue.