by J. Benson
Taylor was wiggling out of his t-shirt, dropping his shirt onto the empty chair next to me. It fell on top of the towels we had brought. He kicked off his shoes.
I tried not to stare, but I had never seen Taylor with his shirt off. He was lean and muscular. His arms were smooth and rounded around his biceps. His back was strong and smooth, with muscles rippling beneath his skin as he moved.
I picked up a copy of 'Woman's Day' magazine which someone had gratefully left. It was a perfect excuse to avoid the water.
"What are you doing?" He demanded. "Aren't you going to swim?" He was standing at my feet with his hands on his hips.
"No, I think I'm okay for now." I said, trying to sound casual.
"Come on! How often are we in a huge fancy building with a pool?" He demanded. "Come on, this is vacation!"
"It's okay... you go ahead." I shrugged, turning the page in the magazine, pretending to be interested in the magazine I was reading.
"Alright. Fine." He said coolly.
I figured he had gone toward the pool and I concentrated on a random article. But halfway through reading a sentence, the book was ripped from my hands. "Hey!" I cried in alarm.
His arms moved underneath me and hoisted me up from the chair. He scooped me up into his arms as if I weighed nothing at all. I was shocked that he was able to lift me so easily. I threw my arms around his neck for fear that I might be too heavy and he might drop me.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" I demanded.
"Going for a swim." He shrugged.
"No! Taylor! Put me down!" I cried, kicking my feet. I kept my eyes on the water as it drew closer. He was standing at the edge of the pool in a handful of strides.
"Taylor!" I screamed. "I'm not kidding! Put me down!"
He shrugged, grinning broadly. "Okay."
He jumped and before I knew what was happening, I was flying through the air, and very suddenly submerged in water. I gasped in shock, inhaling the water. I kicked as hard as I could, trying desperately to reach the surface and get some air. Panic was rising in my stomach.
My head broke the water and I coughed and sputtered, trying to clear the water from my lungs. I had barely managed to gather one breath before I went under the water again, inhaling even more water. My arms flailed, I was drowning.
Suddenly, Taylor's arms locked around me tightly and hoisted me out of the water. I found myself immediately propped upward. My head and shoulders were above water with enough force to propel most of the water from my lungs.
I choked and coughed, expelling the remaining water out of my lungs while trying to suck in some air into my aching chest.
"Emma? Are you alright?" Taylor asked, worriedly.
I realized suddenly that I was still in the water. I gripped his shoulders tightly. My fingers dug indentations into the muscles beneath his skin.
"You okay?" He seemed to be nearly laughing.
"That's not funny!" I shouted at him. "I could have drowned!"
"It was just a joke, Emma." He laughed. "You're fine."
I shoved him as hard as I could and tried to push myself away. I sank instantly like dead-weight in the ocean.
He grabbed my arm tightly and hoisted me back out of the water, just enough so I could breath. "Emma, what is it?"
I moved my arms around his neck tightly, terrified that he might let me go again and that I'd end up under the water again. I buried my face in his shoulder, shutting my eyes tightly. If I shut my eyes tightly enough, I could pretend I wasn't in the water anymore.
"You can't swim, can you?" He said. It was more of a statement than a question.
"No." I admitted. My chest ached; my heart was beating a thousand times a minute, hammering loudly in my chest.
"How? How can you not know how to swim? You have a pool in your apartment building!" He scoffed.
"I'm afraid of water." I admitted, clutching onto him tightly. "I'm not just afraid, I'm absolutely terrified. Please get me out, now!" I begged.
"Afraid of water?" He demanded in alarm. "How is that possible? How do you take a bath?"
"I shower, thank you." I replied immediately. "Can I get out now? Please? I have to get out!"
"Yeah. Let me help you." He chuckled. Moving toward the shallow end where the stairs were located. I kept my arms locked around his neck tightly, shaking with fear.
"Don't laugh at me! People are afraid of things, it’s natural!" I tried to reason, trying to assure myself.
"I know. It's just weird... I've never met anyone who's afraid of water before. I mean, the human body is made of water!" He said.
"That's not helping." I replied. "Why did you have to drag me in? I was fine sitting on the pool deck!" I wailed.
"I was just playing around! I had no idea you were afraid of water and you couldn't swim. Why didn't you tell me?" He asked.
I was very much aware that we weren't moving. "It's not something you broadcast... it's embarrassing. You can't tell anyone, please? You can't tell anyone!"
"I won't." He smiled. "Your secret is safe with me."
"Thank you... why are we stopped?" I asked, still afraid to open my eyes.
"You can touch here." Taylor spoke gently, "This is the shallow end. I can put you down here?" He asked.
"No!" I cried, my legs wrapping around his hips tightly.
Taylor laughed. "You really are afraid of water."
"Stop it! It's not funny!" I cried in panic. "I really am terrified of water."
"Okay. Come here." He walked me toward the stairs, and when I was satisfied that I could walk on my own, I slipped out of his arms.
"Here, Emma. Sit with me on the stairs. The water isn't deep." He offered.
"I'll sit with you..." I bargained. "But not in the water." I sat down on the pool deck and hugged my knees to my chest at the top of the stairs. I tucked my chin on my knee cap. My toes hung over the top step, inches from the water. Even that seemed too close after nearly drowning.
"Okay, good enough for me." He shrugged, and sat down on the bottom step. The water lapped around his chin. "So why are you afraid of water?"
"I don't know." I admitted. "Rollercoasters, heights, bugs or anything, I can handle that... a little bit of water and I freak out. I've never liked water. Grandma said I used to scream when anyone tried to give me a bath when I was little. I'm such a baby!"
"You're not." He assured. "Like you said, people have unexplainable fears."
"What are you afraid of?" I inquired.
He raised one eyebrow. I studied him carefully, finally noticed that his hair was wet and slicked back sexily.
"It'll help." I tested.
He thought for a moment. "Snakes."
"You're afraid of snakes?"
"I'm not afraid of them... I just don't particularly like them. My brother caught a snake in the yard when I was a kid and kept it in our room for a week... it got loose..." He sighed. "I don't think we ever found it. It gave me nightmares for a year. I kept thinking it was going to grow huge and strangle me in my sleep." He laughed. "It's silly."
"No." I smiled, slipping closer to him. I moved from the pool deck onto the top step. I was now sitting in about an inch of water.
"See? Not so bad." He smiled, reaching for my hand.
I sighed, trying to regulate my breathing. My heart was starting to beat hard again. "I'm scared stiff. I'm afraid to move..."
"You won't drown in water that you can stand up in." He urged. "Come on, walk around the shallow end with me."
"No." I scoffed. "I'll have an anxiety attack."
"There are plenty of doctors in the building..." He grinned.
"That is not funny... Not at all." I gulped.
"I won't let go of you. Not even for a second." He assured. "I won't even let you put your head underwater. I did okay bringing you over here..." He pressed.
"You're the reason I got into the pool in the first place!" I pointed out.
"I'm sorry about that. I honestly didn't know you were so afrai
d of the water. If I had known, I wouldn't have thrown you into the water... you can trust me, Emma. You know you can." He promised.
"I know I can trust you." I sighed.
"I promise I won't let you down. Don't you trust me?"
"Of course I trust you." I admitted again.
"Come on, you've got to face your fears." He tested.
"I'll do it if you hold a snake."
"Fine." He said quickly. "Get me a snake then and I'll face my fears."
I sighed and chewed my lip anxiously. "You swear you won't let go of me? You promise?"
"If I let go of you for even a second, I'll let you drown me." He smirked.
"That's not funny either." I replied, extending both my hands.
He helped me stand and led me down one step. The water lapped just above my knees. The gentle waves he was creating were making me uneasy. I stopped.
"What is it? You're doing so well." He encouraged.
I shook my head. "This isn't working... hold me closer."
He grinned. "You don't have to ask me twice."
I glared at him, but moved my arms around his neck. His hands fell on my sides gently.
I stepped down one more step and the water was suddenly up to my waist.
"I... I don't know about this..." I began.
"No, you're doing great!"
"I hate this. It feels juvenile." I grumbled.
Taylor smirked. "But you're still doing great."
"I'm going to find you a snake. A big one. You can bet on that." I glared at him and stepped down one more step. The water immediately reached the bottom of my bikini top.
I gasped and instantly stepped back up a step. I was shivering and my teeth were chattering.
"You'll warm up if you get in the water more." He bargained.
"Yeah right." I rolled my eyes.
"I'll warm you up if you get in the water more." He amended, leaning toward me.
I instantly leaned toward him, barely noticing that I had moved back down one stair and was now standing on the pool floor.
"You're doing it!" He cheered.
I narrowed my eyes at him. "That was a mean trick. You owe me a kiss." I pouted.
Chapter 46:
Romance and an Argument
We were in the pool for almost an hour. It felt like an eternity to me. When we finally went back up to our floor, I took a hot shower and tried to calm myself down. I changed into some clean, dry clothes and went downstairs to find that Taylor had changed into dry clothes and turned on the TV. We curled up on the sofa to watch television, nestled under a blanket together.
By dinner time, there was still no word from my mother. I couldn't cook at all, and we were both getting hungry, so I ordered from one of my favorite Chinese restaurants; one that I missed desperately and had been craving since we arrived in the city.
I paid for the food and carried into the living room just as Taylor was coming down the stairs. He had showered to get the smell of chlorine from his skin and hair.
"Hey, the food is already?" He grinned.
"You said you were hungry. Do you like Chinese food?" I inquired.
"I love it." He grinned. "But to be fair, there aren't too many types of food I don`t like." He smirked.
"Come on, we can eat in here." I led him over to the massive coffee table and placed the bags of food down. He dropped onto the sofa, leaning forward. I began pulling containers out eagerly.
Taylor opened each of the containers, peering inside. "Chicken balls... egg rolls... fried rice... you got all the staples..." He smiled.
"I got a little bit of everything." I smiled, "Did you want a Coke?" I reached into one of the paper bags.
"Yeah." He held out his hand and I placed the can in his hand.
I located the chopsticks and held them out for him.
"No forks?" He inquired.
I smiled. "You can't use chopsticks?"
"I can... but none of the food actually makes it to my mouth." He laughed.
"I'll get you a fork." I began pushed myself up from the sofa.
"No, no. I'll get it." He smiled, standing. While he walked into the kitchen, I moved to the sofa. I removed the wrapper on my chopsticks and reached for the rice.
Taylor slipped onto the sofa next to me, but kept a careful and unusual distance from me. He sorted through the cartons of food and slid from the sofa onto the floor. He sat with his legs stretched out under the coffee table. He crossed his ankles.
"Mmm... this is amazing. Try this." I picked up a chunk of rice from the carton and held it out to him on my chopsticks.
He laughed and leaned toward me, slipping the rice into his mouth. "Wow, that is good." He chewed slowly. He leaned forward and reached for another carton of food, opening it carefully. "Ooh, Kung Pow Chicken. My favorite."I sighed.
"Now this," I pointed to the rice with my chopsticks, "Is what I miss about New York. I miss the amazing Chinese food." I said with a heavy sigh.
Taylor chuckled. "It is definitely better than anything I've had in Oklahoma. We'll have to visit here more often... you know, just for the food."
I giggled, sliding closer to him.
"Careful," He said, spooning food into his mouth. "My hair is still wet. I might drip water on you." He was unable to hide a huge grin from his face.
My jaw practically hit the floor. "You promised! You swore you wouldn't tease me for that!"
"Sorry." He chuckled. "It's just too easy. You're actually cute when you're scared."
"It is not cute! It's embarrassing!" I protested loudly.
"I'm sorry." He smiled. His adorable and genuine face almost made me want to believe he actually was sorry. But his cocky smirk told me he was enjoying getting a rise out of me.
"You are not." I rolled my eyes; I leaned forward and left my rice on the coffee table. I picked up the container of chicken balls and selected one. I placed it carefully in his carton, with a playful smile. In turn, I took some of his Kung Pow chicken.
"Have some more." He offered, tilting the carton toward me.
"No, I'm okay." I smiled.
He shrugged lightly and traded cartons for the box of egg rolls, popping an entire chicken ball in his mouth.
I located the remote and switched on the television.
"What do you want to watch?" I inquired gently.
"Anything. I'm not picky." He smirked.
I surrendered the remote.
"You know," I said carefully. "I kind of like being here... alone with you. It's nice."
Taylor smiled. "I know. I was thinking the same thing. Egg roll?"
"No, thank you."
"Come on, they're fantastic. Try one." He offered, holding out the carton toward me.
I smiled. "Okay, give me half of one."
He promptly split one with his fork and slipped it into my carton.
"I said half!" I mocked alarm.
"That is half... just the bigger half." He grinned.
I narrowed my eyes. Classifying something as the bigger half of anything was inarguably an oxymoron. "You..."
He leaned forward and lightly kissed my cheek, barely touching the corner of my lips. The way he smiled at me, I knew I couldn't stay mad at him. I broke the egg roll into smaller pieces with my chopsticks and ate it slowly.
I reached for the container or fried vegetables, and ate from that container, before trading the container with Taylor to eat some of the noodles left in the container.
It wasn't long before I was feeling absolutely stuffed. I knew I couldn't possibly eat another bite, but to my surprise, Taylor kept picking away at the food. Each time he opened a carton, it was like he was opening it for the first time, and he had to sample another bite.
By the time he finally stopped picking at the food, there was very little left over. Taylor helped me dispose of the empty cartons, and easily find room in the fridge for what was left. The fridge was borderline empty; there were a few liquor bottles in the vegetable crisper, a carton of eggs, a hand
ful of water bottles, a bag of decaying oranges, and finally a box of ancient baking soda.
Taylor and I returned to the sofa. I found a knitted throw in the linen closet, and we wrapped up on the sofa together. I was blissfully warm and content and a part of me hoped my mother would never return home. Taylor and I could use this time to enjoy our vacation in private.
We went to bed early, both of us exhausted after the flight, the pool and everything else that had happened. We had spent most of the evening curled up on the sofa together and watching lame television movies. For some reason I was feeling unusually tired, probably from being in the water.
By the time we went to bed, there was still no word from my mother. I didn't know if that meant she was going to be home tonight or if we would even see her in the morning.
I changed into a pair of pajamas which consisted of a white tank top and pink pajama bottoms. I brushed my hair up into a pony tail and secured it with an elastic before walking back into the bedroom. I pulled down the blankets on the bed. I sat down in front of the pillows and glanced around at the room.
I hated being here. Every little thing in this house reminded me of my father. I could imagine him sitting on the furniture, standing in doorways and frying eggs in the kitchen on a Sunday morning. If I closed my eyes and remembered hard enough could hear his off-key singing coming from the shower. I chewed my lip and looked around anxiously.
I climbed out of bed and pulled open my bedroom door. I could see a soft light on in Taylor's room. It wasn't the overhead light, but there must have been a lamp on.
I drew in a deep breath and crept across the loft and stopped in his doorway. Taylor was sitting up in bed, under the light of the lamp on the bedside table. He had books open on his lap, and was writing with a pencil. He was focused and concentrating hard.
"Taylor?" I asked meekly. I was suddenly aware of how ridiculous I probably looked, standing in his doorway in my pajamas and bare feet.
He looked up in alarm, shock and confusion registering on his face. "Emma... hey. I thought you went to bed..."
"Not yet." I replied. "What are you doing?"
"Just some math homework." He smiled.