Skinny Dipping

by Kaye, Alicia M

  “I have an idea for you, Sophie,” Eve said during her latest call.

  “What’s that?” Sophie questioned.

  “You might just have to practise on your own,” Eve said carefully.

  “Sure, I can do that. I have gone and practised on my own before” Sophie agreed. “Practising on my own isn’t completely out of the question. But I still just don’t know whether I can make it down to the pool.” There was always the awkwardness of running into Matthew. How would she act when she saw him?

  “Matthew will be away for a few days; that won’t be a problem for your practise sessions, would it?”

  “No, no, I don’t suppose it would.”

  “And you wouldn’t have to make an excuse up not to come to the pool then,” Eve continued.

  Sophie remained very silent. Was she that transparent? She shouldn’t be surprised or shocked. After all, Eve was Matthew’s personal assistant. She probably knew everything about him. What he ate for breakfast. How he liked to do his laundry. Who he had sex with. And who he didn’t get into bed…

  “They’re not really excuses,” Sophie tried.

  “That’s so good to hear, because you’ve come so far Sophie. You know I’m not just Matthew’s personal assistant, I’m also a swimming coach, and I wouldn’t want to see you stop. You’re at the point now where you’ve practically got it. Swimming is a life long skill. It can save you in the most dire of situations. You just need to get in. There are a few skills you haven’t yet learnt yet which would really help you. But why don’t you come in, practise and maybe you and I could work something out. I could talk to you about treading water and then jumping off the blocks.”

  “I suppose.”

  “So just come to the pool and practise. We don’t have to do anything further, but it would be such a shame to waste all the time you’ve invested. Think about it, okay?”

  “Okay,” and she did think about it. She’d come so far.

  Sophie took both Eve and Matthew’s words to heart and began practising on her own, coming several times per week, whenever she could confirm that Matthew was not going to be around. In the pool, she felt like she was trying to do some type of underwater dance where she didn’t know the moves. She needed to develop the coordination to somehow stroke through the water and kick at the same time. It was her persistence that kept her going, even though she seemed deaf to the swimming beat, her body unable to even recognise if she was in synch with the stroke. It was her persistence that pushed her forward even when she sure she’d been truly blessed with the misfortune of having two left feet in the pool.

  Eventually her persistence cut through the water, and without any type of grace she got to the end. If she could have, she would have hugged the wall. She’d done it. One full lap. No stopping.

  Her confidence in the water began to rise. Increase. Her one lap became two laps, without stopping. Then three. Then five.

  She reached the pool edge on one practise session and saw Matthew sitting on the pool step. She was so flustered she practically ripped off her bathing cap, and hoped that her hair wasn’t sticking up in hideous directions. She removed her goggles, the need to avoid him intense.

  “I haven’t managed to speak to you for about a month.”

  Sophie nodded politely. “It’s been quite at busy start of the year.”

  He looked incredible, as usual. His large blue eyes settled on her, making her feel quite uneasy. “Congratulations, Soph. I think you can safely say you can swim.”

  She beamed, and then found her modesty. “Well thanks for teaching me. I can only do seven laps in a row, but thanks again.”

  “It’s all just inertia, isn’t it?” he suggested kindly.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’ll do seven laps today and ten tomorrow. You’re truly on your way to becoming completely comfortable in the water. Now that I’ve got you here, did you want to have any more lessons? I was hoping to teach you how to jump in from the blocks, face your fear of deep water.”

  Sophie looked up at him, his incredible body, his gorgeous smile and realised how close she’d come to falling for him. “It’s okay,” she said, practically shaking herself back to reality. She wouldn’t ever again be that sappy girl, so foolish to fall, and think he liked her. She’d already done that, and the more distance between them, the better. It wouldn’t happen again. Thank God she hadn’t slept with him.

  “Are you sure?” he asked.

  “I’ve spoken to Eve, and she’s given me a few tips for treading water and jumping off the blocks. It’s probably best if Eve takes on my fear of deep water.”

  A hurt look flashed across Matthew’s face. Without saying another word, he stood up and walked away.

  Chapter 28

  “I saw the edited version of the pool shoot,” Matthew said standing in the reception at Clarks, his hands in his pockets. He’d come to the office unannounced, and insisted upon seeing her. He was a client after all. She couldn’t pretend to be in.

  “We’ve only got the Brighton shoot to go,” Sophie answered. She noticed the effort he’d made, wearing a navy suit, and even a loose tie. By the way he kept pulling at his neck, he seemed to hate it. The tie reminded her of the very first time she’d seen him jump out of his Porsche. How handsome he looked that night.

  “That’s scheduled for next week, isn’t it?” Matthew confirmed.

  “All booked,” she nodded, wondering why he was there. “We’ve got the permits and everyone’s ready to go. Did Jessica not tell you all this?”

  “Yes, she did. But it seemed rather difficult to actually speak to you lately. I thought I would come in myself.”

  “Oh?” she said and her hands came through her hair. She felt flustered, pretending she didn’t know what he was talking about. Yes, she’d had Jessica take on quite a lot of the communication with the Silver Account, but not all of it. “Of course you can still talk to me,” she smiled.

  “Great.” He looked at her square in the eye. “I wanted to thank you.”

  “What for, the campaign isn’t over yet?”

  “For all your hard work.”

  “Oh. That’s very kind of you.”

  “Maybe you and I, we could somehow, celebrate?”

  “Didn’t Jessica tell you?” Sophie knitted her eyebrows together, suddenly feeling a surge of anger. The wrap party was for the client and Matthew was the pivotal person to be invited. “The team’s organising a fabulous wrap party. She did mention this to you and get your availability? The party can’t go on without you.”

  “Yes, of course Jessica got my availability. I’m going. She seems very keen to do the right thing,” he said quickly. Matthew looked like he was struggling to find the right words. “But I wanted to thank you, as my consultant, personally. What would you say?”

  “You’re welcome,” Sophie responded, a bit too quickly. Matthew roared with laughter. “I’m in the office until very, very late...,” she stammered. “I’m quite busy you know. A workaholic.” Although that wasn’t quite true, not over the last few weeks.

  “I see. So you’ll be working late tonight? I’d better let you get back to it.”

  “Yes, I better do that,” Sophie said quickly.

  “Finish up around nine?” he asked.

  Sophie nodded in agreement. “Yes, nine o’clock, about then.”

  “You’ll be absolutely starving by then. So will I. Since the centre shuts at nine, I propose that you catch a taxi from here straight to the pool after work. I’d estimate that you’ll be there around nine-fifteen. I’ll have finished locking up by the time you arrive, and we can to go straight for dinner. I want to take you out, Sophie. How about it?”

  “Well….” she started, and a dramatic sigh escaped from her lips. Her mind whirled as she looked for some type of excuse. “I haven’t gone to the pool lately. Not since Eve showed me how to tread water.”

  “Yes, Eve mentioned you can tread water for about three minutes.”

&nb
sp; “That’s right,” she said with a slight lift of her chin.

  “So you do remember where it is. The pool, I mean. I can send you a car if you like, rather than you catching a taxi.”

  “Of course I remember where it is,” she said with indignation.

  “Are you just stalling, thinking of an excuse just so you can blow me off?”

  She grinned. She had thought about telling him that she was attending a charity function, but it wouldn’t fly. “I was thinking about it,” she admitted with a guilty shrug.

  He howled with laughter, his dimples as he smiled. Sophie found herself doubled up, tears in her eyes. They made such a scene, in fits of giggles, that her colleagues walking through the foyer hallway stopped to glare at them. Sophie noticed Bradley watching her intently while he talked to a client. With some difficulty, she shifted her shoulders back and forced her face to compose itself into a more professional expression.

  “You’re hilarious,” Matthew said, gasping to take a breath “I love it when you get all mad and vindictive for no apparent reason.” He smiled and she couldn’t help but return one.

  “That’s not quite true. I get mad for perfectly good reasons.” Although since Matthew was acting so nice, she wondered whether she really did have good reasons.

  “I wish you’d tell me what they were,” he said, suddenly serious. “I do miss seeing you, and having fun with you. So are you going to have dinner with me or not?” he asked. She’d forgotten how direct he could be.

  She shrugged. It was time to deal with what happened between them. Dinner she supposed could be fun, even if they were only in the ‘friend’s zone’. At least they would still have that. “I suppose I will.” She wondered whether she should come clean about her availability, since he was being quite lovely. Since she’d been delegating her work out, she’d be quite free to see him earlier than nine. She’d be ravenous if she waited to eat until so late.

  “Excellent, I’ll see you at nine-fifteen. Don’t be late,” he said and swivelled abruptly on his heels, not waiting for her confirmation. He wasn’t playing games anymore. Clever man.

  As Sophie watched Matthew get in the elevator, to leave the building, she felt someone watching her. She looked around and realised Bradley was in the foyer too, his gaze settled on her. He cornered her as she was about to go to her desk. “Everything going okay with the Silver Account? You two seem to really click.”

  Sophie nodded, noncommittally. “Yeah, I guess we do.”

  “Any news on the hotels?”

  “I don’t think we’ll get it.”

  He sighed loudly. “Can you please arrange a meeting with me within the next few days? Get Jessica to set it up when we’re both free. Jessica can book somewhere nice.” That was weird, but she nodded and when she got back to her desk she gave Jessica the message.

  ***

  Despite herself Sophie went home and got changed before arriving at the Highbury Aquatic Centre. She spent an age putting on her makeup, and a new flowing dress that Matthew hadn’t seen before, pale pink in colour. The dress was somehow gathered, making her look like she had a curvy figure.

  She arrived at the centre early and walked around the block twice, trying not to seem too eager. But finally hunger forced her to push the door open. If they were only friends, what did it matter if she was early? Why should she stroll around in the dark waiting for him to finish up?

  She pushed the reception door open. Matthew looked up from the counter.

  “You’re early.” His eyes twinkled playfully. “I thought you were incredibly busy, I haven’t yet shut shop.”

  “I’m starving.” She stood by the door way, leaving it slightly ajar, not wanting to seem too keen or too desperate. “I can wait outside it you like?”

  “No come in, I don’t mind at all,” he said with his eyes scanning her outfit. “It’s been quiet tonight. So quiet I let Eve go home early. But you’re in luck – since all my clients have gone home, I can lock up now. Want to help me out so we can get out of here?”

  “Sure,” she said, slowly and looked down at her high heels wondering what the ‘lock up’ of a swimming centre consisted of. “So you lured me to your pool to work for you….” She supposed locking up just included shutting the door firmly behind them when they left for dinner, her stomach growled. “Rather than to thank me for all my hard work,” she joked.

  He shot her a mischievous look, a smile reaching every corner of his face. “Just because you look utterly beautiful doesn’t mean you can’t help me turn the lights off. What do you say, princess?”

  “Oh, well,” she said, feeling quite flustered at the compliment. “You shouldn’t say things like that. And of course I can help you turn lights off.”

  “Say things like what?” he asked, his voice loaded with innocence.

  “You know what I mean,” she said.

  “I don’t believe I do.” He skirted around the reception, and walked through the turnstiles and into the pool centre. Sophie followed him and watched as he leaned into the swimming pool and gathered up the floating lane dividers with his muscular arms.

  The pool was eerily silent, and absolutely void of customers. She hoped her campaign would help. Although the centre had been busy most nights when she’d been there practicing. She supposed it was just because it was winter and a particularly cold day. People had been too scared to jump in.

  She followed him as he packed the pool equipment away in a cupboard. He strode to the male changing room where she followed and hovered outside. She poked her head inside and watched him by the entrance doorway.

  “Don’t you want me to tell you that I think you’re beautiful?” he called out as he bent down and picked up towels which had been left by forgetful customers.

  Sophie didn’t know how to respond; his words were flirtatious and perplexing because they were in the friend’s zone. She’d just gotten used to that and now she felt confused.

  As Matthew turned off the lights in the male changing room, Sophie thought of a way she could help out.

  “I’ll get the lights in the women’s changing room,” she said, racing from the male changing room.

  Matthew followed her closely and even went inside the ladies.

  “What?” he said at her shocked look as he picked up a single shoe from the floor, another piece of lost property.

  “Guys aren’t supposed to be in here.”

  “It’s a clean up. No one’s actually using the changing room. My, my, my.” He stared at her. “You are definitely a princess. Look how flushed you’ve become.”

  “I’m not flustered.”

  “Sophie, are you a prude? I wouldn’t have picked that,” he teased.

  She switched the light off and left him chuckling to himself in the darkness. She felt her cheeks heat as she moved toward the swimming pool grandstand.

  “Princess, are you afraid of being a prude?” She heard him yell out.

  She sat down on one of the grandstand seats, suddenly agitated. She certainly wasn’t a prude. “I’m daring,” she yelled out to him. She stood up then sat back down, looking at the pool glittering below the vaulted skylight.

  He appeared from the women’s changing rooms and she stood up, leaning quite coolly on the grandstand chairs. “I’m daring and I’m certainly not a prude,” she insisted.

  “We’ll see,” he said with a dangerous glint in his smile and turned around on his toes. “I’m pretty much done, I just need to put these items in lost property and we can go. You never know when someone comes to claim their things – especially the kids. They lose things all the time. It’s very annoying.”

  She nodded her head. “Take all the time you want and I’ll just sit here being prudish, twiddling my thumbs and waiting for you,” she continued. “Though you must admit, I helped create a definitely non-prudish campaign for your swimming centre. It was very daring I’ll have you know.”

  He shot her another one of his dangerous smiles. “Okay,” he said and disappe
ared into one of the back rooms.

  “Where are we going tonight?” she called out to him, feeling slightly miffed at him.

  Then an almost gasping sound filtered around the pool, like a generator switching off. All of the lights in the auditorium went out.

  Sophie stood up abruptly. It was dark. Pitch black dark. After a moment, her eyes adjusted to the moonlight streaming in through the vaulted skylight, casting everything in dim shadows.

  “You all right princess?” he chuckled, his voice echoing in the darkness. “You knew I was shutting down the shop. Turning off the lights. I did mention that.”

  “I’m fine,” she said, sliding along the grand stand seating.

  She heard his footsteps first, then saw his figure, moving in the blackness. At first only his outline was visible and her eyes were still struggling to adjust as he appeared directly in front of her. He must have done the same thing thousands of time, roamed round the pool because he found her standing by the grandstand quite easily. Matthew the super swimmer. Matthew the man with the night vision. Matthew with all his godlike abilities and incredible good looks, stood in front of her. She could hear his breathing and smell his aftershave.

  A silence grew between them. “I have a few ideas of where we can go tonight, did you want to hear them?” he asked.

  “Excellent.” She took a step forward, hoping to follow him out of the pool centre. Matthew could be her guide. But she had stepped right into him because he simply just stood there. He stood very still, and remained very silent.

  Slowly, his hand took hers. He pulled her close toward him. Her breathing was suddenly very quick. Then she felt his lips on hers. He began to kiss her intensely and she couldn’t help but respond.