The longer I swim, the more my head clears from the turbulent situation. I ponder how the tension has escalated these past few months. The casual friendship we’ve always had has now twisted into a flirtation spiraling out of our control. For some reason, Tanner can turn it off and on like a damn faucet, whereas I’m in a constant state of want.
Soon, I’m unable to focus, and I have no choice but to take a break to recoup some energy. Gripping the side of the pool, I toss my goggles on the cement and lay my head on top of my hands, leaning over the edge of the pool. Mentally tormenting myself on my recent obsession with Tanner McCain, I’m surprised when the echo of someone else in the pool alerts me.
There goes my therapy for today, I think to myself.
Hastily, I grab my goggles and rest them on my head. I glance up to see if the person is one of my teammates, but what I find halts my breathing. Tanner snakes into the water, gracefully picking up each plastic rope and ducking underneath, until he reaches the lane right next to me. I gulp down the last of my saliva when he casually swings back and forth on the lane separator closest to me.
He’s breathtaking with his goggles resting on the top of his head and his strong biceps holding his body up in the water. “I thought I’d find you here.” His classic smirk from last night is back in place.
“You did?” Immediately, I hate my timid and unsure voice. Even worse, the hopefulness it’s laced with.
“Want to race? Loser chooses Truth or Dare?” He doesn’t make eye contact with me. Rather, he peers across the empty pool.
“So I can lose?”
Every swimmer from here to California beats themselves up on their workouts, imagining their fingertips on that tile wall before Tanner’s.
He chuckles. “You know I only use half of my energy when I go against you.”
I cup my hand and drag it across the pool, splashing his face. He shakes his head, water droplets spraying off his divine features.
“Jackass,” I say, my back against the tile wall. I purposely don’t allow my body to win the fight to break the distance between us.
“I’m kidding. Come on.” His head nods toward the other end of the pool. “One lap.”
Then, out of nowhere, a confident creature rises within me. I want to pick his brain and dig through the layers to discover exactly why he sought me out in this pool so early in the morning and why his hands roamed places on my body they never ventured before last night. Most of all, I want to know how he left me without even a goodbye.
“What do I get if I win?” I raise my eyebrows at him a few times for competition.
Tanner is a wimp with Truth and Dare—for being a daredevil, so to speak. He’ll always choose truth.
Brad would pick dare, like ringing neighbors’ doorbells and running away or climbing trees before jumping into the pool naked, whereas Tanner would answer question after question. My friends would ask him what he wore to bed, boxers or briefs, while wanting to know whom he liked would be the question on the tip of my tongue. But I’d always shy away, too scared for the answer.
He stares down at his legs swinging them through the clear water before gracing me with all his attention. “What do you want?”
That’s a loaded question.
“Let’s start with truth.” I watch his lips slowly move up at the corners.
“Perfect.” He slides over to the middle of his swimming lane and positions his own goggles.
Staring over at me, he nods, and I nod back.
“One . . . two . . . go!” he says.
My feet push against the hard tile, and my legs automatically close and move through the water like a mermaid tail. From my peripheral vision, I catch Tanner instantly pulling ahead, but I try to disregard the sinking disappointment of loss so soon.
Coming to the surface, my arms propel, and I repeat my coach’s instructions in my head, Less wake and faster movement.
My breathing labors, and I can only focus on Tanner swimming in front of me in the next lane. He’s more than five strokes ahead. My arms slow down because I’ll never beat him, and I instintly face defeat. I tap the wall and sink under the security blanket of the water to gain my composure before Tanner can ask me a question.
I break through the surface, gasping for oxygen. Tanner’s already laughing as I swing my goggles off and toss them on the concrete edge of the pool.
“That was a close one. You’re improving,” he compliments me.
I hate the swell of happiness his remark entices.
“Not enough obviously.”
“Don’t do that to yourself.” He swims through the water and sways on the plastic rope again. He’s easy and casual at all times. “I gave a hundred percent on that one.” He laughs.
“Thanks.” I cock my head from his choice of sarcasm.
“Seriously, I wanted to win the bet because I have a question.” The humidity of the pool doubles just from his divulgence.
I nibble on the inside of my cheek, racking my brain for the question he might want to ask me. “O-okay,” I stutter.
He smiles, studying my face for a few seconds, and my heart beats faster.
“What’s your favorite restaurant?”
I laugh and crinkle my nose. “Favorite restaurant?” I question.
“Yeah?”
“I guess it’s Carsen’s.” It’s the local steak house in our hometown of Marlowe.
“Should have guessed you’d make it hard.” He shakes his head and retreats back to the wall before positioning his goggles back on.
“Make what hard?” I ask.
He gives a firm head shake once more.
“Again.” His strong muscles pull as they extend from the wall.
Confused but willing to try again at an impossible feat, I set into my starting stance after my goggles are secure.
“One . . . two . . . go!” he says.
This time, Tanner is either allowing me to stay with his pace, or he’s tired. I’m positive it’s not the former. Tanner McCain doesn’t let others win.
When my fingers touch the black tiled number six, I don’t plunge one last dip before surfacing. “You’re making this a close race, so I’ll do it again.” I point to Tanner.
He tries to display a straight face while adamantly denying my accusation, “No.” He doesn’t expand, but he wades back over to the plastic rope, never passing over into my lane.
“Ask.” I lean back on the other rope, relaxing my muscles.
He knows how to work me. By giving me a slight taste of winning, I’ll continue to strive toward victory.
“So eager,” he jokes.
“Let’s have it.” I open and close my legs through the water in an easy rhythm.
When I focus back on Tanner, I notice he’s staring intently on my movements, so I abruptly stop, clasping my legs together and tucking them down.
His eyes snap back up to my face. “What time is your meet on Saturday?”
“Why are you asking me a question you could look up on the pool wall?” I nod my head toward the schedules for the men’s and women’s swim teams hung up outside the locker rooms.
He shrugs his shoulder.
I answer, “Three.”
Just like before, he swims toward the wall and prepares himself for another round. “Last one?” he asks.
“This is pointless, Tanner. You’re going to win, so you might as well just ask me another question.” Exasperated, I don’t grab my goggles, but I remain swinging back and forth on the rope.
“It’s never pointless. Figure you’re getting your workout in. Plus, you never know. You could beat me this round. I feel a leg cramp coming on.”
“If you let me.”
I cock my head, and he chuckles. This—the banter of friendship volleying back and forth—is Tanner and me at our best.
“No. Come on. Last one,” he eggs me on.
Stupidly, I oblige. The combination of my competitive nature mixed with Tanner would make me go until my body sank to the botto
m from exhaustion.
As soon as Tanner says, “Go,” I can tell he’s going easy.
The one glimpse I catch of him shows complete slacking on his part. So, I’m not surprised when I touch the wall one second before he does.
I take off my swimming cap, freeing my hair, and I dunk under the water. Taking a quick peek at Tanner, I smile because he allowed me to win, so I could ask him a question. When I surface, Tanner’s hand is running down his face until he spots me looking at him.
“Ask away.” He nods at me.
I shake my head in response. “You let me win, so it’s not legit.” I fight, not taking what I didn’t earn. Plus, I have to see how badly he wants me to ask him a question.
Tanner always has a plan, and I’m positive this game of Truth and Dare is part of whatever is going on in his gorgeous head.
“Did not.”
“Did, too.”
“Prove it.”
“I can’t prove it.” My voice trails off when Tanner breaks the distance of the rope, easily swooshing through the water toward me.
With his nearness, my body floats back to the tile wall.
“Exactly. So, ask me,” he softly says.
His lips are mere inches away from me as he corners me against the wall.
I swallow deep, unable to tear myself away from his soft green irises.
“I’m not sure I have a question,” I lie, losing all the confidence I showed earlier. I’m too fearful that I won’t get the answer I’m searching for.
“You don’t have anything you want to ask me, Piper?” His hands grip the wall behind me, his arms shielding my body with his.
I swallow again. “I don’t think so.”
Inching closer to me, he whispers, “You don’t think so?”
“I’m afraid.” I look down at the water.
He places his finger under my chin, bringing it back up. “Ask me,” he prods.
I deeply inhale. “Why now?” I ask, my hand rises to my mouth, and I start biting my nails, hoping that I’m not blowing my chance by questioning his intentions.
“I honestly can’t stay away anymore.” He doesn’t falter in his response. More nerves begin to surface. “Anything else?”
“I only get one question,” I kid.
He smiles. “Hmm . . . well, you have until Saturday to think of more.”
As quick as he swam to me, he slides to the side and pushes up on the edge of the pool, his muscles flexing with his movement.
God, he fills out a Speedo nicely.
“Saturday?” I inquire to his rippled back as he walks away.
He turns around, back stepping while looking right at me. “Yeah, when I take you to dinner at Carsen’s. We’ll leave after your meet.” He acts as though he just told me to swim ten laps. He twists around and disappears into the locker room.
My mouth hangs open, and my feet stop treading. Right before I’m about to sink, I grip the wall and gain my voice back. “Did Tanner McCain just ask me out on a date?” I whisper. I bite my lower lip before plunging under the water.
four
SWEAT BUILDS UP ON MY scalp from rushing to get ready for a date in a locker room with a pool ten feet away—not ideal conditions. Although I’ll choose a date with Tanner any way I can have it, I wish for the comfort of my even temperature apartment. Knowing Tanner, he’s pinpointed a plan, and he has a reason for leaving right after my meet.
The meet sucked because I couldn’t focus with him in the stands. All dressed in his dark jeans, a gray buttoned-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and his hair perfectly gelled in place. With his amazing appearance, he’s the perfect heartthrob.
Anger built inside of me when some girls from the opposing school cozied up next to him in the stands. Even though Tanner has witnessed me swim billions of times, I couldn’t focus today, which left me in fourth place. The only medal I earned was for the relay race when I swam second, so Susan and Bianca could make up for my horrible finish.
“Where are you going?” Bianca, our best swimmer, comes alongside me, staring at me through the mirror.
I run my eyeliner across my lid, unsure if I should trust her. If Brad finds out, he’d . . . well, I have no idea what he would do, but I’m positive his reaction wouldn’t be good.
Since I don’t answer, she persists. “You aren’t getting on the bus, right?”
“No. I’ve already cleared it with Coach.” I hope this ends the conversation. Pretending I’m searching for a specific item, I focus on my makeup bag.
“I saw Tanner in the stands. Why do you think he came this way to see the girls swim?” Wet sprinkles hit my face as she combs her hair next to me.
I peek up at the mirror, noticing her vision pierced at me. “Um . . .” I stall.
She cocks her eyebrows at me. My insides twist with her perceptive look.
“Is Brad here, too?”
Will she ever relent on her constant passive-aggressive interrogation?
“No,” I answer, pulling out my mascara to begin swiping along my lashes.
“So, how are you getting back to campus?”
She’s drilling me with way too many questions, confirming that she assumes something.
Widening my eyes, I focus on my eyelashes. I try to force my voice to a casual state as I say, “Tanner is my ride.”
Her hands still on her head while she twists her long dark and wet hair into a bun.
She leans into my personal space, her closeness alarming to me. Bianca is known for her cutthroat, cold personality. Not the warm teddy bear type.
“I always knew there was something between the two of you,” she whispers.
Thank God she’s quiet. I wish I could blab every detail on how she’s right and that I wish for tonight to be a start. But if I’m keeping Tanner and I from Brad, I can’t chance anyone else knowing. It’s bad enough I haven’t told Bea. Thankfully, her family came to the meet today, so she’s already showered and gone. Otherwise, the two of them would hammer questions at me until I broke.
“It’s not like that. Brad was supposed to take me to our parents,’ but he sent Tanner instead. He’ll drop me off at my parents’ and drive back to campus.” Lying comes easier than I thought.
Now, I pray her inquisition ends.
“Oh. Well then, maybe I should try my luck with Tanner.”
My blood level rises, and I try to conceal any emotion from her statement, but my lips fall to a straight line.
She laughs, her hand touching my arm. “Relax, Piper. I don’t make it a habit to go after unavailable guys.”
She passes behind me, and I release a deep breath.
“He’s available,” I call out at a last attempt to leave her assuming nothing.
She swivels back around. “Trust me. He’s unavailable.” She shoots me a crooked smile and exits the restroom.
Bianca’s departure only calms me temporarily. Then, I catch my beet red face in the mirror. Zipping up my bag, I double-check my make-up. Smoothing out my light-pink dress, I tighten the wrap of the built-in belt to not reveal too much cleavage. Just enough to entice Tanner.
I tiptoe across the slick tile room floor and shrug off my flip-flops. After shoving them into my gym bag, I replace them with my iridescent heels.
The rest of my team files out of the locker room with side-glances, questioning what I’m doing and where I might be going. When Bianca passes me, there’s a small smile on her face. I quickly turn away from her, so she doesn’t witness the blush rising up my neck.
Waiting five minutes for my team to climb into the bus and head back to campus, I sit and contemplate tonight. Taking a huge breath and whispering a pep talk to myself, I open the door of the locker room, and there he sits. Tonight, he isn’t my brother’s best friend or the forbidden treat I’ve stayed clear of. Tonight, he’s my date, a date requested by him. Finally believing he’s taking the step for us, I’m unable to hide the smile of contentment forming on my face.
When the locker room do
or shuts, his attention steers away from his phone, focusing my way, and he stands up, shoving it into his pocket. It’s just Tanner and me in the secluded hallway, but an enormous amount of tension is filling the empty space. Closing the distance between us, he holds his hand out for mine. I clench my fist, praying it stops shaking, before reaching out to join his.
“Piper . . . you look”—he shakes his head—“stunning.”
Due to his compliment, the heat starts at the base of my neck before creeping up to my face at warp speed. “Thank you.” I absorb his whole appearance even though I fully indulged in it earlier. “You look very handsome.”
“Thank you.” His lips turn up in satisfaction. “Are you ready?”
He squeezes my hand once, and I nod.
“Yes.”
He slowly lowers my gym bag from my shoulder before swinging it around to land on his opposite one.
“Thanks.”
Not responding, he tosses me his signature wink. “We have reservations at eight.”
“Great.”
The awkwardness between us could be felt fifty miles away. Instead of actually dating, I think we should just sleep together to get rid of the sexual tension. The thought makes me inwardly cringe from how slutty it sounds, but maybe if the sex was over with, we’d be more at ease with one another.
Neither one of us says much as he guides me through the dark parking lot to his Jeep. I notice he put the top and doors on, and I laugh as I think about my dress flying up, revealing my sheer panties, and the hair I just styled becoming all windblown by the time we arrive at Carsen’s.
“What’s so funny?” He opens my door for me.
“Nothing. Thank you for closing up the truck.” I get my laughter under control.
“You thought I’d make you ride like we’re going four-wheeling or something? Give me a little credit, Piper.” He tosses my bag in the back before stepping out of the way for me to enter the truck. “Although, your dress mixed with the wind would make a nice view.” He chuckles, shutting my door.
Love Surfaced Page 4