Page 68 of Kickoff

“Thanks.”

“Training with Coach Pierce can do that to you. Excel in everything.” I winked, and she burst out laughing. “What?” I asked, pretending to be clueless.

“You. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as much as when you’re being silly.”

“Thanks. I’ll accept the praises.”

“I didn’t expect anything else from you. The real question today is, Mase, are you ready for your initiation?”

I put my phone aside on a folded towel. Stretching my arms over my head, I cracked my neck and rolled my shoulders back trying to project confidence. “Yep. Give it to me.” I had never swum laps other than when I’d hurt my left elbow last year, and it had been part of my physical therapy routine. And that one time as kids when we raced.

After I put on a swim cap and adjusted my goggles, Melinda pulled me into the water.

“You look very…huh…swimmy,” she said with a snicker.

“Swimmy?”

“Yeah. Swimmy. New word. It fits you.”

“It sounds bad. I hate it.”

“Well, get used to it. I usually only see you parade around on a field in tights and a helmet. Let’s just say, goggles and a swim cap may not be your best look.”

Before she could add another word, I had her in my arms, my palms molded to her hips. Her breathing hitched—and so did mine. Even soaked in water, heat spread through me, and I was at risk of combusting. Lifting Melinda over my head, I tossed her into the deep end of the pool. The contagious sound of her laughter filled the empty swimming area. And my heart.

She swam toward me, using a hand to splash water at my face. “You cheated.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist. You were there, and it was just too tempting.” She shook her head in a half-resigned, half-amused expression, and I exploded in a chuckle. “You should see your face.”

“What’s wrong with my face?”

“Nothing. It’s cute.”

She raised a brow and scrunched up her nose. “Cute?”

My laughter increased. “Yep. Cute. I stand behind my word. Anyway, it’s better than swimmy.”

She reached me, and we faced each other. My hands returned to her hips, and I kept her at a safe distance.

The last remnants of her smile died on her face.

My humor decreased, and my pulse skyrocketed.

My gaze roamed over every one of her features as if to memorize them.

Melinda’s lips parted, and I wondered if she too was thinking about kissing me this time.

A fat drop of water slid into her eye, and she blinked, breaking the spell.

Clearly, some invisible force had decided today was not a good day to kiss my neighbor.

My voice sounded rough when I regained its usage. “Okay, what do I do now?”

She leaned back and stared at me with an expression I’d never seen before. “Five…huh…you know…um…laps?” She coughed and cleared her throat. Guess I wasn’t the only one bothered right now. “We’ll start in the water. Best time wins. I’ll give you a five-second head start.”

I whacked my chest with my fist. “Nah. If we compete against each other, we’re doing it fair and square. No privilege, no head start. I’m not scared of a little competition.”

“Fine. Last time we did this, I won.”