his swim trunks as we slipped through the water, and his strong arms pressing against my breasts, making tingles break out all over my skin.
He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing beside me. “I mean… You fainted yesterday. Are you okay now?”
Embarrassment replaced the desire flooding my bloodstream. “Yes. That was... a fluke. Low blood sugar.”
“Good.” He gave more strong kicks, his body brushing against me in rhythmic waves. “I didn’t mean to… hurt you.”
“You didn’t.” I chanced a glance at him. From my vantage point, his strong jaw and freshly shaved cheek were visible, as was the soft hair below his ear. I wondered what it might feel like to run my fingers through his locks, and a fresh wave of desire flooded my body.
Levi’s nostrils flared, and his arms tightened around my shoulders. Suddenly, I had the sense that I’d angered him again, though I had no idea why.
“Should I help you swim?”
“Don’t,” he said, his teeth gritted as if he were holding on for dear life. “Just don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
But he didn’t answer. His body had gone taut, and he swam like our lives depended on it.
I went quiet, once again with no idea what I’d done to offend him.
His feet hit the lake bottom, and he stood. I expected him to direct me to walk, but instead, he picked me up in his arms and began to carry me to shore.
“You don’t have to. I can walk,” I offered, but he shook his head.
“Sasha wants it done a certain way.” His teeth were still gritted, and he held his eyes forward, moving with the determined steps of a man who had a job to finishâ —getting away from me.
When we got to the beach, I was sure he’d finally set me on my feet. Instead, he knelt down and laid my body on the sand.
There I lay, wet and half naked while he hovered over me.
His job was done, he could be rid of me, and yet he lingered, one hand on the sand beside my head. His eyes roved over my body with a look I couldn’t quite define. Perhaps, a look of abandon.
Of desire.
Like he wanted me.
Then he shook his head. Giving a low growl, he shot up and ran as fast as his legs would carry him. I sat up and watched him go, wondering what in the hell had just happened.
Chapter Eleven
“I think I should leave.”
The deep voice, so recognizable to me now, drifted from the open window of Dean Purty’s office as I passed the main building, halting me in my tracks. I’d decided to walk the long way around from the lake to my cabin, giving myself some time to analyze Levi’s strange behavior during our lifeguard training.
And here he was, talking to the dean, asking to leave.
“Levi…” Dean Purty replied, his voice tinged with a note of warning.
“I know,” Levi assured him. “This is where I should be, but I don’t know if I can handle being so close to her.”
Her? Was he talking about me? No. Why would he be?
“You need to learn to control it,” the dean said, his voice stern. “If she tempts you—”
His words cut off mid-sentence, and I yelped as Levi’s brooding face suddenly appeared at the window out of nowhere. He snarled at me before slamming the pane shut and yanking the curtains closed. My heart thumped in my chest as I stared at the closed window for several beats. Adrenaline rushed through my veins, and I spun around, making a run for it.
“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid,” I mumbled to myself as I rounded the bend in the road that headed back toward Saka’am. I hadn’t meant to snoop, but now it seemed like I was his number one stalker.
I felt a strong need to hide under the covers in my bunk and sulk. First, Levi practically ran away from me after staring at me with that strange expression. Like he was attracted to me. Or he was disgusted by the feel of my skin against his. It had been impossible to tell which emotion he was actually feeling.
Then, I overheard Micah laughing and telling the others how pathetic it was that Levi couldn’t bring himself to put his mouth on mine for the CPR portion of my “rescue.” I didn’t even realize he was supposed to do that, and I cursed myself for the little thrill of anticipation that shot through me at the thought of it.
And now, the cherry on top of this