Sucker Punch (First Fangs Club #3) - Kristen Painter Page 0,23
the back of the chaise and returned to the water’s edge. Now that she didn’t necessarily need to breathe, it might be interesting to see if she could make it all the way across underwater just swimming at a normal human speed.
She took a breath and dove.
The water was glorious. She loved the feel of it, the buoyancy, the warmth, the way her body slid through it. She kept her hands out in front of her until she started to slow, then swam froggy-style the rest of the way.
She touched the wall a few seconds later and came up for air. She’d made it across and ended up at the entrance to the lazy river. A short stack of tubes sat nearby, but she decided to try floating on her own.
Flipping onto her back, she went feet-first into the opening, then let the current take her. There were definitely jets. She could see them spaced evenly enough to keep her moving. She steered with her hands, occasionally pushing off the wall with her foot if she got too close.
The surroundings really did seem like an oasis. All kinds of well-manicured plants and flowers decorated the banks of the river. She passed under a rock arch that had a couple of orchids growing off it.
Farther along, she came to one of the waterfall grottos, but she didn’t go in. Looked like a cool place to hang out, but she wanted to see the whole thing, then swim some laps and get back to the penthouse.
She’d just started to make the bend when she heard a splash. Not a big one, but enough that she knew she wasn’t alone anymore. She wondered who’d shown up. Pierce maybe. She turned onto her stomach and swam toward the end of the river.
She stopped before she got dumped out into the pool. She didn’t see anyone for a moment, then realized that was because whoever had dived in was underwater, swimming across the pool just like she’d done.
He surfaced a few seconds later, turned to take the next lap, and caught sight of her. Not Pierce. “Governor.”
She was so busy staring at his body that it took her a second to recognize that her company was the same man she’d seen in the lobby. The one who’d just come back from a run.
The one who looked like he’d been chiseled from a block of fine Italian marble. She swallowed, realized she was staring, lifted her gaze, and nodded. “Hi.”
Wow. He was…wow. The kind of hot that made her gums ache. Also parts lower. That was new. The gums, not the lower bits. She was forty-nine, not frozen.
He smiled, which filled her stomach with butterflies. “I guess we both had the same idea.”
“I guess so.” His gaze dipped briefly, reminding her of the suit she had on. She sucked in her stomach, then remembered she didn’t need to do that anymore and relaxed. Human habits died hard. “I’ve never been here before, but seeing you in the lobby made me realize it had been a while since I’d been out for a run, but then my admin suggested I check out the pool, and here I am.”
Why was she rambling? She didn’t ramble. She’d almost giggled, too, which really wasn’t like her. Her head felt a little odd on top of it. Kind of thick and floaty.
“Fortunately, there’s plenty of room for both of us to do that.”
“It’s a big pool.” Mary and Joseph, she couldn’t stop staring. How did a man end up looking like that? She needed to stop ogling his body, or he was going to think she was a creeper. And not just because he was probably half her age. “I’m Donna, by the way.”
“I’m Kace. I live two floors up from this one.”
“Nice to meet you, neighbor.” Now she was flirting. Was she turning into a cougar? “I live in the penthouse.”
“I know.”
“Of course you do.” She laughed, even though it wasn’t that funny. What was going on with her? Why was she acting like this?
His gaze shifted again, and he gave her a little nod. “Nice suit.”
“Thanks.” She licked her bottom lip and took a few steps from the river into the pool. “Is it impolite to ask what you are? I know there aren’t many humans who live in this building, so…” She shrugged. He was definitely no mere mortal.
He chuckled, stretching one arm out to lean on the side of the pool. Was he showing off for her