The Trouble With Quarterbacks - R.S. Grey Page 0,27
wearing the expensive red dress that’s now fused with my body. There’s no getting it off, and I certainly can’t wear it into the pool. Given how much I paid for it, I suppose I’ll just be wearing it forever.
“You coming in?” Kat asks, laying her clothes on a lounger behind us. She looks lovely in her black knickers and bra set, real tall and lithe.
“I can’t, remember?” I fiddle with the edge of my dress. “You two go. I’ll sit on the edge, over there by the stairs. Come swim over to me.”
They take each other’s hands and leap in together, laughing while they do it. I envy them as I curve around to the other side, watching everyone bobbing up and down in the water. I’ve never wanted to swim as badly as I do now. I bet the water feels good, and even with the heaters on, I’m still a bit chilly in my lightweight dress.
The stairs are all but abandoned since most of the crowd is gathering in the deep end. I take full advantage, hiking the skirt of my dress up around my upper thighs and stepping down until the warm water laps up to my calves.
I hear someone swim closer and glance up, expecting Yasmine and Kat, but it’s Logan, alone, wading through the water in my direction.
He looks as threatening as a shark, mostly hidden under the surface, coming straight for me. I freeze for a moment, watching him as he gets closer, and then he stands, peeling his tall frame out of the water, droplets dripping down his body. His dark hair is pushed back off his forehead. His shirt is stuck to his chest, showing off every ridge and contour of his pecs and abs. My jaw drops a bit before I can help it.
“Not getting in?” he asks.
“I can’t.”
“Worried about taking your clothes off?”
“No. Well, not exactly. I literally can’t take this dress off.”
He furrows his dark brows. “What do you mean?”
“It’s a long story and I think it’ll only make you laugh, so I can’t say. I’m trying hard to make sure you take me seriously, so it’s best if I don’t tell you.”
He comes closer with a sinister look in his eyes. “Tell me or I’ll dunk you, dress and all.”
“No!” I hold my arms out to keep him at bay, though I know it’s futile. He could do whatever he wanted with me and I couldn’t stop him. I shiver. What a thought.
His wet hand shoots out to wrap around my forearm, his grip closing around it so easily it almost scares me.
“Logan!” It’s no use. Even the serious tone I employ with the naughty toddlers at The Day School doesn’t earn me his respect.
“One…”
He starts to count, and I know when he gets to three, I’m going in.
“I can’t! It’s embarrassing!”
“Two…”
“Right okay. Just hold on, will you?!”
“Three…”
“LOGAN!”
He tugs me and I’m in the water, dunked under so I’m wet from head to toe when I surface again, sputtering water in my absolute rage.
“OH MY GOD! YOU RUINED THE MOST EXPENSIVE THING I OWN!”
I think I’m going to cry. Really. My bottom lip is quivering. Logan swims over and doesn’t stop until he’s right in front of me, touching me, gathering me close. His body is so warm, and I don’t push away even though he more than deserves it.
“What are you going on about?” he asks, pushing my wet hair off my face. “Is the dress really that expensive?”
My stomach squeezes tight as I admit the truth. “Over twenty-two hundred dollars with tax and everything. Don’t look at me like that! I didn’t want to buy it. Don’t think I’m some girl who spends money she doesn’t have, but I tried it on as a laugh, and well, the zipper got stuck and I couldn’t exactly cut myself out of it. It’s couture—custom! And now it’s ruined!”
I look down at the material in the water and ignore the fact that the red chiffon looks quite pretty floating up all around me. This is no time for frivolity!
I’m right up against Logan now, wet chest to wet chest. He has his arms wrapped around me and we’re bobbing while he listens to my hysterical rambling.
I’m faintly aware of him repeating my name, trying to get me to calm down, but it’s useless. I’m going to go haul myself over that glass wall. It’s the only solution. Yaz and Kat can use my life insurance to pay off