Intercepted by J Q Anderson Read Free Book Online Page B

hated it at first and needed him to hold my hand, but I want to show him he
isn ’ t wasting his time, so even though my heart is
kicking the hell out of my chest, I push myself and do it on my own.
Underwater, he is swirling his lower legs at the knees in a movement that
resembles the whisks of a hand mixer. Exactly like he described. It looks like
he is egg-beating with his legs. I come up for air, then dip my face in and
watch him again. While he does this, his hands go up and down in a flying-like
movement that allows him to keep his head and even his shoulders above water.
My attention is temporarily derailed by the way his muscles flex underwater. I
watch him for a long while, knowing he can ’ t see me. It ’ s beautiful. I scold myself and come up for air.
I am impressed because above the surface, he is almost immobile.
    “Now you try,” he says. I feel the panic rise and I think he sees it on
my face because he holds my forearms as I try the movement he just explained.
It takes me several attempts. My legs are not cooperating and the fact that our
bodies are so close is a major distraction. I try to focus and not gape at the
work of art that are his arms and shoulders. Every single muscle is outlined as
if someone just Photoshopped him for a swimsuit ad. His hair is wet and beads
of water trickle down his forehead. Steam rises from the pool surface, giving
him this God-like aura.
    He is very distracting.
    I frown and coerce my mind to concentrate and finally I think I get it
because he slowly slides his hands down my arms until he is holding only my
fingers. I am ecstatic and want to scream that I did it, but I don ’ t want to let go of him. He then holds only one
of my hands and tells me to do the flying movement with the other. When he
thinks I ’ ve got it, he tells me he ’ s going to let go. I look at him with wide eyes
and he smiles.
    “You can do it, Natalia.” The way he says my name causes me to lose my
coordination and I panic, whipping my limbs in every direction, splashing him
as I flap my arms and gasp for air. He immediately wraps his arms around me and
tells me it ’ s okay.
    “You did great,” he says to my ear and a surge of electricity travels
through me. I am holding on to his neck for my life, panting, but the soothing
tone of his voice relaxes me and I slowly loosen my grip. The group at the
Jacuzzi is staring in our direction and the girls are laughing out loud. I
scowl at them and want to tell them to fuck off.
    “They ’ re just some stupid drunks. Don ’ t worry about them,” he says, and I have to fight
the urge to kiss him. Nobody has made me feel this safe in years. Not even
Marc. Marc is attentive, but patience is not his suit. I can ’ t imagine him doing what Jake is doing for me
right now. The only person that made me feel something close to this was…
Tango, an eternity ago.
    I shake off the thought and look up at Jake. He is watching me with those
warm eyes that remind me of the way cognac feels as it slides down your throat
on a cold day. Shit . I push away my day-fantasy with this almost
stranger and offer him a small, apologetic smile.
    “Should we try again?” I say, and I think he ’ s pleased because his answering smile is dazzling.
In an effort to break the spell from that smile I try to think of Marc, but I
really don ’ t want to think of Marc right
now. Jake ’ s presence is so strong there
is no room for anything else. So I go with it.
    By the end of the lesson, I ’ ve got
the egg-beater thing down and Jake praises me for my progress.
    “Wanna have a drink? You ’ ve
earned it.”
    I look up at the lodge. Fraternizing with the guests is not encouraged
and I am already pushing my luck with the swimming lessons. The only reason I
got away with it was because Sarah, our manager, likes me and thinks I am her
pet project, so she was eager to help.
    “Natalia, it ’ s just a drink. Not a
proposition. But it ’ s cool if you
don ’ t feel like