Page 41 of Pleasure Island
14
Mila
I needed the swim.
Splashing through the water and talking with some of the clients who were staying at the resort was fun and all, but I’d woken up with a headache, and it had only gotten worse as the day went on.
Actually, it had only gotten worse every time I saw Liam and watched as he deliberately averted his gaze.
I was pretty sure I remembered all of last night – had I done something and forgotten about it?
He sure as hell seemed to be determined to ignore me today.
Not that itbotheredme, I insisted to myself, rolling onto my back and staring up at the sky.
The water lapped at my body, and I thought that I could just happily stay like this.
A couple of the people I’d met up with earlier shouted my name.
Shifting to tread water, I cocked my head, listening.
“We’re ready for lunch. You?”
“No, but you go on,” I called back.
A few more lingered in the water, closer to shore – and Liam – than I was.
Liam.
He was driving me nuts.
I stopped treading water and started to swim, lazy strokes at first, then faster. Harder.
I was out of breath when I stopped, and I looked back toward the shore, a little dismayed by how far I’d swam. I started back, well aware that I needed to be more careful.
I didn’t know how far I went before the muscle cramp all but seized my entire body, emanating from my left leg.
I went under, choking on water. Scrambling and clawing, I fought my way back to the surface. I opened my mouth to shout for help, but I was still half-choking on the water, and nothing came out.
I went under again.
I was a good swimmer, a strong one. But I’d never had this happen, and panic swept through me, eradicating any rational thought.
I clawed my way to the surface once more – or I tried.
My left leg felt all but useless, and the muscle cramp all but had me ready to sob, it hurt so bad.
My lungs screamed for air.
I beat ineffectively at the water, but the surface seemed to be getting farther away…and darker.
Vaguely, I saw a dark shape come between me and the surface.
Helplessly, I lifted a hand toward it as the darkness swam in closer, closer, closer…
A strong arm around my middle caught me, pulling me back against an equally strong body. The pressure on my belly had me gagging, but I fought it back.
Reality started to set in, and I began to shiver, even as Liam swam us both back to the shore – and safety.
