Playing at Love

by Ophelia London

  “I’ve been running that trail at six o’clock almost every morning for the past seven years,” Tess said. “And I’m not going to allow one isolated incident to scare me away from doing something I love.”

  Jack seemed to be pondering over this for a moment, then he nodded. “Fair enough. But pepper spray. You’ll consider it?”

  Tess couldn’t help laughing. “I promise. So,” she said, turning toward the water, “you’re allowed to swim after hours? I didn’t realize the football coach also had keys to the pool.”

  “I don’t. Not officially, anyway. Swimming helps me relax. This week has been extra…” He glanced at her. “Stressful. For some reason.”

  “Ahh.” Tess nodded sagely. “Got it.”

  “Anyone tape anything shut today?” he asked, draping his towel over the back of a chair.

  “No, but I did hear about some rather creative mementos left right outside the field house door last night,” Tess said.

  Jack chuckled. “Ah, yes. The ever-popular bags of dog poo. A classic.”

  “Who stepped in it?”

  “Who didn’t?”

  Tess cringed sympathetically. “Kids.” She shook her head. “What are we going to do?”

  “It’s just pranks. Harmless so far.”

  “Famous last words,” she said, walking toward the edge of the pool. “I used to swim here when I was a kid. I was the first in my tadpole class to go off the high dive.”

  “Impressive.”

  “And I got my water safety instructor certification my senior year.” Tess slipped off one heel and dipped her toe in the water. It felt cool and refreshing.

  “Why don’t you come in?” Jack suggested.

  “No,” she replied, “I can’t. I have to get home. Long day tomorrow. Thanks, though.”

  “It’s relaxing,” Jack pointed out. “You could probably do with a bit of relaxing, I think.”

  “Jack.” She laughed softly and shook her head. “I can’t swim here alone with you. How would that look?” Jack didn’t answer, and Tess couldn’t make out his expression in the dark. All she could see was how curly his hair was when it was wet. “Anyway, I don’t have a suit, so…”

  “I don’t know about your side of the locker room,” Jack said, “but the men’s office is lined with shelves of school-issued trunks from the nineteen eighties.”

  Tess bit her lip and gazed toward the lapping blue water. It did look relaxing—and exquisite.

  “Come on,” Jack said. “We know what kind of situation the school is under when it comes to money.” He gave her a wry smile. “Who knows how much longer the pool will be operational? This might be your last chance to show off your mad tadpole skills.”

  Tess gazed a bit longingly toward the other side of the pool. “I haven’t gone off the high dive in years.”

  “So, I’ll meet you in the deep end.”

  “I shouldn’t, really,” Tess said, knowing she was fighting a losing battle against herself.

  “Ahh, Tess.” Jack took a step toward her. “You know you should listen to me.”

  Tess tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at him. “And why is that?” she asked.

  Jack waited a beat and then pulled back a crooked smile. “Because I’m older than you.”

  …

  Jack swam three lengths of the butterfly and three of the crawl while he waited for Tess to change. His muscles were stretching and his head was clearing—which was one of the things he loved most about being in the pool. Something about holding his breath and gliding made him feel like he was flying. At least that’s what he used to think when he was a kid.

  When the closing of a door echoed through the room, he looked up and saw Tess. And it wasn’t the laps across the pool that suddenly knocked him breathless.

  The blue one-piece bathing suit was probably twenty years old, and rather threadbare, but it worked on her. Boy, did it work. She was a sweet hourglass of curvy and narrow in all the right places. The cut of the suit made her legs look a million miles long. She had a towel draped over her shoulders and her dark hair was pulled up. Jack couldn’t take his eyes off her.

  As she passed him, Jack moved his gaze up to her face. The delicate, almost shy smile she gave him knocked him breathless all over again. Wordlessly, she walked the length of the pool to the high dive. After looking up and seeming to assess it for a moment, she let the towel slide off her shoulders and Jack watched it drop to the tile floor. The next moment, she was climbing the ladder. In the shadowy light, she looked like some kind of heavenly vision. When she reached the top, she stood on the platform for a moment, then slowly walked to the end of the board. After a few tentative bounces, she made one big spring and was airborne.

  Jack found himself breathless once again as he watched her soar through the air, jackknife, and slip seamlessly into the water with barely a splash. When she broke the surface a few moments later, he immediately swam out to her.

  “You’re a ten,” he said without thinking.

  “What?” Tess asked, sweeping her hair back from her face. She was wearing a huge grin, high from her dive.

  “That.” He gestured toward the board. “It was a perfect ten.”

  “Oh.” Tess threw her head back and laughed. “I thought you were talking about me in this nasty swimsuit.” She reached for the shoulder strap that had slipped down. “I think it’s about to come apart.”

  Even though Jack was submerged in cold water, he felt himself heating up, almost to the point of discomfort. “Let’s hope it…stays together,” he said after a throat clear. “So, what’s your best stroke?” he asked, needing to keep on the move. “I’ll race you to the wall.”

  …

  Tess was better at the crawl but Jack kicked her butt at just about every other stroke. And even though he did a better platform dive, he couldn’t touch her when she took the high dive. After a botched cannonball, he deemed her the winner.

  “I think I broke something that time,” Jack said, treading water at the deep end.

  Tess couldn’t help laughing as she swam out to him. “Poor baby,” she said, then laughed even harder, noticing how red his face was. “Next time, try not to hit the water headfirst.”

  “Very funny,” he said, splashing her.

  Tess squealed and splashed back.

  “Oh.” Jack lifted a crafty smile. “Is that how it’s going to be? What were you saying earlier about pranks?”

  Tess squealed again as Jack made a move toward her. “Stop. No!” She started kicking backward, splashing Jack in the face. He grabbed for her feet but she kicked him away. While Jack took a moment to wipe his eyes, Tess rolled over and took off swimming. Her escape might’ve been faster had she not been laughing so hard, swallowing water as she pulled herself forward. She could hear Jack closing in on her, muttering playful threats between his own fits of laughter.

  When she could finally touch the bottom of the pool, she turned around, but Jack was gone. A moment later, she felt something grab her legs. She was able to suck in one breath before he pulled her under, dragging her back out to the deep end. A second later, he let go of her legs only to swim up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist. This might have been enough to make Tess lose all her breath, but then Jack gave her body a tug and they broke the surface together.

  His eyes were sparkling with mischief when she turned around, his arms still encircling her.

  “Cheater,” she said, poking him in the chest.

  Jack chuckled. “You started it.”

  “Did not,” she said, poking him with her other hand.

  Then her hands kind of settled on his shoulders. She could feel the hard muscle under his tan skin and was very aware of being clasped in his arms. Her legs were kicking to keep herself afloat, but that was probably automatic, because all Tess could concentrate on was the wonderful feeling of Jack’s arms around her and the feel of his smooth skin beneath her fingers. She took in a sharp breath when Jack tilted back, causing Tess to
float above him. Instinctively, she stopped kicking and just hovered, their legs touching right under the surface.

  Her heart pounded as she moved her hands up his muscular arms and around his neck. She searched his face, his eyes, those gorgeous lips. Her heart was beating fast, throbbing in her chest.

  “Tess,” Jack whispered. Then his smoldering brown eyes dropped to her mouth.

  …

  One second ago, she’d been locked in his arms. And now she was a good two feet away, staring at him while treading water. The expression on her face was unreadable.

  “We can’t,” Tess said, rubbing a hand across her eyes. A line of black makeup was smudged in the corner of one. Jack wanted to reach out and wipe it away. And then he wanted to…

  “We can’t do…this,” she added.

  Jack didn’t understand what she was talking about. All he knew was that his arms ached for her. By now, the two of them had drifted to the shallow end. Speechless, Jack watched as Tess walked to the stairs in the corner, grabbed the silver handle, and stepped out of the pool. Her silhouette was mesmerizing and he couldn’t understand what had just happened.

  Then it suddenly came to him. He’d almost kissed Tess Johansson. They’d almost…

  He clinched his eyes shut and ran a hand over his face. How could he have been so stupid? So careless? Yes, she was beautiful. No denying that. Yes, she was fun and brave and amazingly sexy. And yes, she made him feel like a sixteen-year-old again: crazy with hormones and ready to explode.

  Still, she was right. He knew he shouldn’t. Sure, there was the issue at school, which Jack admitted was pretty major. But beyond that, getting involved with anyone was a complication he couldn’t afford, not when his personal life was under a microscope. With Tess specifically, however, there was an additional issue, something that might’ve kept them apart now, no matter what.

  “Tess!” he called out, not even thinking. “Wait!”

  “No,” Tess said, not stopping as she padded toward the locker room, leaving a watery trail.

  “Wait a minute. Please!” Jack heard Tess sigh, but she did finally stop. He rushed to the side of the pool and pulled himself out. “I’m sorry,” he said once he’d reached her. “I shouldn’t have…” But he didn’t know how to finish.

  Tess crossed her arms. Jack noticed her shiver, so he grabbed his dry towel off a bench and handed it to her.

  “Thank you,” she said, patting at her face. “It was my fault, too. If something happened between us…it would be a very bad idea. Don’t you think? Under the circumstances?” She wrung her hair out and then turned to leave.

  “Hold on.” He hadn’t meant to, but he reached out and took her hand. She didn’t look irritated when she turned around. She looked more…unhappy. Which made his heart drop to his feet.

  Jack didn’t understand what was happening inside his brain. Since his split with Susan, he hadn’t felt emotional about any woman. He’d dated around, but he never allowed himself to get close. There had always been obstacles, like juggling work and wanting to protect Jenna. There were even more obstacles when it came to being with Tess.

  But he couldn’t seem to stay away from her.

  “There’s something I want to tell you,” he continued, not letting go of her hand. “That night, that summer. That last night of vacation.” He paused, giving her a chance for her mind to catch up to where his had jumped. “I want to tell you why I didn’t show up.”

  Chapter Ten

  Tess stared at Jack, remembering when they’d been teenagers. It had been their last date before both families left for home. It was supposed to be the most important night of her life. She had waited, she was finally ready, and it was going to be perfect…and then Jack had disappeared, left her standing at the spot they were meant to meet. This explanation was something Tess had been waiting on for fifteen years.

  At the same time—even as she relished the feeling of his long fingers curling around her arm—she felt an urgency to stay away from him.

  She didn’t like how often she thought about him these days or how those thoughts confused her. He was still the enemy, the person standing between her and her job, plus everything that keeping her job meant. As she stared up into his eyes, fighting back the cliché feeling of “weak in the knees,” she wondered if giving in to her building attraction was more important than saving the music program and her parents’ house.

  Of course not. And yet Tess couldn’t help letting her eyes linger on his chest and his perfect abs while something stirred deep inside her stomach. She quickly moved her eyes up before they dropped any lower.

  With his free hand, Jack ran his fingers through his wet hair, making the front stand on end. Tess wanted to smile at how cute he looked. But right on the heels of that feeling was the dread again, the uncertainty about everything. She couldn’t let her guard down around this guy. No matter what.

  “What night?” Tess said, taking a stab at playing dumb. But when Jack gave her a look, she sighed. Tess had never been very good at playing dumb.

  She was curious, okay, but did she really want to drag up the painful past? “That was years ago, Jack,” she said. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Yes, it does,” he snapped and gripped her arm tighter. “Sorry,” he said softly, letting go when she glanced down at his hand. “I’ve wanted to talk to you about it ever since I saw you that first morning in Walker’s meeting. But it never seemed like the right time.”

  Tess lifted an eyebrow. “And now seems like the right time?”

  Jack chuckled softly and glanced away. “Maybe not.” He paused for a second then moved his eyes back to Tess. “But I want to.”

  Tess thought for a moment then nodded her permission, unfolding the towel and wrapping it around her shoulders.

  Touching her arm more gently this time, Jack led Tess a few steps over to the long bench against the wall. They both sat.

  “When we were together that summer,” Jack began, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees, “I didn’t tell you about Lisa, did I?”

  “Lisa?” Tess repeated, searching her brain for that name and any kind of connection with Jack. “No,” she answered.

  Jack shook his head. “I didn’t think so. By then I was trying to not even think about her.”

  “Who was she?” Tess asked.

  Jack didn’t answer for a moment and Tess couldn’t see his expression clearly in the dim room. “She was my girlfriend from back home,” he finally said.

  “You had a girlfriend?” Tess shrieked, leaning away from him in shock. “That summer we—”

  Jack sat up straight and held out both hands to stop her. “Sorry. No. Ex-girlfriend, I mean. By the time I left for vacation, we’d been broken up for a couple of months.”

  “So, what about her? What does she have to do with why you stood me up?”

  “Lisa and I had been going out that whole school year. It was pretty serious. About the time when we should’ve been thinking about our midterm exams, we found out she was pregnant.”

  “Oh.” Tess had not expected this.

  “Yeah. Well…she lost it after three months, but the whole thing really freaked me out, both of us. And we stopped seeing each other, almost immediately.” He crossed his arms, leaning forward again. “After that, I decided to swear off girls for a while, at least until I got my head together and figured out what I could handle.” He chuckled darkly, dropping his chin. “I was really turned off by the idea of sex.” He lifted a weak smile. “When I told my brothers that, they said I needed therapy.”

  Tess laughed uncomfortably, pulling her knees into her chest.

  “Anyway, my family was going away to a Po-dunk beach town and I figured I would spend my summer surfing with my brothers, playing guitar, and thinking about football. And then I saw you.” He took a beat and then turned to face her. “Game changer.”

  Tess squeezed her knees tight as she pictured the fifteen-year-old Jack strolling over to her that night at the talent sh
ow. How she’d fallen for him instantly.

  “You approached me,” she said. “You were the instigator.”

  “Yeah.” Jack smiled. “I know.”

  “Even after you swore off dating?”

  “There was something about you.” He looked down. “I saw you that first night, laughing with the group at your table. I didn’t know the word ‘vivacious’ back then, but that’s exactly how you were. Alive and dazzling. And then you got up in front of that whole room and sang.” He ran his hand across his mouth. Tess thought he was attempting to wipe away the hint of a smile. “I didn’t know anyone could be so brave.”

  A warmth of reminiscence crept into Tess’s chest, slowing her breathing…

  Softening her heart.

  Jack leaned back against the wall and stared straight ahead toward the diving boards at the other end of the pool. Tess watched a drop of water trail down the side of his neck, following the cords of muscles until it got lost in his chest hair.

  “Anyway,” he continued, “once we started hanging out, that promise I made to myself was all but dead. I was so in love with you, Tess.” He looked at her. “As I’m sure you could tell.”

  The self-deprecating twinkle in his brown eyes made Tess’s heart start to ache. There was a struggle going on inside, and she was losing.

  “Every other girl I’d known completely disappeared from my memory when I met you. I loved kissing you and holding you and just hanging out together. I knew you weren’t ready to go any further—and that was okay, but then you told me you wanted our last night together to be special.” He dropped his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. “I thought I knew what you meant. Was I wrong?”

  “No,” she answered after wetting her dry lips. “I was ready.”

  “We were supposed to meet at the boathouse that night,” Jack added.

  “I know,” said Tess sadly, remembering the pains she had taken about what dress and how much perfume to wear. And then there had been no one there to see her.

  “About an hour before I was going to meet you, Lisa called. Our conversation wasn’t long and I can’t even remember what we talked about. But I do know that after we spoke, I was completely freaked out again. Sweaty palms, feeling like I might throw up.”