Thou Shalt Not(53)

“It’s one of my numerous flaws.”

“Oh shut up. Don’t be so self-effacing all the time. Most people aren’t very observant at all.”

I didn’t really know what to say in response, so I took her advice and shut up for a few minutes.

The breeze blew softly through the trees all around the house. I loved the way a nice sea-breeze sounded, but I normally never took to the time to sit somewhere and listen to it. I didn’t get down near the water very often. Most Floridians took it for granted, at least the ones who weren’t fortunate enough to actually live on the water.

The water in the pool glistened from the light underneath, and the breeze had caused a slight rippling. The pool looked inviting. I had half a mind to pick April up and toss her in. Part of me thought she might be the type of girl who would actually like something like that. Or at least laugh about it.

I had attempted that once with Carrie at her parents’ house and she didn’t speak to me for the rest of the night. Some girls just liked spontaneous, and even though April was calculating, she also had an air about her that screamed playful.

I glanced over at her, and her eyes were lost in a gaze somewhere off to her right. I could have followed to see what was transfixing her, but I preferred looking at her. She was breathing slowly, and her chest was rising and falling in a steady rhythm. The wisps of hair that had freed itself from her ponytail fluttered joyously in the breeze. She really was a beautiful woman, was in any light. But moonlight made her shine. This would be one of those moments that get permanently seared into your memory.

“I don’t want to have to go to work tomorrow,” she finally said, still staring off into the distance.

“Practically took the words right out of my mouth.”

“More videos?”

“Yes, ma’am. I will let them finish the videos tomorrow and then they can get back to learning next week.”

She turned toward me and smiled warmly, her hand squeezing my arm again.

“I have a confession to make.”

Oh boy, I thought and then said, “Let me have it.”

“I like it when you call me ma’am.”

I laughed.

“Really?” I said, in the most incredulous tone I could muster.

“Yes,” she said, lowering her head and frowning. “It’s shameful, I know.”

“Well, I won’t give away your secret, I promise.”

Her hand gave my arm one last squeeze and then April stood up. She set the walkie talkie down on the table, along with her cell phone. I had no idea where the cell phone came from either, but she apparently had the deepest pajama pants’ pockets ever created. She walked over to the edge of the pool and reached her arms high above her head in a stretch. Her arms slowly fell to her sides and I could see the muscles in her back and arms. They weren’t large or grotesque in any way. She was extremely fit, and her lean muscle was just more obvious to me in a tank top.

This angle also gave me the best look at her butt yet. I already liked it when she was wearing a dress, but in pajama pants it became a sculpted work of art. The pants’ material was thin, but not sexually so. It simply wasn’t a heavy material, and it clung perfectly to her.

I wanted to stand up, walk over to her, and hug her from behind, holding her in front of the pool. I probably would have were it not for the creepy dark windows peering over me from above. Maybe it was a good thing they were there.

I stood up too and walked over to her side. She was looking down into the water.

“You know, if I knew you better I would probably push you in,” she said very nonchalantly, as if letting me know the water temperature.

“If I knew you better, I would probably beat you to it,” I replied.

She turned to me, her eyes full of mischievous energy.

“Oh really?”

Her hands quickly went up and grabbed my shoulders, and mine instinctively grabbed her waist. I could feel her grip tighten when I touched her, and her eyes widened.

“If I go in, you are going in with me,” I said, shuffling my feet closer to the edge.

Her hands moved along my shoulders and her feet edged closer to mine.

“I’m a grown woman,” she said. “Threats involving water don’t scare me.”

Her bottom lip curled up under her teeth as she smiled, repeating what I had said earlier. Or mocking me, perhaps.

I tightened my grip on her hips and flinched, pretending I was about to throw her in. She gasped slightly, hands grabbing my shoulders tightly again. Her hips arched forward and she leaned up on her toes as if in reflex.

“I thought you weren’t scared,” I said, pulling her closer to me. “People usually don’t gasp when they are ready for what’s about to happen.”