Then I dropped her a bit, letting her legs fall in but keeping her shoulders above the surface. Lifting and dropping, lifting and dropping, I soon had her laughing hysterically.
Setting her on her feet, I snuggled her against me. “If I ever crowd you too much, and it bothers you, just tap my shoulder, okay?” I whispered into her ear. “You don’t even have to say anything. Just push my shoulder, and I’ll get out of your space.”
She cuddled into my chest, as her hand wandered along the back of my neck. “It’s funny…knowing that I can do that at any time means that I probably won’t ever need to.”
“I need you to feel safe around me,” I said softly. “No matter what you need, baby, I want to be that for you.”
She looked up at me with a strange expression.
“What? Did I say something wrong?”
“Nobody’s ever called me baby before,” she whispered.
Holding her close, we rocked in the water together as if we were dancing. The feeling of her curvy, soft body against mine was intoxicating, but I had to ignore it, and focus on what was even more important. She had just told me a few vital things, even if she didn’t realize it.
Hayden had never been in a real relationship before. She’d never been in love, never had anyone be sweet with her.
But more import antly, I could tell from the look in those pretty brown eyes that she absolutely loved it when I called her baby.
Chapter 9
_____
Hayden
After dancing and floating around in the pool for hours, we finally got dressed before we turned into prunes, then had pizza on the patio.
We curled up on the couch for another comedy special, this time with Leif’s arm across the back of the couch, so that I could snuggle up against him. It was becoming easier and easier to touch him, sneak the odd kiss, and I realized I was becoming completely comfortable around him.
Well, comfortable in one sense. In another, I was becoming more electrified every time we touched. I’d never had anyone make me feel so much before. My long-ignored sex drive was definitely standing up again, but this time instead of waving hello it was flapping a huge green flag directly at me.
I didn’t want to lead him on, but I also didn’t know whether I was quite ready for…everything. I didn’t know how long these things usually took to play out, but probably more than three days?
I knew he wouldn’t think I was easy, but I also didn’t want him to think I was desperate. Although that word was slowly becoming more applicable.
As his arm rested behind me on the couch, his hand draped over my shoulder, just enough to keep constant contact between us.
When the show was over, Leif asked, “Do you want to watch another one? Or if you’re tired, I can carry you upstairs again.” His eyebrows waggled suggestively, but he was clearly only teasing.
“I’ll be taking the stairs myself tonight, thank you,” I said, trying my best to sound dramatically prim. “Honestly, what would the neighbors think?”
“They’d be jealous that I was spending so much time with the most beautiful girl in the world,” he said, as his fingers trailed around to the front of my shoulder.
That simple touch was making my heart speed up already. I didn’t feel like watching more TV, but I certainly wasn’t ready to go to sleep.
“There’s another option, of course,” Leif said. “We could watch the stars from my bed.”
Swiveling my head to look straight at him, he was grinning. “Now you’re wondering,” he chuckled, “is this some cheap ploy to get the cute girl into his bed, or does he actually have stars in his room? Is the pretty girl’s curiosity going to win? Let’s find out.”
He hummed some cheesy game show music while I made my decision.
“I’ll bite,” I said, standing up. “Show me the stars.”
He scooped me up in his arms and carried me, and I didn’t even bother protesting, even though I was only wearing my sleep shorts and tank top. Although Leif was very respectful in the way he held me, his hands were still warm and firm through the thin fabric, making my shiny new libido sit up and take notice.
Taking another look around his massive bedroom, I couldn’t help thinking that it was a waste of space for just one person. Something else for my hormone-soaked brain to think about.
Leif laid me gently in the center of his bed, then turned out the lights. He went over to shut the curtain, so that the room was in complete darkness.