Page 50 of In Doubt

“Can I assume you didn’t OK all this?” I ask Jake.

“What do you think?”

“I thought you two were getting on better.”

He grunts. “I swear that girl smells more fucking intoxicating by the day.”

“Nah,” I say. “You just get more sexually frustrated by the day.”

My friend’s dilemma doesn’t prove any easier when the four girls come swanning out in their swimsuits. Giorgie’s dressed in some red bikini, and while it isn’t one of those stringy contraptions that remind me of dental floss, in fact it’s pretty modest, there’s still acres of her bronzed skin on show.

Jake can hardly look at her. The rest of us, we’re staring like a bunch of perverts. Doesn’t matter that there are three other pretty girls lining up by our pool. It’s Giorgie who catches our attention.

The girls chatter to themselves, dipping their toes in the water, until the one with the dark braid dives in and the others follow, the blue water suddenly alive with movement. Giorgie remains by the side, sitting on the edge and kicking her legs through the rippling water.

“Are you coming in?” I ask Jake.

“No,” he says, climbing off the lounger and stalking inside.

My gaze is pulled back to the little omega, her hands tucked neatly under her thighs.

I shrug my t-shirt off, twist my hair into a bun, and head for the water. Jake wasn’t lying. Somehow she smells even more potent this afternoon.

“Hi,” I say, coming to sit down next to her.

“Hi,” she says, squinting against the bright sunshine.

“Aren’t you getting in?”

She chews on her lip and gazes out across the water.

“Not yet.”

I tilt my head in question.

“I … I can’t swim,” she says. “So I’m always a bit nervous about getting in.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal.

“How come?” I ask her. “How come you can’t swim?”

“I don’t know really,” she says, her long legs scissoring through the water. “I never learnt as a kid. My parents worked a lot – they ran their own restaurant – and we never really had time to go to the pool or whatever.”

“Huh,” I say. I know Giorgie lives in some big mansion on the exclusive side of Studworth. I’d just assumed her parents were rich. I’m guessing not. Rich parents like Jake’s may not have time for their kids but they pay others to have time. Rich parents would’ve had nannies chaperoning their omega daughter to swimming lessons. “You should learn.” For some reason, I don’t like the idea of her not owning this skill. Without it, she’s at an unnecessary risk.

“I keep meaning to.”

I jump down into the water, the cold making me gasp. Then I hold my hand up to her.

“Come on, in you get. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”

She gazes longingly at the gleaming surface and removes her glasses, folding in the arms and resting them beside her. Then with an intake of breath, she slides in after me, her fingers tight on the side of the pool behind her.

“Ahhhh,” she moans as the water swallows her up and she bends her knees sinking low until her chin kisses the surface. “That is so good. I’ve been boiling all day.”

I keep my eyes locked on her. Any sign of her losing her footing, of going under, and I’m fishing her straight back out.

“How was the site today?” I ask her.

“A bit disappointing. They’re still working on our trench. I don’t think we’ll be able to get in there until tomorrow.”