Page 48 of Lumi

CHAPTER 9

Fun at the Pool

Damian

When Lumi asked me to listen to music as she talked with Charles about the potential case of corruption at Solver Industries, I reminded her that I was a garda and used to keeping secrets and dealing with classified information. In the end, I was next to her as she went over the details of this morning’s call with an employee in the US.

From what I understood, the CEO of Charles’ company, John White, was a scoundrel who Lumi detested and who seemed to be stealing money from the company.

I felt terrible for Charles, who was so shaken by the news that he poured himself a whiskey before noon.

After their talk, I held Lumi to our agreement, and we went into the pool.

She put her hair up in a bun and warned me again not to get her hair wet, but of course, the first thing I did when she got into the water was to take the mick outta her and spray water over her head.

“Stop it!” Lumi said in her firm, authoritarian voice that would make weaker men retreat.

I laughed. “Ye’re so adorable when ye get riled up, but think about it for a second; why waste yer time? Have I ever cowered from yer given’ off to me? I’m not some schoolboy, Lumi. I’m older and tougher than ye.” While talking, I walked backward, forcing Lumi to follow me to the deep end where she couldn’t reach the bottom.

“Why are you making my life harder than it already is?” she complained. “If you had hair down to your bum, you’d know how long it takes to wash and dry it. If you get it wet, I’ll be cross with you.”

“I’ll make ye a deal.” I reached out my right hand to her. “If I get yer hair wet, I’ll do the washin’ and dryin’.”

Lumi narrowed her eyes, but the moment she took my hand, I pulled her closer, lifted my arm over her so that our linked hands met on her hip allowing me to pick her up bridal style.

“What are you doing?” she asked in a worried tone.

“Hold yer breath. We’re goin’ under.”

Lumi protested and struggled to get out of my hold, but I held onto her and dipped her under the water.

When we surfaced again, she was brushing water from her face and chastising me. “I told you I didn’t want my hair wet.”

I was still holding her in my arms. “And I told ye, I’m washin’ and dryin’ it, so it doesn’t matter. All you have to do is play with me for a while.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Maybe I don’t like the games you play.”

I raised an eyebrow. “How do ye know until ye try? When was the last time ye dived for coins?”

Lumi’s face was close to mine, and the sunbeams were bouncing off her perfect olive skin that made me look pale despite my summer tan.

“You want us to dive for coins?”

“Aye, for the craic of it.”

“Your definition of fun is far from mine, but if it makes you happy, I’ll do it.”

“I already dropped four coins on the bottom, so now ye have to find them.”

Lumi pushed her wet hair back and looked like a gorgeous Bond girl. “Is there a time limit?”

“Four coins in one minute.”

“One minute?” She arched a brow. “That doesn’t sound fair.”

“Saffron found six in one minute.”

“I’ll bet they were all next to each other, weren’t they?”