Page 61 of Secrets Beneath the Waves (Beach Read Thrillers #2)
CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
Their third day at the cottage dawned bright and sunny.
Still no word from Dante’s colleagues about the killer, so Jules braced herself for the fact that they might not be able to return home for a while yet.
Not that it was a hardship to be here in this gorgeous cottage with a man who continued to surprise her, a man she was more and more drawn to, despite her best intentions.
Still, she worried about her mother and her friends and couldn’t wait until all of this was over and she knew they were safe.
She stared out the window at the glittering swimming pool as she unloaded their breakfast and lunch dishes from the dishwasher. If she’d brought a swimsuit, it would have been fun to go for a dip.
Dante came up to stand next to her, his gaze following hers. “Feel like a swim?”
“I might, but I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”
He set a glass on the top rack. “Don’t worry about that.
My mom is always prepared for guests. She has several new bathing suits in the pool house in various sizes.
You’ll be able to find something to wear.
There are towels out there as well. And I can grab one of those big raft things so you can float around for a while. It’s extremely relaxing.”
Okay, that did sound pretty good. When was the last time she’d been able to truly relax? Since she couldn’t remember, it was likely long overdue. Jules closed the dishwasher door. “Sounds great.”
Dante touched a finger to her arm, just above her left wrist, still bandaged from the hospital. “Think your wrist is healed enough to get wet?”
She turned her arm over to gaze at the white gauze. “Good question. I haven’t checked it since I left the hospital.”
He inclined his head toward it. “Mind if I take a look?”
That was not a good idea. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to check the wound before she went into the pool. Jules leaned back against the counter and held out her arm.
Dante unhooked the clasp holding the end of the bandage in place and slowly unwound it. When he finished, he stepped on the pedal of the trash can to lift the lid. “We have more gauze in the First-Aid kit if you need it.”
She nodded.
Sliding his hand beneath hers to hold it steady, Dante ran his left index finger across her wrist, above the spot where the cuff had rubbed it raw. Thankfully, it appeared to be well on the way to being fully healed, and only a small scar with a bit of redness around it remained.
When he brushed his thumb below the scar, Jules swallowed. “What do you think?”
Still holding his hand beneath hers, Dante looked up. “I think you’re good.” His thumb made one more lazy pass across her wrist before he released her.
“Great.” Yep. Definitely a bad idea. Hopefully he’d believe the slight rasp in her voice was a holdover from the smoke inhalation.
His lips quirked. “Go get ready. I’ll grab the floatie from the garage.”
Jules nodded. On slightly weak legs, she pushed away from the counter and went out through the sliding glass patio doors to stroll along the winding cobblestone path to the pool gate.
At the far end of the enclosure stood a small, white building that looked like a miniature cottage.
The pool house, no doubt. When she stepped inside, the aroma of chlorine drifted on the air.
Jules closed her eyes and pressed a palm to the cool wall next to a row of towel hooks, the memory catching her off-guard.
She’d always been an avid swimmer and had been the one to take Louisa to swimming lessons, holding her little sister under her arms as Lou floated on her tummy and learned to kick and splash.
The smell of chlorine, one Jules had always loved, would forever bring those moments to her mind.
With no visual memories to hold close and perpetually draw upon, when the sight or aroma or sound of something carried a remembrance to her conscious mind, it catapulted into her body every emotion she had ever felt over the person or experience, often blindsiding her, knocking her off-kilter for days.
Now, after her conversation with Dante the day before, this memory trailed after it only joy and a warmth that spread through her entire body.
Smiling, she crossed the cement floor to a wall of cubbies, each of which held a swimsuit still in its package, a cover-up, and a clean, folded towel.
Baskets on the floor held flip flops in various sizes and colors.
Dante’s mother was either extremely controlling or the most thoughtful person and host on the planet.
Now that Jules had gotten to know Dante better, she suspected the latter.
Jules perused the offerings before choosing a modest, royal-blue one-piece. She changed in a cubicle and slipped on the flowy white cover-up and a pink pair of flip-flops before heading back to the pool area, clutching a fluffy, lemon-yellow towel.
Dante was crouched next to the pool, directing a large, rectangular, floral raft with rippled bottom and raised sides out onto the surface of the water. When he saw her, he stood and trapped the floatie against the edge of the pool with one foot. “Want me to hold it for you so you can get in?”
“Sure. Thanks.” Feeling slightly self-conscious, Jules tossed the towel onto a chaise lounge before removing the cover-up and flip-flops.
Dante grasped her elbow lightly to keep her steady as she stepped into the middle of the floatie.
When he let her go, she lowered herself to the bottom and stretched out, her head resting on a blow-up cushion.
“You good?”
“Mmm.” Jules reached over one side to trail her fingers through the cool water. “So good.”
He chuckled. “All right, then. I’m off to chop wood. Enjoy.”
She pressed the side of her hand to her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun. “Thank you, Dante de Marco.”
“You’re welcome, Jules Adler.” He flashed her that grin of his before strolling away.
Jules lowered her arm to the side of the floatie and closed her eyes. The raft bobbed on the tiny ripples of water that a warmer-than-usual breeze for this time of year stirred up. Yep, she could get used to this.
She floated until the gentle movement and warm sunshine got to her and she drifted off.
When she opened her eyes again, Jules had no idea how much time had passed, only that she had never felt more relaxed or peaceful in her life.
Her skin was hot. Time to get out of the sun.
Rather than paddle to the edge of the pool, she climbed over the side of the raft and splashed into the water.
The coolness embraced her, and she swam several lengths before backstroking to the metal steps in the corner of the deep end, grasping both rails, and hauling herself up the stairs to the deck.
After drying her hair and body as much as possible with the fluffy towel, Jules threw on the cover-up and started for the pool house.
Halfway along the side of the pool, something caught her eye.
Aww. Dante had set a bouquet of wild daisies next to the pool while she was sleeping.
How sweet was that after the story she’d told him the night before about how much she and Lou had loved picking them and making necklaces and crowns?
Jules scooped up the bouquet and held the dainty white and yellow flowers to her chest as she continued on to the small building.
After setting the daisies on a bench in the middle of the room, she dressed and ran her fingers through her hair.
A clothesline had been strung from one wall to the other, and Jules hung the suit, towel, and cover-up on it, securing them in place with clothespins.
Then she gathered up the flowers and headed outside.
The thunking sound of wood being chopped led her to a shed at the end of a short pathway through a stand of trees.
As she watched, Dante set a small piece of wood on a stump, held it in place, and brought a hatchet down to split it into two.
He’d rolled up the short sleeves of his black T-shirt, and his arms, considerably more muscled than she had realized, glistened.
Jules took another step. A twig cracked beneath her sandal, and she stilled as Dante glanced over. His eyes met hers, and for a moment she couldn’t move. Or breathe. Something passed between them that she wasn’t nearly ready to try and interpret but that sent more warmth flowing through her.
Then he broke the intensity—thankfully—by glancing down at the bouquet in her hand. His brow furrowed slightly. “Where did you find those? I’ve never seen any daisies growing on this property.”