Page 29 of Because of Blake
Do I wave back? Do I pretend like I don’t see him?Before I can decide, he’s standing in front of me, and all I’ve done is stare.
“Hi, Maggie. Is this seat taken?” he asks, gesturing to my neighboring chair.
I swallow deeply as I rake in his bare chest, the muscles much more defined now that he’s closer. “No, it’s all yours.”
“Are the kids here?” He spreads out his towel and lies back in the chair.
“Yep, they’re over there. See the two trying to dunk each other? Those are my angels.”
Blake takes off his sunglasses, as if it’s going to help him see better, and takes a quick glance at the pool before turning his head to trail his eyes from my feet to my face, pausing on my hips a moment. “Looks like they’re having fun. And you’re sitting here by yourself?”
“I’ve got my book.” I hold it up, much more confident than the last time he caught me reading.
He studies the book, a sparkle in his eye. “That one doesn’t look as good as the one you had last year.” His lips curl into a mischievous smile, and I blush. “But, I don’t want to bother you if you’re reading. I can find another seat.” He leans forward.
“No!” I say it too quickly, too enthusiastically. “No, it’s fine. I’d rather have a conversation, anyway. I can read any time.”
The smile on his face spreads into a grin. As he lies back down, his eyes travel from my face and down my torso, lingering a moment on my bikini top before going all the way to my feet. He stares at my feet for a few seconds, and I curl my toes to stop them from wiggling. He flicks his gaze back to mine. “Nice suit.”
He may be passing on taking me on a date, but he’s still checking me out. That’s a good sign.“Thank you,” I say, glancing away as my cheeks are undeniably red.
He folds his arms behind his head, his chest and biceps flexing as he does, and closes his eyes. Even with the bustle of the pool, the silence between me and Blake is deafening.
Unable to form a coherent thought, I blurt out, “Do you come to the pool a lot?” I cringe at the way my question sounds like a cheesy pick-up line.
Blake shrugs. “A couple times during the summer. I’d rather be at the lake with Oscar, but I don’t always have the time, so I come here when I need a little water getaway. What about you? You like the pool?” He turns his head slightly and pops one eye open to look at me.
“Yes, I do. I’d much rather be on a beach, but they’re hard to come by in Colorado, so the pool has to do.”
“There are beaches at the lake.”
“I suppose there are, but I’m talking about a tropical beach. You know, the ones with palm trees and little umbrellas in the drinks.”
Blake laughs. Good,I was hoping he would. I don’t want to sound like some kind of high maintenance diva. I do love tropical beaches, but the pool is fine with me.
“I’d love a drink with a little umbrella in it.”
“Well, I don’t think they serve those here. You’ll have to settle for a soda from the vending machine.”
“You buying?”
“I certainly can if you’d like,” I say, picking up my bag and reaching for my wallet.
Blake sits up and puts his hand on mine, pushing my bag down to the ground. The electricity of his touch radiates through my body. I’ve never even so much as shaken his hand and now that he’s touching mine ever so gently, my heartbeat speeds up. I look over to see him shaking his head. “Maggie, thanks, but I was kidding. I’d be happy to get you a soda. What do you like?”
“Dr. Pepper if they have it, Coke if not. And at least let me pay for mine,” I say, holding up a couple dollars.
Blake waves me off as he walks away, and as much as I try not to, I watch his every step.Those tight swim trunks stretched across his ass don’t leave much to the imagination.
After fighting with the machine, he collects our drinks and walks back toward me, all the while being watched by other women. Almost every single woman on the pool deck has their eyes locked on Blake. I can’t say I blame them. As he hands me my Dr. Pepper, their eyes come to me, but with daggers in them.
“Thank you,” I say. “So, do you know many people in the neighborhood?”
“I’ve met most on our street.” He sits down so his legs hang off the side of the chair closest to me and he rests his elbows on his knees. “I don’t know as many around the corner, but I’ve met a few when I walk Oscar. Why?”
“It seems like there’s a lot of interest in you around here.” It sounds more jealous than I intend. I have no claim to Blake as I made it clear he’s just my neighbor after all. My incredibly handsome, chiseled neighbor.
Blake chuckles as he hangs his head, twisting the cap off his soda bottle. “Yeah, I guess I’ve learned to ignore it. I don’t actually recognize anyone here except you today. That’s part of the reason I came to sit with you, so I don’t have to hang out alone, surrounded by the wolves.”