Chapter 5:
Ripples of Temptation
We reached our hotel, and of course, boys and girls were assigned different rooms on different floors. I was paired with Rachel, which made the trip a lot better.
Rachel, a cute little girl with curly hair, loves to chatter - a true gossip queen. I have no idea where she gets all the tea, but she can be trusted with a lot of stuff. She's my best friend.
I placed my luggage on the rack and jumped onto the bed.
"Hey, what was happening during the bus trip, huh?" Rachel asked teasingly. "Something new is cooking up, I bet."
"Nothing, yaar. He just sat next to me, that's it. Trust me," I said, blushing.
Rachel hugged her pillow. "Wasn't he hot? Damn, Jeni, you're one lucky girl! I wish I were you."
Yes, he was hot, no doubt about that. But wishing to be me? Not something to actually wish for. My thoughts about Austin were still running wild in my head.
"Hey, there's a pool across the building. Planning to use it?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah, I need it."
Swimming was my stress buster. I was part of my college team, and I was a great swimmer. But my parents weren't fans of it, so I had to stop going for coaching.
I grabbed my swimsuit and went straight to the pool. It felt so good to swim. It was like all my thoughts were floating away, making me feel weightless. I just lay on the surface of the water, staring at the ceiling.
Then suddenly, a loud splashing noise startled me. I got into action mode, only to see a head popping up from the surface.
It's Geo.
"God, not here and not now," I muttered to myself.
"Damn, girl, you always get scared so easily," Geo said, laughing. He swam toward me.
"You like swimming?" he asked.
"Yes, it's a stress buster. And you?"
"Same. But I like dancing more."
Yeah, other than his good looks, one thing he was famous for was his dance moves.
"Do you wanna compete? It'll be more fun," he said.
"Okay," I answered hesitantly.
"One full round - whoever finishes first wins. Got it?"
"Yes, sir. Anything else?" I replied mockingly.
With a small grin on his face, he said, "Let's begin then."
"On the count of three... 1... 2... 3!"
We both jumped into the water. No doubt about it - I won, and I was proud of it. Sitting on the steps, waiting for him to reach back, I smirked.
When he finally did, I asked, "So, what's the prize?"
He looked at me and asked, "What do you want?"
Still holding that sexy look with a faint grin, my heart started racing.
"If I ask for anything, will I get it?" I asked, surprising myself with my own boldness.
He swam closer, his wet hair dripping, looking effortlessly hot.
"Anything," he said.
I couldn't handle this tension. I quickly grabbed my towel and my things. "I'll let you know after I decide," I said, rushing toward the changing room.
Shit, shit! What was that just now? The tension between us...
Oh man, I really wanted to feel his chest. Damn, he looked good in those shorts. And the closeness... I couldn't breathe at all.
---
Looking for the changing room, I couldn't find any sign.
I finally found a room labeled Locker + Changing Room, but it didn't specifically say if it was for men or women. I had no other option - I couldn't walk around like this - so I went inside.
I grabbed my clean clothes and went straight into the shower. It felt amazing, actually helping me cool down a little.
After showering, I wrapped myself in a towel to dry off.
Suddenly, I heard loud banging noises and men talking loudly.
Shit, shit! Who are they?
I tried to calm myself down and listened carefully.
I could hear a familiar voice - it was Geo's.
"Geo, who was that girl you were sitting next to?" one guy asked.
"Yeah, she's pretty, but not your type, man," another guy added.
What do you mean I'm not his type? Okay, I know I don't look that great, and I'm nothing compared to him, but... wait, why am I getting worked up over this? I lightly banged my head against the wall.
"Yeah, I bet she's unromantic. And I think I've seen her hanging out with that Austin guy," said the first guy.
Damn, until now, I had completely forgotten about Austin. And what was that comment supposed to mean?
"She seems like a nice girl, fun to talk to, and she's actually a good swimmer," Geo said.
Oh! I was stuck in that moment. It felt... good.
"And I find her cute, actually," he added.
The guys around him went, "Ooooohhh!"
Wait, what?! Geo thinks I'm cute?!
Just as I was processing this, one of the guys said, "I'm going to take a shower."
Another followed, "I'm booking the third cubicle."
Panic shot through me.
Oh God, there are only four cubicles, and from the voices, there are at least five or six guys. What am I gonna do?!
Suddenly, someone thudded against my door, trying to open it. I started shivering.
Then I heard a voice.
"Jeni, it's me - Geo."
I was in shock. With no other choice, I quickly unlocked the door and let him inside.
---
Chapter 6:
The Tension
I whispered, "How did you know it was me?"
He replied, "I saw your bag on the racks, and I recognized your anklet, my young lady. Apparently, the doors don't cover the bottom part."
"Oh."
"Are you planning to get dressed, or are you going to stay in that towel? I mean, this is looking very sexy too," he said with a teasing grin.
I suddenly realized - shit, I was still wrapped in a towel!
I saw him staring at my face, and then his gaze slowly moved down. I gulped.
"Five minutes, I'll get dressed. But wait, isn't this a unisex changing room?" I asked.
"This is not the time for doubts," he replied in a low tone.
"Hey, Geo, what the hell are you doing? Are you taking a shower or not? Why is it so silent?" someone shouted from outside.
"Yeah, yeah! I'm gonna - might take a while, though," he replied, without even looking away. His gaze was still all over me.
It felt like he was undressing me with his eyes.
He stepped closer.
I stood still, heart pounding, feeling nervous yet unable to move away.
He stepped even closer, now just a thin layer of air between us.
Then, he turned on the shower.
"Damn, Geo!" I gasped as water splashed over me.
He smiled. His hands wrapped around my waist, holding me tight. My fingers instinctively touched his wet chest - Damn, it's hard.
One of his hands tucked my wet hair behind my ear. His fingers traced over my eyebrows, my eyes, my cheek... then my lips.
The tension was unbearable.
His hand slid down to my neck, gripping firmly. He leaned in, his lips brushing against my ear.
"I feel like kissing you all over," he whispered, his voice dripping with heat. "Holding you tight. And this will be your prize."
My breath hitched as his lips grazed my skin.
Slowly, he trailed kisses down my neck.
I should have stopped him.
But I didn't want to.
Outside, someone called, "Dude, it's been like 15 minutes. We're leaving. Come out when you're done!"
Geo sighed and called back, "Yeah, almost done!"
I quickly grabbed my clothes and rushed out. As I passed him, I smirked.
"This prize sounds good."
He chuckled, watching me leave.
I smiled - and escaped before I lost control.