CHAPTER 14

Beth

Beth was convinced it was a mistake to let Sam talk her into getting into the pool for her physical therapy. This phobia of being in the water was completely irrational. It wasn’t like someone would leap into the pool, grab her, and hold her head underwater. She wasn’t a kid any longer.

As a young girl Beth had been terrified of drowning. The ocean didn’t bother her nearly as much as an enclosed swimming pool, even though a pool with lifeguards and people around was actually much safer than the potential for disaster in a vast ocean. Still, little soothed Beth more than spending time on the beach. She’d gone several times as a youth with Sunshine to Seaside, Oregon, and had loved every minute. Their time at the seashore held some of her favorite childhood memories. But an enclosed pool terrified her.

Monday morning, Beth hoped Sam would forget all about his promise. It meant him taking half a day off work. That was a lot to ask even if he had volunteered. She’d tried to talk him out of it, claiming it wasn’t necessary, but Sam had insisted. She hated that he would need to be away from the garage because she was afraid of the pool. It embarrassed her to be weak. Repeatedly Sam had assured her it was nothing. She knew otherwise.

Beth kept a close eye on the clock, dreading the physical therapy. When Sam hadn’t shown up by the time the therapist arrived, she felt a certain relief. And an equal measure of dread. Unfortunately, the pool time had been set. As much as she would have liked to get out of this, there was no backing out now.

“It’s going to be fine,” Cassandra, the therapist, assured her. “We’ll go nice and slow. If you get uncomfortable, let me know and we’ll make other arrangements.”

“You promise?”

“Of course, but I know you’re going to be just fine.”

Beth didn’t find her confidence reassuring, especially since Sam seemed to have been delayed.

Which surprised her. Usually Sam was punctual; being late was unlike him. A hundred excuses ran through her mind. He might have gotten unexpectedly called in to work or he’d gotten delayed in traffic. Perhaps he’d changed his mind and decided it was time for her to put on her big girl pants and face her fears. None of that added up, though. If he’d been delayed or something unexpected had come up he would have sent a text. Now she had two concerns on her mind. The pool and Sam.

Cassandra glanced at her watch. “I’m afraid we can’t wait for your friend any longer.”

Beth swallowed against the tightness in her throat and squared her shoulders, determined to make the best of it. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

By the time they got into the pool area, her heart was palpitating at an alarming rate. The pool was booked for the hour and Beth did her best to delay as long as possible, taking off her robe, pulling back her hair.

Unable to put it off any longer, Beth let Cassandra help her into the water. Although it was a welcome eighty-three degrees, the shock of it caused Beth to gasp. She stood on her tiptoes and hugged her arms close to her sides.

“You’ll warm up soon enough,” the therapist assured her.

Beth offered her a weak smile, struggling not to hyperventilate from the cold and the ever-present fear of actually being in a pool.

“How are you doing?” Cassandra asked.

Unable to answer verbally, Beth nodded, certain all the blood had drained from her face. Thankfully, Cassandra had a tight grip on her hands, steadying her.

“We’ll be finished before you know it.”

“Good.”

The door to the pool opened and Sam came inside. Beth’s grip on the therapist’s hands instantly loosened.

“Sam.” She didn’t bother to hide how happy she was to see him. She was about to say more when she noticed the somber look about him.

“Sorry I’m late.” He looked decidedly uneasy and his gaze just managed to avoid meeting hers. Something had happened, and while she wanted to ask him what, it wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have in front of her therapist.

After a moment, he looked her way and offered her a weak smile. That was all she needed to relax. Having Sam with her was enough to soothe her fragile nerves. Her fear didn’t completely vanish, but with him in the room, it became manageable.

While they waited, he quickly divested himself of his jeans. He had on his swim trunks. Beth noticed his long legs and the dark hair that covered them. He started toward the steps leading into the water when Cassandra stopped him.

“You’ll need to remove your shirt.”

Sam hesitated. “I can’t keep it on?”

“No. Street clothes aren’t allowed to be worn in the pool.”

After several uncomfortable moments, Sam grabbed the T-shirt at the back of his neck and jerked it off, tossing it carelessly aside. He was in the water in quick order, almost as if he couldn’t get in fast enough.

Beth didn’t understand. His naked torso instantly captured her attention. He had washboard abs and was a fine specimen of manhood. There wasn’t a spare ounce of fat on him. Certainly there was no reason for him to be self-conscious about his body. Then she noticed the tattoo over his heart.

Lucinda.

He had a woman’s name tattooed there in a flowing French script with curves and swirls that were artistic. As she repeated the name in her mind, it sounded almost poetic.

They hadn’t discussed his past loves. The subject had never come up in casual conversation. It was clear, however, that Lucinda was someone special to Sam. This helped explain why he was late and why he’d wanted to wear the T-shirt into the water. He hadn’t wanted Beth to see the tattoo or to know about this woman.

She didn’t understand what the problem was. It was understood that he had been involved in other relationships. Perhaps not recently, but in the past. And really, why should it matter? But apparently it did to Sam.

Beth remembered when Nichole first mentioned her meeting Sam. Her friend told her it had been awhile since he’d been involved with anyone. At the time, Beth hadn’t given it a second thought, and really, why should she? That night at the dinner, Beth never expected they would have any kind of relationship.

On the positive side, seeing the other woman’s name etched on Sam’s chest like a banner helped distract her from her fears as she went through the therapy exercises. With Sam next to her in the water, it helped quiet her fears. He ignored the question in her eyes.

Cassandra started to run Beth through a series of movements, but with Sam at her side, it was becoming a major distraction.

“Pay attention, babe.”

“I’m trying,” she muttered under her breath. Her head was buzzing. First off, looking at Sam and his muscular body filled her with longing. She wanted nothing more than to run her hands up his bare chest. It was more than his body that kept her preoccupied. Seeing another woman’s name tattooed over his heart filled her head with questions.

“Beth,” Cassandra said, causing her to jerk away from Sam’s hold.

As if guessing he was causing a problem, Sam moved behind Beth and placed his hands on her waist in order to help her maintain her balance. If he thought he was helping, he wasn’t. Having him stand this close, his breath fanning the back of her neck, caused an eruption of goosebumps.

Sam noticed. “Is the water too cold?” he whispered close to her ear.

Doing her best to concentrate on the exercises, Beth madly shook her head. “No…it’s fine,” she said, not wanting him to know what he did to her.

“You’re doing good, babe,” he said, talking under Cassandra as she counted out the numbers of repetitive movements as Beth exercised the muscles that would aid coordination and speed up the healing process.

As best she could, Beth did what was asked of her, but her focus was on Sam instead of the exercise routine. Try as she might to pay attention to Cassandra, Beth couldn’t help being aware of Sam’s close proximity. When her foot slipped and she started to go under, Beth gasped, fear paralyzing her. Before a scream could escape, Sam’s arms were around her, holding her upright.

“No fear, babe, I’ve got you.” His arms held her tight around her middle, pulling her against his torso. Beth closed her eyes, savoring the feel of his warm skin rubbing against her own. She felt dizzy and disoriented and it had nothing to do with nearly having her head go under the water. It was all Sam.

“Beth.” Cassandra joined her. “You okay? Are you having a panic attack?”

“Sorry…no, I’m fine. I slipped…”

Sam’s hold on her hadn’t loosened. If anything, he seemed to keep her closer than ever. Beth saw Cassandra’s gaze clash with his as if the physical therapist was letting him know he had become more of a distraction than a help. Sam reluctantly released her.

Cassandra exhaled. “I think that should be enough for today.”

Beth’s gaze shot to the clock on the wall and she noticed it’d been only thirty minutes. Not that she was complaining.

Now that Sam was in front her, Beth’s gaze repeatedly skimmed over the tattoo.

Cassandra seemed to sense the two of them needed time alone and made an excuse to head into the locker room. “I’ll be back in a few minutes,” she said, getting out of the pool and reaching for her towel.

“Okay,” Beth said, her eyes centered on Sam.

As soon as the door closed, Beth offered him a weak smile. “I appreciate you coming.”

He shrugged, discounting her gratitude.

She wasn’t good at ignoring the elephant in the room, or in this case the alligator circling them in the water. “You didn’t want me to see this tattoo, did you?” She slid her index finger over Lucinda’s name, letting it linger there.

He didn’t answer. He kept his hands on her waist as if afraid she might slip again.

Beth glanced up, hoping to make eye contact, but Sam’s gaze was focused on something on the other side of the pool. “Clearly this woman is someone you loved in the past.”

“No,” he corrected. “It’s someone I love now.”

“Oh.” She blinked at the shock of the words. Although she’d known Sam only a few weeks, she knew in her heart it wasn’t in him to be involved with two women at the same time.

“Oh Sam, I’m sorry. Did she die?”

“No.”

Beth was more confused than ever. “Oh.” She wished she could think of something more to say other than a stunned response.

“I’d rather not talk about it.” He dropped his hands and started for the edge of the pool, leaving her standing in the water while he grabbed a towel and started drying off. He kept his back to her, ignoring her as he dried and hurriedly dressed.

Beth tried to think of something to say that would break the tension between them. Some joke they could both laugh at, but nothing came to mind.

Thankfully, Cassandra returned. By the time Beth was out of the water, Sam was dressed and had the beach towel bunched up in his arms.

“I need to get to the garage.”

“Of course. I appreciate you coming.”

“No problem. You did great.”

Overwhelmed as she was, Beth doubted she’d done anything more than make a fool of herself, the way her mind had been focused on Sam.

“You’ve proved you can do it. You won’t need me again, right?” Sam said.

It wasn’t really a question. This was his way of letting her know he had no intention of getting back in the water with her.

Sam started for the door.

“You’re leaving?”

“Yeah. Work, babe.”

He couldn’t seem to get away from her fast enough. “Thanks for coming,” she called after him.

He looked back and nodded. “Later.”

“Later,” she echoed. But Beth had the feeling it might be awhile before she saw Sam again.

And she was right.