Never Ever

17| Stolen kiss

The only thing driving me forward is Noah. I yank off my dress, my footsteps slapping on the hard, cold tiles as I sprint toward the pool. There are no thoughts now, no panic or fear, just the instinctive need to get to him. As my toes curl the ledge, I suck in a breath and squeeze shut my eyes, diving head-first into the deep end.

In the seconds it takes me to sink, I hear nothing, just the sound of my heart as it pumps through my chest. I blink a few times, able to feel the pressure steadily building in my ears, closing around me as I adjust to the underwater lights.

Before I can push forward, Noah appears before me as a ghost-like silhouette, his eyes dark and filled with confusion. I'm so taken aback that, for a moment, I float here, watching him through the blue. My first thought is he's beautiful, from the way his broad shoulders taper down to his waist to the ethereal glow of his skin. My second is he's fine.

Reality kicks in at the same time as panic. I push him away from me, clawing to the surface and sucking in a breath, which is so cold, I choke. Noah is beside me in an instant, pulling me closer and instantly settling the panic.

For the next few moments, I rest my cheek against his hard, damp chest and listen to the rush of his heartbeat. Its rhythm comforts me, the familiar pattern helping to settle my own. When I've finally calmed down enough, I force myself to look at him, taking in his dark, wet hair and the tiny droplets on his cheeks.

I go to speak, but the hoarseness in my voice stops me. Concerned, he reaches out, tucking a strand of my hair back. His gaze drops lower, trailing down my nose and lips, widening when they fall below the surface.

A second later, I remember why. I glance to the ledge, where my dress sits discarded in a pile, and remember I'm in my underwear. Suddenly, the embarrassment hits me full force, and not just the fact I'm half naked in Noah's arms, but the fact I'd assumed he was drowning in the first place. God, I'm an idiot.

I pull from Noah's arms, too embarrassed to spend another second like this, and swim toward the ledge. He's hot on my trail, pulling himself from the water and grabbing my arm before I can escape, yanking me toward him.

"Hey, wait a second," he says, sounding irritated. "Are you seriously mad at me right now?"

I yank my hand back, furiously glaring at him. "Yes, I am, because you should have known better." The words come out through chattering teeth, the chill of the air making me shiver. "Why would you get into a pool, drunk, after everything I–" I stop before my voice cracks, but we both know what I mean. "How could you be so stupid?"

Noah steps closer, his eyes like smoke as he lightly breathes on my face. His breath doesn't smell like alcohol; it smells like mint. "I haven't had a single drink."

I blink a few times as his words settle in. Of course he wasn't stupid enough to drink and swim – he's not me. "I'm sorry. I thought–" my sentence trails off as I lift my hands, running them over my arms. Now that the adrenaline has worn off, I'm shivering like a leaf. "I'll leave you to your swim." I glance toward the elevator, unsure of how I'll explain to the others why I'm suddenly soaked, but it has to be less awkward than this.

"You're freezing," Noah says, and before I can argue, he swiftly grabs my hand. "Come on."

I look up at him as he leads me toward the gazebo, expecting to find annoyance on his face, but though there's a hardness to his gaze, it's the same one I've seen all day. He grabs a fresh towel, reaching down to pull it around me, bundling me inside like a baby. I clutch the two ends, watching him throw a towel around his shoulders before he slumps onto the closest lounger.

When I don't move, he sighs. "Sit down, Blue."

I glance at the lounger opposite, hesitant. Common sense dictates that I hail an Uber and take my soaked self back to my dorm, but leaving Noah alone when he seems so sad feels impossible.