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Breathe. Kick-and-stroke. Breathe. Kick-and-stroke.
“A hundred meters to shore.”
Basse’s voice sounded like it came from a hundred miles away. “If you hurry up you’ll break your record.”
Ariel almost wished that there was a space for speech in the rhythm she’d worked so hard to achieve. But only almost. Record? Who cared about records when each stroke that brought her beneath the surface also took her home and water was as natural as air? This was for her not to set a record.
“Stop it. You know she doesn’t care.”
Nilla sounded closer, clearer. She was probably hanging over the edge of the boat again, staring down into the water. At least that was what Ariel did when she was forced to stay in the escort boat. There was always something to watch in the water - and you didn’t have to talk to Basse. Great swimmer he might be, but he wouldn’t win any prizes for most engaging conversation partner.
“Plus she has other things to think about.” Nilla sounded full of laughter.
The water burned Ariel’s cheeks as she dove beneath the surface. If Nilla said anything to Basse about the guy Ariel had been sneakily ogling throughout most of the week… It would be about five minutes before Basse had figured out who it was and pushed her into the guy’s path the next time they had a lecture together.
But Nilla said nothing.
Ariel forced herself to focus on her strokes. Cramping was enough of a nuisance on a regular day, and she didn’t feel like dealing with it because she was worked up over a superhot guy that she technically didn’t even know. Sort of. Especially not on the wrong side of the border in the middle of the Sound.
Everything got so much more complicated then.
“Fifty,” Basse reported. “And we’re hitting the shallows. Are you OK with us leaving for the harbour? Will probably take half an hour before we pick you up. Or…?”
Ariel kicked herself over on her back. “You can go. I wanna swim all the way. Plus my calendar has no space for seasickness and puke today.”
She spotted Basse grimacing in the corner of her eye. “And I don’t feel like cleaning your puke either. OK - see you later!”
Ariel turned her back to the boat as it turned and let her arms hold her steady as the backwash hit her. Maybe it hadn’t been very nice of her to remind Basse of the puking incident, but… she wanted to have some time to herself. An escort boat might be a must, but sometimes… Sometimes she wanted it to be just her and the sea.
It didn’t take many minutes to reach the beach, but she reveled in every one of them. When it became too shallow to swim, she took the time to find a sandy patch to wade ashore - pebbles and rocks could lead to turning her ankle and turning her ankle led to no swimming. It was worth the time when she had it.
She didn’t hear the dog until it jumped at her, too occupied in herself and her thoughts to hear its approach. She pushed it down without thinking, “No! Bad! Sit.”
It took a second for her head to catch up. She stared at the dog. It was one of those Old English Sheepdogs - long fur, grey and white. She had never seen one in real life before.
“Good dog.” Ariel patted it on the head. It had at least sat down when she told it to. But she was rather sure that there were leash requirements here. It shouldn’t be loose. And it should definitely not be jumping at people.
Two seconds later, she heard someone come running and looked up.
Shit.
It was the guy.
“Get over here! Heel!” the guy called, eyes on the dog. “For fuck’s sake, don’t take off as soon as I open the door.”
She could act like a normal person. What did a normal person act like when they ran into someone they were hot for? Shit, what did a normal person do when they ran into someone while they were wearing a swimming cap, surfing top and bikini bottoms?
Ariel ripped off the cap just as the guy raised his eyes - and all of her fucking hair fell into her face in a wet mess.
Shit. Again.
She shoved her hair off her face. What should she do with the cap? It wasn’t as if she had pockets.
“I’m really sorry.”
He had a really nice voice. And very pretty eyes.
“He took off before I could leash him. He loves the beach.”
“I do too.” Fuck, why did she say that? “I mean, love the sea.”
The guy gave her a closer look. Did she imagine it, or did he linger on her hair? Was it that bad?
“Have you been swimming?” He looked out at the sea. “Looks turbulent.”
“I long distance swim.” Now that she was finally getting something intelligent out, maybe it was safe to continue. “My escort boat… My friends will pick me up for the return back to Copenhagen soon.” She held out her hand and reminded herself to breathe when he took it. “Ariel. From Denmark.”
Bless his snazzy shirt, but he didn’t make the usual detergent joke.
“I’m Eric.”
His smile was perfect.
“Nice to meet you - even if I don’t think this is the first time. KU, methodology with Janssen? I’m sure that I’ve seen you. You have very special hair.”
Ariel blushed. She hadn’t thought he’d noticed her. Had he seen her watching him all this time?
“That’s right.” She wrung her cap out to have something to do with her hands. “I think I’ve seen you too, thinking of it.” With a little luck, she might’ve grown better at lying than she had been as a teenager. Her dad had certainly not missed a single lie, but she could always hope that Eric was worse at catching her than her dad was.
The dog sniffed her hand, apparently bored with sitting at Eric’s side. Obedient, maybe, but only to a point. Ariel scratched it behind an ear.
“What’s his name? I’ve never seen him with you before?”
“He should be called “Disobedient As Fuck,” Eric said dryly, “but he came from the breeder with the name Max. Five years old and only obedient when he wants to be. Which, to be fair, is most of the time, but still…”
“Uh-huh.” Ariel grinned. “And you wouldn’t give him up for anything.”
“Exactly.” Eric grinned back. “He’s mine for life.”
It felt like Nilla and Basse left for the harbour an eternity ago. They could come any moment and… and Ariel didn’t want to wait until she had gathered enough courage to ask Eric on a date after a lecture. Not when she had him in front of her with a big smile on his face and a look in his eyes that made her think that he would say ‘yes’.
“My friends will come to pick me up soon.” Ariel didn’t think she imagined the disappointment on Eric’s face. “But… I thought… They have a change of clothes for me in the car. Maybe you want to grab a coffee in Malmö? I’m guessing you live nearby.”
“We came out here for a walk, I actually live--but, yeah, hell yeah.” Eric met her eyes. “I’ve wanted to ask you out for a while, but… It never seemed to be a good time.”
So this was how it felt like having butterflies in your stomach. It wasn’t unpleasant.
“Then it was luck that had me choose today for my swim.” Ariel looked down at Max. “And luck that this cute floof didn’t feel obedient.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever been grateful for that before.” Eric nodded to something behind her. “And I think your friends just arrived.”
Ariel checked over her shoulder. “Yeah, that’s them.” She turned back. “The cafe by the central? You know, the one with the weird decor?”
“I know the one.” With another look over Ariel’s shoulder, Eric stepped closer. “I look forward to seeing you there,” he said quietly. “Really.”
There really wasn’t a chance that she would stop blushing anytime soon. “Me too,” she whispered, and for a moment, their eyes seemed stuck together.
Then Basse called for her to hurry up, in his usual tone-deaf way.
Ariel sighed. “Time to go.”
“I’ll be seeing you soon though.” Eric took her hand and squeezed it. “Soon.”
It was hard to let go, but she had to. And it wasn’t as if they wouldn’t see each other again in half an hour.
Nilla looked at her when she came over to the car. “Was that…?”
“It was.” Ariel couldn’t hold it in anymore, but made a tiny little fist pump. “Today is awesome!” Then she added, “Oh, and if you could let me off at the Central, that’d be great. I’ll take the train home.”
“Or not,” Nilla said meaningfully.
Ariel couldn’t help but blush. Again.
‘Or not’. Wasn’t that a thought?
Yeah, she decided. Today was definitely awesome.