Supernatural Academy: Year One (Supernatural Academy #1)(63)

Trailing after him, I marveled at how pretty the front entrance was. It had a black-and-white patterned wallpaper on one side, and shoe-coat rack on the other. “Come on,” Asher said, “pool is through here.”

We crossed to the back of the house, stepping out onto a huge porch filled with plush outdoor lounges, the sort you could nap for hours on. Half a dozen stairs led down to an open, white pool house that sat beside a massive lap pool.

“How long is that?” I asked, my eyes running the full length.

“Just short of fifty meters,” he said, his eyes on the sparkling water. He shook his head and his mesmerized look disappeared. “I’ll throw on some shorts and be right back.”

I nodded, and when he was gone I realized this was the perfect opportunity for me to get undressed and into the pool before my bare ass flashed him. That brilliant plan went up in smoke, though, when I couldn’t reach the top of my zip. After a few minutes of struggling, I gave up.

“Need a hand?” Asher’s heat pressed into my back.

I nodded, crossing my arms to stop the dress from just falling off. Warm fingers gently dragged across my skin as he slowly slid the zip down, a trail of burning heat following his touch. We might not explode when we touched anymore, but the physical attraction and chemistry between us remained as strong as ever.

Just when I was about to lose my mind, he stepped back, moving around me to walk down the stairs. “See you in the water, Maddi.”

I almost collapsed against the railing, my skin burning, and I knew I’d be covered in a flush to match my hair. All I could see was his broad back, those thick muscles shifting as he walked. The ink I’d caught glimpses of before was now clearly on display. Covering his entire right side, it wrapped over his shoulder and down his back, disappearing into the waistband of his green shorts.

Did those symbols mean something to him? The tattoos looked new, shiny and dark, but maybe it was like my hair. Supernatural ink didn’t fade.

When he reached the edge of the pool, I let the gorgeous dress slip off, draping it carefully across a nearby chair. I was comfortable in my skin, so I didn’t stress as I followed his path down the stairs. Asher’s dark stare never left me; he waited in the pool, hair slicked back as water dripped across his flawless body. The water hid the silver in his hair, turning it pure black. He was rocking a very dark vibe, and I was into it.

When I reached the edge, I dived in smoothly. Most of my makeup was waterproof, but I’d still be a panda-eyed mess when I emerged. I really didn’t care.

Water was life.

I didn’t come up for a long time, swimming the entire length and then tumbling under water to come back again. When I surfaced, gasping in air, my gaze found him. He was in the deepest part of the pool, and he had to be treading water, but there was barely a ripple around him.

Water followed his command; his magic would help him stay afloat. Swimming closer to him, I kept a few feet between us.

“You can hold your breath for a long time,” he observed.

I nodded. “Yeah, I’ve always been able to swim two lengths of a full-sized pool.”

He reached forward and I waited to see what he was going to do. My breath was shallow as his long fingers cupped the back of my head, his thumb brushing gently under my eyes.

“Is it everywhere?” I said with a laugh.

Asher shook his head. “Just a bit under your eyes.”

He let me go.

“Are we going to swim?” I said, needing a distraction.

He drifted closer. “How about a race?”

My competitive streak sprang to life. “What does the winner get?”

His grin was slightly evil. “If I win, you’ll resume private water magic lessons with me. Now that we know your powers won’t be triggered by me, then we should be safe to explore your connection. I’m especially interested in honing your defensive skills using water.”

“And if I win…?” I said slowly.

He tried not to smile. Smug bastard didn’t think I had a chance. “What do you want?”

Well … wasn’t that a loaded question.

“How about, if I win, I’ll let you know.”

Asher’s lips twitched, but he just nodded and waved me toward the end of the pool. I swam smoothly, he glided, and I had a feeling he was going to destroy me in this little competition. He moved almost as one with the water. I’d never seen anyone so comfortable in it … like he was part of the water itself.

“You ready?” he said, and I nodded, pushing myself back against the wall.

“On the count of three,” he said. “One … two…”

I braced myself, focusing the best I could through my alcohol-and-Asher impaired mind.

“Three!”

We both surged forward in the water. Focusing on my own race, I didn’t even glance to the side. Freestyle was my fastest stroke, and I powered along without breathing, determined to show him I was at least competitive. When the wall neared, I chanced a glance to the side, trying to determine where Asher was. I couldn’t see him, which probably meant he was already at the wall.

Slamming my hand on the end, I swiveled to find him. No one was near me. Turning back to look along the pool, I blinked to see him still on the wall where we’d started.

“Uh … what the hell, dude? You didn’t swim,” I shouted.