Rise (The Order of the Krigers #1)(64)

“You’re worried because you don’t have pants on?” I nodded. “Don’t forget, we’ve already bedded and swum naked together.” He winked.

Shock rolled through me—did Anders, the straight-laced assassin, just make a joke?

He laughed and swiped his arm on top of the water, splashing me in the face.

The episode at the brothel when he swatted my bottom, saying we’d just bedded, seemed like a lifetime ago. Same with the warm spring pool when we both swam utterly naked. I bit my bottom lip. Why was I so self-conscious now? Was it because back then we didn’t know each other?

“Kaia,” Anders gently said, swimming closer to me. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. We’re friends.” He placed his hand on my shoulder, sending a jolt of warmth through me.

Friends. I mulled over that word, not quite sure how I felt about it. Well, since he only considered me a friend, then there was nothing to be embarrassed about. Taking a big breath, I swam to the bank and pulled myself out of the water.

After making sure my shirt covered my undergarments, I headed up the rise to the lake above and climbed in. The bottom was coated with slippery moss-covered rocks, so walking across them was slow going. At the top of the waterfall, there were several large boulders. I climbed on the one with the flattest surface.

Standing tall, the sun warmed my face, and the gentle wind caressed my skin. Freedom, peace, and contentment filled me.

“Jump!” Anders yelled.

I counted to three and jumped, my body falling through air and plummeting under the water. I swam to the surface. Anders’s warm, brown eyes were staring expectantly at me.

“You were right,” I said. “That was fun.” When was the last time I’d done something simply for the sake of enjoyment?

“Let’s do it together.”

“We should probably get back to the cave soon.” I didn’t want to have to climb up the mountain at night.

He got out of the water and stood, waiting for me. “This is the last jump, and then we’ll head back so you can rest. Tomorrow you’ll be harnessing your power, and that will take a lot of energy.”

Trying not to stare at his bare torso, I climbed out of the water. Anders led the way up the rise. I pulled my undershirt down and held my arms in front of me to ensure nothing could be seen through the thin, white fabric. We climbed into the smaller lake and made our way to the top of the waterfall.

We stood on the same boulder, side-by-side; our shoulders brushed. Anders was staring at me, his expression unreadable. The tips of his fingers touched the back of my hand, making me shiver. The setting sun shone behind him. His head leaned down ever so slightly.

And then he abruptly jerked back, blinking, as if suddenly realizing he’d been about to kiss me.

“Ready?” he asked, his voice gruff. I nodded, unable to speak. “On the count of three. One … two … three!” We jumped at the same time, diving into the water below.

When I surfaced, Anders was already afloat smiling at me. “Beat you.” He splashed water at me, diffusing the tension between us.

“Only because you weigh more.” I splashed water back at him, laughing.

“What are you two doing?” Vidar asked. He stood at the edge of the lake with his arms crossed, intently watching us. How long had he been there?

“We’re taking a break,” Anders answered. “Why don’t you join us?”

Vidar turned his attention to me. “I came to see how you were faring. Only, I couldn’t find you and feared you’d been kidnapped. Clearly, you’re doing just fine.” He turned to go.

I started swimming to the edge of the lake in order to run after Vidar so I could speak with him. However, Anders stopped me. “Let me talk to him.”

“Are you certain?”

“We’re best friends.” He climbed out of the water, grabbed his clothes, and chased after Vidar.

I ducked under the water, trying to clear the memory of my almost kiss with Anders. A few minutes later, my body shook from the frigid water, so I got out and put my clothes on, slowly making my way up the mountain. At the flat area outside the cave’s entrance, I paused and listened. Inside, Vidar and Anders were engaged in a heated discussion.

“You know I’ve proposed to her,” Vidar said.

“I do,” Anders answered.

“Then why were you in such a compromising situation with her?”

“We were practicing all day. I was sweaty, tired, and wanted to cool off. Nothing is going on between us. We’re friends; that’s all.”

I sat on the ground and picked up a small rock, twirling it on my palm. Of course we were just friends. What else could we be? But … why did his words sting? Why did they feel so wrong? Why did I have tears in my eyes?

“You two looked like you were enjoying yourselves,” Vidar said.

“We were. I think she finally feels comfortable around me. At least she doesn’t look like she’s afraid I’ll kill her in her sleep anymore.”

Vidar chuckled. After a few minutes of silence, he said, “I want you to keep your distance from her.”

I dropped my rock. The sun had set, and the sky was turning dark.

“You and I have been friends for quite some time,” Anders said. “Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?”