Free The Australian (Crime Royalty Romance Book 2) by Lesley Young Page B

new undertakings. I tell you this in case you are among those who believe in a trial-by-fire learning approach.”
    “Good to know. We’ll start off slow. Take off your dress, assuming you’ve got your cozzie on underneath.” He eyed me, speculatively. “And sit on the edge of the pool with your legs in the water.” He dove in, creating a perfect arc. I spotted something on his back, scars of some kind, and made a mental note to examine them later. I pulled my jersey dress up and over my head as Mr. Knight’s head emerged from the water. He cleared his eyes of moisture and watched me walk to the edge.
    It was baffling to me why my face was red (again, no less). My mind shot off on an awkward tangent, daring to wonder if he approved of what he saw.
    I am certain my white skin reflected enough sunlight to short a satellite in space. (That was the downside to reduced cancer risk.) However, I reassured myself it was unusually smooth, my legs were lean, my stomach flat, my waist narrow, and my breasts above average in size. I had compared my physical form to women in magazine ads and found nothing to be ashamed of.
    I bent down, resting my bottom on the edge, and winced at the sensation of water soaking into my suit. Slowly, I swung my legs around and eased them into the pool. The line tickled where the water merged with air, just below my knees, while my submerged calves and feet begged for release.
    “Breathe, Charlie.”
    I found the source of the voice, opening my eyes—Mr. Knight’s face—in the soup of dangerous fluid. Right. I exhaled the breath I had not realized I was holding. I could do this. After all, he was in the water, and it was not mistreating him. He swam closer and grabbed onto the edge.
    “How does it feel?”
    “Angry.”
    “Angry? Why do you say that?”
    “Because there is increasing evidence that water is not just inert molecules,” I explained quickly. “It acts outside all known laws of physical nature. For example, hot water freezes quicker than cold water. It can create a membrane to suspend things that are denser than it. And recently, German researchers have shown it is capable of things such as memory. In fact, while less established, it may even have consciousness and therefore intent. And given how we are polluting our planet I cannot help but think it will have malicious intent—”
    “Miss Sykes!” I caught my breath. “Supposing all that’s true, how is thinking it helping you?”
    I stewed on that for a moment. “You are correct. It is not useful. I will try to block that out of my mind.”
    “Good, because you’re giving me the skeebies. Now, first, you’ll tread water. Do you remember how to do that? You kick your feet about and move your arms out like this.” He had moved away from the wall in order to demonstrate. My breathing was shallow so I began taking deep, long inhalations.
    “Are you alright, Charlie?”
    “Yes. No. I am not certain I can fully submerge myself.”
    “Well, you won’t have to just yet. I’ll stay near you, I’ll be right here, and I won’t let anything happen to you, ay. When you’re ready.”
    Some time passed while he waited.
    “Whenever you’re ready,” he said again.
    I fought strenuously to embrace the notion that would send the appropriate communication from my brain to my body, and for a moment, felt certain I was ready, but caution won out.
    “Charlie, you’ll need to get into the water. I’m right here. Just feel it for a minute, and I’ll put you back on the edge, can you do that? Charlie! Look at me!”
    I found his eyes, and they held mine fast. He repeated what he had just said. He was right in front of my legs, and grasped them.
    “Don’t rush me!” I protested.
    “It’s been fifteen minutes,” he said, tightening his grip. “I’ve got ya, that’s it, I’ll take you in slowly,” he said, and, before I realized what was happening, he was gently pulling me forward.
    I panicked, and then panicked doubly