Breathe

“Is she alive?” I hear McKenzie ask as I slowly begin opening my eyes.

The warm cement kind of burns against my back as I cough up the bit of water still stuck inside of me.

“I’ve been certified for these things.” A male voice answers. "She'll be just fine."

I fully open my eyes and see beautiful but piercing brown eyes staring right back into mine. Devin is hovering over me, his clothes soaking wet. His expensive-looking jacket is drenched and dripping water onto me. His warm smile makes me want him to continue CPR on me.

“What happened?” I ask, slowly trying to sit up. “How in the hell did I manage to fall into that pool?”

McKenzie raises her hand like we are in class. “You tripped over the hose the caretaker left out. I’m going to kick his ass. I should kick your ass too, Devin!”

“Why me?” Devin asks, confusion radiating in his expression.

“McKenzie!” I argue as I continue to stare at Devin and his powerful manly look. “He just saved my life! And he’s your boss.”

“It’s okay!” Devin explains, holding his hand out to help me up. “She’s been cleaning my house for years. Although I just accused her of stealing, I’ve known her long enough to know she’s always been cocky and a pain in my ass.”

“I know,” I admit, agreeing with him and taking his hand. “She’s always had an open personality.”

Turning my attention back to McKenzie, I exhale with a wide smile, inquisitive.

“What is that look for?” McKenzie asks.

“Forgive,” I say, my smile still continuing to grow. “Devin asked me out to dinner, which I don’t know about, but you’ve been cleaning his house for years and neither one of you has tried making passes at each other?”

“Ewe!” McKenzie is quick to say. “No offense to Devin, because…” She pauses and looks over at Devin. “You are hot, Devin. But he and I are more like friends.”

“She’s right,” Devin admits. “I’ve never found her attraction to be more than a friendship.

I quickly stand up, releasing my hand from his, and slide my hands down my pants soaking-wet pants. My eyes search the ground, analyzing the area around the chair.

“What are you looking for?” Devin asks. A mysterious and intense look sits on his face. “You look like you lost something?”

“Nope.” I quickly say and bend down, reaching underneath the chair. “I thought I lost my bracelet. It must’ve fallen off me before I fell into the pool.”

I inhale a deep fresh breath of ocean air as I try clipping the bracelet back together around my wrist. Devin steps forward gesturing his hand, guiding me to him.

“Let me.” He says and gently wraps his hand around my wrist, quickly but smoothly clipping the bracelet together.

As he continues ‘adjusting’ my bracelet he slowly raises his head, again looking into my eyes. His piercing but gorgeous look makes me feel a sense of comfort around him.

“So, about that dinner.” He asks, his tone is a little deeper and stern.

“She’ll do it.” McKenzie interrupts, making the decision for me.

“McKenzie!” I am quick to argue. “You don’t get to make that call!”

“Good!” Devin says, releasing his hand from me. His fingers lightly run across my wrist causing a shiver down my spine, creating friction inside of me.

“Meet back here at Seven this evening.” He softly demands while looking out at the spectacular ocean view.

“But…” I argue and pause. “Do I get a choice in this matter?”

“No,” McKenzie says with a playful smile. “You’ll love his dinner. He cooks it himself. Just take the date!”

I sigh a heavy sigh and turn my attention to the ocean view. “Fine! But I want pizza! Pepperoni and mushroom pizza!”

“I can cook that,” Devin says with a smile that can win any contest. “See you at seven!”

I scoff, not believing my ears as these two try and force me into a dinner. My soaking wet body needs to dry off and I need to get out of here before they convince me any further into whatever this is.

“I have to go,” I say as I begin to walk toward the door. “I will think about that dinner, but right now I need to get home.”

Looking over at McKenzie and her disappointed look, I nod my head. “See you at home McKenzie.”

She slides her hand into her pocket, her eyebrows raised and her mouth slightly ajar. “We have other houses to do.” She argues.

“Yep.” I agree. “But I have clothes that need to be changed. See you later.”

Quickly, I spin around and head for the living room. I slide my hand across the extremely soft couch and look at the pictures covering the walls.

“One day,” I say to myself as I head through the hallway and toward the front door.

I open the front door and quickly head for my car. Everything about today seems right but in the wrong kind of way. I’m interested in Devin, but McKenzie pushing me to go on a date with him makes me push away from him. I don’t take orders very well and tend to do the opposite.

I drowned, but then Devin saved my life. How does that even happen? I was in that pool for a few seconds.

As I unlock my car door the reflection off my window reveals a male standing behind me. I gasp as my heart sinks into my stomach and I spin around.

A gentleman wearing a ripped shirt, old and dirty-looking jeans, dirty long hair, and no shoes stands with a creepy smile. “Hi!” He says, quickly ripping my wallet from my hand and spinning around.

“Hey!” I yell, quickly trying to snatch my wallet back. “My wallet!”

The sound of Devin’s door slamming turns my attention to Devin, who quickly rushes out of his house and runs toward the guy like a football player. I watch as the guy tries running even faster, swinging his arms and bolting like he’s in the hundred-meter dash.

Devin pounces, reaching good air and dropping onto the guy. He rips the wallet from the man's hand and pushes his hands against the guy’s back. “Don’t fucking move!”

With his eyes on the guy, Devin begins walking toward me. His brute force and toned muscles which are visible even with that suit he is wearing, tell me if I was in the market for a boyfriend, he’d be the guy to go on a date with. He’s protective, handsome, rich, intelligent, and damn it I’m going to have to go on that date with him!

“He’s running!” I yell and point as I watch the intruder bolt toward the road, almost getting hit by a car, and quickly disappear into the tree line. “He’s gone.”

“He didn’t get anything though, aside from getting hurt by me,” Devin says with a cockiness in his tone. “Here’s your wallet.”

He hands me the wallet, eyeing me down. I don’t know if he wants a thank you or a date, but he’s saved my life and saved my wallet all in under half an hour.

“I’m not going to ask.” He says, looking over at his car with hope in his eyes.

I exhale a defeated breath. My smile is already telling him what he wants to hear. “I will be here at seven…” I pause, quickly think for a moment, and bring my attention back to him. “But it’s just dinner.”

He raises his hands like he’s trying to defend himself. His half-crooked smile says it all. He won this dinner date with me due to natural order, or natural selection. I do not know what to call it, but the universe is purposely connecting us, so he wins.

He steps closer to me, his hand sliding into the pocket of his soaked pants. “I’ve had quite the morning, Cassie. I’ve never had to work this hard for a date. But if saving you twice gets me that date…stay in trouble so I can come to your rescue every time.”

“Whatever,” I argue, but smile. “I’ll see you and your cheesy comments at seven tonight. That pizza better be worth my time.”

He quickly slides his tongue across his lips as his smile grows. “I can make that happen, but it might not be the pizza that makes it worth your time.”