Intercepted Read Online Free PDF Page B

Will he do it?”
    “Sorry, babe. Tyler is leaving tomorrow.”
    “Shit, no. Is there anyone else?” Desperation creeps to my throat.
    “No. They ’ re closing up for the season.
They won ’ t have another lifeguard till
the spring.”
    “Fuckdammit.” I slide down against the wall and put my head between my
knees. “What am I going to do, Zack? I can ’ t lose this internship.”
    He tells me we ’ ll figure
something out. Zack is not a great swimmer, but he says he can teach me some
basics. I know that won ’ t cut it, but
I thank him anyway.
    The instant I push through the doors I regret it. I immediately recognize
the outline of the only body emerging from the steaming surface of the Jacuzzi.
    Jake.
    Goddamn my luck today. I decide I don ’ t give a crap. Dani is studying in our room,
which means if I go back there I will have to be quiet. Zack is off to buy
booze with Derek, so it ’ s either the
Jacuzzi or the ski runs in the fog. To hell with it.
    When I am only a few steps away he raises his head and opens his eyes,
then frowns. What the hell is his problem? This area is open to employees too,
buddy. Tough luck if you don ’ t approve.
His eyes appraise me up and down and I immediately feel self-conscious. Shit. Is he checking me out? Since there ’ s not a
chance in hell I ’ m going in the pool, my options
are slim. I avoid his eyes and slide into the water, hooking my earphones on so
he knows I ’ m not up for a conversation
either.
    “You don ’ t have to work?”
    I can ’ t hear him, but I can ’ t help the fact that my eyes are always glued to
his mouth and I just read his lips. Dammit . I turn the volume down a
tad.
    “Nope. Change of shift.”
    He nods, his eyes never leaving mine.
    “What ’ s the matter?” He says.
    Now I ’ m ticked off. Seriously, what
does he care?
    “Shitty day,” I mutter, closing my eyes, mainly because looking at him is
distracting. He ’ s got a fresh scrape across his
forehead and I wonder how it got there. Did he dodge a tree branch when he was
skiing? Maybe his Barbie girlfriend is a bit psycho and they got into a fight
because she caught him flirting with the staff. I giggle at the thought, not
realizing I just did it out loud.
    “Something funny?” He raises an eyebrow. Cocky bastard. I scowl.
    “How come you are always here alone? Didn ’ t you come with someone?”
    “That ’ s why you ’ re giggling? ”
    I shake my head. “No. Forget it.”
    “Are you always this rude to people you barely know?” He frowns.
    This catches me off guard. But he ’ s right.
I ’ m being short and downright rude, and he doesn ’ t deserve it. “I ’ m sorry.” I keep my eyes on him and he relaxes,
looking a bit puzzled. I think he wasn ’ t
expecting an apology.
    “Why was your day shitty?” He asks. I stare at my hands under the water
to avoid looking into those endless caramel eyes.
    “I love to cook,” I say with a half smile. “My biggest dream is to open a
place of my own someday. Nothing big, just a little place somewhere by the
beach.”
    “That ’ s
a good dream, ” he says. When I look
up his frown is gone and his eyes are smiling at me.
    “It is. And I was on my way to get it, too. I have an internship lined up
in San Diego at a hotel in Coronado. They have the best pastry chef there. That ’ s my favorite thing.” I smile. “Pastries. They
called me today and said the internship requires rotations throughout the
hotel. Including lifeguarding the pool.” I look up at him and he frowns, then
understanding crosses his face.
    “And you can ’ t swim.”
    “I can ’ t swim,” I mutter.
    “Just have someone here work with you. I ’ m sure this place has plenty of resources. That
swimming instructor that walks around here. What ’ s his name…”
    “Tyler,” I say with a sad smile. “He ’ s leaving tomorrow until the spring.”
    “Hm. I see.” He frowns.
    “I was so close. I have been interviewing for this internship