Into the Blue

Excerpt from: Into the Blue

Samantha Jensen walked to the edge of the diving board. The water in the pool looked impossibly blue. Almost cerulean in colour. It called to her. Begged her to slip into its liquid paradise and escape the record high temperatures of the afternoon. The Santa Ana winds had picked up that morning and, mixed with the mid-summer humidity, made it hotter than usual. Unable to resist, she dove in headfirst. Into the blue.

The surge of water against her breasts gave her instant relief. While far from cool, it offered a momentary respite. She moved her body like a mermaid along the bottom and admired the intricate tile work. Above she watched the water ripple. Gold rays from the sun splashed the surface like splotches of paint. So peaceful. So serene. She’d always felt safe in the blue. It was a place she went in her mind as a child. No one bothered her there. No one made her play favourites. No one else was allowed in.

This place wasn’t her scene. But it was the need for change that had brought her here. Aware she couldn’t stay under any longer, she pumped her legs. Samantha came up for air and treaded water. Her arms and legs looked distorted beneath her as they moved in slow motion. She blinked away the water from her eyes and took in the scene around her. Miles of tanned and toned bodies in barely-there swimsuits. Gorgeous men and women who looked ready for a photo shoot rather than a pool party. With a sigh of envy, she eyed one woman in a pristine white bikini, and couldn’t help but admire her sleek tummy. Sure, she’d love to look that hot in a two-piece, but if it meant hours of excruciating crunches and giving up margaritas, then the effort hardly seemed worth it.

Her gaze averted to a tall, somewhat interesting blond. Not really her type, but he was easy on the eyes. As he moved out of her view, she was met with the sight of a bronze-skinned hottie in a slim-fitting pair of swim trunks. She sucked in her breath and felt the moisture gather between her thighs. Where had he been all her life?

Before she could fully appreciate his rock-solid bod of sin, her gal pal Chelsea swam up beside her.

“Flirt with anyone yet?” Chelsea asked in her sugary voice.

Samantha smiled at her always perky, always horny copper-haired friend.

“Nope, not yet. I’m checking things out first.”

Chelsea slicked back her wet hair and sent a shower of droplets everywhere. “Quite the attractive crowd, don’t you think? The guys look like they stepped right off the pages of a swimsuit calendar.”

Samantha snickered. “Yeah, I thought the same thing. The ladies, too. I swear none of them eat.”

Her friend shrugged. “Cool, more snacks for me.”

She laughed. “Looks like you have it all figured out. I have to say, though, I feel a little out of place. I’ve never been to a party where I didn’t know anyone.”

Again her friend shrugged. “It makes it easier to do whatever you want. You can be a total lush and not feel guilty.”

Somehow she didn’t think that possible. Even after years of therapy. “Easier said than done. Besides, I’m still accountable to myself—whatever I decide to do.”

Chelsea sighed. “You promised you’d be daring. It’s why I agreed to come along. I said if you were going to be your usual boring self, then I wouldn’t bother, remember?”

How could she possibly forget those words? “Yes, yes, of course, I remember. In case you haven’t noticed, I took off my bikini top before I jumped into the pool.”

“Only because you spilled your drink on it.”

Heat rushed to her face. Damn, that girl had eyes in the back of her head.