The blast of air is a shock to my system, and almost immediately, I’m gasping for air.
How long was I under?
Longer than I realized. But I didn’t black out. I didn’t even notice at all.
Due to Mack’s abnormal strength, he’s able to pull me over his shoulder from the edge of the tank and leap down to the floor. His neighbors must be so confused by the noise.
I would laugh at the thought, but I’m being encased in towels. Wrapped up tight like a sushi roll and carried to the couch.
He places me on the cushion, and I’m wrapped so tightly I can’t even move my arms. I realize he’s covering me. Covering as much of my body as he can.
Outside of the water, my nakedness feels different. I’m less protected. Less bold.
I think he understands.
He sits down next to me at the other end of the couch. Water seeps into the cushion from his slick body, like blood filling veins. His legs are spread, his elbows on his knees, and his head in his hand.
“Why’d you do that, Jules? Why’d you have to do that?” He looks up at me.
When his eyes are on me, I can feel every part of my body. Like an awakening from the deepest, drooliest kind of nap. I can feel so much of my body that my nipples still ache. And so does my pussy. An almost painful ache. I open my lips and consider lying, consider ducking my head back in my shell, cocooning deeper into my isolation.
But there’s no denying who I am anymore.
So, I go with the entire self-evident truth.
“Because I want you, Mack.”
***
“Are you trying to fuck a fish?”
I startle awake, my hands splashing in the water around me.
It’s pitch black.
I’m naked.
I’m submerged.
Where’s Mack?
But Mack’s not here. Because I’m not there.
I’m in my apartment.
I shake my head to dispel the grogginess. “Kate! Get out of here!” My voice is thick with sleep.
“No way. I’m worried about you.” She flips on the light, and I cover my eyes in shock.
“Too bright! Too bright!”
“Well, it’s eleven in the morning. Guess what? It’s bright out! Maybe you need to get used to it.”
I almost feel hungover after my encounter with Mack two days ago. Heavy and sopping. Like a T-shirt that didn’t wring out enough in the rinse cycle.
“It’s not my fault I don’t like the sunlight,” I slur. Then I brace my hands on either side, lifting out of the tub. “I can’t help what I’m into.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s for sure,” Kate spits out in a staccato tone.
I step out of the tub, shoving my wet limbs into the green silk robe that I discarded on the ground earlier. It sticks to me like seaweed. Bad choice.
“Can you move out of the way, please?” I try to push past her, but she shoves a phone in my face.
“Do you mind explaining all this to me first?”
“Huh?” I squint at the phone and see a list of blue messages on her screen, all from me.
I grab it from her hands, and she follows me out of the balmy bathroom into the kitchen. “What’s all this?”
“They’re weird fucking messages you sent me at four this morning.”
“Jeez . . . I don’t remember doing this at all.” I scroll through them.
I went into his tank, Kate.
He watched me in there.
I got completely naked. I’ve never gotten completely naked for a man. I always leave something on. I’ve only slept with three people. I never even liked it before.
