Rory Holt is the best swimmer on the team at State U. and he knows it. Swimming is his life, and if Rory hopes to attain his dreams of Olympic gold one day, he can’t let anything distract him. Every morning finds him practicing at the campus fitness center, and every afternoon he blows his teammates away with his speed and finesse in the water. The new semester brings with it new tryouts, including the bright, up-and-coming Chase Cohen. Chase is sexy and sure of himself, both in and out of the pool, and seems determined to catch Rory’s eye. Rory doesn’t want to share the podium with anyone else, and he doesn’t like hearing his coach say Chase might even be better than he is when he already knows he’s the best. Chase’s attentions are annoying at first, but the more he persists, the harder Rory finds it to ignore him. Soon Rory can’t deny the growing attraction he feels towards his new teammate. But when that attraction costs him his top spot on the leaderboard, Rory is pissed. Is Chase after Rory’s position on the team, or Rory himself?

Playing the Field: Getting Wet

With a laugh, Chase says, “You’re a hard guy to like.”


“I don’t want you to like me,” Rory snaps. “I sure as hell don’t like you. Let’s get something straight, okay? We might be on the same team, but that doesn’t make us friends. I don’t want to hang out with you, I don’t want to practice with you. I don’t want to ‘show you the ropes’ or help you improve your speed in the water, or any of that shit, capiche? I’m the best swimmer here, not you.”


Chase’s smile fades, and his eyes harden. They’re blue, Rory notices, a gorgeous, dark shade brightened by the light reflecting off the pool. Under his breath, he mutters, “We’ll just see about that.”


The next morning, the pool is empty when Rory arrives. Yes!His are the only footsteps that echo softly off the tiles. His is the only towel on the starting block. Maybe he managed to get his point through Chase’s thick skull after all.


Chapter 10