Chapter 62

Jared actually blushed at that, so I said, “Talk, talk, talk. Time to do some serious laps. Are we ready to try for a mile today?”

“Maybe,” Paul said.

“Why not?” Jared said.

Later, when we went to the steam room, I deliberately chose a bench on one wall where I could watch Jared out of the corner of my eye. “We did it,” Paul said. “A full mile of laps.”

“Yeah,” I said, “and we’re gonna feel every one of them tonight.”

“No pain, no gain,” Paul said. “Remember, swimming is second only to rowing in terms of its value as an aerobic exercise.”

“Stop being so noble about it. I wanta piss and moan a bit, okay?”

“Whatever,” he said.

That night, after we turned out the lights, I snuggled up to Paul and said, “You were right.”

“Right about what?” he said.

“Jared. I watched him very carefully this morning, and when those two hunks came in with their towels slung over their shoulders and sat down across from him, he definitely took an interest.”