Chapter 257
Melanie watched him. That was all she could do. Honestly, she hadn’t expected this from Adam. Or maybe-if she was being truthful-she just didn’t know what to expect at all. But there he was, standing waist-deep in the water, so calm and patient with Adir as he gently guided the little one through his first swimming lesson. It should have been something simple, routine even… and yet, it wasn’t.
She smiled as she watched the kid surface with a triumphant gasp, then immediately giggle and splash water at Adam, who laughed and splashed back without missing a beat.
Melanie closed her eyes for a brief moment and grinned to herself, letting the scene soak in. Her mind, almost involuntarily, drifted ahead, tickling her own hormones…into ’imagining’ things… which then lead to imagination of the ’process’ 1 with which that could be achieved which further lead her to imaging the hot body of her partner in the process.
Suddenly, in the middle of her sweet imagination, she frowned. Something was wrong. There should have been laughter and shouting. Her eyes snapped open. And there standing on each side of her were the culprits… or rather the would be culprits. Just by looking at their faces, she could guess…
She straightened up and immediately placed aside her sunglasses and sent a warning look at Adam,” Don’t you dare…”
Adam’s grin widened, sunlight glinting off the water as he pushed his wet hair back. “But you look lonely How can I let you be lonely?” he said with a grin, his voice full of teasing warmth.
Melanie narrowed her eyes at him, lips twitching in amusement despite herself. “I am definitely not lonely. I’m very very blissful,” she said, enunciating the word like it carried royal weight. She folded her arms, trying to hold on to the last shred of dignity that always seemed to slip away when he was involved.
But Adam was already exchanging a look with Adir-one of those silent conspiratorial glances that said more than words. Together, they tilted their heads in perfect unison, bottom lips jutting out in exaggerated pouts.
“We miss you,” they said in chorus, their voices small and almost guilt-tripping. Almost being the key word! They were definitely not missing her but were simply upto mischief.
“Oh no. Nope. That is cheating,” Melanie pointed at them. “You can’t team up like this. It’s unfair…Adam, don’t even…!”
Before she could take another breath, Adam was striding toward her, water cascading around him as he moved with determined mischief. She tried to retreat but was too slow. He reached her in a few long steps, his hands gripping her firmly but gently.
“Adam, no!” she squealed, laughing as she beat her fists against his shoulders. “I swear, if you dunk me—!”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he hoisted her up effortlessly, cradling her against his chest as she kicked and laughed, protesting all the way.
“Too late for threats,” he murmured, eyes sparkling. Then, with Adir cheering like a little maniac behind them, Adam sprinted toward the deeper end of the pool.
Melanie shrieked, gripping him tighter. “You are so dead after this!”
“Worth it,” he laughed, just before they both hit the water in a glorious splash.
Melanie surfaced with a gasp, spluttering as water streamed down her face and into places it definitely wasn’t supposed to be. Her hair clung to her cheeks, and she snorted as water trickled from her nose. “Ugh!” she coughed, blinking against the chlorine sting. “There is water in my ears , Adam!”
Adam, still laughing, tried to look apologetic but failed miserably. His whole chest shook with mirth as he watched her glare and push soggy strands out of her eyes.
“You think this is funny?” she said and slapped at his shoulder, sending a splash across his chest. “You absolute menace! I will make you pay for this.”
He grinned at that and then whispered hurriedly close to her ear,” I hope you make me pay in bed.”
And then before she could gather her senses and form a response, a sudden whoosh and an enormous splash beside her sent a fresh wave of water into her face. She shrieked again, caught completely off guard.
“Adir!” she choked out, coughing and wiping her eyes. The little boy bobbed up next to her, giggling uncontrollably, his arms flailing in the water.
“I got you!” he declared proudly, then immediately started paddling around her like a shark circling its prey.
Melanie stared at both of them-dripping, giddy, and clearly out to get her. “Is there no mercy for the peaceful and dry?”
Adam grinned and splashed her again. ?”None at all.”
“You two are impossible,” she said, even as a reluctantly smiled. She had planned for a relaxing morning of admiring her eye candy and, watching from the sidelines. Clearly, that was never going to happen with these two around. But did she really mind? Nope. The only goal now? Was revenge…
“Oh, no mercy at all, hmm?” she said sweetly, pushing her wet hair back as she looked at Adam and continued, “Good to know.”
Adam raised a brow, but before he could reply, Melanie lunged forward with surprising speed and dunked him under the water with both hands on his shoulders. He barely got out a surprised, “Melon!” before disappearing beneath the surface in a splash.
“Oops,” she said with faux innocence. “Slipped.”
Adir burst into a fit of giggles at that, right up until Melanie turned her predatory gaze on him.
“Your turn, little fish.”
“Nooo!” he squealed, kicking back in a clumsy attempt to flee. But he wasn’t fast enough. Melanie caught him around the waist and plopped him under the water with a flourish, holding him down just long enough to spark squeals of delight.
When he popped up, he was laughing uncontrollably. “You cheated! I wasn’t ready, yet!”
Melanie scoffed at that, “You started it,” she countered, wiping water from her face. “Both of you! So you had that coming!”