Skinny Dipping

Dipping

Chapter 6 Continued

"I need you to turn around from the rail. I've got a pool noodle for you to hang on to. They float and can support you if you like."

It felt like an eternity before Sophie turned around from the pool ladder, but, like he'd promised, Matthew stood in front of her, holding onto a cylindrical length of thin green foam.

"As a start, you're going to have to let go of the rail. Here take the noodle." He held it out to her.

Sophie flattened her back against the ladder. The rail felt solid. Safe. "Now that's a crazy idea." She smiled brightly at him, the cool water making her feel somewhat more alert.

"We're going to move a fraction to the side, to the wall. Not too far, but just so other people can get into the pool. So when you let go of the rail, hold onto the noodle. It floats and you'll be perfectly safe."

"No kickboard. No rail. It feels very unsafe." She absorbed the idea; not particularly tempting for a land creature like herself.

"I'll be here if anything happens."

She scrunched her eyes shut, took a deep breath, and felt feverish. One finger released the rail, then the next and, courageously, she dropped her arm. Sophie finally planted two feet on the tiled floor of the pool, water coming to her armpits. She felt unbalanced, as if she were dancing on a ship caught in rough seas. She could feel her breath coming faster and tried not to panic. She grabbed the noodle from him, clutching it to her, her new piece of safety equipment.

"I want us to walk toward the far wall. You'll have the noodle, and I've got the side of the pool. The water's very shallow."

Sophie scrunched her toes on the tiles, not sure if she wanted to move from the spot.

"Unfortunately, standing isn't considered swimming. You're doing fine standing, but have a go at some movement."

"I can do this," Sophie said enthusiastically, trying to appear more confident than she really felt.

"Yes, you can," said Matthew with a warm smile. "Now, I want you to take your first step forward. A baby step. But a huge step forward into becoming a great swimmer." His eyes twinkled as he spoke.

"This is a true Neil Armstrong moment," Sophie muttered. "One small step for Sophie Smart. Yet one giant leap for the world of advertising."

"Very clever Miss Smart," Matthew said. "You can moonwalk towards me, if that imagery helps, as long as we get to the wall."

"When I think of moon-walking," she panted, trying to distract herself with words rather than focus on the way she moved. She wiggled her foot, moved it no further than an inch. Her toes slipped on the tiles, trying desperately to grip the ground. "I think of Michael Jackson."

"Try to uncoil your toes."

"You know MJ's dead."

"Not from swimming."

"You sure?"

"Trust me."

"You sure I can uncoil my toes?" she said, unable to distract herself any further.

"Trust me."

"Trust you?" Sophie felt like laughing, how could she trust any man, especially after Derek-who-supposedly-loved-her had hurt her so much?

Matthew gave her a hurt look, and she suddenly felt her cheeks redden as a sense of shame rippled through her. Maybe Matthew was a different type of man, at least in the water, and she was, after all, putting her life in his hands.