2.31- Heat

There was danger in that emotion—the opposite of how she should feel—but there was something about Victor that made her want to stop time and devour him. Knowing him completely—everything about him—even if she knew him instinctively, beyond explanation.

The jet ski was great, but when they got home, Victor said he had work to do, then suddenly disappeared, leaving her alone.

She told herself that she was happy, that their time together had to be carefully balanced or there would be too much danger.

She read for a while, then went into her studio, imagined how she would arrange the furniture, and then, when the sunlight started to almost become too much, she undressed and stood on the edge of the bath. In the pool, toes curled up on top, eyes chasing the ripples of the water.

She counted to three, took a deep breath, and dived, cracked just below the surface, dashed into the water, held her breath until she reached the opposite bank, and pulled herself up, resting her arms on the edg