The Lunar Curse: A Second Chance With Alpha Draven novel Chapter 97

Chapter 97: First Swimming Lessons

Meredith.

The water was colder than I expected.

Not cold, exactly, but cooler than my skin. It wrapped around me like a hesitant welcome, the surface licking at my waist as I stood in the shallowest part of the pool, arms crossed, trying not to let the nerves show.

Draven on the other side. He wasn’t reading the water or teaching.

Just standing there—arms sleek and defined, hair still tied in that annoyingly perfect bun, his white shirt clinging to his torso in a way that did nothing to reduce how solid he looked beneath it.

And now I was supposed to trust him with my body. In a pool. Again.

Great.

"Alright," he said, voice calm, collected. "We will start with basic floating. Nothing dramatic."

I nodded once, lips tight. "Okay."

"Breathe steady. That’s the first rule." He stepped closer, water swirling softly between us. "Your body needs to relax or you will sink."

"Relaxing in a situation I can’t control isn’t my strong suit."

He gave a low, mocking chuckle. "I’m aware."

Before I could bite back a response, he moved behind me.

The air left my lungs.

He didn’t say anything. Didn’t explain the proximity. He simply reached for my arms and gently guided them to stretch sideways.

His chest brushed my back.

I stilled. And then—oh.

He didn’t move back. He was right there. Just inches. His breath was near my shoulder, steady and warm. Not touching inappropriately... but close enough that my skin knew he was there.

"Lean your weight back slowly," he instructed.

I obeyed, slowly letting myself recline, my arms skimming the surface of the water.

"That’s it," he said, his voice softer now. "Good. Just like that."

I felt his hand—light on the curve of my waist.

My stomach tightened.

"It’s just to keep you balanced," he added quickly, as if he could hear what I was thinking.

"I didn’t say anything," I muttered.

"You didn’t have to. Your face speaks louder than words."

He shifted slightly behind me, and the distance vanished entirely. My back touched his chest.

Solid. Warm. Steady.

I felt my breath stutter and hated how he probably noticed.

He didn’t say a word about it. But he didn’t pull away either.

"Close your eyes," he murmured. "Just feel the water. Trust it."

Trust you?

I kept my eyes open. My toes lost the floor for a moment, and I stiffened.

"Easy," he said.

His hands found my waist again, firmer this time. "I’ve got you." He was surprisingly gentle.

And then, of course, I sank.

It was just a second. But I felt the shift, the drag of water, the sudden panic that rose from the pit of my stomach. My arms flailed, the surface slapping against my face.

And then he caught me. His arms locked fully around my waist, pulling me up and against him.

My hands landed against his chest, palms flat. I could feel the beat of his heart. Or maybe it was mine. I couldn’t tell anymore.

"Wonderful," I said flatly, finally allowing myself to glance at him again. freewёbnoνel-com

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