Page 41 of Slashes in the Snow
“How was your study group?” he asks as he rests one of his hands on mine. I’m caught off guard for a second time this afternoon, because Ky has never cared how a class, or a study group, or my day has gone.
“It was good. But I’m glad it’s over now.” I snuggle a little closer to him, and I catch a faint smirk on his lips right before he turns his head.
“Up for a ride before we go home?” He makes the engine purr before we pull away.
“Hell yeah.”
And away we go.
* * *
We don’t get backto the house until well after ten. Along with a ride, Ky also took me out to dinner, which was a nice surprise. No food truck this time either. A pretty nice place with tables and chairs and everything. The conversation didn’t suck either. I told him about my year backpacking through Europe, and he told me about his time in the military and his very eccentric, hippy mother who had him smoking pot when he was eight and advocating for ‘guitars not guns’ at rallies all over the state. When he stopped showing up for school, Gerard stepped in and filed for full custody, which is how his time at the Baum Squad Mafia began.
“Time for bed?” Ky locks his hands around my waist and walks me toward the stairs.
“Time for a bath and then bed.”
“I’m totally down for that.”
“You might not like this bath.”
“’Scuse me?”
“You’ll see.” I drag him up the stairs by his shirt.
In my bathroom, I turn on the water and pull out a stopwatch from one of the vanity drawers.
“Here.” I hold it up.
“I don’t like the direction this is taking.” Ky grabs his crotch.
“It’s not to time you. It’s to time me.”
“Doing what?” He answers his own question as he looks down at the running water. “Hell, no, Snow.”
“Oh, come on. I’m trying to beat my best record.”
“Which is?”
“Eight minutes, forty-two seconds.”
“Fuck, no. I will be pulling you up after thirty seconds. That shit freaks me out.”
“Ky, I’ve been doing this for years.” I place the stopwatch in his hand. “Trust me.”
The look on his handsome face is full of doubt.
“I do trust you. I hate this.” He closes his fingers around the watch.
“When I’m done, it’ll be bath time,” I promise seductively as I do a little strip tease.
Ky makes no secret of ogling my body or stealing touches wherever he can. “Start the clock as soon as I go under.”
I step into the tub, sit down, and breathe calmly. I inhale deeply and then exhale everything in my lungs, Ky’s eyes on me the whole time. I then inhale another immense, deep breath, as deep as I can, and think of anything except the fact that I am holding my breath. I release that one and prepare to submerge myself. I take three more breaths, one partial inhale, one maximum exhale, and then one-hundred percent inhale. Nodding at Ky, I hold it and submerge myself under the water.
Once under, I enter into a state of relaxation.
That’s the secret. Letting go of everything. Relaxing your mind and your body so none of your tense muscles steal precious oxygen.
