[Q] Fun In The Sun (Freebie!)

[prospice3]

It was certainly a perfect day for the pool, sweltering hot but not quite unbearable. Randy was grinning as he came up the path, clad in nothing but blue swim trunks and a pair of beat up sandals, with a towel draped over his shoulder. He hadn't expected his offer to Jennifer to be called in this early, but he had to admit he was glad and perhaps just a little excited to see her again, that dog-loving starry eyed girl who he'd met completely by happenstance and was certainly glad he had.

He looked around for her as he trotted down the path towards the pool gate, but he didn't really expect her to arrive before him. Girls always took more time to get ready for this sort of thing, after all, and he'd always thought that it was understandable since they had to wear so much more and generally looked uncomfortable doing it. He paid the small fee to the lifeguard to get a membership at the pool and tossed his towel on a pool chair, which he sat on and waited, watching the gates.

[free3]

Jennifer had run madly around her house, disturbing her dogs and second-, third- and fourth-guessing her choice of bathing suit, then her choice of clothes to go over it, because she couldn't very well show up in only a bikini. It was fine for the pool, but not for walking in. Then she had to pick her towel, and of course it had to match her bathing suit. She ended up being late for an outing she had instigated. She drove carefully, but quickly, noting that Randy's truck was already here. She made herself pause and take a deep breath, pushing down the nervousness and excitement.

She got out of the car and brought her bag and her yellow and white striped towel. She had on a loose white t-shirt, a pair of her running shorts, and a pair of little worn flip flops. She had only been here a couple times when even in the morning it became too hot to run, and she'd swim laps instead. She waved to Randy when she saw him, and headed in his direction. She put her bag down and kicked off her shoes. I'm ready to swim, are you? she asked, eyes twinkling. She quickly shed her shirt and shorts, one of the carefully planned aspects of her wardrobe, just to be taken off and thrown on a chair. Yep, she told herself, she was a typical female. Underneath she had a stylish yellow bikini she had had for about a year, but this was the first time she got to use it this summer.

[prospice3]

"Oh yeah," he said with a grin, admiring her bathing suit and... well, to be honest, her figure too. He ran a hand through his hair, rubbing the back of his head in that sheepish way he had and shifting his weight back and forth. Then he smiled and turned away to jump off of the diving board with a gleeful whoop, the water exploding around him. People tanning by the poolside looked up, but he obviously didn't care about that sort of thing. She had been right when she'd said that the pool was fairly empty.

He broke the surface grinning and tilting his head to the side to attempt to get the water out of his ears. "What're you waiting for, Miss Jennifer? The water's just fine," he called, trading water and smiling from ear to ear.

[free1]

She was half self conscious, half pleased at his appreciative gaze. She took the time to notice his work-earned muscles, noting that hers were from running or swimming, so they were much more lean than his. She figured that probably had something to do with the different hormones in their bodies too.

She laughed as he took off and leaped into the water, finding herself loath to do the same. But as soon as she felt the water, she decided why not. Even with only a bikini on, the sun was sweltering. She held her nose and pencil-ed in, letting her hair sweep behind her as she shot to the surface. She wiped her face. It's-s-s freez-z-ing-g-g. she chattered, automatically treading water near him.

[prospice3]

He took one look at her shivering and treading water and laughed. "Aw, come on now. It's not so bad," he said, coming up beside her. He shrugged, "Well, you'll get used to it, anyway." He glanced around at the people sitting by the pool and the few that were in the water, just looking, getting a better idea of the place. It was pretty quiet, at least today. Though he couldn't figure out why. Maybe it had been busy earlier, or it would get busy later. Or other people had the same opinion of the water as Jennifer.

"Anywho, it's nice to see you again Miss Jennifer, I'm mightly glad you called me in on my offer so quickly," he winked, leaning back slightly so that the back of his head was touching the water with barely anything moving but his feet. The water felt great to him after a hot day, and he was used to cold water, he supposed. At least, he thought that it was much better than had the water been tepid or warm.

[free1]

She had been inside most of the day, and she hadn't been quite ready for the influx of just cold enough water to set her teeth to chattering. It wouldn't be long for her to get used to it, and she typically didn't complain because she had no one to complain to. Randy was the lucky guy who got to hear her complaints. He'd be thrilled if he knew.

She grinned at him. I couldn't wait any longer. She began to backstroke away, finding her muscles receptive to the exercise and the stretching. She had run earlier today, and the swim was a nice relaxing tome for her. Swimming would help her warm up, and then she could stop and chat with Randy.

[prospice3]

"Yeah... neither could I, to be honest," he said, rubbing the back of his head again, watching as she swam away for a moment before taking off after her, in a passable freestyle. He was a fairly strong swimmer, but not anything like a professional. Mostly, he swam for his own enjoyment and to cool off, and he needed the latter fairly often with his sort of job. He had in fact found a job in Someplace, just the day before, at one of the cattle ranches helping with various menial chores and the like. He'd done that sort of thing before, but it was good enough for him.

He swam a couple of laps before settling back down in the deep end with his elbows up on the side of the pool, just looking around and enjoying the beautiful day and waiting for a chance to continue chatting with Jennifer. He had to admit that her suggestion of swimming was absolutely perfect, he couldn't think of a better way to pass a hot afternoon.

[free1]

She grinned at his answer, pleased that they had both been ready to see the other. He seemed like a really nice guy. She swam lazily around the pool until she warmed up and Randy had picked a place by the end of the pool. She took a deep breath, dropping underwater as she swam to him so that her hair would fan out behind her and not get in her face after she was up out of the water for a bit. She surfaced near him, smoothly swimming the rest of the way.

Now I'm glad to be in the pool. she told him, no longer cold. She tread water in front of him, not tired of moving in the water yet. So, you mentioned you do odd jobs. Have you found a good place to work yet? she asked, trying to think of something to say that would matter to him.

[prospice3]

"Told ya you'd get used to it," he said lightly, leaning on the wall, "Yeah, I did. Pretty quickly, to be honest. I'm at some little cattle joint cleaning horse hooves and rounding up cattle and that sorta thing. Not the most thrilling job in the world, y'know, but it's something." He looked at her when he spoke, eyes only on her, not glancing sideways around or anything. He was just like that. He hadn't started his new job yet, but he would soon, and then he'd have a little money at least other than what he'd been sending home for his sister's college fund. He wanted her to go, he really did.

"How's Miss Gem?" he asked, offhandedly, "How are you?" Just making small talk, as usual, enjoying the day and being with her. Her... He didn't know quite how he felt about her. Honestly, he had been waiting for her call like a schoolboy waiting to see if a girl was going to call him back, horribly afraid that she would never call him and just disappear from his life.

[free1]

She rolled her eyes at his remark, paying attention as she told him about his job. It sounded good for now, although she hoped he was able to advance and not do all the jobs no one wanted to do. Well, because no one wanted to do them, that's why. She grinned. She's doing great, and I'm planning on enrolling her into agility classes soon. She gave a half smile, shrugging as he asked about her. I'm fine, just a tad bored with my house and ready to get out for a bit.