The Love Twin

Stunned and embarrassed by her sensual response, Becky looked away from him and jumped up to the standing position for the next exercise. Her cheeks flamed. The skin under her neck-high leotard burned with perspiration.

As she raised her arms to the music beat, she nervously glanced around the exercise room to see if anyone had noticed how turned on she was. What was going on with her? It wasn’t like her to be fantasizing about a man she’d never seen before in her entire life.

Near the indoor pool area, Jarrid Browning was unable to take his eyes off her. It couldn’t be Becky! he silently told himself. Had she recognized him, too?

His heart hammered against his ribs. He hadn’t seen her in seven years. Memories of being close to her flashed through his head. Memories he’d long forgotten.

He watched her black leotard-clad body move smoothly, sensually, to the beat of the music. His gaze lingered on her abundant breasts as they bounced under the tight leotard.

For a moment Jarrid forgot what had happened between them seven years ago. He forgot that he was completely over her. And he felt a tug at his heart for Becky that was stronger than he remembered.

Becky barely recalled cooling down with the class. Her hand was trembling as she grabbed her towel. Unable to stop herself, she glanced at the pool area, remembering those warm brown eyes of his linked to hers for those few eternal moments. But now he was gone.

She glanced around the gym searching for him, and then she stopped, stunned at herself. She’d never chased after a man before. She’d always been shy with men, even with her ex-boyfriend. Darryl Burton. She often wondered if that was one of the qualities about her that had caused Darryl to turn away from her.

Realizing she would be late for her appointment with Charlotte, Becky hurried toward the women’s locker room near the pool area to take a quick shower.

Rushing alongside the deep end of the pool, she mentally flashed on the sparkling eyes of the guy who’d been staring at her and wondered who he was. She was so caught up in her fantasy about him that she barely heard someone call out to watch for the slippery pool tiles.

Suddenly Becky’s feet slipped out from under her, and she plunged into the cool deep pool water. She felt herself sink, sink, sink under the depths of the chlorine blue.

Deafening, gurgly, bubbling sounds filled her ears. A raging fear of drowning paralyzed her. Panicking, she struggled to hold her breath, but her mouth burst open. Water gushed into her lungs.

All at once, a pair of strong hands grabbed her waist and pulled her up, up, until loud voices hit her ears.

There was blackness all around as she felt her motionless body being gently laid down on wet tiles. She felt her leotard being torn from around her neck to try to help her breathe. Fingers were on her throat and there was a hand on her chest feeling for her heartbeat. Then warm lips covered her mouth.

Fresh oxygen filled her lungs. Her eyes slowly opened. His mouth was pressed against hers, breathing air into her. His strong hand lay gently on her chest, just above her breasts, making sure her heart was working.

It was him!

In her barely conscious state, Becky felt her body burn fire hot from his lips and touch.

Just then she heard the relieved voice of the aquatics director saying, “Jarrid, her eyes are opening! She’s breathing!”

Jarrid. Jarrid. His name ran hypnotically through her mind over and over.

When she felt Jarrid’s mouth release from hers and his warm hand lift off her chest, she wanted to cry out for more of his electrical touch.

“Becky, are you okay?” Jarrid’s deep voice whispered her name with great concern, like he knew her, like she was someone who meant everything to him.

Before she could speak, she started coughing up water. She felt Jarrid’s firm hands steady on her back to help her sit up. As Becky tried to rise to her feet, a rush of dizziness filled her head. Jarrid grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her close so she could lean on him.

“I’ve got you, Becky,” he whispered, as though he really cared.

She realized that her cheek was against his bare, muscled chest. She could feel the wiry brown hairs on his skin near her lips, evoking a powerful erotic reaction in her.

Embarrassed, Becky quickly sobered up. Her equilibrium returned. She gently slipped out of his strong arms, feeling her face burning with shame. She prayed he didn’t notice how turned on she was in his presence.

She saw Joe Demme pat Jarrid on the back. “I knew my swimming workouts would get you in shape, Browning. Now you’re saving lives.”

Jarrid Browning’s eyes met hers. A tingly sensation raced through her veins.

“It was definitely my pleasure,” he said, as though he was talking only to her.

The circle of people around her dispersed, but Jarrid didn’t budge. Several adult swimmers dived into the pool for the start of the swim workout.

“Thanks for pulling me out of the pool,” Becky said, her cheeks burning from being close to him. “I’ve got a terrifying fear of the water. ”

“I know, Becky,” Jarrid said. “You almost drowned when you were two years old.”

Becky stared at him. She did almost drown in a swimming pool when she was two years old.

“How do you know my name?” she asked in an unsteady voice. “And how do you know I almost drowned as a child?”

Jarrid was a bit out of breath from his mouth-to-mouth with Becky. His heart was pumping wildly from being near her again. Her captivating emerald eyes looked up at him. Her wet strawberry blond hair fell down her ivory shoulders. Water droplets were on her eyebrows. Her cheeks looked soft and pink. Her lips were fuller than he remembered.

Jarrid felt an intensity of emotion he’d never experienced with her before. He still couldn’t believe that she was standing right in front of him.

“Becky, come on,” he said. “You told me, remember?”

“I did not,” she responded.

“How can you say that?” he asked, a bit taken aback. “Sure, it’s been seven years since we were together in New York, but I can still remember every single detail about you.”

“New York?” she repeated, incredulously. “I’ve never been to New York.”

She was unbelievable. “Geez, Becky. I know you like to kid around, but—”

“I’m not joking.”

He tilted his head, staring at her. “Remember the first time I met you?” he asked. “You pretended you didn’t understand one syllable of English. For days, you had me believing you had just stepped off the plane from Paris.”

She put her hand on her hip. “I’m sorry, but that wasn’t me.”

He couldn’t help but smile. “Really? Are you married? Is that why you’re putting on this act?”

“I don’t have a husband,” she insisted. “And I’m not pretending. You’re mistaking me for somebody else.”

“Who?” he demanded. “Your twin sister?”

Her eyes lit up. “That’s right!” she quickly said. “You’re thinking I’m Pam, my identical twin sister. She lives in New York and—”

“Becky, come off it,” Jarrid cut in. “I know you’re adopted and don’t have a twin sister named Pam. I also remember you told me that you were searching for your birth mother and wanted to change your last name to your birth name. So why are treating me like I’m a stranger? I saw you staring at me when you were doing aerobics a little while ago.”

Her cheeks turned apple red. “I—I thought I knew you, but I don’t.”

Jarrid felt a sudden sadness rush through him. “Sure, Becky, I understand. A goodbye is a goodbye, isn’t it?” He glanced up at the wall clock. “I’m late for my swim workout.”