Read Online Apocalypsis 03 - Exodus by Elle Casey - Free Book Online

who?”
    “Says, me!” he growled before disappearing under the water again.
    “Paci?” I called out nervously. He’d been gone for a few too many seconds. “Paci? Where are you?” I patted the top of the water with my palm. “Helloooo? Paci!”
    Something grabbed my ankles and pulled me under hard. My scream was lost in the suffocating water that filled my mouth and throat. I kicked for all I was worth and caught the side of what turned out to be Paci’s face. I felt his hair run through my toes as I floated to the surface again. My blood pressure was so high and my heart beating so fast, I had nearly no control of what I did next. As soon as he came out into the air I started slapping at him.
    “Ow, ow, stop ,” he said, laughing the whole time. “Shit, you kicked me in the face … quit!”
    “You are such a jerk!” I yelled, my thrashing lessening just a bit. “You scared the crap out of me, Paci.”
    “Wuss,” he said, splashing water in my face again. “I told you there were no gators in here.”
    I pushed water into his face and said, “You also promised not to touch me.”
    He grabbed my hand and pulled me close to him. “I thought you meant this kind of touching.”
    Suddenly, I was right in front of him, and I was totally aware of the fact that he was naked and I was nearly so. The splashing stopped and the sounds quieted. A breeze blew across my cheek as I contemplated his face. His high cheekbones, straight brow, and strong, narrow nose spoke volumes of his ancestry. He was nothing short of beautiful, and I wondered for a split second why I’d never noticed it before.
    “Stop,” I said softly.
    “Stop what? I’m not doing anything.” He reached out for my waist, but I grabbed his hand and pushed it away.
    “I told you I’m still with Bodo.”
    “But Bodo’s gone,” he said, pity lacing his voice.
    My throat went hoarse. “You don’t know that.”
    Paci moved his arms, propelling himself backwards a little. “Do you really mean that? You think he’s still alive?”
    “Yes. I do. And even if he wasn’t, that doesn’t mean I’m going to just jump into something with the next guy who comes along.”
    Paci treaded water for a few seconds saying nothing. His expression went stone cold. “Oh,” he said eventually. “I get it. It’s cool.” He starting swimming away.
    “Paci, stop, would you please?” I didn’t want him swimming off in a huff.
    “What?”
    “Seriously, come back so we can talk for just a second.”
    He made a few breast strokes in my direction, stopping about five feet away. “Talk. I’m listening.”
    “I thought we were friends.”
    “We are,” he said casually.
    “So why are you being like this? You know how I feel.”
    “Not really. You’re not the most open person in the world, Bryn. I just thought … eh!” He splashed off to the side. “Never mind what I thought. It was stupid. Forget I said or did anything after jumping in the water, ‘kay?”
    “That would be kind of difficult, actually.”
    “Well, yeah. I am pretty handsome, that’s true. I can see how you wouldn’t want to forget and all.”
    I laughed. “And humble.”
    “Yeah, and humble.” He went underwater to stick his legs up in the air before coming up again. “So are we good? Because this conversation is getting lame.”
    “We’re good. Are you going to tell me what you’ve been up to the last week, then?” I changed the subject since it seemed like a conversation about catching canners was safer ground for us right now.
    “Yep. Tons of stuff, actually.” He opened his mouth to tell me more but was interrupted by someone shouting from the edge of the ring of huts.
    “Who’s out there? Can we come in?” It was Fohi.
    “Yeah, man!” yelled Paci. “Come on in! It’s a swamp party!”
    “Whooo hooo!” yelled Fohi and a few others before I heard several splashes all around me. A few people were on the walkway, shucking their clothes. Others didn’t bother,