Addy was glad she had a full schedule of lessons. It gave her no time to think about Remington, no time to worry about the way he’d made her feel this morning, or this afternoon.

The sun was setting by the time the D’Angelo twins finally finished their private lesson. She was toweling off when she heard someone open the gate. She expected it was their dad, but when one of the teen girls started giggling she looked up to see Remington’s massive form silhouetted by the overhead lighting.

“Hello, Addy,” he said.

“Oh, hey Remington,” she replied. “Have a seat and I’ll be with you in a moment.”

“Are you a competitive swimmer?” Lily D’Angelo asked.

“Oh no, I’m…” he began.

“He’s going to be coaching here,” Addy finished for him. No need to advertise to the world that he couldn’t swim yet, if she hoped to have him teaching by this time next week.

“Are you booking lessons?” Rose D’Angelo was practically swooning.

Remington looked confused.

“He’s got to do the training program first, girls,” Addy said. “Look, there’s your dad.”

Lily rolled her eyes.

“See you later,” Rose simpered.

“Good night,” Remington said politely.

Addy waved to Chris D’Angelo and watched the girls disappear over the ridge toward the main house. They were good kids, both swam on their high school team and they got along better than any other set of siblings she’d ever coached.

She turned to Remington.

“Are you ready to get started?” she asked, trying to keep up her professional swim coach veneer.

“Yes, please,” he said.

“Do you have swim trunks?” she asked.

“No,” he said. “What are swim trunks?”

“They’re like shorts that men swim in,” she said.

“Ah, yes,” he replied. “I thought I had noticed that the men swam in shorts with strings in the front.”

“Yeah,” Addy laughed. “I guess that’s the only real difference when you look at them. But they feel better, more lightweight in the water.”

“Do I need them for lessons?”

“Not tonight,” she said. “But we’ll get you a pair tomorrow. What size are you?”

“I am not sure,” he said.

“Is there a number on the back of your jeans?”

“Yes,” he said, his eyes lighting up. “The number is 501.”

“Oh, no,” Addy said. “That’s the style. The size would be on the inside tag.”

He looked completely perplexed.

“You can’t swim in your clothes anyway,” she said, heading over to help him. “I can check for you.”

He smiled and peeled his shirt over his head. Letting the necklace that he always wore - the one with the stone that looked like a diamond, but was way too big to actually be one - fall between his chiseled pecs.

Addy had never been jealous of a stone before.

He began to unbutton his jeans.

She tried to drag her eyes away, and couldn’t.

Then something occurred to her.

“Um, you’re wearing underwear,” she said. “Right?”

“Yes,” he said. “Should I remove it as well?”

“No,” she said quickly.

“Okay.” He smiled down at her, as if he knew the reason for her discomfort.

She thought of the way he had kissed her earlier, and was reminded that these boys from outer space weren’t always as innocent as they seemed. Addy felt her cheeks grow warm. She looked away, and heard him slip off his jeans.

“This says, Machine wash on normal cycle,” Remington said.

“Here, I’ll take a look,” Addy said.

He handed over the jeans and she flipped the tag and made a mental note of his size. Remington was huge but there didn’t seem to be an ounce of fat on him - he was pure rippling muscle.

She looked up from the tag and admired that physique in person. He was wearing black cotton boxer briefs. If Addy had a favorite type of men’s underwear, those would be it.

Stop it, Addy, stop it right now…

“Okay,” she said. “What we’re going to do is get you comfortable in the water.”

“Oh yes,” he said. “The water is very comfortable.”

“Sorry,” she said. “I meant we’re going to help you feel confident in the water and ready to swim.”

As soon as she said it though, she realized he really was comfortable in the water. This was going to be different from her usual adult beginner lessons.

“Grab one of those boards,” she said, indicating the stack of blue kick boards.

Remington looked surprised, but he walked immediately to the large diving board and bent over it as if he were going to snap it from its base.

“No,” she said.

He looked up.

“No, I meant the, um, blue foam boards, right back there.” She pointed again.

“Oh,” he said. He grabbed a kick board and came back to her.

“Go ahead and get into the shallow end if you want,” she said.

She flicked off the overhead lights and put the padlock on the gate. It wouldn’t do for anyone to think she’d done anything but shut down after the last lesson.

She went down the steps back into the pool. The water felt good, warmed slightly from the day’s sun. The lights on the inside of the pool itself were still on, giving the water a soft glow.

Remington stood waiting for her. The kick board looked absolutely tiny in his beefy arms.

“We’re going to work on floating,” she told him, trying not to gaze into his eyes.

“What should I do?”

“Lower yourself into the water,” she said. “Then hug the board to your chest.”

He did as he was told.

“Now turn around,” she said, “so your back is to me.”

He spun around.

“The next thing you’ll do is lean back,” she said. “I want you to get your ears wet. If you try to keep your head up, you won’t float. I’ll hold your head so you don’t have to worry about going all the way under.”

“Yes, I will lean back,” he said agreeably.

Addy watched as he lay back in the water.

She cradled her arms beneath his head, but he was so serene she felt sure he would have remained calm even without her there.

“Very good,” she said, trying not to think about his head being between her breasts. “It’s great that you’re letting your legs float up. If you let your lower back arch slightly you’ll find it’s easy just to drift.”

He had a faraway look for an instant, presumably because he was trying to figure out how to arch his lower back.

Then his posture changed slightly. His hips had been drifting down but now they rested on the water.

Wow. He really was a natural.

Addy knew she should stop there. This was two to three lessons in for most first-time adults. But she couldn’t resist.

“If I let go, do you think you could kick your legs?”

“Of course,” he said.

“Okay,” Addy said. “I’m going to let go. But when I say stop, be sure to stop. The water is shallow so you can just stand up.”

“I will stop and stand up when you tell me, Addy.”

“You’re going to keep your legs very straight and close together when you kick,” she advised.

“Yes, I will keep them straight and close,” he agreed.

“I’m letting go,” she said.

She stepped back and watched.

There was a moment of perfect silence.

Then a terrific splashing began as Remington kicked like a horse. His legs were straight and close together, just as she had instructed. He shot across the pool like a rocket.

Addy called out for him to stop, to prevent him from crashing into the wall at the other side.

Instantly the churning of the water ceased and Remington stood in the pool.

She was stunned by his size all over again as he towered over her.

“That was amazing,” they both said at the same time.

She laughed nervously and then his laughter joined hers.

“You are a wonderful teacher, Addy,” Remington said, moving nearer.

Try as she might, Addy could not convince her body to retreat or her brain to shout out a swim coach instruction.

Instead she stood before him, transfixed.

Time seemed to stretch, and she watched droplets of water streaming from his hair, the grooves of his muscles accentuated by the light coming up from the pool. He moved toward her, his fingers trailing twin lines in the water until he was so close it seemed inevitable that he would wrap his arms around her and kiss her.

His handsome face was beautiful in the moonlight, strong jaw and ice blue eyes. She could practically feel his heat pressed against her, the cool water lapping at the spaces between them.

She pictured him slipping a finger under the strap of her bikini, sliding it slowly down her shoulder, leaning down to lick her nipple into his mouth, sucking lazily until she whimpered for more.

She pictured herself kneeling beneath the surface to peel off his briefs, testing her breath control by pleasuring him under the water until she was desperate for air and he was desperate for release.

But Remington moved no closer and she was forced to battle her fantasies back so she could remember how to speak.

“You’re so beautiful, Addy,” he murmured. “It’s almost a cruelty to be so close…”

Her traitorous body surged with desire.

She bit her lip and prayed for will power.

“But you are not attracted to me,” he said.

Let it go, Addy. It’s fine if he thinks that.

“I-I am attracted to you,” she said. “I just don’t want to be in a relationship right now.”

“Aren’t you lonely?”

Wow, that cut a little deep. If he had accused her of never having any fun she could have laughed it off.

But lonely… well, loneliness was accurate. In spite of the friends, she never let anyone too close. School always came first.

She’d been truly close to so few people in her life, and one had been taken from her.

“I have my friends,” she said. “I have my mother.”

And it was true - Honey and her mom were enough. And maybe Nikki too, by the end of the summer. They were enough until she was out of med school.

“You are a healthy young woman,” he said. “You are at your prime for mating. Your body demands it. I know, because mine demands it too.”

He looked down at the tent in his shorts, unembarrassed.

Addy felt her body burn in response.

“This is a dangerous game,” she heard herself say.

“More dangerous for me than for you,” he replied.

It was true. And that was why she couldn’t do this.

But before she could say as much, he pulled her into his arms, leaned down and kissed her.

The moment his lips touched hers she was lost to the sensation of his warm mouth, the rough shadow on his jaw, the heavenly sensation of feeling small and protected in strong arms.

His erection pounded between them, jutting into her belly. She longed to explore his body, assuage his need, but he was holding her so tightly she couldn’t even slide a hand between them.

He abandoned her mouth and kissed his way along her jawline to her ear.

“Addy, please, will you allow me to choose you for my mate,” he whispered.

His hot breath sent tingles down her spine.

But the weight of his words brought her back to Earth.

“I can’t,” she whispered back.

Suddenly the shelter of his arms was gone.

She opened her eyes and he had backed up a few paces.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I will not ask again. I can see that it pains you.”

Although she wanted to scream with frustration, Addy managed to nod stiffly with a buttoned lip.

“I should go,” he said. “Will you give me another swimming lesson tomorrow?”

Addy smiled and nodded in spite of herself.

His replying grin was enough to start her heart beating again.

“Good night, Addy,” he said. “Thank you for my lesson.” He snagged his clothing from the chair where he had left it and effortlessly hopped the gate.

Addy stayed in the water and watched him until he disappeared.

Then she went to the far shallow end and rested on her back, kicking lightly and looking up at the tapestry of shimmering stars as she floated into the deep.

The universe was so large.

How significant were the career goals of one woman on one planet orbiting one star?

Would it be wrong to give up on her plans if it meant an adventure with an alien?

You can do it, Addy. I know you can.

Her father’s voice in her head never failed to give her the strength to persevere.

I know, Dad, she told him inwardly. Don’t worry, I will resist.