Learning to Walk, a City Hospital Novel (9 page)

Neil joined in the laughter, but he didn’t help Kit with his pants -- they’d slow the man down long enough for him to catch up. Which he did, stripping down quickly so he could get into the pool before Kit did.

“Wait for me!” Kit got his shoes and socks off and then worked his sweatpants down, shifting his weight from side to side until he could pull them off his legs. “Okay, here I come!” He reached for the rail and pulled himself up, using his arms and upper body, but finally letting his legs take some of his weight. “Spot me.”

Neil moved into place. “Easy now.”

“Uh-huh.” Kit nodded and changed his grip, slowly moving himself closer to the water. “I don’t think I can do stairs at all. What’s the plan?” He shifted again, his face intent as he concentrated hard on what his body was doing.

“It’s a ramp not stairs -- you should be able to manage that.”

“Damn it.” Kit snorted and kept going. “Thought I’d get a little help.” He kept going, his upper body strong from months of working out and carrying his weight. “Stick with me, ‘kay?”

“I’m not going to let you drown, Kit. That would put a real kibosh on the whole get-you-healthy-so -I-can-do-you scheme.”

“I’m glad we’re on the same page.” Kit’s feet and lower legs were in the water, and a wave of goose bumps rose on his arms before settling down again. “It’s not slippery.”

“Nope. In fact they use a bumpy material that’s specially designed not to become slippery.”

“It’s weird, but you know. Keeping me off my ass, which means not drowning is happening.” Kit moved a little more into the water, his arms and back working. “Not drowning is good. Swimming is good.” He sped up a little.

“You’re doing great, Kit. This is just like the bar work we usually do. Only, you know, wetter.”

“How are you going to know when I’m sweating and stuff?” Kit flashed him a grin and winked. “That’s when you usually start giving me grief about slowing down.”

“I’m guessing you’ll be a little more honest with how hard your arms are working when them giving out means going under water.” He wasn’t going to tell Kit that he usually went by the look on Kit’s face rather than how much sweat was being generated.

“I’m always honest,” Kit said, which was a blatant lie. He was, as far as Neil knew, honest about everything in his life and their budding relationship, but Kit lied like a total fibbing liar about how hard he was working. It was a game.

“Uh-huh.” He watched Kit’s progress, nodding as things seemed suddenly a little easier as soon as Kit was more than waist deep.

“Oh, nice.” Kit sighed and his eyes closed for a moment. “What’s the plan?” He moved a little deeper.

“You get to swim. Fool around, move how you’re comfortable.” That way he could assess Kit’s abilities and develop exercises from there.

“Oh, how I wish I could fool around.” There was the flirt, full force. “Okay, here I go.” Kit lowered himself and let go, his grin huge as he rolled to his back to float.

Neil laughed like he was supposed to and kept a sharp eye on Kit. This was supposed to be a good experience. Almost drowning would not be.

“Oh God.” It was hardly the first time Neil had heard Kit moan and groan, and not even in a good way. Still, Kit was damn close to frolicking.

He couldn’t help but share the joy, laughing away and watching with a huge smile on his face.

“This is amazing.” Kit floated, his arms moving lazily. “Give me three seconds and I’ll actually try to do some work. Three seconds to just float.”

“Take as long as you want.” They had an hour and a half -- there was no way Kit could do actual work that long.

Kit just moved his arms again in the lazy wave that sent him slowly across the pool. In a moment he did it again, with one arm only to turn himself and made his way back, rather crookedly. “Okay, boss. Give me plenty of breaks like that and I’m all yours. Aren’t you coming all the way in?”

“I can see better from the edge here. I want you to float on your back and propel yourself as far as you can, just using your legs.”

“Jeez, I hope you brought a book to read. This won’t be very fast.” Kit floated a moment longer and then took stock of where he was in the pool. “Down that way?”

Neil shifted Kit so he would be doing the pool across the width instead of the whole length. “There you go. Take as much time as you need.”

“All right.” Kit’s face grew determined: his Work face. “Feel free to jump in anytime.” He lay back in the water and, using his arms to keep himself afloat and not to move, he slowly started across the width of the pool, his gaze fixed on the ceiling.

Neil had to smile. He’d bet Kit would never have believed he could do as much with just his legs as he was doing right now.

“How can something suck so much and be so cool at the same time?” Kit asked, panting slightly as he worked.

“Focus on how cool it is. Half full glass always trumps half empty.”

“Did you read that in a book?” Kit grunted and moved his legs, one more than the other and threw himself off balance. He spluttered a bit but got himself righted and floating again without panic. “Damn.”

“No, you’re doing fine. The recovery is important.”

“What with the not-drowning directive.” Kit nodded and got himself back on track, floating on his back. “Okay, other side of the pool. I want a party when I get there, ‘cause it might be my birthday by that time.”

Neil chuckled. “You’re doing fine, Kit. You’re going faster than you think.”

“Surely you jest.” Kit panted his way to the other side, though, only cheating with his arms a little bit.

“Would you have believed a month ago that you could actually propel yourself through the water with just your legs? How about two months ago?”

“Well... maybe not.” Kit shrugged one shoulder at him, the other arm busy holding onto the side of the pool. “Want me to go to the other side again? Seriously, you should get in the water. It’s amazing in here.”

“I can see you better from where I am.” Neil wasn’t in the pool for fun. He had to be responsible. Which he had to keep reminding himself of, because Kit was one sexy guy, especially right now, with Neil being able to see so much of him. God, he could so fall hard for Kit. He possibly already kind of had. He made himself focus; Kit was his patient. “And yes, I’d like you to go back to the other side. Take your time, just float when you get tired.”

“If you’re in the water you can touch me,” Kit pointed out. He got onto his back and started across the pool. “I’m just saying.”

“Kit!” He chuckled and shook his head; he not only had to fight his own baser instincts but Kit’s as well.

“What? Like you weren’t thinking it,” Kit teased.

“Thinking it or not, I still can’t do it.” He’d kind of pushed all those thoughts into a box, closed it up. Again. He needed to get a stronger imaginary lock for the imaginary box and door he was using to keep his illicit thoughts at bay.

“I know.” Kit nodded, which looked funny with his head mostly under water, and propelled himself across the pool. He was working too hard to keep talking, which was probably for the best.

Neil was going to stop Kit after he made it to the other side, just let the guy float and use his arms to swim, have fun without working too hard.

This time Kit didn’t cheat with his arms at all, nor did he flounder around and have to reset himself, but by the time he got to the wall Kit was breathing hard. “I guess the Olympics are out.”

“Who cares? That was awesome! Go you.” Neil even clapped. “Okay, you can just have fun now, do whatever you want in the water.”

“And then more work?” Kit wiped his face. “That means you have to get in the water with me, if I’m on a break. Come on, now.”

“No more work, you’ve done enough for today.” He knew Kit would still get some work in just swimming around, having fun.

“Seriously?” A long, slow smile crossed Kit’s face. “Get in here.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” Could he keep his hands off Kit with all that bareness?

Kit gave him a level look. “If you’re not coming in, I’m getting out.”

“All right, all right, I’m coming in.” He wasn’t going to cut Kit’s time short just because he wouldn’t wade on in. He was a big boy; he could control himself.

Kit smiled and rolled onto his front, his arms working hard to propel him toward the ramp. “Oh, right.” He switched to his legs for the last few feet, laughing.

Neil couldn’t help but grin at Kit. It was good seeing the man smiling, laughing, clearly having a good time. He liked this Kit a whole lot.

“Want to race?” Kit held onto the edge of the pool with one hand.

“Sure. I’m not going to let you win, though.”

“Phht. So you think. I’m sneaky.”

“Oh-ho, you’re planning to cheat, are you?” Somehow, that didn’t seem out of the realm of what Kit might do to win if he was really motivated.

“It’s called strategy not cheating,” Kit assured him. Kit’s grin kicked up a notch, though. “No arms, just legs. Deal?”

He frowned. “Both of us?” How the heck was Kit planning to win with just his legs?

Kit just smiled at him. “When was the last time you propelled yourself across a pool just using your legs? I’m betting that you get tired before me -- I’m totally used to agony.” He winked.

“Yeah, but you’re already ti--” Neil cut himself off. If Kit was willing to do more work with just his legs, who the hell was he to refuse it? “Length-wise or cross-wise?”

“Do I look totally insane? Across. I’ll go lengthwise, but not with just my legs. Not today.” Kit appeared to consider it. “Next time.”

“Okay, deal. Are we wagering on our performances?”

“Sure.” Kit splashed a little. “What do you have in mind?”

Suddenly all he could think of was kisses and fondling and various handjobs. “Uh...”

“You’re blushing. I’m all in.”

“Uh. How about a shoulder massage?” Still not entirely appropriate for Kit to give him one, but it was better than the other alternatives his mind was supplying.

“At my house?” Kit asked immediately. “Not in your office or somewhere?”

“Sure.” The word was out of his mouth before he’d thought about it, and he groaned internally. His body was conspiring against him.

“Nice. And if you win...?”

“Same thing.” Damn it, Kit had given him a pass, and his stupid mouth had spewed out an answer before he could accept it.

Kit looked smug. “I’m totally going to collect. Come on, then. Right next to me so we start from the same place.”

He moved next to Kit. “One, two, three, go, and go on go?”

“Uh-huh.” Kit’s shoulder rubbed against his. “Arms and hands for balance only, power from the legs. Ready?”

“Totally.” He turned onto his back, knowing it would be easier if he wasn’t trying to keep his face out of the water. “One. Two. Three. Go!” He kicked off.

Kit was right there beside him, his breathing deep and even just like Neil had taught him. He was splashing, too, which was impressive, since he wasn’t supposed to be moving his arms.

It wasn’t long, though, before Neil was ahead of Kit, kicking hard.

“Don’t splash my face,” Kit called, his breath more ragged but his voice more playful than annoyed. “You know, kick less.”

“I’m trying to win here!” Neil did move over to the left a few feet, though, so his splashing wouldn’t impede Kit’s ability to draw in air.

Kit puffed away for a moment, then replied, “Me, too.” He grunted and his splashing grew stronger, briefly.

Neil’s legs were getting tired, but a glance back proved he was almost at the wall and he put on a burst of speed, eager to be done.

Kit’s effort couldn’t sustain itself, and he reached the wall well after Neil touched it, breathing hard. “Tada, I win,” he said between pants. “You only think you did.”

Floating there, Neil shook his head. “No way. I know I did. I might be persuaded to give you a massage when we get out, though -- your legs have got to be screaming at you.”

“They’ve been better.” Kit held onto the wall, trying to catch his breath. “I’m totally going to float a bit before doing anything else, and I’m going to insist on that rub.”

Neil nodded. “Yeah, just relax for a bit. There’s no shame if you want to get out now. You’ve had a good go.”

“Heck, no. Let me float a little bit. We have the pool; I want to use it with you.” Kit pointed at him. “That means you can’t get out either. But you can rub my legs in the water if you want.”

Neil thought about that and shook his head. “I don’t think that would work too well.” Everything would be slippery and wet and it would just be better all around if they waited until they got out. Thinking about slippery and wet in association with Kit was probably not a very good idea at all.

Kit laughed quietly and let himself slide under the water, then came up and started floating on his back, lazily moving around with his hands. “I’m going to sleep well tonight, I think.”

“I should hope so -- you’ll eat well, too, I bet. You’ve expended a ton of energy.”

“I always eat well. But I guess I could go for an extra helping of vegetables, for sure. And an extra whole chicken.” Kit lifted his head from the water and re-aimed himself toward the ramp.

“You ready to get out?” Neil flipped over and lazily dog-paddled in the same general direction.

“Soon.” Kit got to the ramp and floated as far up it as he could until he was essentially lying on it, his lower body still in the water. “This is awesome.”

“Feels good, eh? Being buoyant and weightless?”

“Yeah.” Kit leaned back, his weight on his elbows. “It’s sort of freeing. And warm. Can’t fault the heat, either.”

“Yeah, that’s the big difference between this pool and a public one -- those are much cooler. I can try to book us in here once a week, if you want? It’ll probably be easier if you’re willing to be in the pool at the same time as other people.”

“I will be. But not yet. Right now, and for next week, I want it for me and you.” Kit’s eyes were closed as he lounged back, his legs floating out in front of him.

“Okay, I’ll see what I can do. I’ll go ahead and book, even if I can only get a half hour -- completely empty slots are harder to come by.”

“Sure.” Kit nodded and got himself to sitting, his hands keeping him from falling or floating away. “It’s not like I got anywhere close to using all my time today.”