A Swift Rescue

Chapter 6

The concert in Providence had passed without incident, and three days after the fact, Damien had just called Taylor.

"Damien!  It's always good to hear from you!  Hey... so why aren't you here?"

"Should I be?"

"You should if you wanna go swimming!  There's a pool party in an hour!"

"I'll be right over... with food."

Damien hopped in the shower, slipped his swim trunks over his underwear, water shoes on his feet, and a tee shirt on his back.  Grabbing his goggles and a black towel, he headed out the door.

When Damien got to Taylor's, he rang the doorbell and waited.

The door opened to reveal a smiling brunette.  "Hi!" She said.  "I'm Karlie; who are you?"

"Remember that guy who saved me?"

"Is this him?"

Damien smiled and nodded.  "I'm Damien Thorndyke."

"Come in!" Taylor said brightly.  "You brought pizza and salad?"

"I figured some people might want a vegetarian or vegan option.  But most people, I bet, won't say no to pizza."

"So what do you do?" asked Karlie.

"I served as a Ranger in the army.  Now I'm a surgical technician."

"Nice!"

Damien put the food down as Karlie ducked into a bathroom to change.  He then headed to the pool, placing his things on a lounge chair.

"Damien," said Taylor, walking out in a black bikini, "fair warning, the water's a bit cold so...". She gasped as Damien turned to face her.

Damien's frame was toned, and his muscles showed, but not too much.  The emblem of the Army Rangers was tattooed on the left side of his chest, and his right upper arm boasted a Ranger tab.  "I have a feeling once you jump in, Taylor, it won't be cold anymore."

Taylor smiled.  "Y- you think... so?" she stammered, blushing.

Karlie walked out of the house in a blue bikini.  "Taylor, what are you...". Her voice trailed off.  "Oh wow..." she whispered.

Taylor sat in the lounge chair next to Karlie's.  "Karlie," she said dumbly, her mouth hanging open.  "I am gonna die."

"Oh my God, I know..."

Taylor noticed something else in her stupor.  More guests had shown up, here's, but still good friend Tom Hiddleston among them.

"Hello there, Tay... you alright?"

"I can't stop shivering..."

"It... really isn't cold out."

"Hey there."  Damien had walked over.

"Hi!  You must be Damien."

"That's me.  You must be Loki.  Hey, how many times are you gonna die before Thor realizes you're faking?"

"Oh God!" Tom laughed.  "Don't ask!"

Karlie was all smiles.  "He's an Army Ranger."

Taylor, whose heart was now beating at a steady one hundred miles per hour, thank you, tried to stand, but couldn't quite manage it.

Damien smiled.  "Need some help?"

Taylor just nodded.

As Damien helped Taylor up, she carefully held onto him.

"It's alright," said Damien softly.  "Just take it slow."

"I can't feel my legs," Taylor managed to squeak out.

Damien picked Taylor up gently, carrying her inside and gently setting her on a comfortable sofa.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently.

Taylor sighed.  "Damien..." she said weakly.  "My heart is racing, my head is swimming, and I have total butterflies."

"I'm just a guy without a shirt," he said with a shrug.  "I look good, I think, but I'm not a hunk like George Clooney.  Do you need anything else?"

"I need to calm down... and your washboard six pack is not helping."

"Point taken," said Damien, walking towards the food.

Damien smiled as he helped himself.

"Hi..." said a shy voice.

Damien turned to see a blonde in a red one piece smiling at him.  "Hey.  Nice party we're having."

"Been in the water yet?"

"That's later," said Damien.  "I can't burn off calories I haven't had, see?"

"I'm Hayley, and... um... do you wanna maybe... sit with us?"

"I'm not sure the girl I'm interested in would like that much."

"Is... is she here?"

"Yep."

"So... are you officially dating, or..."

"Who's this, Hayley?"

"I'm Damien."

"There's this girl here who he likes, apparently."

"B- but he's single... right?"

"Technically... I am.  But my heart's pretty set on this girl."

"Maybe I can set your heart a little different...?"

"Oh, hey Karlie."

"She's a solid girl, Damien," Karlie purred, "but she's got secrets.  Me?  I'm an open book."  She stepped closer.  "I brought white Zinfandel."  She cocked her head, coquettishly flexing a sensual leg.  "Would you like some...?"

"You guys know I'm not the only guy here," laughed Damien.

"Just the hottest!" Hayley's friend blurted.

"If you wanna meet Loki, he's over there."  He nodded towards Tom and walked towards the pool.  "Sorry, Hiddleston," he muttered, jumping in.

Taylor, meanwhile, was just getting steady.  She slid into the water and sighed happily as Karlie walked over.

"Well... I guess Damien doesn't like girls," she said simply.

"Sure he does," said Taylor.  "He told me he had a girlfriend in high school."

"Then... why didn't he even bat an eyelash when I tried to chat him up?"

Taylor was stunned.  "He didn't flirt back?"

"He hasn't flirted with any of the girls here so far."

"Not true... he flirted with me a bit.  I actually... kind of liked it."

"Just you?"

Taylor's mouth fell open.  "Wait... just me...?"

"Apparently so.  There were three of us talking to him, but... nope."

Taylor's heart started to race again.  "I... I thought that maybe... someone like Damien might be a little, I don't know... and we're not dating right now... so it's not like I'd mind..."

"He minds," said Karlie.  "Tay... Damien really likes you.  And from what I just saw... you would be a moron to say no."

Taylor sighed.  She would definitely talk to him.  For now though, she enjoyed the party.