CHAPTER 18

When Liv emerged in her swimsuit, Seth was already treading water, gazing up at the stars. She slipped quietly into the pool, sighing as the cool water enveloped her.

For a while they simply floated, saying nothing. The silence was peaceful rather than strained. Liv's muscles began to unwind after the stress of the past few days.

Seth watched her out of the corner of his eye.

"Care for a race, old man?" Liv challenged playfully, a hint of her old sparkle in her eyes. Seth grinned. "You're on."

They pushed off from the wall in a burst of splashes. Liv pulled ahead with smooth strokes, but Seth gained ground with his longer reach. Neck and neck, they touched the wall in a near tie, both breathing hard amidst giggles.

The laughter felt cathartic after so much tension. Their eyes met, and for a moment Seth saw another side of Liv shining through, the Liv he never knew existed.

Just as Liv and Seth were starting to reconnect through playful fun in the pool, a sudden turn threatened to undo all the progress they had made.

As Liv dove under the water for another race, her foot caught on something below the surface. She struggled frantically but couldn't free herself. Her lungs started to burn as she ran out of air.

Seth realized she had been under too long and began to panic. He plunged down and spotted Liv's flailing form in the dim light. Grabbing her arm, he yanked with all his strength until her leg pulled free.

They burst through to the surface, Liv gasping and coughing violently. Seth pulled her close, rubbing her back as she regained her breath. "It's okay, you're safe. I've got you."

Once she could speak, Liv rasped "My leg was tangled...I couldn't..." Seth shushed her gently. "Don't think about it. All that matters is you're alright."

A near-drowning had snatched Liv from the jaws of death right before his eyes.

The ordeal had shaken both Seth and Liv to their cores. With Liv safely in his embrace, Seth's relief turned to a swell of emotion.

Gazing into her eyes, he brushed damp tendrils of hair from her face tenderly. "I could have lost you," he murmured. The thought was unbearable.

Liv's gaze held an intensity that matched his own. "But you didn't. You saved me."

Slowly, inexorably, their lips met in a kiss that conveyed everything left unsaid.

As their kiss deepened, Liv felt a surge of unfamiliar emotions welling up inside her. When Seth gently brushed his hand along her side, a shiver ran through her body unlike anything she had felt before.

It was all so new and overwhelming. Liv wasn't sure she was ready for this next step, despite how right it felt in Seth's arms. When his fingers trailed a little higher and lingered at the edge of her swimsuit top, panic set in.

Liv broke away from the kiss abruptly, her breathing rapid. "I-I'm sorry, I can't...I need..." Without meeting Seth's eyes, she climbed swiftly from the pool and grabbed a towel.

Seth reached for her hand, concern etched on his face. "Liv, wait. Did I do something wrong? We can slow down, I don't want to push you." But she was already backing away, hugging the towel tightly around herself.

"That was quite some first kiss," he said softly. Liv bit her lip and nodded, not meeting his eyes.

Seth gently lifted her chin. "Hey, it's okay. There's no need to be shy with me." When she still said nothing, realization dawned on him. "Liv...was that your very first kiss?"

Liv worried about her bottom lip, then nodded again. Seth's heart swelled at the gift of her innocence she had given him. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm honored you chose to share it with me," he said solemnly. Liv searched his eyes, seeing only care and affection reflected there. Her body relaxed in his arms.

Seth smiled. "You have nothing to fear from me, I promise. I'll go as slow as you need."

“You’ve got sweet lips. I could eat your lips for days,” Seth said.

Liv was shocked, Seth was talking that way, she ran away from the pool because she was too shy to face him.

When Liv rushed to her room after leaving the pool area, her heart was pounding from the intensity of the moment with Seth. So many emotions were swirling inside - confusion, attraction, fear of the unknown.

As she tried to steady her breath and sort through her feelings, Liv's phone beeped with a new message. "Hey Liv, hope you're doing okay. Want to meet for coffee tomorrow and talk? -Dylan"

Seeing Dylan's name caused a fresh wave of anxiety. The last thing she needed was having any issues with Seth. But a thought occurred to Liv - this could be the opportunity she needed to set clear boundaries once and for all.

She drafted a reply: "Sure Dylan, coffee tomorrow at 2pm."

Hit send before she could overthink it. Liv confidence she could handle any objections, while also communicating her commitment to Seth without mistake.

The next morning, Liv awoke with the sunrise, her mind still processing all that had transpired. She quietly slipped from her room, hoping a good home-cooked breakfast could help smooth things over with Seth.

In the kitchen, Liv move fluidly as she prepared pancakes, fruit, and coffee. The familiar tasks soothed her nerves. Soon delicious smells wafted through the house.

Seth emerged, drawn by his stomach. When he saw Liv's efforts, his face softened. "Smells amazing. You didn't have to do all this..."

"I wanted to." She met his gaze steadily. "We should talk, but first - eat. I have an appointment at the bookshop soon."

Over the meal, Liv and Seth conversed lightly of happier things.

As Liv and Seth continued talking over breakfast, the conversation turned to places they'd like to travel.

"Switzerland has always fascinated me," Liv mused. "The mountains, the lakes...it seems so peaceful and beautiful."

Seth smiled. "Funny you should mention Switzerland. I've been meaning to tell you - Nana pulled through with that holiday she promised."

Liv's brows rose in surprise. "Really? But flights and hotels there must be so expensive."

"That's what I thought too. But get this - Nana has a timeshare apartment in a little village not far from Interlaken. She's letting us use it for two weeks this summer."

Liv's eyes widened. "Seth, that's incredibly generous of her but I couldn't expect you to afford the flights too."

He took her hand. "Don't worry about costs, I've been saving for this. Nana even helped by giving me her frequent flyer miles. All the details are taken care of, I want this to be a special trip for us."

Liv blinked away sudden tears, touched by his thoughtfulness. A real holiday with Seth in her dream country...it was almost too good to be true.

"Thank you, Seth. I can't wait for our adventure in Switzerland together."

Too soon, it was time for Liv to go. Seth walked her to the door. "Thank you for this. And Liv?" She turned, finding sincerity in his eyes. "I'm here when you're ready. No pressure."

Liv nodded, mustering a small smile before leaving.