“Okay, so what are you up to? Why’d I have to bring a bathing suit today?” I texted her and told her to bring a bathing suit to today’s session, but I didn’t answer any of her follow-up questions.

“You’ll see. Are you wearing it now or do you need to change?”

“I have it on.”

“Great, let’s go.”

I lead her out to the indoor pool area we have at the center. Water exercises can be a great therapy tool for athletes so we have one on the premises. Normally, there would probably be at least one other client out here with us, but I booked it so that we’d be the only ones today. We haven’t used the pool in our sessions yet, but I thought this would be a nice change of pace for her. I also thought it might be a nice way to get her mind off her dad. He’s been quiet, not even calling on Christmas, which she doesn’t mind, but she’s wary about what he might be planning during his silence.

“Hell yes, we’re using the pool today? You’re getting in with me, right?”

“Of course.”

She mumbles something about getting to see me shirtless and wet as she strips off her shorts and T-shirt to reveal her sinful bathing suit. It’s an orange hi-cut one piece that makes the walnut-brown of her skin glow. The straps of the top are thin and her breasts look tantalizing. Her sides can be seen in small cut-outs, and the front of her suit is open so I can see her toned stomach.

“You gonna keep staring or should we get started?” she calls me out.

“I’m gonna stare a little more.”

She laughs as she ties her hair up in a bun and then moves to the stairs by the shallow end of the pool. I quickly strip off my shirt and sweats to reveal my swim trunks and then I jump in the water so I can help her down the steps.

“Okay, so let’s start with a couple of these.” I instruct her to move through some of the stretches we do each session. She does them with ease. “See, water exercises are low impact so you’re able to do them with a little less pain than you might outside of the pool. I thought it might be nice to switch it up today.”

“You’d be right. The water feels so good.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Let’s do some walking.” We spend the next few minutes walking in waist-deep water to get her muscles moving and then we move on to simple range of motion exercises and light swimming, careful to avoid kicking. She moves through them with ease, only needing to stop a couple of times.