Seth had washed his hair, also. When he pushed open the bathroom door, he was towel drying his hair with his shirt completely unbuttoned. Linda jumped up and started to walk across the room to the bathroom door. When she reached him, he said "Well, hello," and reached down to gather her into his arms.
Linda gave him a quick hug, to distract him. " Can you do me a big favor," she asked. "Can I use the shower, too?" She did little more than spritz herself off. After she put her clothes back on and opened the bathroom door, she saw Seth provocatively arranged atop the bed, barefoot, with his shirt still opened. He'd turned on the television.
"Hey! They have HBO here! Jaws 2 is on!" He patted the other side of the bed with his opened palm.
To make a statement, Linda crossed the room and sat down at the chair beneath the lamp table. "That first one scared me so much I was glad we lived far from an ocean," she said.
Seth eagerly watched the screen as the great white shark caught up with a young woman water-skiing, then devoured her. When his attention returned to Linda, he patted the bed again. "Why are you sitting all the way over there? It's much more cozy and comfortable over here."
Yes, and an easier spot for you to make your move, too, she thought. "Do you really want to watch TV all afternoon? It's such a nice day. I can show you around campus. It's really fascinating, especially during the summer, when there are so many less people around."
Seth grinned wryly. "I thought you didn't want to be out in the sun any more, because of your white Danish and German skin."
It was true: mid-afternoon was when the sun's rays were strongest. Linda sighed, staying put in her chair, wondering what to do or say next.
"So, come on over here," Seth persisted. "I won't bite, I promise."
Linda picked herself up and crossed the room to the bed, circling around to the space beside Seth. When she sat down onto the pillows he'd lain there for her, he gave her a quick hug. True to his word, they spent the next couple of hours in light chatter, laughing at how fake the shark looked, talking about their own experiences of sailing or swimming in the ocean. Soon Linda felt as comfortable with him as she'd been in the dream, when he'd held her in the warm waters of the lagoon.