Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 147415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 737(@200wpm)___ 590(@250wpm)___ 491(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 737(@200wpm)___ 590(@250wpm)___ 491(@300wpm)
“You need to know what to do if your kayak capsizes, Miss Lancaster. Anything might happen out here.”
“Okay, Foster. Fill me in.” Despite the attitude, it’s clear she’s enjoying herself. “Are you going to capsize?”
“That’s only happened twice, and never seriously. Because I don’t panic.”
I explain how to extricate herself and her gear if, for any reason, she finds herself upside down. Panicking doesn’t seem like her thing, but I talk her through a few basic techniques to prevent emotions from sinking her in the moment.
To my surprise, she doesn’t offer a wisecrack in return.
For once, she just listens, and when I show her how to rock her boat and use her weight to flip it, she nods.
Then, without another word, she flips her boat and goes under.
Shit.
I should’ve known this dramatic little brat just had to test it out.
Fine, let her.
I watch while the bottom of her new kayak glistens in the sun, waiting impatiently.
After a solid minute, I start to worry.
She hasn’t come up yet.
I allow ten more seconds for signs of movement, and then I stop thinking.
I’m up, plunging in after her, cutting through the water until I find her sleek black form, grasping her waist.
She’s not stuck, thank God.
All that matters is that she’s safe and I’ve got her now.
She struggles a little from the shock of my arms grabbing her, then she must remember what I told her if she ever needs an assisted rescue.
She goes limp as I drag her to the surface.
The air is cold and biting as we tread water that suddenly feels far less friendly.
Her body presses against mine, fully molded, and I’m holding her so tightly she couldn’t escape if she tried.
The warmth of her body seeps through her wet suit—even through mine—and I can’t make my arms unlock from around her waist.
Fuck, if this was her idea of a joke, I’ll send her packing on the spot.
I’m close enough to see the diamond beads dripping from her eyelashes.
She looks at me, no sign of a smile on her face.
Her hands are splayed flat against my chest. I wait for her to apply pressure, to push me away, but she doesn’t.
Fuck.
I didn’t think it was possible for her to be any sexier, but drenched like this, with water against her parted mouth, she’s pure nectar.
For a long second, there’s silence.
Only our breaths, panting and frantic, this crackling charge like the air itself waits for us to breathe again, the space between us seared.
Then she breaks into a nervous laugh, swiping her wet hair back from her face and pushing back from me. Her face is pink now.
“Oh my God. I... I thought it would be easier than that. I’m sorry.”
I look away before I can’t.
“Are you all right? You scared me shitless.” My voice is hard. Adrenaline thrums through my veins.
She laughs harder then, wiping her wet face clean.
“Yeah, sorry, I’m fine,” she splutters. “I can swim. You saw me.”
“I saw you go under, Miss Lancaster. Do not bullshit me.”
“I was coming back up. I was trying. The kayak, it was just heavier than I thought.”
“I told you it would be,” I growl.
“Yes, I see that now. I’m sure I would’ve made it, eventually. I have a life vest... I mean, even if I wasn’t coming back up with the boat, I’d have surfaced eventually.”
“Now you see why you don’t laugh off safety lessons,” I snap, though it’s fucking humiliating that I’m reacting like this.
I know she can swim.
I know she probably would’ve swam up eventually.
Still, she was under there for over a minute before I fished her out.
My instinct keeps screaming react.
To this, to her, I don’t know.
Yet the blood won’t stop roaring in my brain.
“Well, thanks for the help. You were so quick,” she says, treading water. I glance at her, and the first thing I notice is how dark her eyelashes look when they’re wet.
I look away again. “Try not to give me a heart attack again.”
“Hey, I mean it.” Her voice trembles, trying not to laugh. “It was very noble of you to worry...”
“Call me noble again and I’m taking you home,” I bite off.
She coughs and when she recovers, she’s all serious. “It’s nice knowing my safety means something. Especially on the water.”
The water, again.
Why does that mean so much to her? There’s a story in her eyes she’s not ready to share.
“You’re a human being. Also, I don’t want the lawsuit that would come at me if you drowned. Would your father hire a hit man?” I mutter.
“Only for guys who date me,” she laughs. “You’re safe and still totally at my mercy.”
“I’m starting to regret the rescue. I could still hold you under.”
She stares at me and her mouth falls.
“...was that a joke, Foster? Two in one morning? Who are you?”
“Call me Shepherd.”
Call me Shepherd? What the hell?