Before he could protest, she scrambled up the ladder and disappeared. If this was another trap... He climbed slowly and peered through the hatch. No one but her, and she stood with her hand extended.
He brushed it away. “I’m fi—”
She shushed him and pressed a finger to her lips. Right. Escape.
Senses heightened, he started down the hallway after her. A clatter came from a room ahead and she jumped past the open door and motioned for him to follow. He slid against the wall and breathed out when he cleared it with no one the wiser.
She started up the ladder to the gun deck and he couldn’t help letting his eyes wander over her bottom, inches from his face. No man could resist that.
“It’s clear,” she whispered. He climbed onto the shadowed gun deck. Only a few lanterns had been lit and he followed Red to a dark space between two cannons.
“Now what?”
She lifted her finger to her lips again and pointed to a group of pirates sitting on crates farther down the deck. Directly beneath the hatch to the main deck. If Red distracted them and he could get a weapon from one, there was a chance he could take them. He turned to tell her his plan. And found himself staring into empty space.
A creak came from his side. She’d unlatched one of the port hatches and pointed out. His brows rose. No way he was fitting through there.
He shook his head, but she reached out and grabbed his hand. Her fingers were cold and trembled over his. And then she was touching his shoulders.
He stepped forward, pinning her between him and the hull, and lowered his mouth to her ear. Her breath caught and his pulse jumped in response.
“That opening is half the size of me.” He whispered the words and her hands tightened on his shoulders.
She turned her face into his and her lips brushed his cheek. “Try.”
Now, his pulse roared in his ears.
They stood still for a moment until Red started and pulled away. She gave him a little push toward the hatch. Christian stuck his head out into the night and took a deep breath, clearing his mind. He ran his hands over the wood frame and pressed his lips together. If he turned sideways, it might work.
But first... He stepped back and pulled his shirt over his head. “Hold this.”
Red took it with wide eyes and he bit back a smile at her discomfort. Served her right. Stepping through, he dropped his feet to the little ledge beneath the hatch. Now the hard part.
He twisted his shoulders together and began to wiggle. Halfway through, he had to stop. He couldn’t move any farther. The sensation of being stuck half in one place, and half in another squeezed around him and his breaths came fast. Too fast. His vision swam as darkness closed around him. If he couldn’t get through...
He jerked against the frame until his shoulders burned. Red appeared above him, her cool fingers cupping his cheeks. She rubbed her thumbs in slow circles and stared into his eyes until he stopped his struggle.
“Let me help,” she whispered.
He nodded and she slipped a hand down to one shoulder, pressing and pulling back at the same time. Her other hand pushed against his bottom shoulder and a moment later, he popped out.
Thank God.
He swallowed and looked down. About twice his height down to the water. Not far. Still, his muscles refused to move, his pulse still roaring in his ears from his near slide into panic. He took a deep breath. It had been years since he’d had an episode like that. Avoiding small, dark places was key. Jaw clamped, he forced his foot forward a smidge. No time for this. Before he could jump, Red’s feet connected with his back and he tumbled forward. He hit the water with a hard smack and sank into the darkness.
As he swam toward the surface, another splash and Red’s body slid past him. He thrust his head up into the air and sucked in a breath before she surfaced next to him.
“You almost landed on me.”
She grinned. “Sorry. You were moving too slowly.”
He shook his head and kicked away from the ship, but she grabbed him and dragged him against the hull.
“What now?”
She pointed up and sure enough, a voice floated down. “Did you hear that?”
Red motioned with her head and they eased along the ship toward the bow. Once they bobbed beneath the figurehead, she glanced over at him. “How far can you swim underwater?”
