That snaps Stone back to attention after his moment of reprieve. He hollers for someone to bring a cup of water then arches my back as if I’m not over a hundred pounds and sopping wet. He slides an arm underneath me while cradling my head with his other hand. The burly man lifts me into a sitting position, his large hand flexed across my upper back to keep me from falling backwards.
Which is a life-saving action because my head is fuzzy and lightly spinning.
“Can you sit up on your own?”
I don’t attempt to answer verbally, opting instead to shake my head, which is a dumb move because now I feel like I’m a spinning top toy.
He adjusts himself into a seated position while still holding onto me. Stone spreads out his long legs and then tugs me backwards against him, letting me use his body as a solid place to land.Though he’s wet, he’s warmed from the heat of the sun. And it dawns on me…
He must have pulled me from the pool.
Stone Harper, my playboy boss, saved my life.
His sister, Stella, kneels down in front of me, offering me a glass of water. I reach out my hand to take it and quickly realize I won’t be able to hold it due to the ferocious shaking of my arm.
“Give it to me,” Stone demands. Stella hands him the glass then backs away to give us space. His ear brushes against mine as he leans forward. He brings the glass of water to my lips and tilts it only a fraction. I suck in the fresh, cool water, my throat burning and chest aching with every gulp, but I can’t stop. I’m like a woman withheld from water for days, and though it dribbles down my chin, Stone never pulls the cup away until I turn my head from the glass to indicate I’m finished.
“Better?” he asks in the most gentle, caring tone I’ve ever heard from him.
I take in a breath and prepare to try and speak again. “Yes,” I reply in a clear but gruff tone. “Thank you.”
“I’m just glad you’re safe.” Stone lifts the cup of water to my lips again, and I finish it off while Stella brings another glass to us. This time, I’ve regained enough control of myself to hold it. I think I could also sit up on my own now, but to be honest, I very much enjoy being pressed against this man.
The man who saved me.
Great. Now I’ll have some damsel in distress complex when it comes to Stone Harper…
I roll my eyes and laugh to myself. The motion of laughter sends a pronounced wave of pain through my chest. “Did you… did you have to do CPR on me?”
Stone’s voice is hard, and I imagine his full lips pressed into a line. “Yes. You weren’t breathing. Thankfully, you spit the water out and came back to me after only seven compressions.”
“How long was I in the water?”
“Not long. It was probably fifteen seconds before I realized you weren’t coming back up. You didn’t even attempt to swim, Lucy.” He says that last statement like it personally offends him.
“I don’t know how,” I say, my voice cracking and throat scratching.
“Still. You could have tried to fight or something. You just… sank. Like the moment your body hit the water, you gave up.”
His words attack me, touching something that’s buried deep within me. I muster all the anger suddenly swirling within me and attempt to face him though my back is against his chest. “So what? I almost drowned, Stone! And you’re sitting here telling me what I should have done in that situation? This has happened to me before, you know? Have you ever heard of something called a trauma response? ‘Cause that’s what happened. I couldn’t fight.”I didn’t want to fight,I add, but only in my mind.
“Not here,” he orders against my ear.
I bite my tongue to keep from saying something childish like “you started it” because he’s right. I glance around at everyone staring at us and whispering. Some people wear concerned expressions while others look intrigued at our conversation. Those must be the small town gossipers of Dasher Valley. Every town has them.
“Can you take me home?” I ask, resigned and on the verge of crying.
“Like to Juniper Grove? I don’t think it’s wise to drive that far after you almost drowned.” There’s a touch of dark sarcasm in his voice, and that’s a version of him I’m familiar with. His concern over me and his anger over me not fighting to stay above water are two unknown languages I’m not ready to think about decoding.
“I’m fine,” I whine, but the fuzzy feeling that still remains in my head and the way my stomach is starting to churn speaks otherwise. “Okay, fine. Take me to your parent’s house.”
“I think I want to take you to the clinic.”
Stella walks over, offering a hand to me. I take it willingly, ready to get free of Stone. Funny how a bit of anger will transform your desires in a second.
“You want to take her to see Dr. Marlee Gaines?” Stella says in a voice that sounds a bit disgusted as she tugs me up. “She’d be better off going to Hattiesburg to the hospital.”
“Just because you and Marlee don’t get along doesn’t mean I should risk Lucy,” Stone barks out, standing behind me with his hands on my waist as he helps his sister hoist me up. My dress is clinging to every inch of my curves, and I feel naked in front of all these people.
