The scenery is breathtaking, with the sun shining down on us and the waves crashing against the side of the Zodiac. It feels like we are in our own little world, away from whatever is bothering me.
We’re going faster now, speeding along with the wind in our faces. Logan looks over at me, a gleam in his eyes. “Hold on tight,” he yells out.
I grip onto the side of the Zodiac, feeling the rush of adrenaline course through me. The water splashes up onto me. I feel utterly alive.
Logan expertly maneuvers the Zodiac, making sharp turns and sudden stops that send us flying. I scream with delight, feeling exhilarated by the sudden rush of speed and freedom. The wind whips my hair back in a frenzy, and I feel wild and reckless, like anything is possible.
We race along the coastline, weaving in and out of the rocky cliffs that jut out from the water like jagged teeth. As we get further out to sea, the waves grow larger, and the Zodiac begins to buck wildly in the choppy waters.
“This is awesome!” I yell to Logan, not even sure he’ll be able to hear me through the wind.
But he does hear me. He turns back and gives me a toothy smile and a thumbs up.
I can’t resist anymore. I want to be close to him. I want to tell him how exhilarating this is—how much this is what I needed. So I stand and make my way to the seat next to him, feeling the waves rocking beneath my feet.
As I sit down next to him, I can feel the electricity between us. Logan turns to look at me, and the intensity in his eyes makes my heart skip a beat.
He reaches out and gently tucks a stray strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers grazing my skin. I shiver at his touch.
“Are you having fun?” he asks, his voice barely audible over the sound of the wind and waves.
I nod, unable to find my voice. The rush of adrenaline coursing through me leaves me breathless and speechless.
Logan leans in closer to me, his lips almost brushing against my ear. “We can make it even more fun,” he murmurs, his hand sliding down my arm and intertwining our fingers together.
Before I can respond, he expertly maneuvers the Zodiac, and we shoot off towards the horizon again. The waves crash violently against the side of the boat, drenching us with salty water. But I don’t care. I’m too caught up in the feeling of his hand in mine, the rush of the wind on my skin, and the sound of his laughter as we fly across the waves.
As I catch my breath, I glance over at Logan. He looks over at me with a grin, and I feel myself flush under his gaze.
That’s when I notice how the waves have grown even larger, crashing against the Zodiac with a force that sends us flying. But Logan expertly navigates us through the stormy waters, his eyes never leaving the horizon. I can feel his strength and confidence radiating from him, and it’s comforting to know that he’s in control.
Only a few seconds later, I detect a shift in Logan’s mood. His grip on my hand tightens, and he stares out at the water with a furrowed brow. Then he lets go of my hand, suddenly fully focused on steering this thing.
Seeing him not so sure of himself, I’m suddenly terrified. When did the sky get so dark?
The clouds overhead had been gathering for a while, but I hadn’t paid much attention to them, too caught up in the rush of the waves and Logan’s touch. Now, though, I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. The storm is coming, and we’re out here in the middle of it.
I try to suppress the fear that’s rising inside me, but it’s no use. These waves are growing larger by the minute, and the wind is picking up speed. The Zodiac is starting to rock violently, and I can feel the panic rising inside me.
Logan’s face is set in a grim expression, his jaw tight as he tries to navigate us through the storm. Suddenly, a huge wave looms up in front of us, and I can feel my heart stop in my chest. We’re going to capsize. This is it.
But just as quickly as the wave appears, Logan expertly steers the Zodiac towards it, riding the crest of the wave like a pro. I scream with both fear and exhilaration as we soar over the top of the wave, the wind and rain whipping against my face.
When I look up, I see Logan frantically trying to regain control of the Zodiac. Although his eyes show terror, he remains composed and collected. I don’t know if he’s doing it for my sake, or for his own, or if that’s just how he is. Then he must see the look of terror on my face because he screams at me:
“You okay?”
“I’m fine!” I scream back. “Just focus on getting us back to shore!”
“On it!”
The next few minutes feel like hours as Logan navigates us through the storm, and the rain pours on us like the apocalypse is coming and there’s no tomorrow. Unable to stop myself, I burrow myself into Logan’s side and I hug his middle as tightly as I can. I have no idea how long I keep on holding him like this, but I pull away when I finally hear him curse loudly.
I look up at the same place he’s looking, and I freeze as I see the huge wave coming our way.
CHAPTER10
This is it. We’re going to capsize. I’m going to drown.
