The water threatened to engulf her again. She couldn’t go under. Not again.
“You’re safe.” The words were repeated as a mantra against her ear, again and again. “I’ve got you, Princess.”
William.
Reality replaced overwhelming panic as she focused on his arm and stopped thrashing. He continued speaking, low and calm, while he swam a lazy one-arm stroke. He held her back against his chest, moving them toward the capsized canoe.
She surveyed the lake, focusing on everything but the water. Her pulse started to even out. She wasn’t drowning.
She gripped William’s arms harder as a sob ripped straight from her heart.
Chapter Fifteen
Lucy clung to William’s arm as he held her above the water. He paddled with one arm toward her life jacket floating near the canoe. Her lungs ached, and she pinched her eyes closed against the splashing water.
“I won’t let you go. Relax with the fingernails, yeah?” William said against her ear.
She instantly loosened her grip and tried not to focus on the imminent threat of drowning.
The neon orange life jacket floated near the boat. He snagged it and turned her to face him. “I’m going to put this on you, hold still.”
With one arm around her waist, he slipped the opening over her head. She gripped his shoulders and held on tighter.
His head dipped under the water.
The life jacket kept her afloat, but she didn’t release her grip on him.
He bobbed to the surface, his mouth barely above the water. “Let—”
“Will!” she cried out as he slipped under again.
His head barely came out of the water. “Let go—”
“Are you insane? I’m not letting you go!” She fought to keep her grip on him.
He gripped her fingers in his, holding them in a vise. His head finally emerged above the surface. He coughed and spat out a stream of water. “Stop trying to save me, or I’m going to drown,” he said on a gasp.
Oh.
She stopped trying to save him.
He righted himself and coughed some more. “The other night? When you said drowning was the worst way to go? Yeah. We’ll stick with that theory.”
Lucy held to the foam life vest as he attached the Velcro on the sides.
“Can you kick your legs?” he asked.
She nodded.
Her legs tangled with his as he guided them toward the shore. The thick muscles of his thigh brushed against hers and, well…damn. Even with everything happening, she still desired him. Her breaths came quickly, and her pulse pounded ruthlessly. It had nothing to do with the water, and everything to do with him.
“Don’t be scared. We’re almost there. Think of something else.” His words were raspy.
Hells bells, he must have misinterpreted her body’s inappropriate carnal reaction with panic.Think of something else.He didn’t have to tell her twice.
She ignored her body’s traitorous response.C’mon. Anything else.She spit out a mouthful of water after a small wave bobbed up.
William loosened his grip around her. “Put your feet down, you can touch.”
