It stings my eyes and gets into my mouth. There’s no way to see, and both the water and my fear are choking me. I have no idea which way is up and which way is down. Panic claws at my throat and I don’t know what to do.My feet and arms are useless as I flail around, desperately trying to get to the surface.
But just as quickly as I fell into the water, I’m out of it. I’m pulled against a strong body, their hand curling around my waist as I suck in air gratefully.
I’m a mess of coughs as I try to clear my lungs. My hands lock around whoever was brave enough to save me, and I know I won’t be letting go any time soon.
“I’ve got you,” a familiar voice says. It’s meant to be calming, but I can hear the tightness in it. “You’re not going back under.”
It’s Nate. Of course it’s Nate. He had to have been nearly at the boat, but the second he heard me fall, he came back for me.
All I can do is hold onto him as I try to catch my breath. My arms wind around his neck as I let him get us to the edge of the dock.
“Take her first,” I hear Nate say, and suddenly, I’m being pulled. I make a noise, trying to keep Nate with me, but the arms grabbing me are too strong, and I’m out of the water and on the dock a moment later.
Nate is hoisted up next, and I’m reaching for him before I can think twice about it. Instead of flinching away, I’m the first one he runs to.
His hands are on my face, rubbing my cheeks as he checks me over. “Are you okay?” he asks.
I don’t know how to answer. My body is hopped-up on energy I didn’t know I had. My eyes hurt. I can’t catch my breath.
And I also can’t let go of Nate.
“Are you on the cruise?” someone asks. A crowd has formed around us. “There’s a nurse’s station on board.”
“We are,” Nate says. “That’s where we’re going.”
I yelp as he hoists me up, but I don’t mind.
The ride to the medic is a blur. I can’t panic about the boat because all of my energy was used when I was underwater. Nate hovers like a mother hen. Dimly, I wonder if I should fall into water more often.
“What happened?” the nurse asks.
“She fell off the dock. She may have inhaled some water. Some idiot ran right into her.”
My eyes widen at the sound of his voice. Nate doesn’t get angry.
Until now, I guess.
The nurse turns to me. “What a day. Is all that true?”
Slowly, I nod. “I think I’m fine. Unless I’m in some form of shock.”
“It can happen. Let’s make sure your breathing is okay and check for anything else.” She gives me a smile. “Luckily you had someone there to get you out.”
I glance at Nate. “Well, he said he would be there to save me.”
“Always will.”
The words fill me with a warmth that chases away the last bits of fear.
After looking me over, the nurse gives me a clean bill of health and says I can leave at any time.
My fists have been clenched. I know that the feeling of water invading my nose is going to haunt me, and he’s going to witness every bit of it.
But the second we’re alone, Nate slumps.
“Fuck, that was terrifying.” He shakes his head. “I can’t even imagine what it was like for you.”
“Yeah, it wasn’t my favorite way to spend an afternoon.”
