“God, when I heard you fall, I—” His eyes close. Then he does the last thing I expect.
He pulls me into a hug.
I’m pressed against his chest and he’s got me in a tight grip. I don’t think about what could come of this with my newfound feelings. I just know he’shereand he’s the only thing I need.
My arms wrap around him and I hold him as tight as he’s holding me. I have no idea how long he’ll tolerate this, but I’ll steal all the seconds I can.
It ends too soon.
Nate pulls away, and I expect to find the usual distance. But instead, he hovers just away from me, his hands on my shoulders.
“Talk to me,” he says. “How are you feeling? Are you okay?”
I take it all in. “I’m cold and I smell. Istillcan’t swim and might have sunken into that nasty water ...”
Nate lets out a harsh breath. “I wouldn’t let that happen to you.”
“I know. Thank you.”
“Still, maybe I shouldn’t have pushed you to come on this cruise.”
I frown. “What? Why?”
“You’ve been miserable this entire time, and then you got pushed into the damn water by an idiot.” He shakes his head.
“Iwas the one who originally planned this whole thing. And you were right. We need this time together. That wasn’t fun, I’ll admit. But it didn’t ruin anything.”
“You just had to relive your biggest fear and it didn’t ruin anything?” He raises an eyebrow. “Are you sure about that?”
I am. I know it immediately. Falling into the water doesn’t erase the moment in the ruins from the day before, where we simply existed in each other’s space, or the photo I now have that I want to print out and put on my wall.
But if anyone had asked me a few months ago, I would have said falling into the water would’ve ruined anything.
I was a different person then. Hell, just a week ago I was. That version of me hadn’t dumped Rob, hadn’t gotten on a boat with Nate.
I always thought fear ruled me, but I’d just fallen in the water. I’d lived.
What else could I do?
“I think I am. But I’ll feel even better when I have a shower.”
He looks down at me and then himself. “Yeah, we’re both really gross right now. Who knows what was in that water anyway?”
chapter fifteen
It takesme way too long to shower away all the grime from the day. It doesn’t help that the water pressure is terrible and that the shower is tiny. When I’m done, I’m huffing and annoyed, but I tell Nate it’s his turn and flop onto the bed.
He lingers. “You’re not gonna take a peek at me, are you?”
“No. I’m staying right here.”
“Are you still okay?”
I mostly am, but when I recall the terror of having fallen in, it doesn’t feel great.
“I’ll survive while you shower. Then I might need you again.”
“Got it,” he says. “I’ll make it quick.”
