No surprise there. William was extremely athletic. If he wasn’t on the water, he was mountain bike riding, BASE jumping, or snowboarding.
His hands deftly glided over the steering wheel. “I packed us a little picnic once we get back to shore, too.”
The parking lot was empty, and the mountains towered behind us like gods watching mortals perform outdoor theater. The full moon illuminated the ocean—its dark waters glittering, reflecting the starry sky above.
William took the kayak toward the water while I changed into the wetsuit he gave me in the car. We weren’t intentionally swimming in the water, but just in case we fell in, William wanted me to be safe in the cold.
By the time I was done, William was also changing into his wetsuit by the trunk. I watched him pull up the material over his muscular thighs and his thick abs. His hair was disheveled and cute. I wanted to devour him.
Then, he took two life jackets and put one on me, which sobered my mood real quick. “I gotta wear this thing?”
He fastened it on top of my shoulders and squeezed my arms. “Afraid so.”
“But aren’t you a badass ex-soldier? You’d be able to save me.”
“That’s true. But just in case I get eaten by a shark before I can reach you, life jackets are mandatory.”
I gulped at the thought and carried the front of the kayak while William got the back as we walked to the water.
“You take the front seat so I can guide you on how to paddle.”
I stepped into the icy water, and it was like a million knives stabbing into my skin.
My breath hitched. “Oh, dear god.”
William laughed. “Hop in.”
I clumsily entered my seat, trying not to knock the boat over as William held it steady.
We set off on the calm water, and I tried to use my paddle, but we were stagnating.
“You’re using it backward. Try the other way,” he said gently.
I laughed nervously and tried again. We eventually found a smooth rhythm, with William doing most of the work, until we were farther away from shore. My nerves ratcheted up as the sound of traffic slowly dissipated. Small waves lapped against the kayak, making it more apparent that we were in deep water in the middle of the night.
I white-knuckled the oar. “Uh, could we take a break?”
“Sure.”
He seemed completely unaware that I was on the verge of a panic attack. Maybe I could get through this one in secret. The boat swayed as I tried to get my bearings. But the panic attack was imminent. My hands started sweating, and my heartbeat accelerated.
I held my breath.Not here. Not now.
“You okay?”
I squeaked. “Yeah, it’s just we’re kind of far out from land. And it’s pitch black.”
I heard the sound of him placing his oar down behind me. “Take a breath.”
A small wave rocked the boat slightly, and my fear spiked as I gripped the sides. I let out a yelp and shut my eyes, paralyzed with fear.
His voice was stern but calm. “Nairie, listen to me.”
I stilled but kept my eyes closed.
“I want you to lie back.”
“What?!”
