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Her smile dissolves the darkness around us.

I bring my hand to her wrist. “You have ten seconds to remove any clothes you don’t want to get wet.”

“I think it might be too late for some items of my clothes.” Her tone isn’t quite as playful as it usually is.

But the lightness of it still warms me everywhere.

I count with my fingers.

Ten.

Nine.

She kicks off her shoes and socks.

Eight.

Seven.

She wraps her hands around my neck and looks up at me.

I pull her into my arms and count to one.

She wraps her legs around my waist. Squeezes me harder. Holds me like she’ll never get enough.

I carry her to the water.

She gasps as her feet hit the sea. It’s cold. Really fucking cold.

But that’s why it works.

I take her deeper. Until I’m deep enough to dip her.

“Hold your breath,” I say.

I pull her under.

The world dissolves into the blue of the sea. The cold water. The warmth of her skin against mine.

This should force her to the present. The temperature should overwhelm her. The pressure too.

We surface together.

She takes big, greedy breaths.

Mine are easier. Steadier.

I hold her body against mine until she melts into me. “More. Or inside?”

“Inside. Before I catch hypothermia.” But she doesn’t move just yet. She looks me in the eyes, digs her fingertips into my neck, and brings her lips to mine.

My eyelids flutter closed.

My mouth parts for her tongue.

Her kiss is firm and yielding at once.

Like she knows we’re running out of time.