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Matt heaved a sigh, pulled off his T-shirt and shorts, and waded into the pool.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Zennor opened her eyes to find Matt thigh deep in water. Despite her bravado, it was a welcome sight – if surreal.

She wanted not to look at him but it was impossible. Out of curiosity, she had to see what the years had done to that body she remembered so vividly – despite trying to forget.

She’d known he’d filled out from seeing him in his work T-shirt in the office but she wasn’t prepared for what lay beneath. Seeing his body was like finding a treasure chest full of gold and jewels. His chest was broad with faint tan lines at the neck and arms. His stomach was muscled, his hips sinking below the water as he waded towards her.

It was like Neptune coming to her rescue, not that she’d ever admit that.

She’d slipped into the water from the Miners’ Pool quite easily and swum round to Bosigran Cove, thinking she would haul out on the rocks, take off the tail, and then carry it to the beach.

However, already tired and fighting the cramps and cold, her limbs had been stiff and they didn’t react how she wanted them to. Somehow, when she’d tried to squeeze between two rocks, the monofin had become wedged, and she hadn’t been able to take it off. As she’d tried to get out, she’d jarred her back and was pretty sure she’d grazed her side.

There was a splash as Matt stumbled and cursed.

‘Be careful. The bottom’s uneven.’

‘I know. I’ve been in here before. It’s fine. You stay there.’

‘I don’t have much choice, do I?’

Matt waded forward, now up to his chest in water. He cursed again when his foot slipped but he was soon standing right below her, balancing on a large boulder. Her stomach did a somersault. The years rolled back as if they’d never happened, with all their bitterness and heartache.

‘How exactly did you end up in that position anyway?’ he asked, shaking his head.

‘How do you think? I swam.’

‘You could have got out on the hotel beach.’

How she wished she had … ‘The families had a drone and I felt I ought to swim all the way until they stopped filming and by the time I managed to make it round here, the tide was higher than I expected.’ The swim had also been a lot tougher than she’d anticipated but she didn’t want to let on to Matt, even though he was right.

Why did she have to decide to go for the performance of a lifetime when she could have waited until the kids were out of sight and got the hotel staff to help her back on to the beach? Too late now.

‘Well, let’s get you out of there. I could climb up and try to pull you free?’

‘Thanks,’ she said grudgingly, though she was immensely relieved he was here. He was both the first and last person she’d ever have wanted to help her out in this situation. First because if anyone knew what to do it would be him, and last because she never wanted to be beholden to him for anything.

‘OK. Hang on. Sorry.’

His rueful grin drew a smile from her against her better judgement. She quickly tamed it. ‘Be careful. It’s slippery and if something happens to you, we’ll both be in deep trouble.’

‘I’ll be careful.’

Matt clambered over the rocks and was soon on a level with Zennor. He crouched down beside her. ‘So, er – how does this thing work? I mean how have you got into it?’

‘With a lot of lube and a lot of effort.’

‘Lube?’

‘Don’t go there,’ she said desperately. ‘Please just help me out of here.’

He stood up again and scratched his chin. Zennor tried to avoid noticing the way his boxers clung to his hips.

‘I’ll have to lift you under your arms. I can’t get you out without – some contact and possibly some force.’

She gritted her teeth. ‘I realise that.’