“I don’t think I’m cleaned out or exfoliated, but I’m already baked clear through.”
“Steamed, I think,” Reed said, laughter in his voice.
Sweat poured from her, or maybe it was steam. Who knew? She probably should stop complaining, but Reed seemed to think it was funny. He was such a chill, nice guy. But was he afraid of crazy? Not that it mattered. This was their last date.
In the moment, she reminded herself.
Their arms rubbed against each other, and the steam room got even warmer. She was panting for oxygen. Was that because of Reed’s firm, muscular arm brushing hers or the fact she couldn’t draw a full breath without coughing on the moisture?
She tried to regulate her breathing and her heartbeat, but she couldn’t calm down and feared she might be headed toward a panic attack. She hadn’t had one in a long, long time. This was the worst possible moment for it to happen again.
Still unable to see through the steam, she wanted to turn to Reed, bury her head in his firm chest, and see if he could help her calm down. No, that was the absolute wrong idea. Clinging to Reed’s perfect body would make her more out of breath, and her pulse would skyrocket.
There was only one solution. Unless Reed really wanted to see a version of crazy out of the usually calm lawyer that put Kari to shame, she had to get out of here. Now.
She stood, gripping her washcloth to her eyes and managed, “I can’t take it.”
“Okay,” Reed said calmly.
Esther tried to walk to the door, but she ran into a wall. She was out of control and out of her element. She started to hyperventilate, sucking in more water-filled air and coughing on the exhale. If she didn’t get dry air soon, she was going to pass out. Everything was out of control. She hated out of control.
A warm arm came around her waist and Reed pulled her in tight to his side. The world stabilized. She might just survive this. He escorted her across the steam room, pushed open the door, and they stepped out into dry, normal air.
Reed held her close as she pulled in quick breaths. Her coughing settled and her heart, lungs, and head didn’t feel ready to burst.
“It’s okay,” he murmured. “You’re okay, slow and easy. In …”
She pulled in a breath.
“And out.”
She pushed it all out.
Esther felt her lungs calming down, though her body was still sweaty and hot. Reed close by and being so reasonable was calming her down from the panic of being stuck in that steam room.
Reed close by was also heating her up and making her heart race from his beautiful nearness.
He talked her through some more slow breaths and then looked her over. “Better?”
She nodded. Shewasbetter. He was like her calm in the midst of the storm. If only she could cling to him whenever she flipped out. She didn’t flip out very often. Usually with prayer and escaping the situation when needed, she made it through with no one being the wiser.
Suddenly she was humiliated. Reed had seen her freak out. He wasn’t looking at her like she was nuts, but he probably hid his emotions often as the sheriff.
“Sorry,” she murmured, looking down. “I didn’t mean to freak out like that. I couldn’t breathe and was coughing.”
“No worries. I’m with you. It felt like I was suffocating in there.”
“Me too.” She debated apologizing or explaining more, but at the waterfall she’d begged him not to ask about her issues and he’d said he wouldn’t. No reason to make him wonder more now. Especially after Kari’s gazing into the soul instructions.
She appreciated how kind he was being and that he had stabilized and strengthened her. But it seemed even more important to keep hiding what was really going on in her head. This impressive man could not know she was crazy.
“Cold plunge?” she redirected.
“I thought you’d never ask.” He grinned and extended his hand.
Esther only hesitated briefly before putting her hand in his. She had to somehow take Thor’s advice and keep having fun. Reed hadn’t called her nuts for her panicked reaction to the steam room. She loved him for that, or she should thinkappreciatedhim for that. She shouldn’t make a big deal out of it if he wasn’t.
They hurried across the tiled floor to the nearby cold plunge. Two steps in, with bitter cold swirling around her ankles, she was already doubting she wanted to go under.