“Hey, hey, I can do it,” he said. “You just keep hold of that net. I don’t want to have to untangle it again.”
“Did you not hear me?” She tapped the side of her head. “Or do you have a fucking screw loose?”
“What?” He sat facing the handlebars and twisted to look at her over his shoulder.
“Are you stupid? There’s a shark. I saw it.”
“Yeah, I saw it too.”
“What?” Her mouth fell open. “And you still—”
“Untangled the net so we could get back to shore, yeah, I still had to do that, shark or no shark.”
Her throat was tight, and her heart rattled up against her rib cage. “And you weren’t…?”
“Scared?” He laughed. “No, he wasn’t interested in me.” He took his shades from her.
“How do you know?”
“Just a feeling.” He started the engine. This time, it roared to life as the shaft spun unhindered. “Besides,” he shouted. “My life wouldn’t be worth living if I didn’t get you back to shore safely. Rigor and Teddy would see to that. So I didn’t exactly have a choice, did I?”
“There’s always a choice.” She scooted closer and wrapped her arms around his body.
“Were you going in to get the net?”
“No damn way.”
“So what choice did I have?” He paused. “Hold on!”
As he’d spoken, the Jet Ski lunged forward, the roar deafening as Wyatt spun it in a one-eighty to face the beach.
And then they were bounding over the water, racing to dry land.
The wind cooled her hot skin and spray coated her face. On and on they went until they reached the waves. Wyatt slowed then rode one to a smooth halt on the edge of the beach.
Instantly, Belle was off, wading through the surf, her feet sinking into the sand.
“Hey, are you okay?” Wyatt jumped off and dragged the Jet Ski up the shoreline.
“Am I okay? Am I okay? What the hell do you think?” Her fear had switched to anger.
He straightened and pushed his shades to the top of his head again. “I think you are okay?” A line plowed over his forehead. “No harm done.” His shorts were dripping wet.
“No harm done! I thought I was going to die. I thought I was going to watch you die, I…”
“Hey. Hey.” He stepped up close and slid his arms around her waist. “No one was going to die out there. It was a stupid bit of net, nothing more.”
She pushed at his chest.
He didn’t release her. Instead, he kept her close. “Hey, don’t sweat it.”
Again, she shoved. Again, he didn’t budge. His arms were a vise around her. “It was more than a bit of stupid net,” she said, her voice rising. “There was a damn shark. We were stranded. You went into the water, I couldn’t see you, I…”
“Belle, calm the fuck down.” He tucked her head beneath his chin and pulled her closer to his damp body. “I’ve got you. It’s okay. You’re safe. Perfectly safe.”
A sob burst up from her chest, tearing a sharp hiccup from her throat. She gave up fighting his embrace.
“Honestly. I’ve got you. It’s okay.” He kissed the top of her head and smoothed one hand down her back. “Calm down.”