“Buzz off,” she told him.
“What do you want me to beat you at now?” Zeke asked. Unclenching his jaw had allowed his mouth to loosen. He hoped his chattering teeth didn’t lessen the impact of the words.
Thor cackled. “That’s my guy! Long live America!”
Lewis didn’t acknowledge Thor or his comment. Zeke secretly loved how Mia kept calling him Rambo, but thinking of Sylvester Stallone, it suddenly hit him who Lewis reminded him of. The Russian Ivan Drago from Rocky. Lewis was British, not Russian, but he was as ugly, and though he looked tough, Lewis would lose.
“Let’s see who can hold their breath longest underwater,” Lewis said.
Zeke knew he shouldn’t accept. Cold water actually made it harder to hold your breath because the body naturally increased both breathing and heart rate to try to warm up, and he’d already been in for a few minutes. He would be giving Lewis the advantage. He didn’t care. No way could he back down from the too-confident Brit.
“Let’s do it.”
Thor, Klein, Bailey, and Alivia all cheered. Joseph and Keith looked a little less excited, probably both thinking their wives would be after them if something happened.
“Zeke …” Mia’s sweet voice drew his attention. “Is that smart?”
He gave her what he hoped was a cocky grin. “Of course. I can outdo the commander at anything.”
Lewis unlaced his boots and slid out of them, then stripped down to his tight undershorts. He walked in a few feet, then dove and popped out of the water far too close to Zeke for Zeke’s comfort level. It wasn’t just his natural aversion to touch. He was averse to everything about Lewis. He couldn’t move away without showing weakness, though, so he didn’t budge.
“Ready?” Lewis asked, his smile a little too big for Zeke’s liking.
Zeke liked nothing about the man.
“Sure.”
“I heard you and Mia are cozy,” Lewis muttered for only him to hear.
Zeke ignored him.
“Intimacy with Mia is ruddy brilliant, isn’t it?”
That got Zeke to turn his head. The loser’s bright blue eyes were mocking, and his huge grin was more than annoying, but were his eyes … knowing? No. Not Mia. She would never be “intimate” with the likes of Lewis. Would she? His brain wasn’t processing correctly and jealousy and anger rushed through him, making his breath shorten further and his heart race.
Not Mia. But if she had … would she lie to Zeke about it? Why be all pious and bring up that she didn’t sleep around and claim she believed in the “sanctity of marriage”?
His Mia? With this guy?
No.Please no.
Zeke was getting disoriented and confused. He didn’t even know who he was asking please to. Surely not heaven. Heaven had never helped him.
“I’ll count you down,” Thor called.
Zeke nodded tightly to Thor and let his gaze swivel to Mia. She was the picture of beautiful innocence. She wouldn’t lie to him or be with Lewis … would she?
“3 … 2 … 1!”
Zeke pulled in a breath and ducked under the water. He often opened his eyes under water, but the cold stung and he didn’t want to even look at Lewis. The man was so close he brushed Zeke’s elbow. Zeke forced himself not to react or move. No signs of weakness. Weakness got men killed.
The cold immediately pressed in on his forehead, making him feel like he had a pressure headache. His chest was already tight, and he knew he was behind the game. He’d not only been in the cold water for longer, but he’d allowed this idiot to goad him and upset him right before they ducked under. He knew better than that. He knew better than to let anyone upset him. He knew better than to let anyone through his armor.
Zeke was usually the epitome of cool under pressure. Not right now. Right now, he wanted to thump this arrogant Brit and then have Mia reassure him. He wanted to look into her golden-brown eyes as she promised she would never lie to him, and she never had, and never would be intimate with the likes of Commander Lewis. He could almost imagine the spice in her voice as she said it.
Zeke wanted to instinctively believe her, and then he wanted to hold her tight. He wanted to let the heat of her body and the natural heat she infused in him warm him all the way through. It might be the first time in his life he’d ever wanted to hold somebody or be held by somebody.
Why was he believing Lewis anyway? The cold therapy was making his brain slow. The guy was a jerk who had to win at all costs. He obviously thought he could beat Zeke by making him think he’d already been with Mia and by upsetting him and making the challenge harder.