Page 32 of Stuck with the Hero Next Door

Her eyes flicked toward mine. “Don’t push your luck.”

But the tension in her shoulders had melted. She wasn't glowing, but a pulse of warmth traced across her face, and her posture loosened as if the night air had finally reached her. Something unnamed was softening between us, bit by bit.

And I was starting to feel it too.

Cassie squinted at her fishing line like it had personally offended her.

“Okay,” she muttered, flicking it again. “I’ve now mastered the art of doing absolutely nothing and catching even less.”

“Congratulations,” I said. “You’ve unlocked the full fishing experience.”

She gave me a mock-glare. “You tricked me into meditating, didn’t you?”

“I’d never,” I said, clearly lying.

She rolled her eyes and leaned forward to dip her hand into the lake. “Honestly, I think I’m better off swimming for the fish at this point.”

“Please don’t wrestle a trout. I didn’t sign the waiver for that.”

But she was already standing, stretching like she was warming up for an Olympic dive, her line still bobbing uselessly beside her. I didn’t realize just how close she was to the edge until her foot slipped on the damp wood, her balance pitched forward⁠—

—and with a very undignified squeal, Cassie splashed straight into the lake.

I was on my feet before I could think, boots kicked off, shirt tossed onto the dock as I dove in after her.

The water hit like a surprise wake-up call. Cold, sharp, clean. I surfaced, coughing once, already scanning.

Cassie popped up a few feet away, sputtering and slick with lakeweed, laughing so hard she could barely breathe.

“I’m fine!” she gasped. “I’m—okay, not majestic—but fine.”

I swam to her anyway, because logic didn’t really stand a chance against instinct. “You are the least graceful mermaid I’ve ever seen.”

“Did you really jump in the lake for me?” she groaned, her face a wild mix of gratitude and disbelief as she swept soaked hair from her eyes.

“Absolutely. It’s in the manual. Page three, under ‘When the Damsel Falls in the Lake.’”

With this part of the lake being somewhat shallow, I stood next to her and lifted her up. She didn’t resist as I looped an arm around her back and under her knees, hoisting her up in the classic damsel-in-distress carry. The part of me that would’ve normally made a joke went completely silent as I held her in my arms.

Because she was laughing.

Glowing.

Dripping water, cheeks flushed, and absolutely radiant.

“You’re enjoying this,” she accused as I waded us back to shore.

“A little,” I admitted. “You’re very dramatic. It’s entertaining.” Not to mention cute in a way that made my heart pound in my ears.

She flicked water at me. “I slipped.”

“Into the lake.”

“It was an accident.”

“Sure.”

I stepped up onto the grass, still carrying her because, honestly, I wasn’t quite ready to put her down. She didn’t seem in a rush, either.