Page 98 of Teach Me Your Ways

“I owe you both. Champagne tomorrow.” Lina reached for the oxygen mask and took a few more breaths. “All the s’mores you can eat.”

I nodded, relieved but still tense. “Just don’t do it again. I don’t need more reasons to worry.”

She swallowed, pressing lips tight. “Noted.”

Cece’s hair was clinging to her face. She looked torn between compassionate concern and exasperation. I stepped over and patted her shoulder, drawing her away from Lina.

I pulled Cece aside, my hand lingering on her shoulder. The adrenaline was still coursing through me, but now it was mixed with something else. Admiration. Desire. Want. She looked up at me, her blue eyes wide and her cheeks flushed from the excitement.

“You were incredible out there,” I said quietly. “If you hadn’t noticed that silt cloud…” I trailed off, not wanting to think about what could have happened. “You saved her life. You saved my life. My career. My reputation and probably this whole project.”

She shook her head, her damp hair clinging to her face. “I just did what anyone would’ve done.”

“No,” I said, stepping closer. “Not anyone. You kept your head when it mattered most. That’s not luck, Cece. That’s skill. That’s instinct.”

Her lips parted slightly, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. The air between us felt charged, like the calm before a storm. My gaze dropped to her mouth, and I had to force myself to look away before I did something stupid.

“Here,” I said, reaching for the zipper on the back of her wetsuit. “Let me help you with that.”

She turned around without a word. I tugged the zipper down slowly, my fingers brushing against the warm skin of her back. She shivered under my touch. I felt my own breath catch in my throat. The wetsuit peeled away from her body, revealing the curve of her shoulders and the dip of her spine. I swallowed down the urge to put my lips on her skin. I wanted to run my tongue up and over her neck. No, I wanted to fucking bite her and then suck her flesh into my mouth and leave a mark. I wanted to claim her.

And I had no idea where that came from. I wasn’t a caveman. Not normally. But shit, I fucking wanted the woman in a way I couldn’t ignore. My dick was trying to get hard in my wetsuit and that would be bad. Really bad. It wasn’t like there were a lot of places to hide in the suit.

She slowly turned to look at me. “Your turn.” Her voice was low. Husky. Like we were in bed and she was offering to get me off after I did it for her.

“What?”

“Your suit. Turn around.”

I hesitated for a moment, my heart galloping more than when Lina had been in danger. I turned around slowly. Her fingers brushed against my skin at the back of my neck as she reached for the zipper. I sucked in a sharp breath. She peeled the wetsuit down. I could feel her breath on my neck. It took every ounce of self-control I had not to turn around and pull her into my arms.

“Grady,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of the engine.

I turned to face her, my eyes locking onto hers. She was so close I could see the darker ring of blue around her eyes. My hand reached up to brush a strand of wet hair from her face, and she leaned into my touch.

“Cece,” I murmured, my voice rough with emotion. “I⁠—”

The sound of Felix clearing his throat broke the spell, and we both jerked apart like we’d been burned. He was standing a few feet away, his arms crossed over his chest and a knowing look on his face.

“We’re pulling up to the dock,” Felix said.

I reminded myself we weren’t alone. And there were too many eyes.

“Let’s get her inside,” I said.

Cece wrapped an arm around Lina’s waist, steadying her. They stepped off the boat and onto the dock. Lina wobbled slightly, her legs still jelly from the ordeal. She was shivering despite the warm sun, her tiny bikini doing little to protect her from the chill of near death. Cece’s one-piece clung to her curves, and I had to force my eyes away from the way it hugged her hips and accentuated her ass. Focus, Grady. Now was not the time.

“Easy,” Cece murmured, her voice soft and kind as she guided Lina toward the field station. “Just take it slow. You’re okay now.”

Lina nodded weakly. Her typical flirty, cocky attitude was gone. She leaned heavily on Cece, her head down as they walked. I watched them go, my jaw clenched tight. Felix stepped up beside me, his arms crossed and his expression grim.

“That was too close,” he said quietly, his voice low so only I could hear. “Way too close.”

“I know,” I muttered. “She could’ve died down there, Felix. And it would’ve been on us.”

Felix sighed, shaking his head. “She’s reckless. Spoiled. But this was next-level stupid.”

“Stupid doesn’t even cover it,” I snapped, my frustration boiling over. “She ignored every rule, every protocol, and nearly got herself killed because she wanted to play treasure hunter. And if Cece hadn’t noticed that silt cloud⁠—”