Page 34

I grip his broad shoulders, trying to lift him. “Get on.”

“It’s a dolphin,” he says with a laugh, “and I probably scared it off anyway.”

“You can’t be sure,” I say as he shakes me off and starts moving toward the back of the boat.

“Sharks can’t survive in this water. It’s science.”

My voice reaches a panicked pitch. “Are you fact-checking me right now? Shouldn’t you do that in a lower-risk situation?”

He rolls his eyes, but there’s still an amused smile on his face. “I’ll push the boat from behind, you use the steer and bring us back to the dock.”

He’s so nonchalant about the fin, and while he’s been here before, and more than once, anomalies do exist, and just because it’s unlikely a shark may be in the water, it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. There is such a thing called evolution.

Which is something I would say if we weren’t already back on the dock. Lexie is standing there with her hand stretched out and fake concern in her eyes. “Oh my God, are you okay? You probably were so scared.”

I grab Lexie’s outstretched hand and let her pull me up in a heave, before I turn to Theo. “Can you lift yourself up? Do you need help?”

He points to the side. “There’s a ladder there, no worries.”

As Theo makes his way toward the ladder, I turn to Lexie. I grip her arms and say through gritted teeth, “What the hell was that?”

“A gift,” she says. “Theo, the knight-in-shining-armor dripping wet, coming to your rescue. You, with a chance to be a damsel since you’re too busy pretending you don’t like his attention to do it yourself. Also, I was bored.”

“Have you been listening to anything I’ve been telling you about why this is not a good idea?”

“I have, Your Honor, and unfortunately, given the circumstances that Theo is otherworldly beautiful, and that I truly don’t care about the consequences of my actions, I’ve chosen to ignore you.”

“Funny you say that,” I say, then tighten my grip on her before shoving her into the water.

She’s under for four seconds before swimming to the surface right as Theo joins me, a cautious look in his eyes as he slows down before standing beside me.

Water pours off him—down his shoulder, over the sharp lines of his stomach, catching in the dips of muscle as his chest rises a little faster from the swim. My throat grows dry, and I swipe my tongue over my lips as my heart beats way too hard.

Lexie calls my name and it snaps me from my trance.

“Wow,” Lexie says from below, water rippling around her. “I know you just dumped me in disgusting, greasy muck water, but I’m so proud of that hostility. Good girl.”

I give her the finger. And when Theo’s eyes widen, I realize he may be right about the whole quick-to-anger thing. But I think I get a pass here.

Theo moves to the edge of the deck and leans down. Lexie swims up to him, and he grabs both of her hands, then looks at me.

“Should I save her?” he asks me.

“You’re asking me for permission?” I say back.

“We’re closer, so you have my loyalty.”

“I can literally just use the ladder?” Lexie says.

“I won’t let you climb it until you say sorry like you mean it,” I threaten.

Lexie smiles, her gaze somehow flirtatious despite her being soaking wet and eyeliner running down her cheeks. “Or this beautiful specimen holding my hands can save me.”

My eye twitches. “Let her drown.”

Theo looks down at Lexie and says, “Sacrifice.” And lets her go.

I burst out laughing, hard enough I keel over and have to press a hand to my stomach. Lexie resurfaces again. As soon as she does, Theo looks over at her, and his body inches closer to the edge.