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Get a grip!
I blew out a breath, forcing myself to focus. I’d been looking forward to this trip since Weston told me about it. Scuba diving in Iceland was on my bucket list, and I couldn’t let a little thing like kissing Weston ruin it for me.
Only it didn’t feel like a little thing, it felt like ahugething and I had no clue what to do about it.
The plane came to a stop, and I hurried out of my seat at the same speed as Weston, the two of us crashing against each other in the aisle. He steadied me with his hands on my arms, the touch gentle but claiming, and I gasped from the contact.
“Sorry,” he said, his voice too tight. “Did you want to get off first?”
My lips parted, his words catching up and clinging to my fantasy, making my cheeks flush. Weston furrowed his brow, shaking his head like he could rearrange the way he’d asked the question.
“No,” I said, and the awkward tension made me want to die. Things had never been so weird between us and I’d been there when Weston had lost a bet and had to dive into an icy cold lake completely naked. “You can go first,” I said, motioning to the aisle like I was goddamned Vanna White.
“Okay,” he said, releasing me and spinning in the small space to walk ahead of me, his moves almost robotic.
I sighed, following behind him at a respectable distance as I cursed myself for ever uttering the words,just pretend.Because we were who we were, and a game would never change that.
* * *
The dry-suit keptthe arctic cold from my limbs as me, Wes, and the guys followed our guide into the icy waters. My heart raced, adrenaline surging through my veins as we descended with masks firmly in place.
I’d always loved diving but this was something entirely…surreal. The gin-clear water was calm and still as we dove between the tectonic plates, swimming down its center like mythical creatures heading back to their uncharted magical home.
Asher, Ethan, and Gareth were ahead of us, swimming through the underwater canyons with ease. Weston was to my right, Crossland to my left. Only Doyle had opted out of this adventure. Daisy stuck close to Asher’s side, swimming as easily next to him as any skilled diver. I loved it whenever she came along on our trips—it gave us much needed girl time while the boys played poker.
The deeper we swam, the more the water took on a bluish tint that made me feel like we were swimming in the purest liquid from a melted iceberg. I could barely contain the excitement building in me with each graceful pass we made through the water. The rocks were craggy and edged, creating a beautiful, breathtaking pathway as we made our way through it, the ocean above us stretching wide like the calmest of blue skies.
It was definitely what I needed to be shoved firmly into the present, all thoughts and worries from before melting away with each sure stroke.
After the canyons opened up to a wider space, our group fanned out, and I spun around to find Weston with his eyes on me. I waved enthusiastically, speaking with only my eyes as I motioned to the wonderous area all around us.
Weston smiled, or did as much as he could with his gear on, seemingly content to watch and follow me around as I explored. Silfra had been on my bucket list since college, and Weston knew it. I wondered if that’s one of the reasons he chose this place or if it was pure coincidence. Knowing his memory, I guessed the prior.
I soaked in every second of the excursion, my heart so damn full as we ascended once our time was up.
Overwhelming gratitude filled my chest as we all packed into the van that drove us back to the resort, the sensation effectively washing away the awkward tension that had plagued me a few hours prior. How could I possibly feel awkward or worried after experiencing something likethat? That was one thing I loved about the ocean and about diving, it always put things into perspective about how small I was in the big, wide world we lived in. And it made my problems feel just as insignificant too.
“I can’t believe how clear it was,” Crossland said to me as we rode back.
“I know,” I said, nudging him. “I’ve seen videos of it but they don’t do it justice.”
“Those canyons have been there since the earthquake in 1789,” Asher chimed in, and I chuckled at his ability to bring in data with every excursion we took. But in reality, I’d kill for a photographic memory like his. Daisy lovingly patted his chest from where she sat tucked into his side in the backseat.
“I kept waiting for something to eat us,” Ethan said, nodding toward Weston. “Your adventures usually come with a side ofwe’re-probably-going-to-die-today.”
Weston grinned, shrugging. “We swam between tectonic plates, that’s pretty intense even on my scale. Plus, Brynn has wanted to do it since Freshman year. Figured this trip would be the perfect time.”
Warmth radiated all over my body as he confirmed my suspicions about him choosing this excursion specifically for me.
As a friend,I assured myself. He didn’t make plans like this for any other reason than because we were really, really good friends.
And he had his hand between your thighs and his tongue in your mouth for the same reason.
“I enjoyed it,” Gareth said, his usual jagged tone a little smoothed out today. His massive arms were folded over his chest, his signature scowl in place. “No injuries. Good workout.” He shrugged. “I call it a win.”
I appreciated his no-frills attitude, and sighed with absolute happiness despite my treacherous mind continuously taking me back to the kiss. My knee bounced with all the excited energy jostling around inside me, and I practically leaped from the van when it pulled up to our resort.
“See you at the game,” Asher said to Weston as he and Daisy turned down the hallway that led to his room.
