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I feel his flinch just before water gurgles up from his lips, splashing mine.
Gasping, I pull back, giving him room. His body lurches, arching, water sputtering from from his mouth with heaving, chest-wracking coughs.
I quickly turn him onto his side, watching in shock as his body repels all the water he swallowed.
“Skyler,” I whisper shakily.
My eyes squeeze shut, and my hands fumble over his trembling arms as he tries to hold himself up. The sounds of his choked gasps are the sweetest symphony to ever touch my ears.
Fingers press into my arms with bruising force, and I snap my eyes open, my heart stalling in my chest when I find Skyler blinking heavily up at me. He looks dazed. Confused. But hell, if the sight of those chocolate brown orbs aren’t the best damn sight I’ve ever seen.
His brow furrows, and his lips tremble as they form a single word in question—a syllable.No?
My name. He’s trying to say my name.
I smooth the hair over his head. “It’s okay, you’re okay now, I have you. You’re safe. It’s okay.” I barely even register the words spilling rapidly from my mouth like a chant. Water droplets hit his cheek, so I bend over him, trying to keep the worst of the rain off his face. But it’s no use. I’m drenched, dripping.Fuck, am I crying?
Clearing my throat, I tear my gaze away, blinking rapidly through the rain. Wind blows through and I shiver. The storm is still going strong—it’s only been minutes after all. We shouldn’t be out in the open like this.
“Come on,” I whisper, standing, helping him up by the shoulders.
He can hardly bear any weight, so I all but carry him toward the cliffs, remembering at the last second to swipe up my bag. I don’t see our cove from this angle, but I do see the ropes hanging down the rock face from where the bridge once hung.
We must be at the base of the cliff—the tall, jagged one that Skyler was heading for the day we met. A glance across the choppy waters confirms as much.
Skyler is still gasping and coughing wetly at my side, fingers gripping my arm so hard, I’m sure I’ll have little crescent shaped indents from his nails. His feet drag, scraping and fumbling across the rocks.
“Look,” I whisper, holding him tighter.
Not waiting for a response, I adjust my hold on him, practically lifting him off his feet as I book it toward the dark opening half-hidden behind some weeds. A cave.
I crouch low, peering inside once we reach it, silently praying we can both fit in there. It can’t be more than five feet tall, but it’s definitely wide enough for us both, and it’s empty, so it’ll have to do.
At least until the storm passes.
Right now, that’s all that matters. That and making sure Skyler’s okay.
I help Skyler into the cave first, keeping a hand over his head to keep him from bashing it off the rocky, curved ceiling. He’s trembling, unsteady, stumbling around like a newborn calf. As soon as he’s inside, he collapses in a heap.
I’m right behind him, and I don’t hesitate—don’t think—I toss the bag to the side and tug him to me, all but dragging him onto my lap. Wrapping my arms around him, I squeeze my eyes shut and bow my head to his shoulder.
“It’s okay.”
His coughs and gasps give way to broken sobs.
“It’s okay,” I whisper, my voice cracking. “It’s over now. You’re safe, sweetheart, you’re safe.”
I don’t know who I’m trying to comfort more, me or him. The adrenaline crash barreling through me is like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
How the fuck did he survive that?
How the fuck didwesurvive?
And then a new voice—one that sounds a lot like Mel—
What the fuck were you thinking?!
Skyler shudders, and I squeeze my eyes shut even tighter, blocking out the voice—the memory—the…regret.
