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I gave the okay signal, and although she nodded, her worry lingered.
Shoving aside the thought of Wesley’s ghost, I counted the beeps coming from the device in my chest until we finally broke through the surface.
We both groaned as we spat out our breathers, sucked in fresh air, and heaved a sigh of relief.
“You okay?” I asked.
Her ragged breath rippled across the surface. “Yeah. I guess.”
I found her hand beneath the water and gripped her palm to mine. She squeezed back, and a surge of warmth washed through me at how perfect her grip was.
“Air never tasted so sweet,” I said, offering Indy what I hoped was a smile, but my lips were so dry I couldn’t tell.
She nodded. “I’ve done many dives that lasted longer than that, but man, that took it out of me.”
I rolled my head back, and my neck creaked as I stared up at the millions of stars populating the Milky Way. The moon had dipped lower on the horizon while we’d been submerged and provided enough glow to see that we were still in the middle of nowhere.
It was like we’d drifted into another reality, and we were suspended between the abyss below and the endless cosmos above.
I ran my tongue over my lips, trying to produce moisture, and tasted salt crystals instead.
Her profile was magnificent against the night sky, and although she looked exhausted, a fierce determination was etched into her features. Her courage and strength stirred something primal within me.
I ran my fingers over her jawline. “You’re incredible.”
She gave a short laugh. “Don’t feel it.”
I cupped her cheek. “You feel fine to me.”
The corners of her eyes crinkled, a hint of vulnerability peeking through her armor. “Your hands are waterlogged. It’s a wonder you have any feeling.”
Despite brushing off my compliment, a tiny crack appeared in her stern expression. And that was a crack I wanted to open more.
It was a dangerous feeling. One that had gotten me into trouble before.
But I wanted to know her. Needed to know her. I wanted to learn how she got the scars on her forehead and thigh, and the stories that left her emotionally scarred. I saw them in her eyes. I wanted to be the man who helped her find her new happy place.
She frowned at me. “What?”
“We’ve come up for air. I’m waiting for my kiss.”
Giggling, she jumped on my shoulders and shoved me beneath the water.
Laughing as I resurfaced, I said, “Or not.”
She cupped my cheeks and pecked her lips to mine. “There you go.”
“Hmmm, so nice.” I licked my lips.
She smiled so wide it lit up her eyes. “Shut up, you silly fool. Save your energy. We have some swimming to do.”
My eyes traced the curve of her jawline, illuminated by the soft lunar glow.
The beeping against my chest added an urgent heartbeat to our situation.
“Are you going to dump that thing, Kingsley?”
“Nope.”
