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There was also something about the way he listened when she spoke. The man paid attention to every word, every comma, out of her mouth and she appreciated that. His responses were thoughtful, he asked the right questions.
He made her damn uneasy. And, that day-old scruff on his jaw. Oh, God, she wanted to feel just how rough it felt against her skin. She started to feel flushed when her thoughts went to his hands. Large, perfectly-shaped hands with long fingers and-
Suddenly, instead of air, Hollis sucked in water. She choked, eyes wide, and looked down in horror to see her primary was loose in her hand. Hollis immediately changed to the bright yellow octo, her backup regulator, and began to ascend.
She checked her air time: Air Time- 2 minutes.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.Almost empty.
She looked up to the surface which hovered way too far away—60 feet away—but, Hollis refused to give in to panic. Instead, she focused on her ascent and her breathing. But, it was becoming a struggle to draw air in through the octo.
In...out...in...out...
The dive computer confirmed she had less than one minute before her tank was empty. Though she was still 20 feet from the surface, she forced herself to remain calm and continued the ascent.
In...out...in...out...
Air Time- 0.
Tank empty. No more air. No more breaths.
Head back, Hollis clawed for the surface, and just when she thought she wasn’t going to make it, she broke up through a wave and gasped for air, drawing in deep lungfuls.
What in God’s name just happened?
∞∞∞
Seagulls squawked and swirled above the deck of Dylan’s boat as a rattled Hollis handed him a piece of paper. “Next time, you die,” he read and scowled. “Is this a joke?”
“I swear to God, if you know anything about this, you better tell me now.”
“Doll, I have a pounding hangover and I’m not in the mood for games.” He turned to head back inside his boat, Fisher on his heels, but her next words stopped him.
“Someone tampered with my gear. I was 60 feet down when my primary came loose in my hand.”
Dylan’s gaze narrowed and he slowly turned back around. “Did you pre-check?”
“Of course. It looks like they loosened the 2nd stage fitting. I used my octo to ascend but my tank was empty before I reached the surface.”
“Jesus.” He reached a hand out and touched her upper arm. “Are you okay?”
Hollis looked down at his hand and released a shaky breath. Something electric moved through her body when he touched her. She swallowed hard and nodded.
“Why would anyone tamper with your equipment?” Dylan asked and pulled his hand back.Damn. It’s like a current just ran from her and into him.
Hollis glanced over her shoulder, suddenly feeling exposed. “Can we go inside?”
Shit, she’s really scared,he realized.
Without another word, Dylan reached for her elbow and guided her into the boat’s main cabin. Comfortable, yet far from extravagant, Dylan’s boat had more room and amenities than it would appear. Outside, the deck was large for diving equipment and inside, it was cozy enough for two.
“And, that’s not all,” Hollis said. “Last night, someone broke into my house.”
“What?” Dylan stopped walking and faced her, eyes moving over her. “You’re okay?”
“I’m fine, but they stole some important files.”
His eyes narrowed. “What kind of files?”
