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“Kick off your shoes. I’ll tear your dress,” I ordered.
I dove under the surface quickly. My vision was blurred by the water, but I saw where her dress was hooked on one of the large bolts in the pilings. I didn’t even know how she’d ended up in the water, but pondering that was for another time.
Her dress tore quickly with a good yank. Seconds later, I surfaced beside her and curled an arm around her waist. Her teeth were chattering harder.
“I know where the ladder is. Stay with me.”
It was clear she could swim. Now that her dress was free, she kicked easily. I still kept my arm loosely gripped around her waist. I’d been a trained lifeguard back in high school.
Seconds later, we were at the ladder. She was shaking so hard from the cold, I was worried she might not be able to hold the ladder. I braced my arms around her. “Put your hands on the rungs.”
While I was definitely cold, I hadn’t been in the water as long as she had. I curled each of her hands around the ladder rungs. It was slow going, but she made it up, even though she was shaking all over. When we got to the top, Wyatt and Kenan were there on the docks and helped both of us up.
“We need blankets now,” I barked out.
I lifted her in my arms and began striding down the dock. Someone from a nearby boat came clambering off with some towels and blankets. As I looked down into Tish’s wide, frightened eyes, my heart gave a startling kick.
Chapter Four
Tish
I could feel the water dripping from my dress. I was freezing cold and still a little in shock that I’d even ended up in the water.
“Tish,” a low, rumbly masculine voice said.
I stared up into a pair of startling silver-gray eyes. They were like a stormy sky. Discombobulated as I was, it took me a few beats to realize why I recognized the man holding me. “Griffin?”
My pulse was galloping like a horse out of control. I tried to say something else, but my teeth were chattering. My lips were so cold I couldn’t form another word. I was dimly aware of his strong hold. This was now round two for this man rescuing me. Of all the days to see him again, it had to be this one.
“She’s bordering on hypothermic,” he said to someone.
As the warmth of his body started to seep into mine, I realized we were encircled by people. I heard feet pounding on the dock, followed by Griffin barking out orders about getting a blanket and something else.
I was disappointed, almost bereft, when he eased me to my feet and someone else wrapped a blanket around my shoulders. My awareness gradually became sharper.
Griffin was busy telling everyone what to do. Sometime later, he was standing at the back of the ambulance where they’d situated me.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
One of the EMTs commented, “Her temperature is in the normal range now. Once we got her wrapped in one of the heated blankets, she warmed right up. I don’t think she needs to be assessed further. We just need to find her some dry clothes.”
Griffin’s eyes bored into mine, and my heart flipped over in my chest. Someone appeared with clothes, and the next thing I knew, the female EMT helped me change into a dry sweatshirt and a pair of soft cotton pants and socks.
“Do you know where your shoes are?” she asked.
“Uh, at the bottom of the harbor,” I said, feeling together enough now to smile sheepishly.
She chuckled. “Good point. Hang on, I’m sure we can rustle some up.”
I should’ve known walking on the docks wasn’t a good idea. I was accustomed enough to occasionally having my little episodes that they didn’t bother me too much. Somewhere along the way, I’d explained to the EMT that I had a syncope disorder. We agreed the icy cold water was what made it such an issue today.
A few minutes later, I was wearing a pair of slightly too large running shoes. The EMT asked me if I needed a ride home.
I shook my head. “I’m all set. Thank you. Is there anything else I need to do?”
I was uncertain about the order of events when you fell into a harbor at a wedding reception and had to get rescued by a sexy firefighter. After the EMT officially released me from her care, I walked away, wondering if anyone was still here from the wedding reception. I didn’t even know how much time had passed since I’d fallen into the harbor.
The catering company was cleaning up and there didn’t appear to be any guests left. There were still plenty of people on the docks. I was relieved the wedding reception had ended. I didn’t want to have to face anyone after that little event. I made my way toward the entrance to the grassy park by the harbor, hoping I didn’t see anyone I knew. My hair was still a little damp, and I was wearing clothes that didn’t fit well while carting my wet dress in a bag.
