Page 115 of Someone Exactly Like Me (Wounded Hearts 1)
“Yup,” she says, taking off her coverup and grabbing her sunscreen.
Through my sunglasses, I watch every stroke of her hand, rubbing the lotion into her milky-white skin.
“Will you make sure I got my back thoroughly?” She hands me the bottle of lotion.
Standing up and taking the bottle, I squeeze a little into my hand, rubbing my hands together. Reminding myself we’re in public, I smooth the lotion across her shoulders and back, massaging the last of it into her lower back. Fuck, I want to grab her sexy ass.
Without moving her body, she turns her head, looking up at me. “Thank you.”
Taking in a deep breath, I exhale, stifling my desire. “You’re welcome.”
We walk to the hut where I rent a jet ski for us. Putting on our life jackets, we get on and I drive us slowly out into the open water. The sky is clear of clouds and glints of sunshine sparkle on the dancing peaks of water.
I turn my face back toward her. “I’m going to go faster now. I want you to hold onto me tightly. I won’t go too fast. Sometimes it gets choppy in the waves.”
She squeezes her arms tighter around my waist. “Okay. I’ll let you know if it’s too fast.”
“Yes, let me know and I’ll slow down. This is meant to be fun, not scary. It’s tough to hear out there so squeeze me hard so I know.”
“Okay.”
With her securely holding on, I pick up speed, zipping us through the water. Keeping to straight lines as much as possible, I make any turns slower and wide. We cut through waves and bounce around in the choppy spots. After about twenty minutes, I stop to check in with her and see how she’s doing.
Undulating in the water, we bob with the waves. I turn my head so she can hear me over the hum of the engine. “How are you doing back there?”
She loosens her grip around me. “I’m good. This is fun. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it, but I do.”
“That’s great. I rented it for an hour, but we can go in anytime you feel like you’re done, okay?”
“Okay. I can probably go for another ten or fifteen minutes.”
“All right. That sounds good. You ready?”
“I’m ready,” she says, cinching her arms around my waist again.
With that, we’re off again, skimming the surface, water spraying around us. I’m so happy she’s having fun.
From behind us, a cigarette boat speeds in front of us. The wake is huge and I turn the handlebars, trying to avoid smashing directly into it. My turn is too sharp and Destiny’s arms jerk off my waist. I turn my head to see her body hurtling through the air, crashing into the water.
“No! Fuck! Destiny!” I turn as fast as I can back to her, careful not to collide with her limp body. Adrenaline rages through me.
The waves bump her against the jet ski. I’m able to grab hold of her life vest and pull her out of the water into the foot well.
“Destiny!” I shout.
I rest her head against my thigh. Her eyes spring open, filled with panic. She clutches her chest with one arm and latches tightly onto my shin with her other. Her mouth hangs open.
Fuck, she can’t breathe!
“Sit up.” I hold my arm across her chest, straightening her body. “Push your stomach out and breathe in slowly. Now!”
Her fingers dig into my skin as she does what I say.
“Blow it out, pull your stomach in. Do it. I’m here.” Keeping my arm across her chest, I wipe her wet hair off her face.
Finally, a deep, gasping inhale followed by a labored exhale. Bouncing in the waves, I hold her while she finds the rhythm of her breath.
Releasing her death-grip on my shin, she wraps her arm around my leg and leans against it.
