by Addison Cole
“Lace, we can take this next step toward helping you overcome sharks if you are ready, but if you’re not, we can go back in.” Dane searched her eyes, recognizing the flash of fear that she was trying to hide with her rapidly blinking lashes. Her leg went rigid beneath his palm.
Lacy nodded. “I think I want to try. I just need to remember that I’m not going in the water with them.”
“You control your safety when you’re in the boat, and I’m right here. I’ll be holding you tight, but we don’t have to do this. There’s no gun to your head, Lace. I’m so proud of everything about you. That won’t change at all if you decide we should head in. I don’t want you to feel any pressure,” Dane assured her.
“I know. Thank you.”
Dane took her hands in his. “Let’s go over again what to expect.” He couldn’t shake the worry that this would be too difficult for her. She couldn’t go near the sharks in tanks. How would she handle seeing them over the side of the boat? He took a deep breath and continued. “Rob will throw chum into the water, and you’ll see it. You’ll see fish, blood, and a trail as we go, okay?”
Lacy swallowed and set her lips in a tight line. Her eyebrows drew together and Dane felt tension stiffen her arms.
“We may or may not see a shark, Lace. I don’t know if we will. Sometimes it takes hours, and other times…” He shrugged. “It could happen really quickly.”
She nodded again.
Rob put a hand on Lacy’s shoulder. “Dane and I are right here, Lacy. We would never let anything happen to you.”
Now, that’s the Rob I know and love.
She smiled, and Dane knew it was forced. “I know. Thank you,” she said. “Let’s do it.”
Dane’s heart thumped against his chest so hard he was sure he was more nervous than she was. He moved closer, pressing Lacy’s body tight against his side, one arm around her shoulder, the other covering both of her hands in her lap. He nodded to Rob, and Rob went to work chumming the water. Lacy sat rigidly beside him. He kissed the side of her head. “I’m right here. Nothing is going to happen to you.”
She stared straight ahead as she nodded, but it was her silence that worried him.
“Lace, look at me, babe.” When he saw the fear in her eyes, it was all he could do not to turn the boat around and head for shore, but this was Lacy’s choice, and he respected her decision. “I just want you to know that even if you are never comfortable on a boat when I’m working, we can make this relationship work. That doesn’t worry me one bit.”
Lacy let out a breath. She lifted her lips into a nervous smile, and an ounce of fear disappeared from her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered. “But I want to do this anyway.”
“Okay.” He nodded. “Okay. I just wanted you to know.”
Forty-five minutes later, Rob gave Dane a silent signal, indicating that he’d spotted a shark. Dane looked over the side of the boat and spotted a five- or six-foot shark just below the surface in the chum trail.
“Babe, do you still want to do this?” Dane asked.
She nodded, her eyes wide. “Is there a shark?” She grabbed his hand.
“There is. It’s a small one.”
She licked her lips, then pressed them tightly together and nodded.
Dane helped her stand, his arm wrapped around her shoulder, her body pressed to his side. Rob came to her other side and put a hand on the small of her back. Then he and Dane both took a half step forward, so Lacy was tucked safely between and slightly behind them.
“We’ve got you, Lacy,” Rob said.
Lacy stared straight out into the water, but Dane knew her eyes were riding the surface.
“Lace, to your right about fifteen feet from the boat is where the shark is,” Dane said. “I’ve got you, and the shark can’t hurt you. You’re safe in the boat.”
She nodded and dropped her eyes to the water. Dane watched as she dragged her eyes in a slow line toward the chum trail. She sucked in a breath and pushed her body closer to him.
“You’re okay,” he said. “He’s a small one, Lace. He’s too far away to hurt you. You’re safe.”
She nodded. Her fingers dug into the waist of his pants.
“You did great, Lacy. I think that’s enough. You saw it. Now let’s sit back down and head in,” Dane said. He nodded toward Rob.
“Wait,” Lacy said, grabbing Rob’s arm. “Wait. I want to look again. I need to do this.” She whispered, “I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m safe. I’m in control. One, two, three…”
Her shoulders were pinched tight and high, just below her ears. A deep vee had formed between her eyebrows. Dane held his breath as she stared at the shark, whispering her mantra and counting to ten into the breeze. Her heart thundered against his side.
“Ten. Okay,” Lacy said. Clutching Dane’s side, she walked backward two steps. The words tumbled from her mouth. “Okay. Can you please get me to the seats? And can we leave?”
Dane led her to the seats as Rob took them toward shore. Dane didn’t let out his breath until Lacy was settled safely on the aft seating. He knelt before her and rested his hands on her thighs.
“You okay?” he asked.
She nodded, and let out several loud breaths through puckered lips. “I’m good. I did it. I’m okay.”
The trembling began in her legs and wound its way up her body until she was shaking like a leaf in the breeze. Dane wrapped a blanket around her and pulled her into his lap.
“You’re safe, baby. I’m right here, and I’m so proud of you.”
She clutched the ends of the blanket and turned damp eyes toward Dane. “I’m not sure I will ever be able to be on a boat when you’re down underwater with a shark. I’m not just afraid for me, Dane. The risks…I’m afraid for you. But I can be on a boat when you’re not actively seeking sharks. Then I’m fine.”
“Lacy, I’ll take you with me any way you’ll let me. We can make this work.” He kissed her forehead and held her against him, with one hand buried in her curls and the other around her back, until her body stopped trembling and his own breathing calmed.
By the time the marina was in sight, Lacy was back to her normal self. She’d shed the blanket and stood in the middle of the deck with her shoulders back and a gleaming smile across her lips.
She placed her hands on her chest and proclaimed, “I did it. I didn’t freak out.”
“You sure did, Lacy,” Rob said. “We’re so proud of you.”
“You never fail to amaze me, Lace.” Dane swooped in and twirled her around with a kiss. “You ready to blow this taco joint?”
Lacy flashed a flirtatious smile at Dane. “You lead; I’ll follow.”
She’d whispered those words into his ear last night in bed, and hearing them again sent heat to his core. “I’ve got some studying I want to do before we go to dinner.”
The flush on Lacy’s cheeks told Dane that she was thinking the same thing.
Chapter Twenty-One
STUDYING. THAT WAS all Lacy could think about from the second the line flew from Dane’s lips. He was a fast learner, too. She stifled a smile as the memory of the night before came back to her. She walked away from the men, wanting to clear her head. If she didn’t hear his voice, she wouldn’t think about the things he’d said to her the night before, in the throes of passion.
The dock was not coming into focus fast enough. Her body was pumping with adrenaline from seeing the shark. Thoughts of touching Dane were sending her heart into a state of desperation. Hurry up. Hurry up.
Once they reached the marina, it seemed to take forever to bring the boat into the slip. Lacy went to Dane’s side, and he reached an arm around her, stroking the bare skin of her waist beneath her T-shirt. Every touch made her mind wander to sensual places. Every minute was a slow, treacherous drag of time. She didn’t understand why she was so sexual with Dane, but she didn’t want to question it, either. Once she’d found out how long he’d gone without touching another woman, her whole outlook had
changed. When he’d told her, she’d wanted to dance around the room singing, He feels it too! He really, really likes me! And now, as she watched Dane and Rob, laughing, patting each other on the back, all Lacy wanted to do was get him into the cabin and show him that she’d been worth the wait.
Lacy watched Dane and Rob secure the boat to the dock, and when they were done, she touched Dane’s arm. His skin was hot from the sun. She wanted to run her tongue up his rock-hard abs and taste his saltiness. He flashed an urgent, hungry look from the dark shadows of his eyes, and the word savage came to mind.
Rob gathered his stuff and stepped to the edge of the boat. “Thanks for a great run,” he said with a smile. “I loved your ideas for Brave, Lacy. I can’t wait to see what you come up with for the strategic marketing plan.”
Oh, I have a few strategies up my sleeve. “I can’t wait to meet Sheila.”
“We’ll see you tonight,” Rob said as he stepped onto the dock.
Lacy watched Rob get into his car and drive away. She turned around and bumped into Dane’s chest. He didn’t give her time to recover. In the next breath, his mouth was on hers, his hands pressed to her bottom, pulling her hips against his. He kissed her passionately and came away breathing hard.
“I thought we’d never get back,” he said breathlessly. He pulled her toward the cabin, tugging her shirt over her head as they stumbled down the stairs.
“I know,” she said between hungry kisses. “All I could think about—”
He hauled her in for another kiss.
“Was studying,” she said breathily.
He stripped them bare, and then he gathered her close again. “Lacy,” he whispered as he backed her up against the wall.
“Touch me,” she commanded, and he did.
“When did you turn into such a temptress?” he whispered.
She felt her cheeks flush. “I don’t know.” Her breath came fast and hard as his hands roamed over her body. “I realized my fear was probably more of everything…” She paused, trying to gain control over her breathing. “Not just sharks. And when I let go of that, and let you into my heart, everything changed.”
He leaned his forehead against hers. “You own my heart, Lace. I want only to protect you.”
His heart beat rapidly against her chest. She never considered herself to be a woman who needed protecting, but as the words fell from his lips, she couldn’t think of another person she’d rather have watching out for her.
Chapter Twenty-Two
AFTER DANE DROPPED Lacy at her cottage to get ready for dinner, she showered, dressed, and read an email from her boss advising her of the status of her previous work and congratulating her on solidifying Brave as a client. You have no idea how solid Brave is. She called Danica to fill her in on how things were going.
“I’m seriously the worst sister ever, and I’m sorry,” Lacy said when Danica answered the phone.
“I don’t know. Kaylie has her moments,” Danica teased.
“I’m sorry I haven’t called. So much has happened, and I don’t know where to start, but I know I owe it to you, Dan. I thought about what you said about letting his past go, and it’s like the minute I did that, all the fear and anxiety fell away.” Lacy put the call on speaker and began applying eyeliner beneath her lashes.
“That’s the funny thing about anxiety. You never really know what it stems from,” Danica said. “So, tell me what happened.”
“I don’t know. I tried to seduce him, which, by the way, I think I suck at, but anyway, one thing led to another, and he told me that he hasn’t been with another woman for more than a year. More than a year, Danica. It’s been longer for me, but how can a guy even do that?” Lacy finished putting on her makeup, picked up the phone again, and walked into the living room, where she sat down at her computer.
“The heart is a powerful thing,” Danica said.
“We went out on Treat’s boat and looked for sharks.”
“Lacy, what did I tell you? Holy cow, talk about pushing the limits,” Danica chided her.
“I know, but you also said to face my fears, and I was pretty much okay. Your advice really helped. We saw one shark that Dane said was small but looked huge to me. I didn’t panic. I didn’t like it, but I didn’t lose all of my faculties either, so I feel like that’s a big step.”
“That’s a huge step, Lace. All you need to do is be okay on the boat and, Lacy, you know that even if you can’t overcome this, you and Dane can still have a relationship. He’s the one in the water, not you,” Danica pointed out.
“True, but I don’t want him worrying about me when he needs to be concentrating on the sharks and doing his job. Given what I’ve seen so far, he’d worry about me every second he was underwater if I was on the boat. He doesn’t need that distraction, and as a couple, we don’t need that stress.”
“You’re not going to end it again, are you?” Danica asked.
“No. I don’t mean it like that. I think I’m figuring all this stuff out, and actually, I’m excited about doing marketing for Brave, too. Oh, and don’t forget that I touched a baby shark at the aquarium, remember? At first it freaked me out a little, but then I was okay and went back to touch it again.” Lacy sat down on the couch.
“I didn’t forget. I’m really proud of you. I’m sure you were scared to death. Just be careful, Lacy. You could still have a panic attack, so be sure that if you do go with him when he’s looking for sharks, you have a safety net for yourself. Someplace to escape. I don’t know where that would be, a cabin in the boat maybe?”
“I will, but I don’t plan on going on any shark finding missions with him. Thanks, Danica, for everything. I’m glad you talked to Dane, and I’m even kinda glad you didn’t tell me. You’re probably right. I would have felt added pressure or something.” For the millionth time, Lacy was thankful to have her sisters in her life.
“You know that if I thought he wasn’t worthy of you, or if I thought it would hurt you, I never would have talked with him, right?”
“I know. I trust you. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. We’re having dinner with Rob and his wife tonight. I really like him.” Lacy wondered what Sheila would be like.
“He’s the one you picked up at the police station?” Danica asked.
“Yeah. He’s back at AA and he seems to be really trying and sincere in his efforts.”
“That’s good. I hope he can stay on the right path. I’ve been thinking. Have you and Dane talked about what happens next?” Danica asked.
“Next?” Gulp. Next?
“After Chatham? You do have a life, you know, and so does he. Are you going back to Skype and phone calls?”
“Gosh, we haven’t talked about it. Oh, Danica, I don’t know. I can’t go months without seeing him, not now that we’ve become so close.” Lacy stood and paced. “Darn it. I have no idea what we’ll do. His schedule isn’t going to change.” She dropped back onto the couch. “Great, another nightmare.”
“This isn’t a nightmare, Lacy. You sound like Kaylie, drama girl. You’ll figure it out. It’s just a…setback,” Danica assured her.
Setback? A chill ran up Lacy’s spine. “How can we figure it out? Geez, Danica. I wish you hadn’t brought that up.”
“Sorry, Lacy, but you only have a few more days with him before real life steps in. I always want to know where I’m heading,” Danica said.
“I was kind of enjoying my little nympho stage. I’ve never been so spontaneous. I’ve never felt like my heart might explode if I didn’t touch someone before, and now…Oh, Danica. For the love of…” Lacy lowered her forehead to her hand.
“Lacy, honey, calm down. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Look at Max and Treat, Josh and Riley. You’ll figure it out. It might take some time, but it’ll come to you, and you won’t always be on a sexcathalon, either. At some point, that’ll slow down, and then, if you see each other every two weeks or something, it could work.”
“Thanks, sis. Maybe you’re right.
I guess I have a lot to think about tonight, and I can’t even have a glass of wine with Rob’s recent misstep. There’s nothing worse than trying not to have something that’s flaunted before you. When I first came back, it was like that with Dane. I wanted him, but I couldn’t—or wouldn’t—let myself have him.”
“You don’t need wine, although it does help, and now you can have as much of Dane as you want. All you need is to think past your raging hormones and the illusion that romantic getaways can last forever. I’m a big believer that the universe will step in when we need it to. We have to rely on our resources and our minds, but I have faith that you’ll see some kind of sign and it will push you both in the right direction. Call me if you need me,” Danica said.
“Thanks. I will. Tell Kaylie I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch lately. I’ll call her when I have my head on straight. How are the twins?” Lacy went to the window and looked out at the water, thinking of how much Trevor and Lexi would love the cottage and the beach. “I miss them.”
“They are so freaking cute, and I swear Kaylie is the best mom I’ve ever known. She’s wrestling with going back to work. I’ll send her your love, and we’ll all get together again soon. Love you,” Danica said.
“You too.”
After ending the call, Lacy sat on the couch mulling over what Danica had said. How will we work out our lives?
Chapter Twenty-Three
THEY HAD DINNER at a family-style restaurant and sat outside on the patio, giving Rob’s two children, Charlie and Katie, space to walk around if they got antsy. Charlie hadn’t left his chair all evening. He sat beside Rob with his arms crossed. Even at seven, he had the sullen teenage stare down pat, while Katie wore a perpetual smile and hung on to the arm of Lacy’s chair, blinking thick lashes over her big brown eyes.
Lacy touched her nose. “You are the cutest four-year-old I’ve ever seen.”
“Can I touch your hair?” Katie asked.
Lacy smiled. “Of course you can, sweetie.”
