L. Marie Adeline- S.E.C.R.E.T

I tried to listen, tried to remember that I could in fact swim. I helped us move towards
the side of the rescue boat and from there he secured my hands around a lower rung on
the ladder, climbed ahead a few steps, then reached down and pulled me aboard like I
was a wet rag doll. I dropped onto the deck, breathless. He shook out his hair, knocking
the sea water from his ears, then took my face in his hands and said, “Good going,
Cassie.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. “I nearly killed us both! I panicked!”
“But then you calmed down and you helped us swim to the boat. And we’re okay now.
We’re going to be okay.” He moved strands of dripping hair away from my face. “Let’s
get you below deck.”
I nally got a good look at the man who had saved me, as he stood up. He was
enormous, at least six-foot-ve, with a shock of black wavy hair and black eyes. He had
the prole of a Greek statue. He caught me looking at his torso and then it struck me.
He knows my name!
“Are you one of the men from …”
“I am,” he said, yanking me to my feet. He threw a thick wool blanket around my
shoulders and added, “Now that we’re here and you’re safe, maybe we should get back
to the plan. What do you think? Do you accept the Step?”
“I … guess so, yes. I do.”
“Well, either way, I still have to get us out of here. I am a certied diver and lifeguard,
just in case you were wondering.”
He placed his rm hands on my trembling shoulders and ushered me below to a much
smaller room, cozier than any I had seen on the yacht, but much less steady. The waves
were slapping at the portholes. I made a beeline for a space heater in the corner and
used the blanket to cup the warm air on either side of me. I looked around, trying to
keep my balance as the storm tossed the boat. The room was dimly lit with gaslight
sconces, oak walls and quilted pillows strewn about a high bed. I noticed a quaint
kitchenette with an old-fashioned stove and a ceramic sink. It looked like the captain’s
quarters.
“I’m sorry I panicked. I thought we were moving away from the storm. Next thing you
know, I was in the storm.” I started to snie, the events of the last half hour nally
catching up to me.
“Shhh … it’s okay,” Jake said. He swiftly crossed the room and took me in his arms.
“You’re safe now. But I have to leave you here to steer us away from the hurricane.”
“Hurricane!”
“Well, initially it was a tropical storm. It turned very quickly. Wait here. And get those
wet clothes o. It won’t be long until we’re safely away,” he said, his muscled torso
apparent through this wet white T-shirt. This man was romance-cover-model perfect.
And though I didn’t want to be alone again, he had an authority to his voice that was
hard to ignore.
“Get under those covers and warm up. I’ll join you soon.”
He went to leave, then pivoted and made his way over to where I was standing in
front of the heater. When he bent to kiss me, I almost laughed at the image of us, me a