Page 19 of Impossible Thrills

Hays was right there, helping Nick right Darcy. Nick was insanely low on oxygen, but he had to do the free dive completely or they wouldn’t win. He couldn’t take a drag from Darcy’s oxygen, no matter how good that sounded. They had to ascend.

Jagger was already headed up, slowly exhaling and following his own bubbles. Hays and Paul gave Nick the thumbs up. They’d clean up and follow them. Nick should go.

Nick looked into Darcy’s face mask. She was plugging her nose again and water was up to her cheeks inside her mask. That couldn’t be comfortable. He motioned for her to clear her mask. She resolutely shook her head no.

Okay. He plugged his nose and closed his eyes, hoping she’d copy his motions. She did. Then he released his own nose, wrapped his arm around her, and started the ascent. The pressure in his head and lungs eased a fraction with each foot and finally, finally, they burst through the surface. He gasped a salt-tinged breath of beautifully fresh air. His head hurt, and it would take a while to recover from the lack of oxygen and pressure of the water at that depth without equalizing, but they’d made it.

Darcy yanked her face mask off, spit out her regulator, and rasped, “You did it!”

“Nice job!” Paul cheered as he burst through the surface.

Jagger was already in the boat, grinning down at them. “Good job.”

Darcy wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth. Nick was stunned and amazed. This kiss was even more impactful than the tender exchange they’d experienced before the dive. Her lips meeting his filled him with warmth, happiness, and purpose.

They sank slowly underwater. Darcy gasped out and released him from the kiss. Nick chuckled and kicked to keep them afloat. In the upright position, the scuba tank on her back wasn’t doing them any favors.

Jagger extended a hand and Nick took it. Jagger tugged them to the boat and then grasped Darcy under her arms and lifted her up over the edge. Raoul helped relieve her of the scuba tank.

“You did it!” Darcy cried out again.

Nick grasped the edge of the boat and launched himself in. Paul and Hays used the ladder with the heavy tanks on their backs.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” Nick told her. “Way to shove Jagger out of the way.”

“Two against one,” Jagger protested, rubbing at his head. “And you’d probably claim SEALs play dirty.” He winked, and they all laughed. Nick was still too caught up in the kiss. Earlier, he’d claimed to kiss her for a distraction. What a lie. He was enthralled by her. Those two short kisses only made him long for more. What was he going to do?

He focused on Darcy. He’d have to figure out how to handle the issues with her drug-dealing ex later.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“I tried to clear my ears, and I must’ve moved my mask wrong under my nose because it started leaking. It was awful, but you came and I’m okay.”

“You did great,” he said.

“You did!” She almost looked like she’d throw her arms around him again, but sadly she didn’t. It was probably better for his state of mind.

“Good job, good job.” Paul held out hands and high-fived each of them, except for Jagger.

“Hey,” Jagger protested. “I was sabotaged.”

“Be a good loser,” Paul said.

Even Jagger laughed at that.

“Who’s ready for the most beautiful scuba dive?” Paul asked. “The Palancar Reef is right here. Drift dive. Perfect.”

Darcy shook her head, the light in her blue eyes dimming. “Not me. I’m not going down there again. I hated the water coming up my nose, and don’t tell me I should’ve cleared my mask.” She pointed at Hays.

He lifted both hands up. “I was just trying to help.”

“I know, and I’m sorry I refused to listen, but at least we made it through. Thank you.” Darcy looked at Nick, her lip trembling slightly. “Do I have to go down again?”

“No.” He shook his head. “We can go back to the yacht and relax in the hot tub while they scuba.” That sounded like a fabulous plan. Get her alone. Talk. Kiss again.

“I have day planned.” Paul looked so disappointed. “Scuba, then shower on your yacht. Then lunch at Pancho’s Backyard, then Miss Belle tell me use credit card to buy beautiful dress and jewelry for the lady and fancy shirt and hat for the men. And the gelato. You cannot miss the gelato!”

“He’s right,” Nick said.

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