Page 121 of We Redeemed the Rain

“Cool. Have fun.”

“Swimmin’ withyou. Right here and now.”

“Are you insane? I’m not getting in that pond.”

His eyes brightened with a hint oftroublemaker.“We’ll see about that.”

Before I could even react, Tag had thrown open his door, charged around the truck, and jerked open mine.

“Don't you dare!” I screamed.

My hands connected with his firm chest, giving him a useless push. Undeterred, he leaned into the car and clicked my seatbelt. I shrieked a laugh as his hands slipped around me. One behind my back, the other under my thighs.

Like a cat being forced into the water, I clawed at anything and everything, hissing and spitting fire. “You’re”—I wheezed, laughing yet pissed off—“a jerk!”

He heaved me up and onto his shoulder like a fireman and his cowboy hat fell off my head and landed on the gravel. “This’ll be good for ya.” His laughter mixed with my own as he marched off the driveway. The seatbelt extended to maximum length, my hands grasping it for dear life.

Tag’s full laugh was hearty, lifting into the evening air. He gave one sharp tug and the seatbelt snapped back into the truck. “Accept it.”

“Samuel Taggart, put me down right now. I will get revenge!”

I beat his back with my fists and wildly kicked my feet. His hands tightened, compensating for my flailing, as he spoke through short bursts of laughter. “I think—I think I’ll take my—chances.”

“It’ll be hell! I swear it!” I punctuated my threat with a sharp punch to the small of his back.

“Ouch! My kidney!”

Tag could barely walk he was laughing so hard. My laugh sounded like an injured moan because his shoulder drove into my gut.

I whimpered. “You know how I feel about murky water!”

“Youloveit.”

“I can’t believe you would do this to me.”

“I have to. I’m a man of my word.”

His boots made contact with the rickety dock, and it dodged and lurched beneath us as he walked. I looked down past Tag’s backside and got to see the ancient planks and a few bugs sunbathing on them. I wouldn’t live through this. My heart would stop before it ended.

And gosh, thesmell.Oh, the smell. I gagged.

I made one last attempt to escape, and Tag’s strong arms squeezed the back of my thighs and my waist. He stood, stalling at the end of the dock.

Fully expecting the stinky brown water to splash around my body at any second, I squeezed my eyes shut and clung to him for dear life.

But then, he shifted and eased me onto the dock, sliding me down the front of his body with gentle hands. They traveled from the back of my thighs to my waist, never losing contact.

When my feet were firmly planted on the wood below us, Tag kept my body flush with his, but leaned down to look straight into my eyes.

Our breaths were heavy, struggle-laden. His gray eyes danced. I found myself looking at the hazel spot, which appeared unnaturally green, reflecting the vibrant foliage around the pond.

His arms locked around me. Someone looking at us from a distance, would think we were about to kiss.

The realization sent a tremble through my body. I didn’t think he was going to kiss me, but my gracious, I wanted him to. I had to remind myself to gaze in his eyes and not look too hungry.

His voice was a breathy whisper. “Swim with me.”

“Tag—”

---