Page 27 of The Castle in the Bay

Monty took the wetsuit, eyeing it over like it might bite. ‘Do I just… put it on over my shorts?’

‘Um, not unless you want them to get wet. I’d go commando if I were you. Unless you have swimming shorts.’

‘No.’ He gave a little shrug.

‘Well, commando it is then.’ She gave him a little wink. As soon as he was behind the curtain, she took off her top and eased down her jeans. She was already wearing her bikini and lifted her wetsuit off the hook. Monty was still shuffling around as she stepped into her suit. A flutter rippled over her at the thought of him being naked so close to her. Normally, stuff like that didn’tbother her, but her skin was a little tingly as she pulled on the suit and used the long string to tug the zip up the back.

A few minutes later, Monty reappeared, struggling to pull the zipper all the way up. ‘How do I do this?’

‘Use the string.’ Iona stepped behind him. She had an urge to touch the skin on his back, maybe roll her palms over him, glide them around him… And stop! ‘Here.’ She handed the string to him.

‘Ah, right. That makes sense.’ He flexed his arms. ‘Tight, isn’t it?’

‘It’ll loosen up once you’re in the water.’ Maybe he would too – his rigid pose told her he was not enjoying this so far. ‘Let’s catch some waves.’ She threw open the door and made her way onto the sand. Sure, it was irritating that her students had cancelled, but her insides were alive and crackling with energy. She couldn’t wait to get started on this. She glanced back at Monty. Maybe this was mission impossible, but she liked a challenge, and she was ready to get him in the water.

Chapter Eleven

Monty

Monty stood on the cool beach at the edge of the water, staring out at the rolling waves. Some of them looked at least eight feet high – bigger than him anyway. He’d left his glasses back at the container, but even without them, the sea looked endless. A pair of wet-shoes formed a barrier between his skin and the sand, but even with them on he wasn’t sure he wanted to get into the water. That was the Atlantic Ocean, forheaven’s sake. A shiver ran down his spine that had nothing to do with the cold.

‘Come on.’ Iona turned back and smiled. She was already ankle-deep and had walked in as routinely as she might walk into the supermarket.

Monty groaned, then inched forward. A shock of cold ran up his leg and he froze, unable to go further.

‘It’s bloody cold,’ he muttered.

Iona took a few steps back towards him. ‘Once you’re in, it’s fine. Your body will acclimatise fast. Come on. This bit is so shallow, it’s not even as deep as a puddle.’

He huffed out a laugh. Of course, she was right, but he couldn’t help being cautious. He took a deep breath and waded in. As the cold water got to his waist, it shocked his nervous system. He made it to where Iona stood, taking calming breaths. ‘It’s baltic.’

‘You’ll get used to it and you’ll find it surprisingly warm.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes.’ She grinned at him.

The ocean looked vast from here, so easy to get lost in. The further out they went, the rougher the swell got; it was sure to engulf them if they went another step. The noise was incredible, crashing and slapping as wave after wave hit.

‘Are you sure this is safe?’ Monty called over the tumult. ‘Won’t we get washed away?’

‘Give me your hands.’ Iona held hers out.

‘Why?’

‘To stop you from worrying. I’ll hold on to you.’

Monty gazed at her for a moment. She was a wild adventurer, but she also looked trustworthy. He placed his hands in hers, feeling the pressure of her grip. ‘Now, we’re just going to go a bit further.’

‘Further?’

Iona moved backwards, guiding him. The water surged around them. He held on to her, allowing her to lead him. The skin-to-skin contact anchored him and he took deep breaths. The sense of uncertainty slowly edged away. If he mastered himself, he could almost see why someone might enjoy this – if they had more skill than him.

‘See, not so bad.’ She raised an eyebrow.

Monty laughed, the sound surprising even himself. ‘Easy for you to say.’

‘Just keep your eyes on me.’ Her cheeks flared a little as she said it, but Monty obeyed. He wasn’t sure he wanted to look anywhere else. ‘That way you won’t panic about how big the sea is,’ she said.

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