Page 32 of Caught Up In You (The Monroes 2)

“We will freeze when we get out,” she claimed. “It’s December.”

Braxton’s laugh washed over her. “It may be too cold for normal people to swim, but let’s not be normal. Besides, the water will actually feel warm.”

Cora hesitated. She didn’t want to be afraid of water, she wasn’t, actually. But she hadn’t been in since she’d fallen and hit her head. The accident had ultimately given the doctors the information they needed to properly diagnose her, though nothing had been able to save her sight.

Even though the fall hadn’t caused her condition, Cora was still worried. What if she got in and fear consumed her? What if she had a panic attack? What if Braxton finally saw her as vulnerable and handicapped? She’d rather die than for him to see her as damaged.

But she also refused to allow her past to consume and control her newfound freedom.

Cora took a deep breath and smiled. “I’m game.”

Chapter Seven

Later, when Braxton was thinking clearer, he’d kick himself for suggesting they go for a swim. Nothing about this said “working relationship” and it was teetering on the line of friendship, nearly falling off on the side he’d promised not to cross.

“What about Heidi?” Braxton asked. “Will she want to come in?”

Cora patted her faithful companion. “She’ll stay here. I’m sure she’d love to go in, but I wouldn’t subject your vehicle to wet dog.”

“Leather seats wipe off and I wouldn’t mind a bit.”

Seriously, what the hell was he saying? He washed and cleaned his car weekly, wanting it neat and tidy and perfect. But that was the effect of having a military father. Braxton prayed that sliver was all he took away from the man whom he shared genes with.

“She’s fine up here,” Cora stated.

When she held out her hands, Braxton grabbed hold and pulled her to her feet. Those slender fingers fit so well against his as he walked backward and eased her down the slight slope toward the water’s edge.

She stiffened up as the land steepened. Her hands tightened in his as her eyes widened. Her breath became shallower and Braxton wanted to assure her she’d be fine. No way would he let anything happen to her.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured. “Just walk slowly.”

“I know.”

She almost sounded as if she were trying to convince herself. Stubborn to a fault, but he wasn’t letting go and he wasn’t giving her an opportunity to pull away and do this on her own. For purely selfish reasons, he wanted to experience this moment with her. He wanted to see everything from her perspective.

“Wait,” she told him just as the water slid over the tops of his feet. “Maybe I should stay with Heidi and you can swim. Really. Let’s do that instead.”

The fear lacing her voice had him gripping her hands tighter and standing still. “You’re afraid of water?”

Her eyes remained wide, unblinking. “Not afraid, I’ve just . . . I’ve not been in since my accident.”

Braxton processed her words, then cursed. “Did an accident in the water cause your blindness?” Could he be more dense and selfish? Not that he knew what happened to her exactly, but why hadn’t he tried to learn a little more? She’d mentioned an accident before, but he had no idea.

“No.” She shook her head and continued to hold tightly to his hands. “I was swimming with friends and we were goofing off. I got a little dizzy and fell into the pool. I was fine, but during a total workup, the doctors found something that had been overlooked and ignored for too long.”

Cora blinked away the moisture that filled her eyes as she chewed on her bottom lip. “I don’t really want to talk about it, if you don’t mind.”

Damn it all. Braxton wanted to pick her up, carry her back to the dry land, and erase every bad memory and nightmare plaguing her mind right now.

“We’ll go back.”

“No. I want to do this.” She swallowed, then offered him a light smile that did so much to his heart, he didn’t even know how to describe what he was feeling. “I want to do this with you. Only you. You get me. For reasons I can’t explain, I’m comfortable with you and I haven’t experienced that with anyone since I lost my sight. Just . . . don’t let my fear ruin this moment. Promise me?”

Promise her? Hell, he’d do anything to make her smile, to help her overcome this moment and live again with the freedom she craved.

And the fact that she’d admitted her fear . . . He knew those words cost her, but she wanted to do this so he’d damn well make sure she was comfortable. She was trusting him to lean on, trusting him to keep her safe from the water . . . from her fears.

“I won’t let go,” he assured her as he eased her on. “You’re about to feel the water on your feet. Tell me the second you want out and I’ll make it happen.”

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