Page 33 of Follow Me Down

“If you don’t like to do something there’s usually a reason. A bad experience. A fear of something. So what is it? You afraid of snakes or something?”

“Among other things,” I admit.

“I promise, they’re more scared of you than you are of them.”

“If I had a dime for every time someone has said that to me. As if that actually makes me feel better.”

“Well it should.”

“Well it doesn’t.”

“Funny.” He gives me a look I don’t quite understand. “Here I thought you were fearless.” He’s baiting me. I know he is. And I refuse to take it.

“Fearless,” I snort. “Yeah, far from it. And no matter what you say, I’m not going in there.”

“Fine.” He shoves his hair away from his face. “Suit yourself.” With that, he takes a few quick steps and propels himself off the end of the dock.

He disappears beneath the dark water, and the ripples cause the dock to sway more forcefully. I brace myself, feeling my balance waver.

I stare out over the pond, waiting for Titus to resurface. When he doesn’t right away, I step out to the edge of the dock and look down. The water has begun to settle and there’s no sign of him anywhere.

Kicking off my sandals, I lean further over the dock, convinced that he’s going to pop up at any moment and scare the crap out of me.

“Titus?” I call, my voice echoing out over the water. “Titus?”

Too much time has passed and panic starts to seep in. Maybe he’s actually in trouble... And even though I know I have to go in after him, I’m not really sure what good it will do. It’s not like I can see anything down there. Regardless, I can’t stand here and do nothing.

I lean out further, praying to catch sight of him, when out of nowhere, he pops up out of the water right in front of me, startling me so bad that I lose my footing. The next thing I know I’m engulfed by cool water.

I sputter to the surface, still not sure what the hell just happened.

“Well, that’s one way to get you in the water.” Titus’ face comes into view as I wipe the water from my eyes.

“You did that on purpose.” I’m not sure if I’m pissed or amused. I pull my hand through the water, sending a wave right at his face. He tries to duck out of the way but isn’t fast enough. It catches him across the side of his head and neck. “I can’t believe you would do that.” I shove more water toward him. “I thought you were drowning.” I go to splash him again, but before my hand can connect with the water, Titus catches my wrist mid-air.

“Keep splashing me in the face and I might drown,” he warns, tugging me toward him.

My hands collide with his bare chest and my entire body goes stiff. It feels wrong, being this close to Titus, yet when his hands slide around my waist and settle on my lower back, I can’t help but think that nothing has ever felt more right.

“Titus.”

“Relax, Fallon.” He gives me an easy smile as he kicks his feet, sending us floating in the opposite direction of the dock.

“Um, Titus.” I start to panic as the water becomes too deep for me to touch the bottom.

“Relax,” he repeats, lifting both of my arms around his neck. “Just hold onto me. I promise, nothing is going to get you.”

Given his lack of clothes and the wet condition of mine, when I lean in closer and latch my hands behind his neck, it almost feels like there’s no barrier between us at all.

I turn my head, unable to take the heat of his stare as he moves us further out into the pond. When something slimy brushes my foot, I squeal, tensing against Titus as both my legs instinctively go around his waist.

He chuckles, the vibration of his body against mine feeling way better than it should.

“Okay, you got me out here. Now will you please take me back?” I duck my face into the crook of his neck, all my limbs wrapped around him like a vice grip as my anxiety mounts.

“Are you that scared?”

“What do you think?” I croak.

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