Page 111 of Bad Love

"You a goodswimmer?"

"Best in Orange." Kendallgrins.

An hour later, we're out on theboat.

"Have you always had this?" she calls into the breeze as I steer us out into thewater.

"Pretty much. My dad wanted to sell it at one point, but I told him I'd buy it from him. So, Idid."

Once we're out a bit, I drop anchor. My boat doesn't have a deep hull, so it's easy tonavigate.

When I turn back, Kendall's stripped down to the world's hottest one-piece. It's bright red, and I immediately take back everything I've ever said about loving bikinis. It shows off her breasts, held up by slim straps, and it's cut high on the thighs. Not my mom's eighties workout videos high, but high enough that when she turns, my gaze is dragged down the curve of herass.

I strip down too, enjoying the feel of the sun on myskin.

I grab the snorkeling stuff and help her put on her mask, sticking it to her face. "When you get in the water, wet it around the edges. It'll stickbetter."

"When was the last time you snorkelled?” sheasks.

“At least a few years,” I admit. "Most weekends wedive."

"You never told me what you dive for.Treasure?"

"More like lost phones and watches and stuff. It’s fun to find things and send them back to theirowners.”

Her eyes go round. “How do you find theirowners?”

“You’d be surprised. Phones can be revived. Watches have inscriptions. It’s a high to give someone back something they never thought they could have. This one guy lost the Rolex his wife gave him for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.” I smile, thinking aboutit.

“And you returned it tohim?”

“Of course. What’m I gonna do with a Rolex inscribed ‘To Barry with all mylove’?”

She shoots me a look out of the corner of her eye. “You're very competent, Logan. It's sexy. Why don't you go all-in on something moreoften?"

"Because I end up having to sell ten thousand vibrators to keep my grandma'scompany."

She shakes her head, but her eyes sparkle. “That’s not what Imeant.”

“I know.” I wait for her to go down the ladder. Then I drop off the side, splashing her. "Watch the current. It'sstrong."

We swim together, though I focus more on the sights than Kendall. The water here is shallow enough we can't see anything too crazy, but I love the feeling ofexploring.

I pop out of the water, intending to show her something, but don't seeher.

I pull out the mouthpiece. "Kendall?Kendall?"

I look around, and I can't findher.

Panic rises in mychest.

I scan the surface, my head whipping back and forth. She can’t have gonefar.

But there’s no sign ofher.

Fuck.Fuck!

It's a few long minutes before I see her snorkel bobbing above thewater.

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