Because she doesn’t have to go swimming with the fucking sharks. I huffed out a breath while Jaxon organized a ride to take us to the killer fish.
“I’m not doing it,” I repeated when we climbed into the air-conditioned cab of one of the hotel’s cars. “I’ve already been stood up at the altar. I really don’t think this month has to get any worse, and getting ripped to pieces by razor-sharp teeth feels like a surefire way for that to happen.”
“Relax, sugar plum. It’s one hundred percent safe. Nothing’s going to happen to you.”
I tucked my hands into my elbows and slammed my back into the seat. “If it’s so safe, why is the guy so available? Because people don’t actually want to do it.”
“Thousands of people go diving every day. All over the world. They’re all fine. Mostly.” He reached for my hand, but for the first time since I’d met him, I yanked mine away.
“I really don’t think this is a good idea.”
He shrugged. “Fate wants us to do it, so we’re doing it. It’s a great idea.”
“Only because you’ve always wanted to do it.” I gave him my most piercing stare. “What’s something you’re afraid of?”
“Me?” His brows lifted and he shook his head. “Nothing really. I don’t have a problem with heights, spiders, or sharks. I don’t even mind clowns.”
“There’s something wrong with you.” I turned away to watch the landscape going by as we were driven to our doom.
A gentle hand sneaked onto my leg, his long fingers curling around the bare flesh on my thigh and flexing. “I’ll take care of you, Lindsay. Same deal as before, okay? Please trust me.”
“Tell me something you’re afraid of then.” I refused to look at him. I really didn’t want to do this, and yet his smooth voice and tenderly murmured words were already softening me toward the idea.
If I looked into those eyes too, I would be getting in that fucking water without any more questions asked.
He kept silent for a long minute. “The only thing that I’m really terrified of is losing the people I love.”
And there I go melting into a puddle of goo. “How is it that you always know exactly what to say to me to get me to do what you want?”
“Just being honest,” he said as the car slowed. “So, are we doing this? Because I think we’ve arrived.”
“It hasn’t been twenty minutes yet.”
“Nope, but there’s no line, so it shouldn’t be a problem.” He sounded way too cheerful for my liking.
“There’s a reason why there’s no line.” I only just got the words out before his hand wrapped around mine and he dragged me out of the car with him.
The guy operating the diving charter welcomed Jaxon like a long-lost brother, thumping him on the back as they clasped hands and exchanged greetings. If he was this friendly to his customers, it was clear he didn’t have a lot of them.
To my surprise, it turned out that he was always fully booked in advance. He told Jaxon about a group booking that had gotten canceled this morning because their flight had been delayed. When the two men started untying the boat and talking about the different species of sharks we could expect to see, I realized there was no getting out of it.
I should have just stayed in the taxi.
With my heart thundering, I dropped my hands to the hem of my cover-up and yanked it over my head. Jaxon stopped talking in the middle of his sentence, his gaze drinking me in like I was a goddess he’d always believed in but had never seen in the flesh before.
I didn’t understand what the big deal was, considering that my cover-up was sheer anyway, but I liked having him looking at me like that too much to question it. When the guide glanced my way, a muscle ticked in Jaxon’s jaw and he stepped into his line of sight.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Swimming with sharks apparently. Where’s the cage? Let’s get this over with.”
“There’s no need for a cage in Fiji,” the guide said around Jaxon. “We go snorkeling on the reef with them.”
My pulse spiked and my mind went completely blank. “What?”
“That’s awesome.” Jaxon grinned at the guide but kept his body as a shield in front of me.
Now who’s jealous?
The smug thought snapped me out of my momentary shocked stupor. “I’m not doing that.”