‘What’s it like if you go deeper?’
He grinned. ‘Cold! That’s why you wear a wetsuit. But it’s amazing—like a whole new world you didn’t even know existed.’
She shivered. ‘I’m not sure I’m ready for that.’
Watching her face, he felt his throat tighten. He felt like a tuning fork. Everything she was feeling seemed to resonate through him too, so that her happiness was his happiness, her pain became his pain. It was a strange, unsettling sensation, and even though he couldn’t give a name to it he knew it was dangerous.
His heart began to beat faster. There were safer ways of seeking danger.
He glanced past her at the still sea. ‘Actually, there’s a wreck just along the coast from here, and as we’re in the area I thought I might go take a look.’
‘On your own?’
He heard and ignored the confusion in her voice. He’d solo-dived before. It was a more risky than diving in a group, but right now that was what he needed. He shrugged. ‘Even if you weren’t pregnant, it wouldn’t be safe for a first deep dive.’ He hesitated. ‘I don’t have to go...’
‘No, it’s fine. I want you to go.’ She gave him a quick, tight smile. ‘Really.’
They anchored twenty minutes later.
The coastline was more rugged here, and the water was choppier, and he could see from Kitty’s expression that she was having second thoughts.
‘I’ll be fine.’ Taking her hands, he pulled her against him and kissed her lightly on the lips. ‘I know what I’m doing. I’ve done a lot of dives and this is pretty shallow.’
‘How long will you be?’
‘Forty minutes?’ He glanced at her face, then at his watch. ‘I’ll be back up in half an hour.’
He was desperate to go. Desperate to prove that this was what his life had been lacking. This rush of exhilaration—part fear, part anticipation. Kitty might be captivating in so many ways, but this was what made his pulse race.
Holding his mask and regulator in place with his palm, he stepped off the side of the yacht into the water.
* * *
Watching him disappear beneath the waves, Kitty felt her chest tighten. It was stupid to feel so tense. He knew what he was doing.
She took a breath. It was only half an hour. Thirty short minutes. Shorter than the time it took her to wash and dry her hair.
She glanced down at her phone, at the timer she’d set as he jumped into the water. Twenty-five minutes now.
There was no point in worrying. There wasn’t anything she could do if something went wrong down there. But it made her feel dizzy just thinking about all the things that could go wrong.
Life wasn’t kind or fair—she knew that—and the ocean was a cruel place. But César was an experienced diver, and the sea had been kind to her.
Thinking back to how a group of beautiful angelfish had swum right up to her mask, she smiled. They had been so gentle, so curious, and the warm water had felt incredibly relaxing and safe. Her stomach gave a little flip. That was what it must be like for their baby.
Resting her hand against the slight curve of her belly, she glanced down at the timer and breathed out slowly. Only ten minutes to go now.
Which was just enough time for her to take a few pictures to send to Lizzie.
She was reading her sister’s response to the photos when the timer went off.
Feeling a rush of relief, she made her way to the swim platform. She stood gazing down at the water, her heartbeat filling her head. Where was he?
She glanced down at her phone. He was five minutes later than he’d said he would be.
Her heartbeat sped up. An ache was spreading out from her heart—an ache she remembered, an ache she had never wanted to feel again. She glanced back at the phone. Now he was eight minutes late.
Did he have enough oxygen?