Page 32 of Hot Summer's Prey

IS THAT A SCUBA TANK IN YOUR POCKET OR ARE YOU JUST HAPPY TO SEE ME?

TERESA

“Teresa?”

At first, when I hear his voice, there’s a shot of lust-filled adrenaline. Then anger—that he’s the one here to save me. It puts him in a position of power here and I don’t like it. I was supposed to make him beg for me, but now I’ll be indebted to him for saving my life.

Play it cool, Resa.

“I’ve got a lot of questions for you, mister,” I call back, squinting in the darkness so I can see him.

At this point, the tide has risen, much of it coming into the cave. My whole body is shaking from the cold and the wet. The rain boots now feel like a mistake. But it was either wait at the entrance of the cave for someone to finally hear me or stay dry and never be found in the back of the cave where it’s higher and drier.

Finally, I see him. He’s naked. Again. We can’t keep meeting like this.

“Why are you naked again? Actually—I take it back. I probably don’t want to know. Maybe I should just be happy you’ve abandoned whoever your latest conquest was to play my white knight.”

“Are you okay?” he asks, rushing over to the cave entrance.

He slides through easily compared to me. Skinny bastard. In moments, his hands are all over me, checking me for scrapes and scratches. I want to shake him off, but each touch calms me.

“I’m fine, I’m just stuck.”

“How did you get in here?” he asks.

I feel so embarrassed. Every evil thing ever said to me about my size comes crashing down on me.

With a shrug, I sigh. “It was easier to get through earlier.”

He places a hand at my neck, looks me in the eye. “It’s okay. You’re not the first person this has happened to. These caves can be incredibly dangerous.”

“Where was that disclaimer when you brought me back to your sex cave?”

“My sex cave?”

“Just forget it.”

“I don’t use that cave for sex, I use it for—We need to get you out of here.”

“Oh cool, so we’re just going to change the subject again.”

“How long have you been here?”

I look at my phone, giving him that, at least. It’s dead. “Who knows?”

“You’re shaking.”

“Yeah, well, I’m tired and scared and wet, so it’s bound to happen,” I mutter grumpily.

He pulls me close. Immediately, I tear up. Being held after the night I’ve had is a balm to the soul. I breathe him in. He smells like the ocean breeze on a good day.

“Maybe there’s another way out of here. Did you see any? Some of these caves are interconnected.”

I shake my head. “I don’t know. I kind of started freaking out and didn’t think to look. Besides, it would have to be pretty small, and well, we already know the problem there.”

“You got in here, so we know you can get out. We just have to figure out how.”

I nod, tears leaking out as I try to hold them back.

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