Page 94 of SEAL Summer Escape

“We need those?”Taylor asked, her eyes widening.

“Better safe than sorry, sweetheart,” Mason said.He handed one to Bailey and then helped Taylor put her life vest on, securing the buckles.

Bailey slipped hers on as the boat rocked, but before she could fasten it, a sudden gust of wind caused the boat to list to the side.She screamed as she stumbled and then slid across the deck.Noah’s heart lurched as he watched her, torn between running to her aide and holding the steering wheel.

“Bailey!”he shouted.

She got on her hands and knees and tried to crawl back toward him, up the incline, but a strong wave suddenly had her flying overboard.

“Bailey!Grab the wheel!”Noah shouted.

Mason hauled Taylor along with him, holding her to him as he took control of the vessel.

Noah didn’t even stop to grab a life jacket for himself, just jumped overboard, diving headfirst into the ocean.He kicked hard away from the boat, swimming underwater a good distance before coming up for air.

The rain poured down harder, and it was impossible to see even a few feet in front of him.The dark, choppy waters made it difficult to see anything around him, and he took in a deep breath before he was briefly pulled under.

His training instinctively kicked in, but his blood ran cold at knowing Bailey was out here, too.At his not being able to find her.

He kicked back toward the surface.“Bailey!”he screamed again into the wind as rain poured down from the heavens and the choppy water jolted him around.He couldn’t even see the boat anymore in the storm.Thunder boomed from above, and he hoped like hell he wouldn’t be electrocuted out here if lightning struck the water.

Treading water, he circled completely around, trying to see any sign of her.

A brief flash of blonde hair had his heart stopping, and then he was swimming toward her, fighting against the waves.His muscles burned and his lungs screamed for air, but he would get to her no matter what.

The minutes it took to reach her felt like hours, but he finally was at her side, pulling her weak body toward him.

“Hang on to me, sunshine,” he said, holding her close as he wrapped both arms around her.“I got you.”

“I’m so tired,” she said, choking and sputtering on the water.

“Don’t talk—just save your strength.I need to get us back to the boat.I’m going to tow you along.Don’t let go of my arm, no matter what.”

Bailey choked out a sob, and his heart clenched.

“Don’t cry, sunshine.You’re going to be fine.When we get back, you can take a nice, hot bath and get warm.But right now, I need you to stay strong.To stay with me.”

“I don’t see the boat,” she gasped, looking around in panic.“Oh my God, what if we can’t find it?”

“I don’t see it either, but we’ll find it.We just need to hold on until the storm blows over, and then we’ll signal Mason.I’m going to swim us back in the direction I think we came.”

“But the ocean is huge!He might not even be able to spot us.”

Noah nodded, not wanting her to panic.All the emergency flares and beacons were back on the boat.He didn’t even have a whistle with him.

There was no telling how far they’d drifted in the storm.Even if they did spot the boat when the rain blew over, it would be hard as hell for Mason to see them.

Bailey’s wet hoodie clung to her like a second skin, and he worried the soggy material was weighing her down.He didn’t want to discard it though in case they ended up trapped out here.The temperature would cool down when day turned to night.If they couldn’t find the boat, their best bet would be to attempt to swim to one of the small islands.

Her sweatshirt would eventually dry out, and until then, they could huddle together for warmth.

That was a worst-case scenario though.Because he hoped like hell they hadn’t drifted too far from the boat.Mason would’ve already called the Coast Guard by now, but in the storm, they couldn’t exactly send search helicopters to look for them.

Gritting his teeth, he began to swim in the direction he thought they’d come, pulling Bailey right along with him.

---