Page 147 of Kai
He held me up, giving my legs a rest. His body felt solid against mine; his arms felt safe. The sobs that broke his voice overtook me. In his arms, I wept.
“It’s okay.” He turned me on my back, swam me over to his surfboard, then rotated me until I faced him again. “You really are alive. Thank the universe. Thank the ocean!”
Gently, as if I was a valuable treasure he’d just discovered buried beneath the sea, he lifted me up and deposited me on thesurfboard.
“You’re safe.” He climbed beside me and hugged me to his chest. “I’m here. Right here.”
One day, I would tell him he had been in my mind and heart all along, challenging me as my swimming instructor, and loving me, even when I was lost at sea. But right now, I could barely speak. The shakes that took hold of my body wouldn’t stop. Kai held me tight, so tight. Even though we were both wet, his body lent heat to mine.
“Shit.” He drew back and stared at my back. “Your hands. They’re still tied.”
“Yeah,” I managed a rasp. “That sucked.”
“I got you.” He grabbed a knife from his vest and tangled with the knots.
Suddenly my hands were free.
My arms ached as I brought them around. I tested my hands. Curling my fingers, I discovered I had digits the size of sausages and they were wrinkled like prunes. When I brought my legs up on the board, my toes reminded me of dried raisins.
“No worries.” He pulled a drink from his vest and cracked open the cap. “Your hands and feet will get better with every minute you’re out of the water. Your body will heal. Sit or lie down, whatever works for you. Here.” He pressed the drink to my lips.
I drank deeply, gratefully, remembering another night on this same surfboard with the same man, even though I didn’t know then he would change my life and I his.
“Can you hold it?” he asked, his gaze worried.
I wrapped my trembling fingers around the bag and drank the whole thing in a long gulp.
“That’s my Sorceress.” He extracted a tiny pouch from one of his vest’s pockets. It converted into an emergency thermal blanket he draped over my shoulder. “This will keep you warm.”He hugged me once more. “As soon as we get back toSerenity, we’ll get you dry and hydrated.”
“You came,” I murmured, my throat now refreshed. “You came for me?”
“Of course I came for you!” he said, as if it should be obvious that he would risk his life for mine.
Itisobvious, I reminded myself.You are not alone anymore.
“Thank you,” I whispered. “Thank you for loving me.”
He pressed his lips together until he could manage words. “Cece, you’re amazing. I never thought that you—” He choked on his emotions and clutched me to his chest.
I met his eyes. “You never thought I would survive?”
“Don’t get me wrong.” He planted a kiss on my chapped lips. “I know you are strong, but you endured beyond most people’s limits under impossible conditions. I mean, no hands! You’re beyond brave. You are… incredible.”
I smiled. “Or stubborn.”
“Or stubborn, thank the universe.” He kissed me again. “Hang on, love.” He stood up, grabbed the paddle, and after turning the board around, rowed us against the current. “We’re underway.”
***
Kai
I paddled like a madman to take Cece back to safety. I was in disbelief and delirious with happiness. She was alive! She’d stayed alive when anyone else would’ve given up. After defying the odds, she sat on my board wrapped in the emergency blanket, looking forward, her back straight like the beautiful figurehead of a galleon.
The universe was in a generous mood. I thanked the ocean for returning Cece to me. This time, it had given instead of taking. Somehow, it had taken care of her when I couldn’t. Yeah.We were even now.
My woman had grit. And guts. Thankful for her life, I sped back towardSerenity, even though we were going against the current. If Cece was alive, I was unbroken. Healed. Cured of all my sorrows and hopeful once again.
The motion of paddling hurt, but who the hell cared about that? Not me. I ignored the burning of the saltwater on the shot that had grazed my shoulder, the blood trickling from my stab wound, and my exhaustion. Cece was alive. All was right in my life.
