Page 20 of Turn the Tide
“San Elias.”
They’d have to land on the eastern end, since this side was made up of sheer, craggy rocks. About halfway around the island, the boat conked out. Silently, Eric strapped the pack on his back, then took the bag from Zoe and grabbed her hand. He paused at whatever he could see on her face in the dark. “You all right?”
She nodded automatically. Shewas, she realized, despite everything. Whoever he was, whatever had made him seek her out tonight, this man was her guardian angel. He’d put his life on the line for hers. Had she ever been in such capable hands? Whatever she’d gotten them into, however strange this all was, she was suddenly bone-certain this man would get them out. He was so competent that their survival seemed like a definite—a given, despite the odds stacked up against them. With Eric on her side, she’d be okay.
She lifted her eyes to his dark silhouette and nodded. “Let’s do this.”
In theory, sliding into the water was easier than the big jump had been, but man, was it freezing. At least she still had her wet suit on, while Eric wore just a pair of shorts.
He took off at a brisk, constant pace, which was good. Keeping up with him numbed her, body and mind.We’ll make it, she told herself over and over, falling into the familiar rhythm ofstroke, stroke, breatheagain.We have to make it.
And they did. To the island, at least, which felt like the end, although she had a bad feeling it was just the beginning.
***
Goddamn, he’d missed this. The fight, the race to survive. Thepowerrunning through his body like rocket fuel. As if he’d been dead all these years and having a mission had suddenly brought him back to life.
Eric led the way up the rocky beach, pausing occasionally to listen for anyone approaching. Nothing but the rhythmic lap of waves on the shore and Zoe’s careful steps as she walked beside him.
He glanced her way, taking in the tired curve of her back, the drag of her feet, the quick rise and fall of her chest.
“Not much cover on the island,” he said. “Let’s get over that first rise before we change into dry clothes.”
They could rest for a bit, too. Catch their breath, check their bodies for issues the adrenaline had allowed them to ignore, and then make their way up to the top of the island, where they’d have shelter and a good view of Polaris.
The ground changed under his feet from the pebbled beach to a dry, uneven grassy terrain. A few yards farther, they came to the big, flat rock where he and Ford used to wait for their dad at the end of his long fishing days. Though he’d left them on their own for hours—sometimes days—playing survival games out here with his little brother had been some of the best times of Eric’s life.
Funny that he’d never wanted to return to the island.
He might have brought his boat out that first time because he missed his brother, Ford. That was when he’d met Zoe. And though he hadn’t planned it, he found himself drawn to this place every Thursday. Which just happened to be her day to check on the rig. He glanced at her.
She collapsed on the stone and worked to catch her breath, blinking at the clear night sky.
“Come on,” he said, turning toward her. “Need to get you dressed. Get you warm.”
“Just a… Just…”
“Wet suit off. Let’s go. Up.”
“You’re a machine,” she grumbled and stood unsteadily, looking like she could barely keep herself up.
When she didn’t immediately unzip, he hesitated, then reached for her wet suit.
“Wait. Eric. Just…” She stopped him with a hand over his fingers, which made a strange fist in the air for a few seconds before parting. “Whoareyou?”
“I’m an ex-roughneck.”
“Oh? So just another day at the office, then?” Even shaking hard, she managed to inject some snark into those words. And damn, but he liked that hard little edge.
“I’m a Navy SEAL.” He opened a bag and went through it, leaving her to shed her wet suit on her own.
“Also ex?”
“Retired. If that’s what you mean. Once a SEAL, always a SEAL.” He eyed the water, turned, and checked the high slope above them. They needed to hurry and warm up, or they’d risk hypothermia. And a fire would attract attention. He unfolded a camp towel—small but efficient—and gave it to her. “Once you’re out of the wet suit, wipe down with that.”
She nodded, a little slow from the cold, he’d guess. He turned away to strip off his shorts. Fuck, it was freezing. His balls had probably shriveled up and died by now. He grabbed a second towel, dried off fast, and opened the clothing bag. Good. A couple changes, although it’d all be too big for her. He pulled on a base layer top and bottom. No underwear, but it wasn’t like he’d had any on to begin with, so…whatever.
“Why’d…you come…for me?” Her voice was stuttering from the cold.
