Page 21 of The No Falling Rule
“Thank you,” I whisper, pressing my forehead to his chest.
“Always,” he says simply. And I believe him. Somehow, I know he’ll always show up for me.
“Mr. Grosso, we’re ready to send the tender with you and Ms. Martinez whenever you’re ready,” someone from the crew calls out.
I look up at Diego and smile, the heaviness in my chest replaced by something lighter. He squeezes my hand, wrapping it fully in his.
“Are you ready?” he says
“So ready,” I almost screech.
Letting all of that out—everything I’d been holding—freed me in a way I didn’t realize I needed.
For the first time in years, all my doubts and fears about the future suddenly feel less suffocating.
And my dreams don’t feel so far away.
Maybe they’ve been waiting for me all along.
Chapter 7
Mia
We climb into the tender boat, and soon we’re gliding over the waves toward a coral reef. The water is so clear it looks like glass, sunlight rippling through it in soft gold streaks. I can’t wait to dive in and explore the ocean up close.
The crew hands usfins and face masks, providing a quick rundown on snorkeling safety and reef etiquette.
My heart melts a little when Diego double-checks that my mask is securely in place. He gives me a thumbs-up, and I nod, returning the gesture.
He’s the first in the water, his dive sending up a big splash.
“Come on, Mia. The water’s perfect,” he shouts, bobbing in the turquoise waves.
I grin and close my eyes as I jump off the boat. The instant the water hits my skin, goosebumps race across every inch of me. For a split second, my mind flashes back to the river that runs by my family’s place—to the day I thought I was going to drown. A shiver runs through me as I kick toward the surface.
“You liar!” I shout when I spot him floating nearby, that trademark mischievous grin firmly in place. Even though I’m panicking and the water’s cold as a witch’s tit, the way he looks at me—molten and dark—does something I can’t explain. The panic starts to melt away.
“I don’t lie, bonita,” he calls back. “I said the water was perfect—and it is.”
Before I can fire off a comeback, he swims closer, sliding a strong arm around my backand pulling me flush against him. “Besides,” he murmurs, “I’m here to protect you.”
He says it with such certainty that my pulse stumbles. How can he be so sure of everything? I wish I had even an ounce of his confidence.
“What are you most excited to see?" he asks, squinting against the sun, those blue eyes bright as the water around us.
It’s hard to focus when he’s this close—his breath warm, his lips right there. I can almost taste them. “I’m not sure there’s anything in particular,” I manage. “I’m just excited for the experience.”
As if reading my mind, he kisses me.
“Are you ready?” he murmurs. “I can’t wait to explore the ocean with you.”
Why does he always say the swooniest things—and right before we have to dive? I’m about to faint here.
He raises his hand, counting down from three with his fingers. We take a deep breath and dive together.
The water still feels cool against my skin, and once I adjust, it feels nice. Diego points toward a section of the reef, and I follow, the world transforming into a living kaleidoscope.
Schools of colorful fish dart around us, and a yellow and deep blue one catches my eye. I point it out, andDiego waves to it underwater, making me laugh behind my snorkel.
