“You want me to rescue you?” he called to her.
She let her hands swirl in the water, trying to keep herself connected, grounded. “I’ve never wanted that.”
“I know.” He sent her a cautious look. “You know it’s after hours.”
“I do know that, Superman.” She managed a smile.
“And you know you’re giving Terry a show? The security camera is just there.”
“Only in black and white,” she shrugged. “And no sound.”
“That’ll only make it all the sexier for him,” Xander half choked. “He’ll be coming all over the screen in seconds.”
“Hmmm,” she nodded. “That wouldn’t be good for security.” She acknowledged.
“So you’ll get out then? Put your swimsuit back on?”
“No. I don’t think he’d see all that much if we stay under the water.” She took another step down—so the water came to just below her breasts.
She breathed in slow and deep. Not panicking. Not remembering. But not forgetting either. Just moving forward. With Xander watching her. Xander here for her if she needed him.
But she could do this.
“I’ve been under in the bath you know.” She took another step. “I’m okay. I’m never going to forget, but I want to make new memories as well now. I need to do that,” she said. “I’m going to dive.” Her voice wobbled.
“I’m right here.” And he was.
As naked as she. She looked at him, saw his belief in her. His compassion. His encouragement. And his understanding.
She inhaled a deep breath and lifted her arms above her head. With a little spring she did it—plunging deep, submerging. Swimming. She opened her eyes, saw his shadow walking alongside her as she swam underwater—the length of the pool.
She surfaced at the deep end. He’d come to the very edge, was on his haunches, his expression searching and concerned.
But she smiled at him. “I’m a mermaid.”
“Are you now?” He sent a small smile back at her.
“Yes.”
“And who am I?” He asked carefully. “A sailor?”
She knew he was making sure she was okay with this fantasy. That it wasn’t too close to wounds. It wasn’t.
“You’re a pirate,” she corrected him.
“Oh.” His smile widened.
She put her hands on the tiled edge and pulled herself out of the water a little, whispering. “You’ve captured me.”
“I have.” He reached down and grasped her wrists.
She pushed back against the wall with her feet—with all her strength—and surged back into the middle of the pool. He tumbled in with an almighty splash.
She broke the surface again, laughing as he swam after her to the shallow end. He reached for her, clutching her tight.
He drew in a ragged breath. “Pirates can be a little rough.”
“Mermaids are tougher than they look.”
“Maybe they are,” Xander hauled her back against him. His heart thundered. She’d given him a hell of a fright with this stunt. But he understood it. She was in the water again. This was what she’d wanted.
“Umm hmmm.” She wriggled a little closer. “And I’m figuring out my way to escape your villainous clutches.”
The rope around Xander’s heart tightened, but he felt lighter than an eyelash. He smiled, not quite as pirate as he’d hoped—it was too loving for that. And he slid into the fantastic reality she wove for him. “This mermaid is never escaping my clutches.”
Her smiled deepened. “Why’s that?”
His spirits lightened more as his groin tightened to beyond painful. “Because I’m too good at keeping her satisfied.”
“Oh, you think?” Her smile deepened. “You see I’d say she can’t escape because she always wants more.”
The movement of her hands made soft splashes. Her warm wet fingers walked up his abs. Soft touches. Tender touches. The fairy lights twinkled in her eyes and she suddenly dived under the water.
He felt her warm mouth on him. He reached out, just able to brace on the edge of the pool. Barely holding on, he kept his balance until she resurfaced with a small splash.
“And mermaids aren’t as pure as all that,” she said. “We’re the ones who really win. We take hearts. Even from the most elusive pirates. You think you have me caught? It’s the other way round.”
Oh he was so caught. So in love. And still so concerned. He put his hand to her jaw.
“I love you,” she whispered, the tears sounding in her voice. “I love you and it’s okay to love you. It’s okay to enjoy everything with you. Everything, everywhere. The water. It’s okay.”
“It is.”
“Will you hold me?”
He wrapped his arms right around her. “For as long as you want me to.”
“For ever,” she whispered, burying her face in his shoulder.
Xander tightened his grip on her and waded through the water to the steps.
She’d changed his life, opened it up to all kinds of wonderful possibilities. He still couldn’t believe his luck.
He held her close as he carried her home, uncaring that they were naked and dripping and could be sprung by anyone in the elevator or the corridor. But luck really was on his side.
Their way was clear.
Chapter Twenty-Four
11 months later
Chelsea stopped outside Xander’s apartment door and quickly slipped her panties off, scrunching them into her bag. She glanced round to ensure the corridor was still empty. It was. Xander had texted her ten minutes ago on her way home from university with the no-knickers instruction. Smiling, she unlocked the door and went inside.
“How was your class today?” Xander called from the kitchen.
“Good.” Chelsea went to the doorway and sent him a look—waiting for his next instruction.
“Come here.”
Oh she’d be coming real soon given the size of his erection. The guy was naked—that had been the instruction she’d replied to him. He’d chosen to sit on a dining chair, his cock armed, fully loaded and aiming right at her. He gestured so she walked forward, hitching her skirt to sit on his lap. She chose to straddle him face to face—but didn’t take him yet.
“Do you know what today is?” he asked, idly stroking the inside of her thigh—her weak leg. It’d never be as strong as the other, but that no longer mattered. She shook her head.
“Random fire drill day.”
“Really?”
“Well it was a year ago.”
“So it’s a year since we met?” She slid her hands up his chest and curled them over his gorgeously broad shoulders.
He nodded. “Happy anniversary.” He wrapped his hand round the nape of her neck, pulling her close to kiss her tenderly. Lovingly. But at the same time, the tease lifted her dress to her hips.
“I love you.” He kissed his way down to her collarbones.
But she sensed something wasn’t quite right. He was too tense—not in a purely sexual way. A worried way.
“What’s wrong?” She drew back to look into his eyes as she asked.
He licked his lips and looked her straight in the eye. “Marry me.”
Warmth burst in her chest. It was like all the fireworks in the world had gone off, lighting her from the inside out. “Yes.”
He lifted something from the table beside him. A jewellery box. She hadn’t even noticed it when she’d come in. She’d been too excited about seeing him.
Now she looked at it and then, concerned, looked at the diamond that she still wore on her right hand. Tom’s diamond.
“Shall I take this off?” she whispered. “I should take it off. I’m so sorry. I should have done that months ago.” But it was just there. Part of her. She wasn’t an accessories girl—didn’t wear a different necklace with each outfit. She just wore what she had—which was Tom’s ring. Now she realized how insensitive that might have been.
“No.” Xander’s hand gently covered hers.
“You don’t mind? It doesn’t bother you?”
Xander shook his head. “I feel sorry for him. He had everything. He had you. And you are you, in part, because of him. Loyal, loving. Strong. I’d like to have met him. He sounds like he was a nice guy. And though he’s gone, he’s a part of you and I don’t think you should have to forget about him. So if you want to, wear it.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “Xander.” She’d never met a man more generous. More accepting. More loving.
“I don’t feel the need to give you a bigger diamond.” He grinned wryly but his eyes were somber. “To compete. There’s no contest. He’s dead. I’m here now. And I know how happy you are with me.”
He opened the box. The ring he’d selected for her was a sapphire, the blue the exact shade of her eyes. Diamonds sat on either side.
“You can wear both rings,” he said. “One on each hand.”
It was beautiful. But she could hardly see it through her tears. “I don’t deserve this,” she struggled to speak with the huge lump in her throat. “The love of two fine men.”
“You do.” He took the ring from the box and slid it onto her finger. “Everyone deserves more than one shot at happiness.” He drew in a breath. “Even me.”