He wasn’t touching that one, not yet. He let go of the light. The sky was a red right then, deep like blood, and soon, more of the sun would be falling onto them. He probably would have found her without the search light, but Marcos had insisted they use it. Marcos…a by-the-book human if Luke had ever met one.
“How long has she been in the water?” Marcos asked again. Everyone on the damn boat was worried about Mina, that was obvious.
“She’s been in there long enough.” It was time for her to come back to him. Luke took a deep breath and leapt over the side of that boat. He sliced into the water, powerful, deep strokes.
He thought she’d run from him. But…
She waited.
This time, anyway. Maybe she was more tired than she looked.
Luke closed in on her. She stayed right there, swimming so easily. But…
The closer he got to her, he realized that her body was tense. And her gaze darted nervously around her, as if searching those dark depths below her.
“Stay the fuck there,” he growled. He was so close to her.
“G-get back on your boat,” she told him and there was fear quaking in her voice. Yes, she needed to be afraid of him. She needed— “Sh-shark.” Her stutter came again. “It brushed against me. You need to get out of the water and get back on the boat.”
He paused, just the smallest of hesitations. A shark wouldn’t dare take a bite out of me. Most creatures—those on land and on sea—recognized him for what he was. A primitive awareness of danger.
Humans, though, they were the exception. They always foolishly ignored their primal instincts. They chose to ignore the warning signs that went off in their heads when he was near. They didn’t acknowledge the danger he presented to them, not until it was too late.
But Mina…she wasn’t afraid of him in that moment. The woman actually seemed afraid for him. What an unusual twist.
His hand grabbed her shoulder. He pulled her closer to him. Their bodies brushed beneath the water.
“Shark,” she said again, and her whole body was shaking. “I-I saw its fin…it came right up to me. Bumped me. That’s what they do right? Just before they bite, they bump their prey—”
“Nothing is going to bite you.” Well, he might. But that would be for later. And lots of fun. “Hold on to me.”
Her hands came up and curled around his neck. She held him tightly. And he…liked it. He bent his head closer to her, pulled, compelled to get—
Something came whizzing by his face, missing his head by about a foot.
“Life preserver!” Rayce yelled as the object splashed into the water. “Grab it and I’ll pull you both back.”
He didn’t need to be pulled back. And Mina was still treading water just fine, but to shut up the wolf—Rayce always had a tendency to worry—Luke put an arm around the life preserver and held it. Rayce immediately started hauling them back toward the boat.
“I-I think I felt it bump me again,” Mina said, voice sharp. “You have to get away!”
And again…she was trying to protect him. Needless, but cute. “I don’t feel anything.” Nothing but her. “It’s okay. Relax. I’ve got you.”
She’d been looking down at the water, but at his words, her gaze jerked up and locked with his. “But…I thought you wanted to hurt me.”
He wasn’t sure what he wanted from her yet, but her pain? No, despite the stories circulating about him, her pain wasn’t on his agenda. Others? Well, of course, but…not her.
They were at the back of the boat now. Rayce stood near the ladder.
“Give her to me!” Rayce called.
Luke curled his hands around Mina’s waist and he started to lift her up. Rayce was hanging over the back of the vessel, his arms outstretched to her. “Be careful, wolf,” he said, the warning slipping from him without thought. Handle her with care.
Luke lifted Mina as if she weighed nothing. Water poured down her body and Rayce locked his hands with hers, pulling her up.
Luke followed, dragging his body up the ladder. He swiped a hand over his face, wiping away the water. Then he paced forward. Mina stood there, her arms around her waist, and her clothes were soaking wet. Her shirt clung to her like a second skin and her skirt had hiked up her incredible legs even more. She was shivering and he could see the tight outline of her hard nipples against the front of her top and—
Rayce was staring, too.
Luke walked past him and shoved the guy in the gut. “Look away.”
Rayce spun on his heel, immediately turning his back to Mina. He started whistling. Off-key, terrible whistling.
Marcos hurried toward Luke. “Here’s a blanket, boss.”
Mina jerked at the sound of his voice. Her eyes were so big and she seemed so…helpless standing there, soaking wet. Though he knew someone with her particular skill set would never truly be helpless.
Unless she couldn’t speak.
He took the blanket from Marcos, and Luke wrapped it around Mina’s shoulders, being extra sure to pull the ends forward so that the front of her shirt—and her breasts—were covered. “Are you okay?”
Her hands had flown up to clutch the blanket. “No, I am not okay.”