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She surfaced, rocks spilling down around them.
“Get to the side!” He pushed her away from the tunnel, toward the other edge where her light illuminated a small landing, probably carved out for the smugglers’ boats.
She turned, gripped the ledge, her hand on the body strap of her floating BCD.
And then Stein braced his body around hers, gripping the edges of the lip of the rock with his hands, his breath in her ear. “Stay afloat.”
Right.
She held on as the mountain seemed to collapse around them, as the world shivered, as Stein’s body trapped her against the rocky edge.
And despite the terror, despite the darkness and the world crumbling around her, she was right back on the cobbled streets of Krakow, Stein’s arms around her as he hid them from local police.
In an alleyway.
Probably kissing him hadn’t been necessary. But she’d needed to disable that cell phone he’d just purchased, which meant creating a diversion to pickpocket him and...
And maybe she’d gotten too into that role. Because as he protected her in the tunnel, her stupid thoughts went to the way he’d reacted when she kissed him.
Surprised.
Then, of course, being the made-for-action guy that he was, he’d gone all in, kissing her back, surrendering to the look she’d seen in his eyes.
Yes, she’d felt the spark too, the lines blurring between them for a moment as she lifted the cell from his pocket and dropped it into her own.
He’d tasted sweet, smelled of the shower he’d taken while she slept, and for the briefest of moments, she’d let herself sink into his arms.
Not that she’d stayed there. But the what-ifs had tiptoed into her head the moment he’d appeared in street clothes, an everyday, not-so-everyday guy in a pair of jeans, boots, a T-shirt, and a baseball hat.
He’d made borrowed clothes look like they’d been made just for him. She’d changed into jeans and a blouse, knotting it at the waist, rolling up the sleeves.
Just a couple of tourists out to buy a cell phone. And when he’d taken her hand...
Yeah, kissing him had felt like a moment out of time, a fairytale snapshot. Created a sense that someday, maybe...
And it all came back to her as the world collapsed around her. What did that say about her life flashing before her eyes? Apparently, the only memories she wanted were the lies she told herself.
So she hung on, kicking to stay afloat, not fighting him.
For now.
Then the cavern seemed to take a breath, and she lifted her head. Light from her lamp revealed debris on the surface of the ledge.
Stein’s breaths came hard behind her. Then, “I knew you were alive.”
“Really? Now? You’re doing thisnow? The entire cave collapsed around us, and all you care about is?—”
“That’s not all I care about,” Stein growled. “What are you doing here?” But he did loosen his hold on the ledge, moving his hand to her collar, gripping it.
“Seriously. I’m not going anywhere.”
“She lies. Again.”
“That hurts.” She turned then, to face him. Her headlamp hit him in the face, and he moved his other hand to adjust it.
Sank.
And if she wanted to, yes, she could probably push him away, grab her tank, and?—