Page 18 of Best Vacation Ever

He flashes me his perfectly white smile and my heart hammers in my chest.

“Sorry. Old habits, I guess.” I wrap my arms around my body, suddenly aware that I’m half-naked in front of a man who looks like he’s chiseled out of marble.

Plus, I justblew in his facelike a total weirdo.

Purple Bikini Girl taps the chest of one guy she’s with, and he jumps into the water. The guy comes up for air through the foam, laughing and gesturing for her to jump in too.

“Well, I promise you I don’t bite, so no need to keep doing that,” Dean jokes.

Why is he still talking to me? Why is he trying to make me feel better about being a total embarrassment? I’m not like Purple Bikini Girl, who was just pushed into the water by one of the other guys, yelling the whole way down.

“Yeah,” I tell Dean, still plotting my escape. “I’ll have to remember that.”

“Good. Actually, the hotel offers this snorkeling excursion, and I think it would be fun. Do you want to do it with me tomorrow? Since you love swimming and . . .”

I’ve stopped listening. Where’s Purple Bikini Girl? Has she come up yet? It’s hard to see with all the lights and foam. The guys she was talking to are chugging beers, completely unaware that she is missing.

Dean’s talking to me, but I don’t hear a sound. Without a word, I hastily move around him and stop at the edge of the pool where she was pushed in.

My heart’s beating in my chest, my breathing loud in my ears.Where is she?

“Lori?” Dean’s beside me. He touches my shoulder to get my attention, but I’m focused on the water.

There. A flash of bright purple underwater when the foam and people shifted.

I kick off my flip-flops and jump into the water, diving toward her as quickly and efficiently as I can. When I reach her, I wrap my arms around her, pulling her up with me. We break the surface and I turn so that her back is resting on my chest, her head and shoulders above the water. She’s unconscious.

“Get a lifeguard!” I yell over the music as I swim with her to the ledge.

Once I get there, a pair of masculine hands reaches down to grab her.

“Those guys went to get a lifeguard. Let me help!” Dean has already pulled her off me and gently sets her on the ground.

I hop out easily and follow, kneeling beside her, and let my training kick in.

I tilt her head back and listen for breathing. After five seconds of nothing, I pinch her nose and give her two breaths. Then I start compressions.

I’m distantly aware that there’s a crowd huddled around me, people watching and worrying about the girl, but they’re not my focus right now. It’s like everything is muted—colors, sounds, voices—and all I see is the unconscious girl who needs my help.

I tilt her head back again, pinch her nose, and give her two more breaths. I start compressions again, praying that she’ll be okay.

I hear a gurgle and stop compressions. The girl turns her head over and coughs out water.

I can barely comprehend what I’m seeing. It’s like I was holding my breath as long as she was, and now that she’s breathing, I can too. Everyone’s cheering and high-fiving, and I’m staring at the girl like I can’t believe what’s happening.

Two officially sanctioned lifeguards rush in and take over, and I rise and move out of the way to let them do their job.

“Lori! Lori, that was amazing!” Strong arms wrap around me and pull me against a well-defined chest, not caring that I’m soaking wet and covered in foam.

Dean pulls back and looks at me. “You just saved her life.”

His eyes are peering right into my soul, reaching past the hazy fog that I’ve slipped into and effectively pulling me out.

“I’m just glad she’s okay,” I reply.

He puts a hand under my jaw and tilts my head up to look at him. “No, really,” he breathes, his expression awed. “That was the greatest thing I’ve ever seen. No one else even noticed that she was there.”

People are walking by me, congratulating me and telling me I did a good job.