Page 15 of Pervade Montego Bay

I decided to ignore her question and change the subject.

“Want to swim?” I hooked the line to the sail and reeled it in. “This is Doctor’s Cave.”

“Why’s it called that?”

“It was a favorite place of Dr. McCatty and his friends, who were also doctors. They had to enter through a cave. This was back in the 1880s.” There was more to the story, but I wasn’t in the mood to tell it.

“You love this place.”

“There’s a lot to love.”

“I bet you think of Victoria a lot when you’re in Montego Bay.”

I managed a nod.

I shrugged my shirt off and then slipped out of my shorts, beneath which I wore swimming trunks.

She let her dress slide off her body. “Is the water warm?”

My gaze moved over her curves, my attention lingering. I sensed she had picked up on my reaction to her captivating figure. Her hands rested on her hips in a confident way, as though she knew I was fighting this attraction.

But she would never break me, even though she’d once gotten close. Since our time in London, I’d regrouped and reconstructed those walls with an impenetrable will of steel.

“Much warmer than what you’re used to. I’m afraid this will spoil you for all other oceans.” Rummaging in the canvas bag, I brought out two masks and a snorkel each. “Have you snorkeled before?”

“Yes, once.”

I handed her the mask.

“It was in Devon. Couldn’t see much though.”

That made me smile. Especially since she was about to become acquainted with the impressive range of visibility here.

Within minutes, I’d run over the safety checklist and made sure she’d feel comfortable wearing the gear. With her sitting on the edge of the boat, I helped her pull on her fins before donning mine.

Swinging my legs over, I said, “Let’s go see some fish.”

I lowered myself in and the water felt cool on my overheated flesh. It was refreshing. Dipping my head for a moment below the surface, I cooled my face. I tasted salt as I slipped the snorkel into my mouth. Taking steady breaths through it, I peered into the clear blueness below. The soothing colors of the reef shifted my mood and brought on a sudden clarity.

It was something I’d not realized I’d needed.

When I came up for air, I saw Emily with her mask on, easing herself into the water. She dipped in and out then looked at me, breaking into a grin.

An endearing moment passed between us and it felt like all was forgiven. As though she knew I was ice itself and she had the power to melt me. Maybe, just maybe, a part of me believed this.

If only I deserved it.

She slipped her snorkel into her mouth and leaned forward until her body was aligned with the water.

Leaving her to gain confidence, I inhaled deeply to fill my lungs with air and dived into the depths, using my fins to take me lower and swim toward the coral. Blue-striped grunts swam by and I instinctively reached for them. They skittered away.

I felt at home beneath the surface of the water—even during those long tours when I’d spent months at sea. There was something compelling about the deep, it provided tranquility and an authenticity that couldn’t be found anywhere else.

Still, I should have put all of that behind me when I married. Which would have meant I’d have been there for Victoria when she really needed me.

Emily was diving confidently toward the coral reef with her fins moving gracefully behind her. My attention would stay on her now. Her hand brushed along the sand and she dug something out of the golden grains. She kicked her fins and rose to the surface.

I followed her up.