Page 46 of The Icy Highlander’s Virgin (Highlanders’ Feisty Brides #4)

"Cold. And... wet." She managed a small smile at her own obvious statement. "But nae terrible, I suppose."

"Good. Now just focus on the feelin'. It's just water touchin' yer skin—nothin' more dangerous than a bath."

They sat like that for nearly a quarter hour, with Erica gradually relaxing as she became accustomed to the sensation. When Lachlan suggested they wade in ankle-deep, she only hesitated for a moment before nodding.

The sand beneath her feet was soft and surprisingly warm from the sun. Small fish darted between her ankles, and she found herself fascinated by the way the light played through the clear water.

"This isnae so bad," she admitted, some of her tension finally beginning to ease.

"See? The water isnae tryin' to hurt ye. It's just there, the same as the air or the ground."

Emboldened by her success in the shallows, Erica allowed Lachlan to lead her deeper, until the water reached her knees. He stayed beside her every step, his strong hand steady on her back, ready to support her if she stumbled.

"I'm goin' to show ye how to float," he said gently. "It's the most important thing—once ye ken how to float, ye'll never truly be helpless in water."

"Float?" she asked nervously. "That sounds... difficult."

"Nae difficult. Just different from what yer body expects." He moved in front of her, his hands positioning themselves to support her back and shoulders. "Ye're going to lean back slowly, and I'm going to hold ye up. The water will help—it wants to support ye."

"The water wants—" she started to protest, but he was already guiding her backward.

The sensation was terrifying at first. Every instinct screamed at her to fight, to struggle upright, to get her feet firmly planted on solid ground. But Lachlan's hands were steady and sure, and gradually she began to understand what he meant about the water supporting her.

"I can feel it," she said wonderingly, her voice tight with concentration. "It's... it's actually holdin' me up."

"Aye, that's exactly right. Now I'm goin' to let go of yer shoulders, but keep me hand on yer back. Ye're doing all the floatin'—I'm just there if ye need me."

For several minutes, it worked perfectly. Erica lay back in the water, supported by Lachlan's steady hand, marveling at the strange sensation of weightlessness. The fear was still there, hovering at the edges of her consciousness, but it was manageable.

Then a large fish, startled by their presence, broke the surface just beside her with a sudden splash.

Erica's hard-won calm shattered instantly. She thrashed upright with a strangled cry, her arms flailing as panic took control. Water splashed everywhere as she fought to get her feet under her, her breath coming in sharp gasps.

"It's all right," Lachlan said quickly, his arms coming around her to steady her. "Ye're safe. It was just a fish."

"I saw it—somethin' touched me—" she gasped, clinging to him with desperate strength.

"Just a fish, love. They live in the water—they're nae going to hurt ye."

But the spell was broken. All her progress, all her carefully built confidence, had evaporated in that single moment of startled terror. She stood in the knee-deep water shaking, feeling foolish and frustrated and angry at her own weakness.

"I cannae do this," she said, her voice thick with unshed tears. "I thought I could, but I cannae. The moment anythin' unexpected happens, I fall apart."

"Erica—"

"Nay, daenae try to make me feel better about it. I'm a coward, and we both ken it."

Lachlan's hands framed her face, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Ye're nae a coward. Ye're learnin’ somethin' that terrifies ye, and that takes more courage than any battlefield."

"I was doin' so well," she said miserably.

"And ye'll do well again. One setback doesnae erase all yer progress."

He guided her back to shallower water, where she could stand comfortably with the lake only reaching her ankles. There they stayed for several minutes, letting her nerves settle and her breathing return to normal.

"We can try again," he said quietly. "Or we can be done for today. It's yer choice."

Erica looked out over the water, weighing her options. The panic was still fresh, the memory of that helpless terror still sharp. But underneath it, she could remember the wonder she'd felt when she was floating, the sense of accomplishment at conquering her fear.

"Again," she said finally, her voice steadier than she felt. "But... slowly.”

When they waded back into the water, Erica was surprised to find that her earlier panic had somehow cleared away some of her deeper anxiety. Perhaps because she'd already faced the worst of it and survived.

"Try floatin' again," Lachlan encouraged, positioning his hands to support her. "Remember how it felt before the fish startled ye."

This time, as she lay back in his steady grip, something shifted inside her. The water lapping gently around her, the warmth of the sun on her face, Lachlan's unwavering presence—it all combined to create a sense of safety she hadn't expected.

"The water… I'm so frightened of it because it reminds me of somethin'," she said quietly, her eyes closed as she floated. "This feelin' of being completely helpless, completely at someone else's mercy."

"What do ye mean?" Lachlan asked gently, though his hands remained steady beneath her.

"Leo," she said simply. "The way he used to hold me down when he was angry. Pin me so I couldnae move, couldnae fight back, couldnae do anythin’ but wait for it to be over."

Lachlan's jaw tightened, but his touch remained gentle. "This is different."

"Aye, it is. That's what I'm just now understandin'." She opened her eyes to look at him. "With Leo, the helplessness was about him having power over me. But this... this is about me choosin' to trust ye with me vulnerability.

"And do ye? Trust me?"

"Completely," she said without hesitation. "I think that's what frightened me most about nearly drownin'—not the water itself, but how it reminded me of being powerless. Of having nay control."

"But ye do have control here," Lachlan said. "Ye can stand up anytime ye want. Ye can say stop, and I'll stop. The choice is always yours."

"I ken that now." She smiled up at him, and for the first time since they'd arrived at the lake, it was a real smile. "I think... I think I'd like to try floatin' without yer hands supportin' me."

It took several attempts, and Lachlan kept his hands hovering just beneath her back, ready to catch her if she panicked. But gradually, miraculously, Erica learned to trust the water itself to hold her up.

"I'm doin' it," she breathed, her voice filled with wonder. "I'm actually floatin'."

"Aye, ye are," Lachlan said proudly. "How does it feel?"

"Like flying. Like I'm weightless." She closed her eyes again, letting herself simply exist in this new sensation. "I never thought I'd feel safe in water."

"And now?"

"Now I think I understand why ye wanted me to learn swimmin' so much."

When she finally stood up, water streaming from her hair and chemise, there was something different in her eyes. The fear was still there, but it no longer controlled her. She'd faced it, wrestled with it, and emerged victorious.

"Thank ye," she said, moving closer to him in the waist-deep water. "For being patient with me. For not lettin' me give up."

"Thank ye for trustin' me," he replied, his hands settling on her waist.

The kiss that followed was different from any they'd shared before—deeper, more meaningful somehow. It was the kiss of two people who had seen each other's vulnerabilities and chosen to protect them rather than exploit them.

As they stood entwined in the warm water, Erica's hands exploring the familiar planes of his chest, the kiss deepened into something that promised much more.

The isolated lake, the warm afternoon, the emotional breakthrough they'd just shared—everything seemed to be leading toward a perfect moment of intimacy.

Then thunder rumbled overhead.

They broke apart to see dark clouds rolling in with startling speed, and the first fat raindrops began to hit the water around them.

"We need to go," Lachlan said reluctantly, though his hands lingered on her waist. "Now."

The ride back to the castle was a wild dash through increasingly heavy rain, both of them soaked to the skin and laughing despite their discomfort. By the time they reached Kinnaird, they were dripping wet and shivering.

"Hot bath," Lachlan said decisively as they stood in their chambers, water pooling on the stone floor. "Before we both catch our death."

As servants filled the large tub with steaming water, Erica realized that despite the interruption, the day had been perfect. She'd conquered her fear, deepened her trust in her husband, and discovered something about herself she hadn't known existed.

And the night, she thought with a smile as she began to undress, was still young.