Chapter 85

• I cross my arms over my chest as the gentle waves lap against my body, the cool water rising with each small surge. I halt when it reaches just beneath my chest, my toes digging into the sandy bottom. That’s far enough. I’ve never learned to swim, and the thought of venturing deeper sparks a flicker of anxiety in my chest.
• “Okay,” I say quietly, ducking down slightly so the water hides more of my body. Modesty, or nerves—I can’t tell which drives the movement. Maybe both.
• Lucas turns toward me, his dark eyes scanning the stretch of water between us, and a slow, familiar smirk curls on his lips as he begins to move closer.