Chapter 5

Chapter

Five

Darcy mopedaround the suite for a bit, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and half-hoped Nick would bust through the door.

Was he giving her space or thinking she was a na?ve imbecile and losing interest? She didn't know why it mattered. She'd already determined she wasn't going to fall for another charmer, and Nick was obviously too much like Johnny. He probably had a ‘girl in every port' as May would say about a good-looking Navy man.

She settled down on the comfortable bed, the high-quality sheets, pillow, and mattress reminiscent of her home with Johnny in Torrey Pines. She was lonely and wished she could hold Samuel. Miraculously, she fell asleep early.

When she woke to the lapping of water against the boat, nerves instantly assaulted her. The first challenge was today, and she'd be underwater with some breathing apparatus, waiting for Nick or Jagger to reach her first and cut her loose. What if she needed to swim or have other water skills? She'd watched the terrifying ordeal when Avalyn Shaman went through it and Bridger Hawk had rescued her. Thankfully, Darcy's experience wouldn't be life-threatening, but her stomach still tumbled. She sure felt like it would threaten her life. Should she tell them she couldn't swim?

She showered and put on minimal makeup, brushing out her hair. It was silly as she'd be jumping in the ocean soon, but all those cameras still bothered her and she could deny it to herself, but she wanted to look appealing for Nick. Putting on one of the crop top swimming suits with a bright blue floral pattern, she slid a tank top and shorts over the suit and slid into flip-flops.

Everything provided fit better than her own clothes. Her apparel was four years old, stained, and worn out. She didn't waste money on expensive clothes or trying to keep up her former lifestyle. The dividends from her investment accounts were used to maintain her children's homes as well as living and food costs, medical bills, and more. The million dollars would be a huge boost. She would put it into a high-yield savings account that she could access anytime they needed it.

She walked past her locket, wishing she could wear it. She liked to keep Avalyn close to her heart.

A soft rap came on the door.

Darcy hurried over and flung it open. "Nick."

He was in a T-shirt, board shorts, and flip-flops. The welcoming grin on his face was the only accessory this guy would ever need. His deep-brown eyes yanked her right in.

"Good morning." He extended his hand. Darcy didn't want to be rude, so she placed her hand in his. The morning was sparkling with possibilities. They'd win the challenge, then maybe they'd lay on the top deck, suntan, and talk for hours, or find an island to explore and a waterfall to hike to.

"Morning," she managed breathlessly.

He led her down the hall. "Did you sleep?"

"Surprisingly well, actually."

"I'm glad."

"You?"

It was crazy, this very normal conversation they were having. It should've been boring, but every word, every touch, every glance was thrilling with Nick. Was he a player with a silken tongue like her ex? How could she ask him that? Ask for character references when they weren't even dating? They were paired for this week, and that should be all it was. She was becoming too invested in him.

"I did okay. The boat does kind of rock you to sleep."

They walked up the stairs and through the main area. As they approached the dining area, she could smell savory and sweet scents. She didn't like how the staff had all the food ready, made themselves scarce, and then came and cleaned it up after they left. She'd only met the captain. Did they not want the staff in the show? Maybe the staff didn't want to be on the cameras. That would make her feel better than hiding them as if the hired help was an embarrassment.

"Good morning," Hays called.

"Good morning," Darcy said.

"Are you ready to watch me decimate Jagger today?" Nick asked, winking at her.

"Oh-ho!" Jagger called out. "Confidence won't get you anywhere."

Nick grinned at her, and she thought his confidence could take him a lot of places, most especially into her heart. If he was genuine. He'd been very invested and thoughtful last night. Holding her close while she cried but letting her go when she couldn't handle the embarrassment of crying. She liked all three of these men, Nick most of all.

The teasing was on after that. The men joked, took verbal shots at each other, and they all laughed a lot through breakfast. They were kind to her. Almost too kind. She wished she hadn't broken down last night. Thankfully, none of them brought it up. She picked at her breakfast as Nick quietly offered her different food options.

Finally, she pushed the plate away. "I can't eat any more."

"How's your stomach feeling?" he asked, his deep-brown eyes searching hers.

"I might throw up in that breathing under water thingy."

His eyes widened.

"I'm kidding." She wasn't. "What if I do throw up?"

"I have before," Hays offered. "The stomach flu, and no choice but to dive on a mission we'd committed to." He shrugged as if that was no big deal. "You just blow it out of the regulator and keep breathing. It tastes awful. A lot of fish come to say hi. No big deal."

"Oh, wow. I am among machines, not men. Just throw up and keep moving, complete the mission. I'm in awe of you."

"As you should be." Hays pushed out his chest, and she laughed. Hays was a lot more humble than the other two, but still an accomplished SEAL and definitely a macho man.

The boat slowed and then stopped. They all focused out the windows. A green island with sandy beaches was within view, maybe a half mile away, and a smaller boat was motoring in their direction.

"Let's do this," Jagger said, standing. He glanced down at Darcy. "Hey, just so you know. My honor and devotion to Shawn and Mercedes has me committed to winning, but it's nothing against you. I wish I wasn't fighting against a million dollars for the children."

"I don't blame you." She stood, Nick at her side. "My babies mean everything to me, but I know you're just doing your job."

"Yes, ma'am." He lowered his voice. "When I win, Mercedes will give me a bonus. I'll donate what I can to your cause."

"That's really kind." She grinned. "But sadly, you won't win."

Nick chuckled.

Jagger cracked his knuckles and looked at Hays. "Let's get to work."

Hays saluted mockingly.

They filed out of the dining room and to the back deck. The yacht was settled in the water. They must've dropped anchors or something. The smaller boat they'd seen was tying off and two brown-skinned young men climbed out.

"Hola," the one called. "Bienvenido a Cozumel. I am Paul. This is mi amigo Raoul."

"Hola," they all responded.

"Paul and Raoul?" Nick smiled. "Easy to keep you two straight."

Paul grinned. "Good luck. Today for your challenge, you will free dive north of the famous Palancar Reef." His English was heavily accented, but very good. "I will be helping Lieutenant West with Miss Saint at a depth of eighteen meters, or about sixty feet for you Americans." He grinned. "Raoul will be making sure these two don't cheat or kill each other in the race to get to you."

"Hey," Jagger protested. "We'd never cheat, but yeah, we might kill each other."

Nick nodded, smirking.

"Miss Belle said the competitive was strong in you two." He rubbed his hands together. "First man to reach Miss Saint and cut her free win. Fight is over. No tug of war with pretty lady." He winked at Darcy and nodded to both of them.

They each nodded back.

"But you no share oxygen with Miss Saint or you lose. After you ascend, challenge compete. Clear?"

"Yes," Nick said.

Jagger nodded again.

"No, that's not clear," Darcy said. "They have to swim down sixty feet and go back up with no tanks or masks?"

"Yes, senorita."

"No stress for me," Jagger told her. "I'm a Frogman."

"A Frogman who's going to get squished." Nick smiled at her. "I'll be fine."

"Good, good." Paul clapped his hands together. "Raoul and I will also be mounted with the video cameras to capture the challenge. Ready?"

The three men all looked at Darcy. She raised her hands. "Honestly, no, but let's get it over with."

Nick squeezed her hand. "You'll do great. Raoul and Hays will take you down slowly to equalize and then you just have to breathe nice and easy through the regulator and watch for your heroic Marine to come. I'll be to you quick."

Jagger chortled at that. "Your heroic Marine," he mocked. "Whose body will be spinning the wrong direction while I dive to you and win this challenge. When I win tomorrow too, I guess we call the entire show off."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Only a SEAL would fight instead of save the lady."

Darcy wanted Nick to save her, and not only for the money.

"All's fair in war," Jagger said.

"What about love?" Darcy burst out, then couldn't believe she'd brought that up. The only time in her life that she'd thought she'd known love, she'd been tricked and ripped apart. She loved all the babies and her missionary friends, but it wasn't the same as having a spouse and companion to love.

Nick turned to her with a becoming smile and a deep look in his irresistible gaze. Hays smiled too. Jagger scowled.

"Love's never been part of the equation," Jagger said. "Let's do this."

"Just when we thought he was warming up," Nick whispered in her ear, making her giggle.

Jagger only pumped his eyebrows, obviously not offended.

They climbed into the boat with Paul and Raoul and motored closer to the lush green island. A few resorts lined the beach, random walkers or joggers in view, and a couple of flat boats with red flags were out in the ocean. Paul said they were scuba boats. All was peaceful and fairly quiet this time of morning.

They all shrugged into tight-fitting wetsuits. Paul and Nick helped fit her with a scuba mask, showed her how her regulator worked, and got a scuba tank on her back. Nick slid into the water with her. The boat had a ladder down off the side. He hooked one elbow and leg through the ladder and supported her in the water. They spent some time making certain her mask didn't leak and practiced breathing underwater with the regulator.

Nick taught her how to clear her mask if water got in it, tilting the bottom of the mask and blowing hard. That freaked her out; surely more water would creep in that way. It did work when she tried it, but she prayed she wouldn't have to try it sixty feet down. Then he taught her how to clear her ears and ‘equalize' the pressure that would build in her head by wiggling her jaw, pinching her nose and swallowing, or pinching her nose, pushing her jaw forward, and blowing out.

None of it seemed too hard, except the clearing mask trick, but then she let her mind wander to being under all this water, with sharks swimming by, sting rays poking her, salt water leaking in and stinging her eyes and nose, drowning, certain death…

She started hyperventilating, and they hadn't even gone down a foot.

"Whoa, whoa, lady," Paul said. "You must calm." He looked at Nick. "Help your lady, mi amigo."

She wasn't Nick's lady. She wouldn't be anybody's lady after she drowned. She'd tried to shut out the fear, but she shut her eyes and screamed out, "I'm a horrible swimmer! You saw how I almost drowned that first day and you had to dive in for me." Her chest tightened. She couldn't breathe above water. How was she going to breathe below it? "I don't know if I can do this."

"Darcy." Nick's voice was calm and patient. He turned her in the water to face him. She kept her eyes resolutely shut behind the mask. Nick gently lifted the mask onto her forehead. "Darcy, you don't have to swim to complete the task. At all. I'm sorry you were worrying about that."

"It's not your fault." Her eyes popped open, and she stared at him. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before this moment. Not that we could've done anything about it. Am I going to fail?"

"No." Nick studied her with determination. "You're going to do great. Remember, Hays's job is to help you down there and Paul will be right with you too. You won't have to swim one stroke. All you have to do is keep breathing through the regulator. You don't even have to watch for me to come. You can close your eyes and pray and then I'll be there and we'll slowly ascend together."

"How can we slowly ascend? You won't have any oxygen. What if you pass out or die? You really can't share my breathing thingy?"

"No, and I won't need to." He smiled reassuringly. "As long as I follow my bubbles up, my lungs will expand and I'll have plenty of oxygen to rise up to the surface slowly with you."

"Oh." It sounded logical, and she tried to steal his calm.

"Shall we pray together?" Nick asked.

"Oh, yes, please."

The other men didn't say anything as Nick wrapped his arms around her in the water, his elbow and leg still hooked onto the ladder. She felt a little weird bowing her head while she was surrounded by water and Nick's arms, but she figured the good Lord just wanted to hear from them and help them. Her homes were a cause after the Savior's heart, loving little children. Her babies were all that mattered.

"Dear Father," Nick prayed. "We come before You grateful for the opportunity to be together, to earn this money for Darcy and the many little ones she can help, and for these men who are willing to help us as well. Except for Jagger."

Darcy almost laughed at that, but she was too stressed.

"At this time, we ask a blessing on Darcy. Please calm her. Help her to breathe easily under the water and feel safe. Help her to feel comfortable and trust in You and in Paul and Hays to take care of her. Help me to get to her first. In our Lord and Savior Jesus's name. Amen."

Everyone echoed amen, except for Jagger. Darcy did feel peace, and she realized … she trusted Nick. He was a great guy, and he would rescue her in the water, just as he had yesterday.

"Seriously?" Jagger rolled his eyes. "Praying against me winning? I've got no beef with your faith, but it won't help you win."

They all looked at him.

"What?" He lifted his hands innocently, his large muscles flexing.

"Okay, lady," Paul said. "Let's me, you, and the lieutenant vámanos."

Darcy drew in a breath and nodded. She could breathe in and out while the men guided her to where she needed to go. She could do that.

What if the peace disappeared and she panicked down there?

"You've got this." Nick put her scuba mask back into place, making sure no hair was caught in it and the band was in the right spot, high up on the back of her head. He held up her regulator and blew out to clear it.

His deep-brown eyes focused on her. For a glorious moment, she was lost in his gaze. Nick would come for her. He would never let anything bad happen to her.

He leaned in and placed a tender, sweet kiss on her lips. Darcy's entire body flared with heat and her lips seemed to sing with happiness. The entire world disappeared. She had no fears, no worries. There was only Nick. His incredible lips. The joy of being protected, loved, and cherished by this mesmerizing man.

Hoots and cheers shattered the blissful spell Nick's kiss had cast on her and sent her crashing back to reality as he pulled away.

What had just happened? Darcy put a hand to her mouth, in a state of shock.

Before she could ask him what on earth that kiss meant, Nick handed over her regulator and said, "Forgive me for being impulsive." His gaze was closed off and his smile had changed. "A good distraction, right?"

A good distraction? That was all that kiss meant to him? Confusion filled her as her heart thudded irregularly. She wasn't sure if the kiss would calm her or make her breathe so fast she'd be in more danger. He was right that he had distracted her from the stress. If that was his only purpose, she was in trouble.

The kiss had stunned her, felt absolutely incredible, and made her believe she had a safe and exhilarating space … with Nick. Of course it meant nothing to a player who gave away impulsive kisses to any woman he spent more than a day with.

"I'll see you soon." Nick smiled and eased to the side as Hays took her arm and told her to put her regulator in. They slowly sunk into the water. Nick's handsome face disappeared.

Paul and Hays used a rope to guide them down. She didn't have to do anything but cling to Hays's hand and let the water completely surround her. She felt weightless and out of her element.

They hadn't gone far when Hays stopped and gestured for her to equalize. She did all the tricks and thought she'd done it right. What did she know? She only wanted to kiss Nick again and have him say he kissed her because he wanted her in his life. She was distracted by him, that was for certain.

Paul gave her a thumbs up. She returned it. They kept sinking.

Water. So much water. The water felt heavier as they descended. Could she escape if she needed to?

Paul was right with them, videoing. She stopped again to wiggle her jaw, blow out, do all the things. She thought she was doing all right. Her mask seemed to get tighter, and she concentrated on slow breaths through the mouthpiece. She was clamped onto it so tightly that her teeth and jaw started to ache. The thought of her breathing apparatus coming out of her mouth wasn't something she could let happen.

It was another world underwater. Brightly colored fish swam by. Her mask was clear, but shapes seemed distorted. The deeper they got, the darker and colder it became. The wetsuit had seemed almost silly in the tropical sun. Now she appreciated it.

They reached the ocean floor. Paul secured the rope and anchor around her ankle. Her stomach swirled with unease, and the pressure on her head suddenly felt like it increased. Paul flashed a signal with a light to the men above them. That made her feel better. They'd be coming soon, and she'd be finished with this challenge. If that perfect, tender, and life-changing kiss was only a ‘distraction' for Nick, how could she face him? It had to be evident in her eyes that she'd thought it meant a lot more.

She wiggled her jaw, swallowed, and still the pressure built. Plugging her nose through the mask, she blew out hard, pushed her jaw forward, and wiggled her jaw. Might as well do it all.

Her ears popped, and she relaxed a fraction. Then something tickled at her nose. Sea water had seeped in when she had plugged her nose. She'd done something wrong.

No! She didn't dare move or do anything but keep taking breaths from the regulator and praying Nick would get to her soon.

More water floated around her nostrils. Her muscles tightened. What if her mask filled up before Nick came? She didn't want to clear it this far underwater and risk doing it wrong and getting even more water in her nose and even her eyes. The water would suffocate her and she'd surely drown.

Hays gave her a thumbs up. She stared at him. Should she return it so he wouldn't make her clear her mask?

Chills pricked at her skin as she felt water creep around the edges of her nose. She was going to sneeze or cry or hyperventilate. Hays turned her to face him and gestured for her to clear her mask.

She shook her head. No way.

He kept motioning, and she closed her eyes so she wouldn't have to look at him.

Please let Nick come fast, she prayed.

If he didn't, she'd die down here.