she stood in four feet of water seemed ludicrous.
“Jasmine, honey, come out of the pool,” he said in a more soothing tone. “Come over to the steps.”
She looked down as if expecting her legs to cooperate. Her feet swam in and out of her vision as the water swirled and shimmered.
She was in the water. And she wasn’t freaking out. Okay, maybe a little, but she’d done it without completely losing her sanity.
“Jasmine,” he said in a firmer tone. “Honey, you need to get out of the water now.”
Was he afraid she was going to throw herself into the deep end? Fat chance of that. She nearly giggled again. She didn’t have a death wish.
When she looked back up at him again, he was reaching for his shirt. Was he coming in after her? She frowned, remembering her self-lecture from earlier. She didn’t need saving, damn it. No, she’d saved herself this time.
She turned and forced one foot in front of the other. She heard a hiss as Seth sucked in his breath. She glanced back at him, connecting with his gaze. His worried gaze.
“I can do this,” she said quietly.
The concern lessened, and his features visibly relaxed. She glanced at the steps, seemingly a mile away. Then she made herself take another step forward. The water slid easily over her skin, dragging a bit, which added another layer of panic.
But she was determined that this time she would win. She trailed her fingers through the glossy surface. Brought both hands in front of her to cup a handful of the water. She pushed upward, water streaming over her fingers as she raised her hands. She opened her hands and let the water fall with a light splash.
The water wasn’t her enemy. She was.
She bit her lip and forced herself the last few feet. As she reached out to grip the rail, Seth grabbed her wrist. He hauled her out of the water and set her down on the hot concrete.
In an instant, she found herself folded in his arms. He held her so tight against his chest, that for a moment, she couldn’t breathe.
“Don’t ever scare me like that again,” he said gruffly.
She smiled and relaxed into his arms. She’d done it. She’d survived it. It had been scary as hell, but she felt lighter. Like she’d shed an unbearable weight. Her act of defiance gave her a freedom she hadn’t felt in many years.
Seth pulled her away. His jeans and T-shirt were soaked, which reminded her that she’d jumped in fully clothed. She glanced down her dripping body at the thin tank top clinging to her body, outlining every curve and swell. The dark shadow of her nipples was visible, and she could feel his gaze raking up and down her chest.
“What were you thinking?” He gripped her shoulders and gave her a little shake. His fear had evidently worn off, and now anger had replaced it.
She stared unblinkingly at him. His blue eyes blazed with ill-disguised fury. And fear.
“I’m sorry if I scared you,” she murmured. “But I had to do it. I’m tired of letting him win.”
“ Niña !” Carmen cried out as she hurried across the patio, a long towel billowing in her wake. “Have you gone loco ?”
In a few quick movements, Jasmine was completely wrapped in the big towel, and Carmen just as quickly herded her back toward the sliding glass doors, clucking the entire way.
Jasmine chanced a look over her shoulder as she stepped inside. Seth was still standing there, his damp shirt clinging to his hard chest. His gaze locked with hers, and his expression became brooding.
“A new beginning,” Jasmine whispered. “I can’t be that little girl anymore.”
“What did you say, niña ?”
Jasmine shook her head. “Nothing, mamacita . Nothing at all.”
“Go upstairs and get some dry clothing on. Then come back down so I can feed you.”
Jasmine smiled, but obeyed. She walked to the stairs and trudged slowly up, a sense of victory flashing brightly in her mind.
Chapter Six
Seth didn’t bother going up to change his clothes. They’d dry
“Jasmine, honey, come out of the pool,” he said in a more soothing tone. “Come over to the steps.”
She looked down as if expecting her legs to cooperate. Her feet swam in and out of her vision as the water swirled and shimmered.
She was in the water. And she wasn’t freaking out. Okay, maybe a little, but she’d done it without completely losing her sanity.
“Jasmine,” he said in a firmer tone. “Honey, you need to get out of the water now.”
Was he afraid she was going to throw herself into the deep end? Fat chance of that. She nearly giggled again. She didn’t have a death wish.
When she looked back up at him again, he was reaching for his shirt. Was he coming in after her? She frowned, remembering her self-lecture from earlier. She didn’t need saving, damn it. No, she’d saved herself this time.
She turned and forced one foot in front of the other. She heard a hiss as Seth sucked in his breath. She glanced back at him, connecting with his gaze. His worried gaze.
“I can do this,” she said quietly.
The concern lessened, and his features visibly relaxed. She glanced at the steps, seemingly a mile away. Then she made herself take another step forward. The water slid easily over her skin, dragging a bit, which added another layer of panic.
But she was determined that this time she would win. She trailed her fingers through the glossy surface. Brought both hands in front of her to cup a handful of the water. She pushed upward, water streaming over her fingers as she raised her hands. She opened her hands and let the water fall with a light splash.
The water wasn’t her enemy. She was.
She bit her lip and forced herself the last few feet. As she reached out to grip the rail, Seth grabbed her wrist. He hauled her out of the water and set her down on the hot concrete.
In an instant, she found herself folded in his arms. He held her so tight against his chest, that for a moment, she couldn’t breathe.
“Don’t ever scare me like that again,” he said gruffly.
She smiled and relaxed into his arms. She’d done it. She’d survived it. It had been scary as hell, but she felt lighter. Like she’d shed an unbearable weight. Her act of defiance gave her a freedom she hadn’t felt in many years.
Seth pulled her away. His jeans and T-shirt were soaked, which reminded her that she’d jumped in fully clothed. She glanced down her dripping body at the thin tank top clinging to her body, outlining every curve and swell. The dark shadow of her nipples was visible, and she could feel his gaze raking up and down her chest.
“What were you thinking?” He gripped her shoulders and gave her a little shake. His fear had evidently worn off, and now anger had replaced it.
She stared unblinkingly at him. His blue eyes blazed with ill-disguised fury. And fear.
“I’m sorry if I scared you,” she murmured. “But I had to do it. I’m tired of letting him win.”
“ Niña !” Carmen cried out as she hurried across the patio, a long towel billowing in her wake. “Have you gone loco ?”
In a few quick movements, Jasmine was completely wrapped in the big towel, and Carmen just as quickly herded her back toward the sliding glass doors, clucking the entire way.
Jasmine chanced a look over her shoulder as she stepped inside. Seth was still standing there, his damp shirt clinging to his hard chest. His gaze locked with hers, and his expression became brooding.
“A new beginning,” Jasmine whispered. “I can’t be that little girl anymore.”
“What did you say, niña ?”
Jasmine shook her head. “Nothing, mamacita . Nothing at all.”
“Go upstairs and get some dry clothing on. Then come back down so I can feed you.”
Jasmine smiled, but obeyed. She walked to the stairs and trudged slowly up, a sense of victory flashing brightly in her mind.
Chapter Six
Seth didn’t bother going up to change his clothes. They’d dry
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