Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
C heyenne
Cheyenne didn’t know how this was happening. She was starting to have feelings about Micah. Sure, they teased back and forth, but he was a good listener. It didn’t hurt that his curly blond hair—just a little longer on top—kept falling into his eyes. He pushed it back, looking effortlessly like a model.
It only got worse when they went snorkeling. Micah took his shirt off and the sight of his bare chest made it hard for her to think straight. Like a trained expert, he helped her fit her fins, adjust her snorkel goggles, and fasten her life jacket. As they moved toward the edge of the boat, the waves had everyone bobbing up and down, and she did her best not to stumble. He held her hand, guiding her carefully.
He was so patient as he explained, “I’ll jump in first and wait for you. But I’d recommend you ease in slowly to avoid the shock. The goggles might fill with water, but don’t worry—we’ll readjust them if needed. Just remember to breathe through your mouth, not your nose.”
Micah jumped into the water, swam a few strokes, then popped up, pulling the snorkel out of his mouth to call out, “Let’s go!”
Not only was he tan, muscular, and beautiful, but he was also patient and kind. None of this was helping her focus on finding gold—her new main reason for being in South Port.
She jumped in, the water shocking her for a moment with its coldness, but she quickly adjusted. She tried to tread water but wasn’t successful.
Micah laughed. “You’ve got a life jacket—use it! Let it keep you floating. All you need to do is gently kick your fins.”
Cheyenne followed his instructions and slowly got the hang of it. Breathing through her mouth felt strange, but she adapted.
Micah stayed close, helping her get comfortable in the water and tightening her goggles to prevent any leaks.
“Thanks,” she said, smiling. “Where should we look?”
The captain’s voice boomed over the water. “Make sure you stay with the group! We’ll be lifeguarding, but don’t go near Bird Island. We’re staying in the reef area. And please don’t step on anything—it harms the wildlife.”
Micah pointed ahead and extended his hand. “This way.”
They stopped a few times to adjust her gear again, but eventually she felt more comfortable. She kept her hand in Micah’s as they moved toward the reef. It was surreal to keep her head underwater and still be able to breathe.
At one point, she spotted a group of yellow-and-blue fish and immediately thought of Finding Nemo. She pointed at them, turned back to Micah, and saw him give her a thumbs-up.
As they ventured farther, he pointed out orange-and-red fish with longer bodies. She returned the thumbs-up, marveling at the schools of fish sticking together near the reef. The water was surprisingly shallow in some places, and she was careful to keep her legs up so she wouldn’t kick the reef.
Cheyenne was lost watching the marine life when Micah signaled for her to wait. He dove, shocking her—how did he manage to hold his breath for so long? When he surfaced, he held up a medium-sized spiral shell.
He pulled out his snorkel and grinned. “I got you a shell. A souvenir you can take home.”
Her heart squeezed at the gesture, and she felt the sudden, silly urge to cry. It was just a shell, but it was such a sweet, innocent act. No guy had ever done something like that for her—except maybe her brothers. “Thank you,” she said softly. On impulse, she swam forward and hugged him awkwardly.
He smiled, unfazed. “I’ll hold on to it. Let’s keep going.”
Micah secured the shell in his pocket, sealing it with Velcro, and they continued exploring the reef.
After some time, a man on a motorized board signaled them. “Open snorkeling is over! Head back to the boat.”
Hand in hand, they swam back. When they reached the boat, Micah was just as patient as before, helping her remove her fins while they were still in the water.
She would’ve offered to help him, but he had his fins off in one smooth motion. She wanted to ask him about becoming a SEAL and all the details of his training. But she shouldn’t—he was embarking on a huge commitment in his life, and she was going to law school. This tentative friendship was just that: a friendship, nothing more.
This trip wasn’t supposed to be about hanging out with a gorgeous guy. She’d planned to come with Samantha, but instead, it had turned into something entirely different. And she liked it.
After returning their gear, they grabbed towels and went back to their seats on the boat. A crew member handed out boxed lunches, and they ate together, laughing and talking easily.
Cheyenne found herself sharing more than she expected—telling Micah about the ranch, her brothers, Montana State, and how she was glad to be graduating soon. She talked about waitressing to save for this trip, losing her mom at birth, and the heartbreak of losing her dad a couple years ago. Micah listened intently, asking the right questions and even holding her hand at certain moments.
When the crew member came around to collect their trash, she suddenly realized, “I haven’t even asked you about yourself.”
Micah smiled and gestured to the back of the boat. “My back’s a little stiff. Want to sit back there?”
The captain’s voice came over the speaker. “Ladies and gentlemen, we’ll be heading back shortly. If you need drinks or snacks, feel free to grab them. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy the sun.”
Cheyenne followed Micah to their new seats, pulling a towel over her head to shield herself from the sun. She draped her dress over her legs, not wanting to get burned.
“So,” he said, turning to her, “tell me about the creeper next door who you’ve been out with twice for dinner.”
Cheyenne was slightly annoyed, but she could understand how the whole thing looked to Micah. “Look, it might seem strange to you that I’ve gone out with him twice, but it’s not.”
“Huh. You just met the guy and you’re hanging out with him at night. Yeah, that’s strange. Do you like him?”
Cheyenne couldn’t believe he’d asked that. “Are you asking so you can report to Trey and he can report to my brother?”
Micah looked caught. “No.”
“Then why do you care?”
Micah scoffed. “Are you really going to make me say it?”
Her heart pounded hard in her chest, and the chemistry between them ratcheted up. “Say what?”
Micah leaned into her, his lips almost touching hers. “I like you, Cheyenne. I didn’t know that I was going to like you, and I feel like a complete idiot for telling you, but … just tell me now if you’re into Eli. Because if you are, I’ll back off.”
Holy cow, he’d just said it. And his lips were so close to hers.
Micah, as if sensing this might be too much for her, pulled back. “Sorry, I’m not usually this intense. I …” He ran a hand through his hair and shifted so they weren’t so close. “I’ve been telling myself that I can’t do a relationship because I’m about to become a SEAL, so this is weird for me. But never mind.”
Compassion filled her. There was no way he could have prepared for a situation like this. After all, Trey was the one who’d asked him to check on her. How could he have known this spark would happen between them? Because there was definitely a spark between them, whether she wanted to admit it or not.
She let out a long breath. “You are confusing me.”
“Yeah, I’m just out of sorts. But I can’t have any kind of serious relationship. I’m getting ready to be a SEAL.”
“I think you’ve mentioned it, like, twenty times.”
He grinned. “Sorry.”
Feeling awkward, she looked away from him. “Eli and I met two years ago at Montana State. He’s from Billings, Montana. We dated on and off, and then when he was graduating last year, he asked me to marry him … and I told him no.”