Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
You could knock me over with a feather right now.
A hundred reasons why this is not happening come to mind—Scout is not replacing Brundage.
“That’s not possible. Cave diving is incredibly dangerous. You can’t just…”
Scout looks at me like I’ve slapped him and called him a pansy.
“I was a United States Navy SEAL for more than a decade, Aria.” His angular jaw hardens. “I trained in the harshest underwater environments in the world. Including caves. I’ve been in more dangerous diving environments than that asshole ever has.”
I can’t suppress a shiver that races down my arms, turning my fingertips cold.
SEALs are competent divers .
I’ve been on rescues with them before. But…
With fear crawling up my throat, I fist his shirt sleeve more tightly. “This situation is not good, the cave could be incredibly dangerous. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
His reply is instant. “Then we will make a good team.”
The gravity of that remark hits hard.
Us.
We.
Team.
The electric current he threw into the air with that remark lands between us.
I always feel concerned for any other person I dive with. This is totally different.
Unexplainable. Confounding. Alarming.
“Scout. I don’t know…”
“I’m your only option. That man is not going anywhere with you.”
Well.
For a long beat, I stare as weird sensations fill my body. Rushing through my blood, cross-wired signals.
I want to scream. I want to throw myself into his arms. I want to yell at the Universe demanding to know what the heck is happening right now.
Rubbing my forehead, I look away. God, I need a shower and some real food. I’m not thinking clearly.
His voice rumbles around me, vibrating my over-sensitized nerve endings. “The question is, are you fit to dive today, Aria?”
Dragging my attention back to him, I let go of his shirt. “Sorry, what did you say?”
Scout is wearing an uncompromising expression. He’s erected a wall of alpha control that a torpedo couldn’t penetrate.
“You’re not diving until you have a physical. The plane crash could have given you a mild concussion.”
“I’m fine, I don’t have a headache. Well, I kind of do, but that’s just from tension.”
He shifts, looming over me, making me realize just how small I am compared to him. Scout could probably toss me over his shoulder and run a marathon.
My body finds this alarmingly attractive, which baffles me.
Gruffly, he says, “I’m not compromising on this. The doctor in there that looks like he’s young enough to be my son is going to give you a physical to make sure you’re safe to dive.”
I do a double take. “You have a son?”
“No. I was being sarcastic.” His eyes rove over me as they glitter with frustration. “He’s young. Just like you.”
I’m not sure what his point is. “So what? I’m younger than you.”
“I was in the Teams before you were even in middle school.”
Incredulous, I frown at him. “That’s not true.”
“Wanna bet me?” He lifts a brow.
“How old are you?”
Those icy eyes glitter beneath the brim of his hat. “Old enough to know better.”