Going Deep (Divemasters Book 2) by Jayne Rylon Read Free Book Online Page A

towel he held out to wrap her in. She allowed him to take control, ensuring she didn’t skip any of even the most basic tasks she was incapable of performing for herself at the moment. It was odd, and sort of comforting, to let him care for her in this way.
    A way she’d never allowed another man to do.
    And when he lifted her into his arms and carried her to bed, she didn’t protest. He placed her near the center of the mattress then climbed in behind her, drawing the covers up and hitting some button on a control panel nearby. Room-darkening shades blocked the lovely ocean view and plunged them into artificial darkness.
    The feel of another human being, skin on skin, grounded her. She turned toward him and wrapped herself around every part of him she could reach. He did the same, entwining them thoroughly. His fingertips glided up and down her spine. For a few seconds, she counted the slow, solid beats of his heart from where her ear pressed to his chest. It must have hypnotized her.
    That was the only reason she could think of to explain why she blurted, “I should have been there with him.”
    She’d thought about it over and over non-stop since the moment her world had blown to smithereens.
    “ Lindeza , no. Then you both might have been lost.” Miguel hugged her a little tighter. “What good could you have done against an explosion, huh?”
    She recalled the masked man she thought she had seen. Ridiculous, right?
    Sabine shrugged. “At least he wouldn’t have doubted my loyalties. It’s just that after I graduated from his program, I needed to fly solo for a couple years. Earn my own way before latching on to his success like some kind of remora feeding off its host shark, you know? I had lots of offers for grants to study pretty much whatever I wanted. Including one from Heinrich. I should have taken it. My ego kept us apart, and now I’ll never get to team up with him again.”
    She bit her lower lip, trying to squish it to keep it from trembling.
    “I’m sorry you won’t have that chance.” Miguel rocked her gently then murmured against her temple, “But you must be pretty fucking smart and great at your job to have institutions begging for you like that. Heinrich must have been so proud of you.”
    That was all it took.
    There was no protecting herself against the onslaught of grief. Sabine clung to Miguel’s shoulders as if he was the Divemaster ’s anchor while the storm of pain raged around them. He’d accidentally mashed one of her most sensitive spots. No matter how often Heinrich had praised her accomplishments, Sabine had tried to work harder to deserve his praise.
    In the end, that drive had kept her away from her second father in the final days of his life.
    She would never see him again. Never have the chance to tell him how much she loved him.
    Sabine bawled. She cried until she could hardly breathe, despite Miguel’s soothing litany of calming nonsense. He never once let go.
    Miguel held her as she sobbed, told her it was okay. Even if he lied, she appreciated the comfort he bestowed. And when the anguish had finally snuffed itself out, leaving her empty, she sagged against his side.
    “Better?” he asked.
    She nodded a tiny bit to keep the pounding headache she felt coming on from developing before she could fall asleep. Which she planned to do as soon as she set the record straight.
    “Just so you know, I’m not the sort of girl who blubbers over dumb shit.” Sabine sniffled as she glared at him from eyes that must be puffy and red. Boner-killer material for sure.
    “Cool, because I don’t have a lot of experience here.” His lips twisted into a wry smile. “I mean, I’m not the kind of guy who women usually come to with a broken heart.”
    She winced at that. “No, I bet you’re the one who does the breaking.”
    He blinked, seeming to actually consider what she’d said. “I hope not.”
    Sabine couldn’t believe he’d be so oblivious. She didn’t intend to be one