ModelLove by S.J. Frost Read Free Book Online Page A

back to the surface. Treading water, he looked up to the boat, spotting
Temaru, and gave him a thumbs-up to let him know he was good.
    Temaru returned the gesture and took his turn to back roll
into the water.
    As Temaru surfaced, Ian swam closer to him, taking the
regulator from his mouth. “I should’ve asked this before I got in, but there’re
no sharks in these waters, right?”
    “Yes, there are. But they’re not overly dangerous.”
    “Beautiful. Well, if one shows up, I’m warning you now,
don’t be surprised if you see my ass swimming faster than Flipper back to the
boat.”
    Temaru snickered softly. “Now I’m hoping we do, because
that’d be impressive to see.”
    Ian splashed some water at him. “And I really need to bring
you home with me to Chicago if you think this water is chilly.”
    “Invitation accepted.”
    Ian smiled both at Temaru’s reply and the thought of taking
him home. Even if the thought of staying in Bora Bora with him was far more
appealing than dragging poor Temaru to the ice and snow of Chicago.
    Temaru held up his mouthpiece. “Ready?”
    Ian nodded, put in his mouthpiece and dove under. His
hearing became muted, his limbs weightless. The water stole heat from his body
and though it was far from cold, now that they were submerged he understood why
Temaru had called it chilly.
    The visibility amazed him. He could see everything until the
brilliant blues and white sand faded far in the distance to indigo and violet
hues.
    Temaru waved him closer and pointed ahead. Ian turned, the
beauty before him stopping his mind to all thought. From the distance they were
at, the coral reef swirled in a dizzying array of colors, constantly moving and
shifting from fish darting in and out.
    Ian came out of his daze as Temaru extended his hand to him.
He took it and allowed Temaru to guide him closer.
    As they neared, the reef began to take clearer form. Coral
of yellow, salmon and brown came in shapes of long finger-like points, flat
porous surfaces and feathery pieces that seemed so fragile the softest breath
would send them crumbling, all growing on gray rocks rising from the sea floor.
Tropical fish in shimmering blue, neon yellow, bright orange and rich emerald,
weaved among the coral.
    Ian could do nothing but float in place and stare.
    This had been Aiden’s dream. It was the reason behind his
wanting to take diving lessons. Aiden had enjoyed the shipwrecks in Lake
Michigan, but always after every dive, he would talk of all the tropical places
he wanted to go. Even in his bedroom, he had hung a large photo print of an
underwater scene so much like what Ian was gazing upon now. But with their
hectic schedules, Aiden never got the chance, never took the time off, to come
to a place like this.
    Now, maybe because he was doing something Aiden had always
dreamed of, a sense of peace settled over him.
    Ian turned to look for Temaru. Temaru floated nearby, close
enough to reach him quickly, yet far enough away to not be invasive. Ian
watched as Temaru stretched his fingers toward a small, light-blue fish,
allowing it to mouth at his skin. Temaru glanced toward him, his eyes shining
in a smile, and he reached out for him. Ian took his hand again and swam with
him along the reef.
    Time became lost to him until the first hint of fatigue
settled in his muscles. Seeming to sense it, Temaru pointed up at the surface
with his thumb. Though reluctant to leave the peace of the new world he’d
discovered, Ian nodded.
    They swam languidly back to the boat and made a slow ascent
to the surface. Once they breached, Ian removed his mask and mouthpiece. “That
was incredible!”
    Temaru gripped the rope ladder to the boat in one hand. “And
that’s the biggest smile I’ve seen on you since we met.” His tone turned
teasing. “I’m not sure how to take it that some fish could make you smile more
than I could.”
    Ian swam to the ladder, holding it with one hand and facing
Temaru. “It wasn’t the fish