Salvaged Soul (The Ignited Series Book 3) by Desni Dantone Read Free Book Online

would never know because I refused to look at him the entire time I undressed. I didn’t risk a glance at him until after I was safely submerged in the water . . .
    And immediately wondered what I had been so nervous about.
    He had waded out far—farther than I could touch, actually—and only his head and shoulders bobbed above the surface. The moonlight bouncing off the gently breaking surf reflected in his eyes and caused the tiny silver specks to shimmer brightly. Accentuated by his reassuring smile, his eyes reminded me of the guardian angel I had once thought him to be. I knew I would be safe with him. No matter the circumstance.
    His hand found mine under the water. “Come here.”
    “I can’t touch the bottom.” Though I could tread water, I would hardly consider myself a decent swimmer. The thought of my feet not touching something solid rattled me. Not to mention, only six months had passed since I had nearly drowned in the car accident.
    From the look on his face, I knew that Nathan understood the reason for my water anxiety. If anyone understood my fear, it was him. “I can touch,” he soothed. “It’s okay, I’ve got you . . .”
    With a gentle tug, he pulled me toward him. Propelled by momentum and water current, my body collided with his, and our legs entangled as I kicked like a panicked bug stuck on its back. Nathan swayed slightly, but righted us quickly and easily.
    “Stop squirming,” he murmured into my ear as he pulled me against him.
    “I’m not a good swimmer.” While true, I wasn’t about to admit that I was more squirmy than usual because of the bundle of nerves in my stomach—and it wasn’t all because of the water.
    “Here . . .” His hands found and gripped my flailing legs, and positioned them securely around his waist.
    Physically, on the outside, I felt instantly grounded and safe. Inside, the bundle of nerves multiplied and forced a shaky breath to pass my lips.
    “You’re nervous.” Nathan’s eyes were on me, observant.
    My gaze met his briefly, before quickly skirting away. “Large bodies of water scare me,” I answered as I scanned the dark horizon over his shoulder.
    “It’s not that,” he said. “It’s me. You’re nervous being with me right now.”
    Damn him and his unnatural ability to read me like a book. I didn’t respond. I didn’t need to. We both knew he was right.
    “Why?” he pressed.
    There was no point in trying to blow it off as nothing. He always knew when I tried to do that. Absolute honesty remained my only option. All I had to do was determine what exactly I was so nervous about.
    “Well, for starters, we’re half naked in the ocean,” I answered. Just saying the words out loud sent a wave of heat up my neck and into my cheeks.
    Nathan nodded, a playful grin curving his lips. “And I’m seconds away from kissing you . . .”
    I tried to swallow to wet my throat—though it sounded more like a gulp to my ears—and still I only managed a weak whisper. “Then there’s that.”
    His grin widened, bringing out his dimples. “Nothing is going to happen, Kris. That’s not what this is, okay?”
    My eyes flicked to his, but this time I locked in on the irresistible blend of silvery-blue that gazed back at me. Once locked, I found it impossible to look away. I stared in awe. Because, once again, he knew. Like he always did. While I’d had a difficult time pinpointing the exact reason behind my anxiety, he knew .
    “You’re not ready,” he continued, then added with a short laugh, “I know that now.”
    My jaw dropped as I pushed back to see his face more clearly. With his arms wrapped tightly around me, I couldn’t move far. “Was this some sort of experiment?”
    “No. That wasn’t my intention,” he said quickly. “But the last two minutes have answered the question I’ve been wondering ever since I had that talk with Gran.”
    Crap. I thought I had dodged that. I silently thanked God that it was dark enough to hide the