Wet: Part 1 by S. Jackson Rivera Read Free Book Online Page B

at having to admit to being lost and unable to find her way home.  “I’ll never find my way in the dark without Tracy and Regina.”
    “They’ll most likely be a while. They stay out late, sleep in late. They’re supposed to be working on their dive master, but they never sign up to be on the boat in the mornings. Even when I do schedule them, they don’t make it.” His brow creased and he leaned forward as if he wanted her to listen carefully. “For future reference, before those two become a bad influence on you, you have to make the boat to earn the certification.” He sat back again and grinned after emphasizing the last few words.
    “Most of my students can’t afford to take so long to earn their certifications. Once they’re finished, they can earn a little money, working with the guests—guests tip their dive masters. But those two . . . I think they’re more interested in the social life than results.”
    “Really?” Rhees couldn’t imagine having enough money to stick around just because she liked living on the island. “I wish I could stay indefinitely.”
    “Really?” It was his turn to sound surprised.
    “I have no money, no job. I’ve been taking care of my dying parents for the last few years. Now I have no family, no home—there’s nothing to go back to. This—” She waved her hand over her surroundings and put on a regal air. “The splendor of this dingy bar called Tanked, and by that, I mean the island as a whole—” She giggled but then shrugged her shoulders and sat quietly for a second, fingering her bottle of soda. “Change of scenery.”
    “You’ll figure it out,” he assured.
    “Yeah, I’m sure I will.” She looked over at Tracy and Regina and giggled again. “But first, I need to figure out how to get back to my apartment.”
    “You really are funny.” Paul laughed but then he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. His mouth twitched. He seemed nervous and didn’t look up, but when he finally did, his eyes met hers—the look in his eyes . . .
    She felt the butterflies fluttering in her stomach and moving up into her heart. She couldn’t look away, and finally, she understood why all the other girls were so in love with him.
    “I don’t usually do the asking. This is out of my comfort zone, but . . . you could stay. . . at my place tonight.” His eyes cast down to his feet. He finally did look up again—his eyes flashed hypnotically and yet uncertain, as he waited for her to respond.
    Her heart skipped a beat, no, several beats, and she opened her mouth to speak but her words failed her. Rhees, breathe! She gaped.
    He arched a brow at her but then he looked down again, releasing her from his spell as if he’d suddenly become self-conscious.
    That’s it? I’ve been freaking out all day, waiting for a quiet, polite request? Rhees, you’re such an idiot. “Um . . . look. Tracy and Regina told me—”
    “Please, don’t believe everything everyone says about me,” he interrupted her, desperate, she thought, to set her straight about what people had been telling her. She felt even worse now that she knew she’d fallen so easily into the gossip web. She always thought she did a better job of avoiding that type of thing. Disappointment welled up in her. She was no better than the others and vowed to be more careful in the future.
    “It’s only ninety-eight percent true. The other two percent is complete bullshit.”
    It took a second for his words to sink in, but she burst out laughing. She leaned forward and whispered to him, the way he had to her at the restaurant, “You’re funny.”
    One side of his mouth hitched up, but he still seemed unable to look her in the eye, like a shy, nervous little boy. “What do you say?” he finally asked, quietly.
    “Wow! Um . . . yeah, I did hear a few things . . .” She nodded and cleared her throat. “Actually, um, Regina said I shouldn’t tell you, but—”
    “Someone should probably warn you