surface. The water slapped every part of my exposed skin as I
tumbled end over end.
I missed the rock wall
at the water’s edge, but just by a couple of feet. I tried to cry out in pain but
only managed to swallow a mouthful of water. Even though I survived, I was
certain my skeleton was all that remained. No skin could possibly be left
intact after such a beat-down.
My life jacket kept me bobbing
on the surface while ten thousand stinging needles poked at me. My ears
throbbed as I coughed over and over trying to catch one full breath without
tasting the lake. With my eyes pointed up toward the sky, I waited for the fog
around me to clear.
Stop running.
My head snapped up in
attention.
Who said that?
I looked to my right.
Kai slowed his Jet Ski as he got close.
“Tori...are you okay?
What on earth happened?” he asked as he slipped into the water in front of me.
“Did you...did you say
something a minute ago?” I asked softly, just inches from his face.
“What? Yes! I said lots
of things...I’ve been screaming at you to slow down for the last five hundred
yards. What happened?” he asked again, this time his tone much firmer than the
last.
Oh, it was Kai?
Or am I hearing voices
now, too?
Stop running.
I grabbed his upper arm
tightly.
Panic overwhelmed me,
trumping the pain that my body was still recovering from.
“I’m sorry, Tori. You
must be scared. I was scared just watching you. How’s your neck? Do you feel,
okay? Do you think you can ride back with me to the shore?” he asked. “I ‘ll come
back out in a minute and pull your Jet Ski in. Let’s just get you settled first,”
he said touching the back of my neck gently.
“I...I think so. Will
the Jet Ski be okay?”
“Don’t worry about
that, it’s fine. That’s easily replaceable...you are not,” Kai said.
If my body hadn’t been
so red from hitting the water, I’d swear I was blushing. Kai boosted me up onto
his Jet Ski as gently as possible, and then climbed on after me. He steered
easily from behind, never exceeding 10 mph. I winced a few times as my legs
thawed, but the nearness of Kai was a nice distraction.
How long has it been
since I was touched longer than the briefness of a handshake or greeting hug?
I couldn’t remember.
It had been over a year
at best.
Kai drove the Jet Ski
up onto the shore and hopped off. He started to un-buckle my life vest, but
then hesitated, as if waiting for my permission. My arms were still so stiff
from my landing though, that I nodded without a second thought.
In an instant, I was
freed of its constriction.
“Let me help you over
to the blanket, Tori.”
He lifted me off the
seat and braced my unsteady walk over to the blanket, the same blanket we had
sat on an hour earlier.
“Thank you...and I’m
sorry, Kai. I’m usually not this dramatic of a person. You’ve seen me at my
worst and you’ve only known me a week!” I said, mortified.
His expression was
soft, kind, but it held something else in it as well that I couldn’t identify.
He was quiet for a few seconds longer than felt comfortable before he shook his
head.
“Maybe it’s me, then?
Maybe I’m a bad luck charm?”
His smile spread from
ear to ear, as he knew that was the farthest thing from the truth. If anything,
Kai had practically rescued me on three different occasions now. Odds were not
working in my favor lately.
I’m turning into a
helpless victim around this guy.
But even as I thought
it, it wasn’t reason enough for me to stay away from him. That, was the
scariest thought I’d had all day.
Kai’s eyes skimmed over
my body, doing his best to look like the professional he was. He pointed out the
bright red spots that would most likely bruise. Ultimately, he decided that
there was no serious damage done. I was a tad disappointed when the injury
inventory was over.
You are going to feel
pretty stupid when he tells you you’re just like the little sister he never
had.
“If you’re okay here
for a
tumbled end over end.
I missed the rock wall
at the water’s edge, but just by a couple of feet. I tried to cry out in pain but
only managed to swallow a mouthful of water. Even though I survived, I was
certain my skeleton was all that remained. No skin could possibly be left
intact after such a beat-down.
My life jacket kept me bobbing
on the surface while ten thousand stinging needles poked at me. My ears
throbbed as I coughed over and over trying to catch one full breath without
tasting the lake. With my eyes pointed up toward the sky, I waited for the fog
around me to clear.
Stop running.
My head snapped up in
attention.
Who said that?
I looked to my right.
Kai slowed his Jet Ski as he got close.
“Tori...are you okay?
What on earth happened?” he asked as he slipped into the water in front of me.
“Did you...did you say
something a minute ago?” I asked softly, just inches from his face.
“What? Yes! I said lots
of things...I’ve been screaming at you to slow down for the last five hundred
yards. What happened?” he asked again, this time his tone much firmer than the
last.
Oh, it was Kai?
Or am I hearing voices
now, too?
Stop running.
I grabbed his upper arm
tightly.
Panic overwhelmed me,
trumping the pain that my body was still recovering from.
“I’m sorry, Tori. You
must be scared. I was scared just watching you. How’s your neck? Do you feel,
okay? Do you think you can ride back with me to the shore?” he asked. “I ‘ll come
back out in a minute and pull your Jet Ski in. Let’s just get you settled first,”
he said touching the back of my neck gently.
“I...I think so. Will
the Jet Ski be okay?”
“Don’t worry about
that, it’s fine. That’s easily replaceable...you are not,” Kai said.
If my body hadn’t been
so red from hitting the water, I’d swear I was blushing. Kai boosted me up onto
his Jet Ski as gently as possible, and then climbed on after me. He steered
easily from behind, never exceeding 10 mph. I winced a few times as my legs
thawed, but the nearness of Kai was a nice distraction.
How long has it been
since I was touched longer than the briefness of a handshake or greeting hug?
I couldn’t remember.
It had been over a year
at best.
Kai drove the Jet Ski
up onto the shore and hopped off. He started to un-buckle my life vest, but
then hesitated, as if waiting for my permission. My arms were still so stiff
from my landing though, that I nodded without a second thought.
In an instant, I was
freed of its constriction.
“Let me help you over
to the blanket, Tori.”
He lifted me off the
seat and braced my unsteady walk over to the blanket, the same blanket we had
sat on an hour earlier.
“Thank you...and I’m
sorry, Kai. I’m usually not this dramatic of a person. You’ve seen me at my
worst and you’ve only known me a week!” I said, mortified.
His expression was
soft, kind, but it held something else in it as well that I couldn’t identify.
He was quiet for a few seconds longer than felt comfortable before he shook his
head.
“Maybe it’s me, then?
Maybe I’m a bad luck charm?”
His smile spread from
ear to ear, as he knew that was the farthest thing from the truth. If anything,
Kai had practically rescued me on three different occasions now. Odds were not
working in my favor lately.
I’m turning into a
helpless victim around this guy.
But even as I thought
it, it wasn’t reason enough for me to stay away from him. That, was the
scariest thought I’d had all day.
Kai’s eyes skimmed over
my body, doing his best to look like the professional he was. He pointed out the
bright red spots that would most likely bruise. Ultimately, he decided that
there was no serious damage done. I was a tad disappointed when the injury
inventory was over.
You are going to feel
pretty stupid when he tells you you’re just like the little sister he never
had.
“If you’re okay here
for a
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