Chase studied Penny’s expression as the boat sped over the azure water. Ever since breakfast, she’d been withdrawn, and he wondered what was going on in her beautiful mind. He questioned if he was being selfish for asking her to indulge in his passion after she’d nearly drowned. He knew she was nervous, but she’d bravely learned the scuba basics. The previous day, she’d been the quintessential student at the pool, following his every instruction.

Chase had ordered her custom scuba equipment, so she’d be as comfortable as possible when she went for her first dive. One phone call to the concierge, and she had brand new gear, a warm water wetsuit specified to her size. He hadn’t told her that it was a gift, but she’d learn soon enough.

He recalled how they’d made love the first night. Their game of Truth or Dare had given him an insight into the alluring woman who had drawn his fascination. When he asked her if she’d consider moving, he’d been surprised that she’d chosen a dare over revealing her answer. He wondered about her reasons for refusing to tell him, but he hadn’t given up on discovering the truth.

Guilt seized his conscience for even allowing the idea to seed. He’d known her all of three days, and he’d become slowly obsessed with figuring out a solution to the quandary of their location issue. The days would pass quickly and he’d have to say goodbye. But unlike when he broke up with his ex, someone who he’d lived with for over a year, he missed Penny already. The stab of regret had already begun to tear into him, and he considered once again that he should stop seeing her.

But as she glanced back at him, her long hair adrift in the breeze, his heart caught, and he was reminded that there was so much more to discover about his mermaid. Not only did he want to know her, the need for her to know him had rooted. He looked to Evan, who shook his head in disapproval. It wasn’t as if his friend didn’t like Penny. But after Chase opted to teach a novice the ropes instead of going on research dives, Evan expressed concern that he was becoming too involved with her. Chase shrugged off his objections, reminding him that they had already collected samples.

The engine cut to silence and the boat bobbed in the gentle swell. Chase’s eyes fell on Penny, who smiled at him. She leaned back into the sun, her palms flat on the deck, bracing herself. He admired how her royal-blue bikini accentuated her every delicious curve.

“We’re good,” Evan called, drawing his attention.

“Penny, you ready?” Chase studied her face, wondering if she’d changed her mind.

“Not sure if I’m one hundred percent ready, but I trust you.” She carefully navigated her way down the steps.

“Listen, I know we did this as a dare the other night,” he paused and took a deep breath, “but I’d never make you do something you don’t want to do. If you don’t want to go, just say the word and we’ll relax here on the boat. No worries.”

“I’ll be fine,” she assured him.

“You sure you’re okay with this?”

“You don’t think I can do it?”

“I know you can do it, darlin’.” Chase took her hands in his, bringing them to his chest. “There’s nothing I’d rather do than share this world with you. Down there, it’s more beautiful than anything you’ll ever see. But as much as I’d love it, I want to make sure you’re going of your own accord, is all.”

Chase glanced to Evan, who rolled his eyes at him. He knew he sounded like a sappy-ass fool, but he wouldn’t risk her safety. Her sexy smile told him she wasn’t going to chicken out. Although he hadn’t seen her practice law, something told him she applied the same tenacity to every aspect of her life. Even if she’d never experimented sexually prior to her vacation, every indication, every caress and touch, led him to believe she’d meet him toe for toe in the bedroom. Like a flower, she bloomed before his eyes, giving him a glimpse into her personality. Both intellectual and playful, her zest for life was apparent in her words and actions. Two more days. I have to let her go, he reminded himself.

Switching off his emotions, he attempted to approach their lesson as he’d done with every other person he’d taught over the years.

“You dry?” he asked her.

“Just sunscreen.”

“You may want to just towel off, make sure you aren’t oily or sandy.” He handed her her wetsuit.

“How far down are we going? Do we really need the suits? I see people on TV and they aren’t wearing them.”

“Yeah, well. Remember fire ball guy the other day? I’m sure he didn’t expect that little surprise. At least if you’re suited up, there’s less of a chance of that sort of thing happening.”

“Okay,” she responded. Without hesitation, she shoved a foot into the stretchy fabric.

“I know we talked about this at the pool, but I think we should review the rules.”

“Yes.”

“Number one. Stay with me. Do not wander off to look at something interesting. Obviously, I’ll be keeping my eyes on you, but just in case there’s a distraction, no swimming away from me, got it?” Penny nodded, and he continued. “You clear on the equipment? If you have a failure, I’ve got a secondary octo and so do you.”

“Yes.” Penny flipped off her sunglasses, squinting into the sun.

“Once we get in, we’ll double check the equipment. We’re going down slow to give you a chance to acclimate. This is a shallow dive. Fifty feet tops.” Chase zipped up and watched as Evan helped her don her gear. “Ascent is the important part. We’ll take safety stops on the way up. When I stop, you stop. Okay?”

“Yes, sir,” she said, a flirty lilt in her voice.

Holy shit. Chase stopped in his tracks, and raised an eyebrow at her. The idea of her calling him sir as he smacked her ass caused his dick to stir. It took all of ten seconds for the image to form and he was hard. His eyes glanced to Evan, who laughed, well aware of the effect it would have on him.

He scratched the back of his head, and turned to check his equipment. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d gone diving with an erection and wondered if his balls would be as blue as the sea when he got out. Concentrate, asshole, he told himself.

“Ready?” he bit out.

“Thanks, Evan.” Penny gave his friend a smile as he patted her on her shoulder. “Yep, let’s do this.”

“You can let her go now,” Chase growled. He pulled his mask over his eyes, shocked at the jealousy that punched his gut. He must be losing his damn mind, he thought, reminding himself that he’d been dating her for all of three days. “I’ll go first. Make sure she gets in okay.”

As he spilled into the ocean, he tried to play off his feelings. But he knew he was in the deepest water of his life when it came to his mermaid. With unfamiliar feelings spinning out of control, the best he could do was to let it ride. Of all the risky things he’d done over the years, having a vacation affair with Penny Travis had turned up the dial on what it meant to be an adrenaline junkie. He’d set out treating the situation like an experiment, yet what he’d already learned was that he was in way over his head.

As Penny relaxed into their dive, she grew fascinated with a wondrous universe she had never known existed. When she’d snorkeled, she’d had trouble with the breathing apparatus. Accidentally inhaling water, she’d been deprived of time to view the gorgeous corals. Although she knew scuba diving wasn’t without risk, she’d done her best to learn from Chase, and was now enjoying the experience. Within the depths of the Caribbean, she gave over her trust to him.

As he swam by, she mused that he was a master in the sea as well as the bedroom. She was beguiled by his quick-witted conversation; he kept her on her toes with his spontaneous sexual-tinged banter. The more time they spent together, the more she didn’t want it to end. In truth, Penny didn’t believe in love at first sight. Of a more practical nature, she’d been convinced the concept only existed in fairy tales. Lust seemed a more rational explanation for her feelings, she surmised. But as she contemplated the reasons why she was attracted to her handsome rescuer, she knew it wasn’t just the heat of passion that had drawn her to him.

Chemical attractions faded but the true nature of a man didn’t. Chase’s desire for adventure seemed to be matched with his interest in getting to know her. Their lovemaking sessions were accompanied by long conversations. From favorite movies to family vacation stories, they shared parts of their lives. More than a lover, he’d become a friend, and she couldn’t face never seeing him again. Despite her logical nature, she felt herself falling hard for the captivating man who was no longer a stranger.

A dark shadow caught Penny’s attention, her daydream coming to a blunt end. A tug on her arm caused her to startle and she caught the look of anger in Chase’s eyes through his mask. She immediately knew she’d broken one of his rules, realizing that she’d drifted several feet away from him. Her stomach lurched as he pointed to a large striped shark. The good news was that it appeared uninterested as it swam away. The bad news was that it was a deadly creature and she’d put herself in danger by not paying attention.

Penny was thankful that they were underwater, because if they hadn’t been, she was fairly sure he would have reprimanded her. She wasn’t convinced he’d forget, however, and expected that when they surfaced, he’d address it. If there was one subject that turned him serious, it was safety. Although he engaged in many dangerous activities, from skydiving to heli-skiing, he’d told her several times that he didn’t try to cheat death.

He pointed to a small cave and gave her a thumbs up. She took sight of the cavern and shook her head, promptly returning his signal with two thumbs down. No fucking way, she thought. She had her limits, and he’d just discovered one. Self-preservation had always taken priority over things that appeared fun to other people. Snowmobiling through Yellowstone? Too cold. White water rafting with coworkers? Not happening, I’ll drown. Swimming through a tiny black hole that looked like Barbie couldn’t fit through it? Hell fucking no.

Penny caught the disapproval in his eyes, and her chest squeezed with guilt. She knew there wasn’t much time left, and this might be the only dive she’d ever go on. Chase reached for her hand and brought it to his chest. Her boring routines flashed through her mind, reminding her how he’d breathed vigor into her otherwise mundane lifestyle. His warm eyes brimmed with confidence, and she knew he’d never hurt her. Trust him. Taking a chance on love and life, Penny nodded and gave in to her own desire to experience the sea through his eyes.

Acquiescing to adventure, she followed him into the hollow rocks. To her surprise, it was just a short tunnel to the other side. When they emerged, she was stunned at the spectacular sight. Hundreds of colorful fish swam in harmony, brushing around them. What seemed like a blink in time passed before he gestured for them to begin their ascent. After several decompression stops, she broke the surface. Chase already had his mask off and helped her with hers.

“Thank you, thank you so much.” Elated, she kissed him before he had a chance to say a word.

“You liked it?” he asked into her lips, the salty water on their tongues.

“It was unbelievable. I loved it.” As she said the words, she wondered what it would be like to say the words to Chase. He smiled at her, and the moment was broken as Evan called to them from above.

“Good dive?”

“It was amazing,” she responded, reaching for his hand. As he hauled her up on deck, she panted, trying to catch her breath.

“You okay?”

“I’m good. It was just so…I’ve never seen anything like it. Chase…he’s a great teacher.”

“I wish I could say the same for my student,” Chase commented.

“I’m sorry. I just…I was distracted.”

“What happened?” Evan’s tone turned serious.

“Someone drifted away for a few minutes is all.” Chase removed his equipment and unzipped his suit but kept his eyes trained on Penny.

“A shark,” Penny told Evan.

“A tiger,” he added.

“Sounds like maybe you need to do a review with her. Don’t want to become fish food,” Evan commented. After assisting her with her gear, he turned his attention to the bridge. He fired up the engine, and her eyes met Chase’s. “All right then. Time to get back.”

“Chase, I didn’t mean to…”

“I realize that, but when we go again, I think perhaps we need to find a way to help you remember instructions.” His tone was serious, but he gave a devious smile.

“Perhaps.” Penny shivered at his stern words, laced with sexual innuendo.

“I’d be happy to help.” Evan winked, catching his meaning.

“No. This is my responsibility. The next time she will follow the rules,” he promised.

“If there’s a next time. Vacation’s almost over,” Penny baited him, presenting him with an indirect invitation to continue their affair after the vacation ended.

“That it is, but it doesn’t mean I’m letting you off the hook,” he answered, without giving her any indication that he intended to see her again.

Penny sighed and shoved her sunglasses onto her face, hoping they’d conceal her disappointment. Wishing for something that couldn’t happen was ridiculous. She could feel her heart slowly breaking, unsure of how she’d get on a plane in two days. Wrapping her towel around her shoulders, she took a deep breath as the boat sped toward shore. The wind in her hair, she prayed it would blow away the foreboding of sadness in her chest.