Just as Cassie's fingers were about to touch the edges of the undulating arms, she was tugged hard from behind. If felt as if a someone had lassoed her. The force of it startled her, and she forgot she was underwater.

She gasped, expelling the air from her lungs and breathed in sea water. Someone lit a fire in her chest. She coughed, but only managed to suck in more water. Her entire body spasmed in excruciating pain.

I'm drowning, she thought.

Before her world went black, she caught sight of a man in a diver's mask, tall, muscular, his arm wrapped around her waist, carrying her, and kicking furiously for the surface.

*    *    *

Cassie coughed. Gouts of water gushed from her lungs. She was on her back. Her stomach roiled and she vomited. Gentle hands rolled her on her side so her vomit wouldn't choke her.

"Don't try to talk," a baritone voice commanded.

As if she could with the fire burning in her chest. All she could manage was to take short stuttering breaths trying to fill her lungs with delicious air. Oh, god, she hurt so bad. She couldn't stop coughing and puking.

She thought she might pass out, but gentle hands were rubbing her back trying to soothe her. If she weren't in so much pain Cassie thought she might enjoy the back rub.

"You almost drowned," Mister Baritone said. "Technically, you did drown. I brought you back. Damn it, Cassandra, you were down there for almost five minutes. What were you trying to prove?"

Cassie wheezed and coughed trying to get her bearings. The voice was familiar, and he had used her name. Who was he? Where was she?

"She's going to be okay, Mother." Baritone shouted. "We'll take her in."

It started coming together. She was on Ofelia's son's boat. He was the baritone voice taking care of her. She thought sure she had heard his voice before.

Cassie heard the other boat power up and pull away. Her boat. Her crew. They were leaving her. Oh, no. She tried to sit.

"Easy," he said and helped her.

She sat on the deck of his boat, her back resting against the gunwale.

"Tyler, follow them in," he ordered. "Radio ahead to have a car standing by. We need to get Cassandra to the hospital."

"Will do."

Soon they were underway.

Hospital? She couldn't go to a hospital. A new terror engulfed her. "No hospital." Her voice came out as a croak.

Baritone draped a blanket around her shoulders and sat on the deck beside her. "What did you say?"

"No hospital." This time it came out clearer, but the effort to speak brought dark circles to her field of vision.

"You had water in your lungs contaminated with who knows what all bacteria. Most people in your situation end up with pneumonia. You need to be checked out."

Cassie reached over and took his hand. "No hospital, please! They'll find me."

He didn't pull away and took her hand more firmly in his. "This is the second time I've come to your rescue. It's becoming a habit."

The baritone voice. The guy who had saved her from her attacker. She lifted her head and focused on his face. "That was you at the bonfire?"

His smile displayed perfect, white teeth, and he had gorgeous, green eyes, like limes. She had seen those eyes before, but when? Where?

"I'm Rafe."

She couldn't place the name but remembered the eyes.

"When we first met you called me a dick."

No help there. Any guy who annoyed her she thought of as a dick. When had this hunk annoyed her? She would certainly remember him.

"No...hospital," she said with effort.

His eyes softened; his pupils dilated when he looked at her. He spoke low so his crew wouldn't hear. "Okay, but I need to ask you a serious question. Are you trying to commit suicide?"

What the hell was he asking that for? She croaked, "Suicide?"

"I grabbed you because you were about to swim into a bed of fire sponges. You know about fire sponges, right? There were so many of them. They would've killed you for sure."

The waving arms did resemble the tall, tubular shape of the sponge Aunt Marnie had in her display back at the condo. But instinct told her she would not be harmed by their toxin. It wasn't the sponges that harmed her. It was him!

She pulled her hand from his. "You almost murdered me." This time her voice came out clear.

He furrowed his brow. "What?"

"I was doing just fine until you interfered. You scared the crap out of me, and I gasped underwater. You drowned me. I was right. You are  a dick."

He scoffed. "You're welcome. You can save yourself next time." He stood and walked away. She heard him checking in with his crew.

Had it been a coincidence? "Wait." What was his name again? "Hey, Rafe."

A moment later he returned but didn't sit. He towered over her looking down. She admired his tanned, athletic body. "What, now?"

"That night at the bonfire, how did you happen to stumble onto that guy...you know...what he tried to do to me?" It made her uncomfortable to recall the incident.

"I didn't stumble onto you. I was watching out for you."

Totally confused, Cassie shook her head. "I don't understand?"

"You gave my stepfather the address of the party. He sent me to be your secret bodyguard."

Cassie was confused before, but now she was totally flummoxed. "Your stepfather? Who the hell are you?"

"I'm a guy who used to play video games and entertain annoying little girls."

The revelation hit her like a ton of bricks. "I remember! It was the day my momma died." The pieces fell into place. "You told me your mother was sleeping with Uncle Milos." She covered her mouth with her hand. "Ofelia is married to my Uncle Milos."

"Of course. You didn't know?"

She was working for the woman who had broken up her aunt's marriage. She felt like a traitor. It didn't matter how much she loved what she was doing, it was over. She would resign as soon as they docked, and anger welled within her directed at her uncle. How could he have gotten her a job with his new wife. It was like rubbing salt in Marnie's wound.

"Cassandra, are you okay?"

She wanted to go off on Rafe, but it wasn't his fault. Cassie took a breath to calm herself. Then she was horror stricken. "Did you tell Milos about that night? Oh, god, if you did that means my aunt knows too. Oh, I'm mortified! I didn't want anyone to find out about it. They haven't said anything to me yet, but someday they will when they believe I'll be less traumatized. Oh, god, I don't want to relive that incident over and over—"

"—Cassandra, stop. Breathe. I figured you wouldn't want anyone to know. I told my stepfather you had an enjoyable time at the bonfire. You and I are the only ones who know what really happened."

Cassie laid her head back against the gunwale feeling relieved. "Thank you for preserving my dignity, for not telling."

He knelt in front of her to get eye level. "How are you feeling?"

"Better."

"I still think I should take you to the ER."

Cassie reached across and took his hand...again...for emphasis. "No. You can't do that."

"You'll catch pneumonia."

"I'll take my chances. Look, don't try to force me. You can check with Uncle Milos. He'll agree with me that I cannot go to the hospital."

"Why are you being so stubborn about going to the hospital?"

She wasn't about to tell him the real reason. "It's none of your business. I'm not going."

"Sorry, Cassandra, but I'm making it my business. You're going."

She glared at him. "You're being a dick again. You can't tell me what to do."

He sighed. "I'm just trying to look out for you."

"Why? What do you care?"

He lifted her hand, the one she had placed in his and had left there during the entire exchange. Cassie hadn't realized they had been holding hands for so long, or maybe she had subconsciously left her hand in his because it felt nice.

Instead of answering, he pressed his lips to the back of her hand and kissed it, like she was a royal lady and he a chivalrous knight.

Question - So it begins!  Will Rafe be able to talk Cassie into going to the hospital?