When she’d been a child, her grandmother had spoken of the ocean as majestic and beautiful. But also a dangerous and dark place, which caused devastation and chaos.
That was why Rebecca had feared the ocean, and the reason why she had not been taught to swim. Or wished to learn. She had never ventured into the water by herself, until this very moment.
Darkness flashed before her eyes, and before she succumbed to the power of the water, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist. It became light around her as she was lifted out of the water. She gasped for air, her throat burning from the salty water.
Thomas managed to climb onto the rocks behind them without falling down himself, and scooped her up into his arms. Then he made his way to a spot against the wall of the cliffs where the sand was dry, and gently placed her down on the sand.
He crouched beside her and she coughed violently, so he softly patted her back.
“Are you all right, Rebecca?” he asked.
Salty water spewed from her mouth as she coughed. She was embarrassed for Thomas to see her in such a state, but she was grateful that he had been there to rescue her. She nodded quickly and coughed a few more times.
“Are you certain?”
“Indeed,” she said hoarsely, her throat and nose burning profusely, causing her eyes to water even more.
“Miss Rebecca? Lord Thomas?” Marcus called out to them from the other side of the rocks, which were separated by a wide stream of water. “Are you all right?”
“I’m all right,” Rebecca said loudly, waving at Marcus that she was not harmed.
“We shall have to wait for the swell to subside,” Thomas called out to Marcus.
There was no point in attempting to cross the water again. The first try had almost killed her. She didn’t wish to experience that again.
Rebecca closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands. Her pride was wounded. She was a silly young woman who needed rescuing. How pathetic she must have seemed to Thomas. She dared not look at him.
“You swallowed a lot of water,” Thomas said quietly and sat on the soft sand beside her.
“The swell took me by surprise. I did not expect that,” she said, her arms shaking as she pushed herself to sit up.
“You’re safe now,” he said. “We must merely wait for the tide to lower.”
“The water will not reach us, will it?” she asked her chest tightening at the mere thought of being in the water again.
“No, it will not. It is at its peak.”
She began to shiver, and Thomas slid his arm around her shoulders.
“I won’t allow anything to happen to you,” he said.
She lifted her gaze and looked at him, his dark hair damp from the water, and his eyes bright and clear.
“How is your leg?” she asked, her voice shaking.
“Do not fret over me. I am fine.”
She nodded and pursed her lips.
Thomas brought his hand up to her face and with his thumb, brushed a lock of wet hair from her face. Rebecca didn’t want to know what she looked like, but judging from the expression on Thomas’ face, it was not as terrible as she imagined.
Rebecca shivered once more, her lips quivering from the cold. Much to her surprise, Thomas wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly against him. She allowed him to do so without contention or reluctance. Although, if her father were to find out, he would be furious, and Marcus would surely inform him of what had happened.
“I have a confession to make,” she said, her teeth chattering.
“And what is that?” he asked.
“I cannot swim.”
“I gathered as much.”
“I’m embarrassed that you had to see that, and see me in such a state,” she said.
“There is no need to apologise. And you are not in such a bad state as you think.”
“Thank you for your kind words, although I doubt—”
Before Rebecca could say any more, Thomas leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. His kiss quieted her, and she didn’t mind in the least.
Their lips parted for a moment, but Rebecca didn’t want their kiss to end so suddenly. She leaned forward and returned his kiss with one of her own.
Her lips parted as did Thomas’, and their kiss deepened. She melted into his arms and mouth. She no longer felt the cold or the feelings of embarrassment. Her throat no longer burned, nor did her nose, and the taste of sea water had been replaced by the delicious taste of Thomas.
Despite not having kissed or having been kissed by anyone in such a manner, Rebecca had not expected it to feel so good. She lost all sense of time and space, and it was merely her and Thomas on that beach.
Lost in their own world, their own paradise, their own piece of heaven.
She moaned softly against Thomas’ lips, and despite thinking that it would cause him to ease away from her, it only made him kiss her longer, deeper and with more passion.
It was sheer perfection. And she decided she would certainly not mind kissing him every single day for the rest of her life.
In fact, she would agree to it in a heartbeat.
THOMAS HADN’T KISSED many women before. In fact, Rebecca was one of the few women he’d found attractive. He didn’t regret kissing her, but as soon as she put her arms around him, he realised that it hadn’t been a good idea.
Especially not with her father’s manservant nearby. Rebecca’s father would certainly have much to say if he were to be made aware of this.
Thomas also suspected that this had been Rebecca’s first ever kiss of this sort.
It wouldn’t be terrible if people found out that they had shared such a moment, but he feared it might ruin the Rebecca’s reputation and he did not wish that to happen.
