“I thought you were drowning,” he said, panting. “I was trying to save you.”

It was a sweet sentiment, and Sophie smiled at him as she stepped off the ladder, slowly submerging herself in the water. But the truth was that no one could save her—at least not in the way she needed saving. There was no escaping the future that had been prescribed for her.

And that future was knocking on her door.

She dipped beneath the surface, then swam toward the colorful lantern lights hanging from the giant oak. Reese followed closely, as though he still feared she might be in danger of sinking to the bottom of the lake, never to surface again.

But after she’d demonstrated she was capable of floating, he seemed to relax a little.

“I can’t believe that you, Sophie Kendall, jumped into the lake,” he teased. His shoulders, impossibly broad and smooth, flexed with every subtle swish of his arms, and she wanted to run her palms over his skin.

“What’s so shocking about it?” she said, punctuating the question with a playful splash. “Did you expect me to sit idly on the pier while you frolicked in the lake?”

“First off, I did not frolic. Second, I guess I did expect you to wait,” he admitted. “But I’m glad you joined me. Swimming alone isn’t nearly as fun.”

They floated under the old oak tree, where the lanterns above glowed like a treasure chest of rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and gold.

“It’s not too deep here,” Reese said, treading water beside her. “If you tire, you can head a few yards toward the shore and stand. Or…”

“What?” Sophie asked, trying to keep her chin above the surface.

“Or you could hold on to me.”

“Reese,” she said, speaking his name like a warning—mostly to herself.

“Only as a last resort,” he qualified. “In case you were desperate.”

“I don’t think it will come to that,” she said, a little breathless.

“Thank God,” he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “There’s a chance I’ll escape this lake with my virtue intact.”

“Very funny.” She splashed him again, and this time, he retaliated by flicking a few drops in her direction.

Before long, their peaceful moonlight swim erupted into an all-out splash war.

He sank stealthily below the surface and circled around her, then popped up behind her and launched a surprise attack, spraying the back of her neck.

Sophie, on the other hand, exercised patience and tried to time her splashes for maximum effect. She waited until he came up for air, then squeezed her palms together to squirt a stream at his cheek.

He laughed—a deep, rumbling sound she felt low in her belly. “You’ll pay for that,” he said, a promise that was one part playful, one part wicked.