Page 54 of Rescuing Mia
One afternoon, we’re lounging on deck, enjoying the warm sun and each other’s company. Mia’s head rests on my chest, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on my skin. Pete sits in a lounger beside me, reading an action-adventure thriller he found in the ship’s library.
The moment’s tranquility is broken by harsh laughter and the clacking of high heels on the deck.
Jessica and Samantha approach, their bikinis barely covering their sun-kissed skin. They sway their hips, their eyes fixed on me with a predatory gleam. Mia tenses beside me, her hand gripping mine tightly.
“Rigel, darling,” Jessica purrs, her red lips curving into a seductive smile. “We missed you at the dive briefing. You promised to help us with our equipment, remember?”
Mia’s nails dig into my skin, but I give her hand a reassuring squeeze and keep my voice calm and even.
“Sorry, girls. I got caught up. I’m sure Pete would be happy to help.”
“If you need help…” Pete begins, but Samantha rolls her eyes.
“No offense, Pete…” Her pretty face twists into a sneer, “but we were hoping for someone a little—younger. And hotter.”
Pete’s smile falters, a flash of hurt in his eyes, but he quickly recovers, shrugging good-naturedly.
“Well, I may not be as young as I used to be, but I still know a thing or two about diving. In fact, I was just telling Rigel this morning about the time I dove with a pod of humpback whales off the coast of Tonga.”
Mia sits up, her interest piqued. “Humpback whales? Weren’t you scared? They’re huge.”
“Nah, humpbacks are gentle giants.” Pete chuckles, shaking his head. “They’re more likely to serenade you than hurt you. In all my years of diving, I’ve never met a whale I didn’t like.”
Jessica and Samantha exchange a bored look, their attention already drifting back to me.
“That’s great,” Jessica says dismissively. “But we were really hoping for Rigel’s help. He’s the only one who can make sure our gear is—snug in all the right places.”
Pete stands and shrugs, brushing off Samantha’s offensive remark.
“Well, I’m afraid Rigel is busy at the moment.”
“With me.” Mia’s jaw clenches, and her eyes flash with anger.
Samantha scoffs, her gaze raking over Mia with undisguised disdain. “Oh, please. What could he possibly see in you? You’re not even a diver.”
Anger rises, hot and fierce. Before I can say anything inappropriate, Pete steps in, his voice calm but firm.
“Now, ladies, there’s no need for that. Rigel is free to spend his time however he chooses. If he’s chosen to spend it with Mia, then that’s his business.”
Jessica and Samantha look like they’ve been slapped. They glare at Pete, then at Mia, before turning on their heels and stalking away, their hips swaying exaggeratedly.
“Good riddance,” Mia mutters under her breath.
I turn to her, an apology on my lips. “I’m so sorry about that. I had no idea they would be so…”
She shakes her head, cutting me off. “It’s not your fault. I trust you. It’s them I don’t trust.”
I pull her close, burying my face in her hair. “You’re the only one I want, Mia. You know that, right?”
Mia is more than just a passing fling or a holiday romance. She’s the one I’ve been waiting for my whole life, and I’ll be damned if I let a couple of jealous women come between us.
“I know.” She nods, her arms tightening around me.
Chapter Twenty-Three
RIGEL
After a coupleof days at sea, we anchor in Coron. The excitement in the air is palpable as Pete and I prepare for our first dive of the day.