Stranded With The Navy Seal

After what seemed like ten or twelve hours, clouds gathered in the sky. There was a sudden, intense downpour. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth, desperate for moisture. The raindrops didn’t quench her thirst, but the cool water felt like heaven against her skin. When she opened her eyes again, he was watching her. She wondered if he was thinking about the kisses they’d shared. Was it a strange, distant memory for him, too? A moment of passion that had slipped between his fingers?

He pulled his gaze away, flushing. She doubted he felt any embarrassment or shame about his behavior. Men never did. Maybe he was just sunburned, or he couldn’t figure out why he’d been so enthralled with her. She probably looked like a bedraggled sea witch. Humidity wasn’t kind to her hair.

When puddles gathered on the bottom of the raft, they both drank their fill. With the sun behind the clouds, the temperature was pleasant. For a short time, she almost felt comfortable, and hopeful about getting rescued. Then the temperature dropped and darkness fell. They spent another night shivering, huddled for warmth.

In the dead of night, she was awoken by a bump against the side of the boat. She sprang upright, clutching Logan’s arm. He was alert beside her, his muscles tense. It was very dark. There was a sliver of moon, high in the sky.

The bump came again, on the opposite side. A fin skimmed the surface of the water.

Shark.

She let out a terrified scream.

He clamped his hand over her mouth, which only increased her panic. It reminded her of the kidnapping. She’d been silenced with a rough slap during the attack, and she still had a tender spot on her cheek. His fingertips pressed into it, adding to her discomfort. She pushed his hand away, incensed.

“Shh,” Logan warned. He studied the surface of the water intently. She crossed her arms over her chest, her throat tight. She supposed that screaming wasn’t helpful, but it was a normal reaction. There were freaking sharks circling!

“Can they puncture the raft?” she asked.

“Maybe.”

His answer chilled her to the bone. She scooted closer to him.

“They won’t do it as a strategy. But if they decide to take an exploratory bite...”

She gripped the crook of his arm. “What should we do?”

“Stay calm and quiet.”

Although she wasn’t calm by any stretch, she didn’t make a sound. Neither did he. After a few tense moments, his shoulders relaxed. The sharks didn’t bump the raft or flash fins again. Hopefully they’d lost interest.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“You didn’t. One of the kidnappers did.”

His eyes glinted in the dark. “He hit you?”

“Yes.”

“Which one?”

“The one you killed.”

He nodded, as if the man had gotten what he deserved. “Go back to sleep. I’ll keep watch.”

She curled up in the raft and closed her eyes, but she didn’t sleep. She was cold and hungry and sick with fear. She’d applied for a job on a cruise ship because she’d wanted to get away from it all. Her longtime boyfriend had become enamored with another woman on reality TV. She’d watched every episode, just to torture herself. Their breakup had turned her entire life upside down. She’d left San Francisco and moved back home with her parents.

It was a low point, to say the least.

She’d needed an escape. Well, she got one. Now Andrew seemed like a blip of the radar, tiny and insignificant. She didn’t miss him.

She spent most of the night praying for day, and most of the next day praying for night. The heat was unbearable. The sun sucked the life out of her, beating down in relentless waves. There were no ships, no planes, no clouds, no rain.

Logan stripped down to his boxers and used his pants to shade different parts of his body. He gave her his shirt to wear. The fabric kept the sun off her back. She leaned over the side of the raft and trailed her fingers through the water. So much water. Clear, blue, deadly water. She made a cup with her hands.

“Don’t even think about it,” he said.

She splayed her fingers, letting the liquid fall out. She knew they couldn’t drink salt water. “Why can’t we swim?”

“With the sharks?”

“They only come at night.”

“Salt water robs moisture from your skin. You’ll dehydrate faster.”

“What about urine?”

“What about it?”

She’d watched him pee over the side of the raft this morning. “Should we...drink it?”

“Hell no.”

“Is it toxic?”

“Not as toxic as salt water, but it won’t help you rehydrate. It will just get your mouth wet and taste bad.”

“How do you know?”

“I’m a SEAL. I’ve had extensive survival training.”

She dug her fingernails into her palms. “What if it doesn’t rain again?”

He took his pants off his head, scowling.

“What if we don’t see a plane, or a ship?”

“You want to drink pee, is that it?”

“No, that’s not it,” she said, raising her voice. “I’m just scared. I don’t want to die, okay? Maybe you can take all of this in stride and go thirty days without water and fly around the world like a superhero, but I can’t.”

He draped his pants across his broad shoulders. “We’re not going to die today, Cadence. Is that clear?”

“It’s Cady.”

“What?”

“No one calls me Cadence except my grandfather. And he’s dead now.”