Stepping into the Prince's World Read Free Page B

world was feeling a bit off-balance anyway. The new crack on his head made him reel. He reached out instinctively to grab whatever it was that had hit him—and it was soft and yielding. A woman. Somehow he tugged her to face him. Her chestnut curls were tangled, her green eyes were blurred with water, and she looked almost as dazed as he was.
    He’d thumped his head and so had she. She stared at him, and then she fought to speak.
    â€˜You’d think...’ She was struggling for breath as waves surged around them but she managed to gasp the words. ‘You’d think a guy with the whole of Bass Strait to swim in could avoid my head.’
    He had hold of her shoulders—not clutching, just linking himself with her so the wash of the waves couldn’t push them apart. They were both in deadly peril, and weirdly his first urge was to laugh. She’d reached him and she was joking ?
    Um... Get safe first. Laugh second.
    â€˜Revenir à la plage. Je suivrai,’ he gasped, and then realised he’d spoken in French, Marétal’s official language. Which would be no use at all in Tasmania’s icy waters. Get back to the beach. I’ll follow, he’d wanted to say, and he tried to force his thick tongue to make the words. But it seemed she’d already understood.
    â€˜How can you follow? You’re drowning.’ She’d replied in French, with only a slight haltingness to show French wasn’t her first language.
    â€˜I’m not.’ He had his English together now. And his tongue almost working.
    â€˜There’s blood on your head,’ she managed.
    â€˜I’m okay. You’ve shown me the way. Put your head down and swim. I’m following.’
    â€˜Is there anyone...?’ The indignation and her attempt at humour had gone from her voice and fear had replaced it. She was gasping between waves. ‘Is there anyone else in the boat?’
    Anyone else to save? She’d dived into the water to save him and was now proposing to head out further and save others?
    This was pure grit. His army instructors would be proud of her.
    She didn’t have a lifejacket on and he did.
    â€˜No one,’ he growled. ‘Get back to the beach.’
    â€˜You’re sure?’
    â€˜I’m sure. Go.’ He should make her wear the life jacket, but the effort of taking the thing off was beyond him.
    â€˜Don’t you dare drown. I’ve taken too much trouble.’
    â€˜I won’t drown,’ he managed, and then a wave caught her and flung her sideways.
    She hit the closest rock and disappeared. He tried to grab her but she was under water—gone.
    Hell...
    He dived, adrenalin surging, giving him energy when he’d thought he had none. And then he grabbed and caught something...
    A wisp of lace. He tugged and she was free of the rocks, back in his arms, dazed into limpness.
    He fought back from the rocks and tried to steady while she fought to recover.
    â€˜W...wow,’ she gasped at last. ‘Sorry. I...you can let go now.’
    â€˜I’m not letting go.’ But he shifted his grip. He’d realised what he’d been holding were her knickers. He now had hold of her by her bra!
    â€˜We surf in together,’ he gasped. ‘I have a lifejacket. I’m not letting go.’
    â€˜You...can’t...’
    He heard pain in her voice.
    â€˜You’re hurt.’
    â€˜There’s no way I can put a sticking plaster on out here,’ she gasped. ‘Go.’
    â€˜We go together.’
    â€˜You’ll stretch my bra,’ she gasped, and once again he was caught by the sheer guts of the woman. She was hurt, she was in deadly peril, and she was trying to make him smile.
    â€˜Yeah,’ he told her. ‘And if it stretches too far I’ll get an eyeful—but not until we’re safe on the beach. Just turn and kick.’
    â€˜I’ll try,’ she managed, and then there was no room