Free Catch Me If You Can (Love's Command) by Billi Jean Page B

shore,” he shouted as soon as Tazz was within earshot.
    Tazz glanced at Kylie, but nodded and Dare knew that for now, Tazz would aid him in saving her life. Tazz went under and Dare turned his attention on Kylie. She clung to him still, looking so scared he wiped the water off her face and treaded water, letting her take a second to simply catch her breath. “Now we swim. Take a deep breath.”
    “Wait, wait!” She dug her nails into his arm with very real fear, freezing him in the process of trying to go under.
    “We don’t have time for waiting. There’s nothing in this ocean that’s going to hurt you. But those men? They just took down a ferry looking for you.”
    She shook her head frantically. “I can’t. I can’t swim!”
    Well, shit . He didn’t realize there were still people out there who couldn’t. He grinned and pressed a quick kiss to her wet, cold lips. “No worries, baby, I can swim for the both of us. Just don’t fight me, okay?”
    She watched his face like he might suddenly get them out of this, but feared believing him. He could sense the building panic as the water lapped between them, too, as she sucked in another breath and water hit her face. She choked and tightened her hold on his arm.
    “Don’t panic. I’m a pro, okay?”
    She recovered enough to bite her bottom lip, but tears shimmered in her eyes.
    Hell, if she cried he’d lose it. The ferry was yards away, and any second someone on that boat would think to look in the water. Their luck wouldn’t last long and he knew it. He anchored her closer and cupped the side of her face with his free hand. Her eyes were dilated, completely black, but she held his gaze.
    “You’re going to be fine. Take a deep breath.” He showed her, and she copied him. The tears receded, but the panic was still there.
    “Now, let it go.” He tugged her to his back and latched her arms around his neck. “On my back, like this, and hold on. Don’t fight me.”
    “I won’t.”
    “Good, good baby, real good. Now, take another breath and under we go.”
    She did what he had said, all silently and worse, with a look like before, like she might as well do whatever, because she didn’t care if she lived or died.
    He tucked her up closer and ducked them under. She did what she promised. She didn’t fight him, but her smaller body was tight, and he sensed her fear through the grip she had on his hands.
    Once under, he power kicked and pulled at the water trying to get them out of sight before he had to surface them for air. After forty seconds, he rose up slowly and barely broke enough for them to take in a lungful. In the distance he still heard screams and yells, but so far no gunfire. Better, no gunfire at them in the water, which was by far the worst case he could think of. They’d be sitting ducks.
    “Good. We’re doing good.”
    She was trembling against him, no doubt freezing. The water wasn’t too chilly this far south, but it wasn’t bathtub warm either.
    “Grab a breath, we’re going back under.”
    She filled her lungs and he dove. This time he waited for her to start to struggle before he brought them up. He eased out of the water and she gasped for breath, but she still held on without fighting him. He didn’t spot Tazz, but then again, Tazz was more used to holding his breath than Kylie. The shore was still a far off blur, but manageable. Kylie barely weighed him down.
    “You’re doing good. Now, another deep breath and this time let it out a little at a time as we go. Got it?”
    “Yes.”
    He waited until she breathed in deeply then sank back under. She tucked her face to his neck and that same stab to his heart occurred.
    He’d saved lives before. But he’d rarely been able to save someone he knew. Kylie did what he’d said, followed his directions completely, and even though he knew she had to be terrified, she was going to survive this ordeal.
    After several more dips and surfaces, the shore was more visible. The