Falling for Two - A Dad's Best Friends Age Gap Forbidden Novel

18

Riley

Why did I think telling Dad that I swam in deep water was a good idea?

I sat on the ladder leading into the lake with Dad already a few feet away from the boat.

"I know you can do it again, Ry. I'm right here if you need me," he promised, and I slowly nodded.

Collecting all my courage, I finally dipped my feet into the warm water and slowly let it surround my body.

I was shaking.

My heart was beating insanely fast, and I wanted to get back onto the boat immediately.

"I can't," I croaked out, and like the idiot I was, I let go of the ladder and started to move my arms frantically.

I knew how to swim, but my fear was taking over, almost paralyzing me.

The thought of the darkness underneath me was scary.

"You got this, sweetheart. You're almost here." Dad's voice was in the distance, and as I looked back to the boat, it seemed as if I were slowly floating away from it.

"I can't!" I choked, more panic washing over me.

My mind was telling me to swim back to the boat, and I tried my best to use my feet to get closer to it.

"I got you." Dad's hand touched mine, and I quickly wrapped my arms and legs around his body.

"You're all right, Ry. I got you," he repeated.

He wrapped one arm around my back, and I only then realized that I hadn't moved from the boat at all.

Just like yesterday as Davis held me in the water, Dad was holding on to the ladder to make sure not to go under.

My brows furrowed and my breath hitched.

That's embarrassing.

Shepherd

I would've pulled her to me if Britton wasn't around.

Riley looked so damn helpless, and I hated knowing how scared she was and not being able to just pull her to me to show her that she's okay.

She might've not realized it, but her struggling in the water lasted for about forty seconds, but she looked as if she had been in there for hours.

She was exhausted.

Fucking fear.

It takes over someone's head and makes everything worse.

I climbed up the ladder, then held my hand out. "Let me help you," I told Riley, and she looked up at me while clinging on to her dad.

She reached for my hand and after making sure she held on tight, I pulled her up until she was standing in front of me.

"You okay?" I whispered, cupping the side of her head.

"I think so," she muttered, her cheeks red.

"You did great, Ace." I tried to cheer her up, and to my luck, a smile appeared on her lips.

"I tried."

I grabbed her towel and wrapped it around her shoulders before Britton climbed up the ladder too.

"I think we've done enough swimming for today, huh?" He put his hands on Riley's shoulders and squeezed, and she leaned back against him while keeping her eyes on me.

"Yeah, I'm hungry," I replied.

"Me too." Riley's voice was quiet.

"Let's head to Captain's then." Davis was already standing by the steering wheel. After he turned on the motor, I sat down on the bench and leaned back to enjoy the last minutes of sun hitting my skin.