Page 16 of Secrets in the Deep

“Here.”

She looked at the hand in front of her, then traced it up to Ryan’s face.

She didn’t want to take it. But people were watching…and it wasn’t like Preston had offered to help her up. He was already on his feet, standing by the monitor, watching the scene back.

Tentatively, she slipped her palm into Ryan’s. His large hand swallowed her small one, his fingers wrapping around hers tightly.

A jolt of awareness shot through her system, squeezing the air from her lungs.

Gently, he tugged her to her feet, and suddenly he was close. So close that their breaths mingled and his smell, that damn evergreen, swallowed up the years that had passed.

“Thank you.” The quiet words fell from her lips, her gaze stuck to his like a seal she couldn’t break.

His thumb slid gently over the back of her hand, making goose bumps race over her arms. “How’s your knee?”

That one single question pulled her back to reality.

Her knee. Her damaged knee. Damaged the night her world had changed.

She tugged her hand free, hating that she immediately missed his warmth. “It’s fine.”

“Emily.”

She looked at the director.

“We’re doing the river-crossing scene now.”

She wanted to groan. Or maybe she did, because Ryan asked, “Doesn’t she get a break?”

Roscoe’s eyes narrowed on him. “Stay in your lane, kid.” He looked at Emily. “Come on. We need to harness up.”

She glanced at the river just past the trees. It was moving fast today. So fast that she almost stepped back unconsciously.

“She’s ready.”

Her jaw ground at her mother’s answer toherquestion.

Melanie Prior stopped to the right of Emily, slipping an arm around her waist, and in the process, pulled her away from Ryan.

“Come on.” Her mother ushered her toward the river.

They moved out of the trees to see the rocks she had to cross. Water lapped over them. But she knew they were safe. The safety coordinator had coated them in a spray that gave them grip. And there was also the harness and safety team downstream.

So why did nerves kick at her belly?

She’d be fine. She was a professional. She could do this. Shewoulddo this.

Larry, the safety coordinator, approached with a bundled harness.

“Ready?” He held up the harness.

No. She nodded.

“It’s going to sit under your top.”

Laura, the costume coordinator, came over, and between the two of them, they got her harnessed up.

“The main line attaches here at the back.” Larry patted the central clip. “We’ll have a cable running to a spotter on the bank. It’ll have enough slack that you won’t feel it unless you slip.”