Page 46 of The Plus One

“It could happen.”

“I’ll bring you back up.”

My heart beat against my chest as I held his hand. “On three?” he asked. I nodded. “One.” I tightened my grip. “Two.”

“Ace, wait—”

“Three.”

We ran and jumped. It was like time stood still cause for a few seconds there was nothing beneath my feet. I screamed and squeezed his hand until the water swallowed us. When I surfaced, Ace was beside me, still holding my hand. “You good?”

“I did it!”

“You did.”

“I can’t believe I did that.”

He pulled me closer. “I told you I had you.” Then he cupped the back of my neck and kissed me. My surprise lasted less than a second. I wrapped my arm around his shoulders and kissed him back, forgetting about Markel, Tiana, the wedding party, and the fake relationship.

All I felt was Ace. When I pulled away, Sierra whistled while Stephen yelled for us to get a room. “What was that for?” I asked.

Ace glanced toward the group. “Had to give them a show for good measure.”

“Right.” I forced a smile. “The show.”

His expression changed. “Kema—”

“Come on. Let’s swim.”

We spent the next hour in the water while Sierra forced everyone to take pictures. Ace kept his arm around my waist, even when nobody was watching.

By the time we headed back, my clothes were wet, my hair was a mess, and every muscle in my body hurt. But I was happy.

I came to Cancún wanting Markel to regret losing me. Instead, I barely noticed him because Ace was consuming all my thoughts. We had almost reached the four-wheelers when Markel grabbed my elbow. “Kema, wait.”

I pulled away. “What?”

“Can we talk?”

“About what?”

He glanced at Ace, who was talking to Stephen a few feet away. “Alone.”

“No.”

“Kema, I’m trying to have a conversation with you.”

“And I’m telling you I don’t want one.”

“We need to talk about you and Ace.”

I laughed. “There is no me and Ace conversation that involves you.”

“He’s my best friend.”

“Was.”

His jaw tightened. “You fucking with him to get back at me?”