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It’s all I can do not to wince as he complies. Although the sensation of his hands on my backside is far from unpleasant, it’s eclipsed by the chilly dampness now spreading across my stomach, groin and thighs. I’m just thinking how there is nothing on God’s earth that could make a wetsuit sexy, even on a man like Nathan, when a new sensation makes me start.

‘Did… did you just squeeze my buttock?’ I ask him.

Again, I can feel him smiling. ‘Purely in the interests of realism.’

‘Oh, my God. You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?’

‘There are worse ways to pass the time,’ he murmurs softly. ‘Remember, this is a hole you dug yourself. I’m just helping to dig you back out of it.’ Suddenly, he pulls back and I can see the look of concern in his eyes. ‘I’m sorry. Did it make you uncomfortable?’

I consider his question for a moment. It should have made me uncomfortable; normally, any sexual contact that I’m not completely in control of is enough to cause me to shut down and start looking for the exit, but I don’t feel that way with Nathan. I feel safe and, to my surprise, more than a little aroused, despite the wetsuit. Two can play at this game, I decide.

‘Just don’t make a habit of it, that’s all,’ I tell him playfully as I lean forward and brush his lips with mine. They’re cold and salty from the sea, but that doesn’t stop my body from responding and I make myself pull away before things start to get out of hand. ‘I think that’s probably enough to convince her,’ I tell him as I gently disentangle myself from him.

‘Are you sure?’ Is that disappointment I can hear in his voice, or am I imagining it?

‘You two look so good together,’ one of the gap-year girls says, interrupting my thoughts. ‘Would you like me to take a picture of you?’

‘That would be great, thanks,’ Nathan tells her, handing over his phone and putting his arm around my waist.

‘There you go,’ she says a moment later, handing the phone back. ‘A little memento of your day. I was going to ask Barry if he wanted one, but he seems otherwise engaged.’

I glance over and, if I didn’t know better, I’d swear Mrs Barry has taken our PDA as a challenge, as she and Barry are locked in a passionate smooch. Unfortunately, the effect is far from the one I think she’s hoping to achieve and I try unsuccessfully to smother a giggle as a thought comes into my head.

‘What now?’ Nathan asks, bemused.

‘I know it’s unkind, but looking at them kind of reminds me of a documentary I saw about elephant seals once. There was this bit where two males were fighting for dominance…’

Nathan grimaces. ‘Thanks for that. I’m not sure I’m going to want my lunch now.’

‘Of course you will. You need to keep your strength up for this afternoon’s quasi-religious experience.’

Nathan picks up his phone. ‘Did you get any pictures?’

‘A few,’ I reply as I remember the text. ‘Actually, you got a message as well. I forgot.’

I watch his expression carefully, keen not to miss any clues as he unlocks the phone and launches the app, but his face is a mask as he reads the message and then deletes it. Shit. I was hoping for something that I could use as a hook to ask him about it without seeming nosy, but he’s giving nothing away. Something intangible has definitely shifted though, as I can feel his walls have come up.

‘Ah, look,’ he says. ‘The crew have set out lunch. Probably best to get there before Barry, don’t you think? He strikes me as the type to have a healthy appetite.’

As we make our way over to the makeshift table the crew have constructed, I spot Barry and his wife disengaging from their impromptu make-out session. He looks delighted, but there’s a definite competitive spark in her eyes as she glances over in our direction. Are we really doing this? The mischievous side of me is totally up for it, aided by the fact that being physically affectionate with Nathan brings its own rewards, but she’s going to be sorely disappointed if she thinks I’m going to get down and dirty with him on the deck just to outdo her. Plus, the way he reacted to the message has definitely punctured all the warm, fuzzy feelings I had just now.

There’s another issue too. I was absolutely fine on the journey out here as, although the boat bounced a little, the rush of wind in my face was more than enough to compensate. Since we’ve been at anchor, I’ve been fighting a feeling of nausea as it’s rocked gently from side to side on the gentle swell – made worse when people are moving about as they are now. There’s also a lingering fishy aroma from the bait that combines in a most unpleasant way with the sight of the prawn sandwiches the crew are unpacking from the cool boxes. Suddenly, I can feel the bile rising and, before I know it, I’m heaving and retching over the side of the boat. Almost immediately, I feel the calloused hand of the captain pulling me up by the shoulder as he hands me a bucket.

‘Here you are,’ he says gently. ‘Probably safer in there, eh? We haven’t lost anyone from the boat yet, but there’s always a first time.’

The fishy aroma of the bucket is enough to bring the rest of my breakfast up in a hot, acidic rush and I stare morosely at it as my stomach continues to cramp, even though there’s nothing left inside it. I’m acutely aware that I’m the only one suffering; everyone else seems to be tucking into their lunch with gusto, especially Mr and Mrs Barry. The triumphant look on her face makes me (briefly) want to hurl the contents of the bucket at her, before I remind myself that I entered wholeheartedly into her weird competition, so she’s entitled to her victory. One thing is for certain: there are no longer any sexy images of Nathan, naked or otherwise, playing in my head. All I want to do now is survive the rest of today and get back onto dry land.

‘How are you feeling now?’ Nathan’s voice breaks into my miserable thoughts as he sits down next to me, offering me a welcome ice-cold bottle of water. ‘I’m sorry. I never realised you suffered this badly.’

‘Neither did I,’ I tell him with a rueful smile.

‘The captain tells me that the place we’re going to this afternoon doesn’t have any great white sharks, but there are seals and other types of marine life. Why don’t you take my place in the cage?’

‘Thanks, but no thanks. I’m quite happy here.’

‘I was just thinking it might help to take your mind off…’ He stops speaking, evidently worried that any descriptive words might start me vomiting again.

‘I’ll be fine, honestly.’