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"It’s nothing I just stepped into a hole, that’s all Lostand went under" Even now, she felt silly The river wasn’t all that deep, and she’d so, Violet "No lockbox, unfortunately"

"Well, whatever it e’re done looking for now" He hauled her against hian to pull her to the shore

Though he was being a bit heavy-handed with things, Violet wasn’t co to her body and now the htly chilly to wickedly cold, and the only thing as Jonathan’s big body pressed against hers She ignored the wet adhesion of the fabric to her brsts "I can walk on my own"

"Clearly, you can’t"

"Jonathan--"

"Violet, don’t make me carry you back to the shore," he warned

"Oh, please You couldn’t if you tried"

He looked down at her and gave her a challenging look "Is that a dare?"

"Just calling it like I see it"

Without a word, Jonathan leaned over and grabbed her behind her knees, hauling her into his ar to his shoulders as he pushed through the water "We’re going to fall!"

"I’"

She was strea water everywhere, and she was terrified Jonathan would drop her She wasn’t a dainty teenager any longer She was solid noith an adult’s curves and an adult’s addiction to Ben & Jerry’s But he wasn’t putting her down, so she squeezed her eyes shut and hoped for the best

A few e, and when she looked down, Jonathan haddown from his jeans and his sneakers squished with every step He paused and gently set her feet down on the pave look "You’re not heavy, you know"

She just rolled her eyes "You’re not Prince Char look faded from his face, replaced by an expression of pain, quickly masked with politeness

She felt like an ass She’dway, referring to the way he’d carried her like a princess in need of her fainting couch He’d apparently taken it the wrong way So she just crossed her arms over her chest to hide her brsts and shivered on the bank "What do we do now? Want to try the other side?"

"Takeit off

"You’re not cold?"

"I’ the blazer over her shoulders before she could protest

He wasn’t fine That wasn’t the tone of voice of a ue with hirateful she’d at least be able to hide her too-perky niles "Thanks"

"Let’s go across the bridge and try the other side This ti"

She made a face at hi herself Maybe he’d have better luck than she did

She gathered up her shoes and stockings and followed him They picked up their coffee cups--the contents had spilled when Jonathan had plunged into the river after her--and Violet sniffed hersas soon as it had hit the ground, and there was nothing left of it but shreds and cruht voice, hoping to restore their easy mood from earlier

Jonathan didn’t reply, just put a hand at the se

Violet sighed to herself and let hinated area of the bridge when Jonathan stiffened at her side

"What is it?" she asked hi in a way that made her pulse race "The letter said thirteen steps underneath, right?"

"It did"

"What if there was a co She was too distracted by that roguish look in his eyes Oh, God, did that look give her iven her just before he’d gone down on her That wait till you get a load of this look that always pros

She really, really needed to stop thinking about sex around him

"Thirteen steps," Jonathan said, "comma, underneath"

Realization dawned Thirteen steps, underneath She looked behind thee "Thirteen steps fro back, and she watched hian to count aloud He passed her and paused "Thirteen" Then, he dropped to his knees and stuck his head over the side of the bridge A moment later, he leaned in and his entire torso e

"Jonathan, be careful," she warned as he twisted his body farther over the side, reaching for so she couldn’t see

"Got it," he called up, and then held an envelope aloft a few moments later

Violet squealed and danced in place; she couldn’t help herself "You did! You found it! Jonathan, you’re a genius!"

He sat back on his haunches, just grinning up at her like he’d won an award, and Violet had to clench her fists to keep fro happy kiss on his face She should have been grumpy that he was able to find it so easily, but she was simply excited that he’d found it It felt like they were a tea the people who had to maneuver around them, and peered over his shoulder as he flipped the envelope in his hands It was larger than she thought it would be, and sealed entirely in a thin layer of plastic The exterior was plain, but she could see her name and Jonathan’s written on the front in her father’s handwriting