My Married Mate

Zane

(Rose's POV)

I couldn't believe all that had happened. First, there I was trying to figure out how to save me and my daughter from a shark and then next thing out of nowhere a dolphin comes up to protect us. It was the dolphin my daughter was talking about. I knew it because the dolphin in fact had blue eyes like she had said. I didn't know how that was even possible, but there it was protecting me and Aubrey. I tried to swim away with Aubrey once it hit me that I could. Just as I started getting us closer to the shore a wave knocked me down and pulled us under. I held onto Aubrey for dear life and tried to fight to get her to the surface. When we both got to the surface my poor baby was crying hysterically. We were now even further out into the ocean and I felt myself getting weak. I didn't know what to do. I looked around and then noticed a beautiful man swimming towards us. It felt like God had sent down an angel right in that moment just for us. I asked him to carry Aubrey to shore for me and he agreed. He offered to carry me as well. The thought of being in his arms made my heart quicken. I didn't know if it was all the excitement or what, but I shook off my feelings and decided against it. He asked me to swim ahead of him and Aubrey. I had to look back often though to make sure that this stranger wasn't going to swim off with my daughter. We made it to back to shore and I pulled Aubrey to me once she was off the stranger's back. I could not take my eyes off of him. Not because of him being a stranger and I had trust issues. No, this man was like a god. He was probably about 6'4 and had the most beautiful blonde hair that fell in perfect ringlets around his face. His eyes were bright blue. He had the sexiest eyes I had ever seen on a man. My gaze started to move down his body. I felt a fire start within me. No man had ever had this affect on me. He was practically perfect it was unreal. I snapped out of my daze when he started to talk to Aubrey. "Anything for such a beautiful princess." I was immediately disgusted by his comment. I'm sure it was meant to be sweet, but I couldn't ever be too cautious. I would not let what happened to me happen to her. She was too precious. I pulled Aubrey close to me. "Thank you...I don't know how to repay you." The stranger was  frowning at me. That made my heart hurt. Why did I care about his feelings? I didn't know him. Sure he had just saved us and I would be forever be thankful, but I didn't know this man or his intentions. "You're welcome, I'm glad I was here to help." He shot a gorgeous smile at me. He had perfect dimples that made butterflies fill my stomach. Why did this man have this affect on me? "Mommy, can he have lunch with us?" I was brought back to reality and noticed that the man was staring back at me.  "No, we don't have lunch with strangers even if they just saved our lives." I saw the man frown again. Did he really think I would just let him tag along with us? Sure he saved us, but I didn't know him. It didn't matter how godlike he was. I couldn't trust him.  "Mommy doesn't like strangers. I'm sorry mr..." He interrupted Aubrey, "Garrett. You can call me Garrett sweet girl." That feeling of disgust filled me again and I instinctively pulled Aubrey even closer to me. "Thank you Mr. Garrett, but we have to get back. I'm sure my husband is worried about us." I knew that I was lying through my teeth. Zane probably wouldn't even know that any of this happened unless we told him. He never cared to ask about anything that happened to us during our days. He mostly talked about work. If we decided to share our day he acted like he was listening, but truly he never paid one bit of attention. Pain shot through me as I thought about my loveless marriage. A small part of me wished that I didn't have to walk away from Garrett. I didn't understand it, but it was like I was being drawn towards him. "I understand, I hope you both stay safe. I don't want to have to save you from the water again." He flashed that perfect smile at me again and I felt my insides turn into mush. I had to get a grip. He was probably used to making women gush by smiling at them. I nodded at him and turned away, pulling Aubrey up into my arms. The walk back to the condo felt longer than usual. Maybe because I was still exhausted from all the swimming. Aubrey fell asleep in my arms on the way there. As soon as we got in, I laid her down in her bed and went to the bathroom to take a quick shower. I saw my face in the mirror and horror filled me. Stupid mascara. I had black streaks all across my face. I was instantly embarrassed thinking that Garrett saw me like that. He didn't say a word about it. Why would he? Why did I care about how I looked around another man anyways? I shrugged off my feelings and questions and took my shower. After I was done, I quietly went into the living room. I did a final glance back in the room to make sure Aubrey was still asleep and thankfully she was. I started making sandwiches for the both of us. I put Aubrey's in the fridge for her to eat later. I sat at the table and tried to eat. I started to go over everything that had happened. Garrett. Why did he have to be so perfect? I couldn't stop thinking about him. Just in the few minutes I was around him I felt more than I had ever felt in the three and a half years I had been with Zane. I sat there for a few minutes lost in thought. "Are you just going to hold that sandwich or are you going to eat it?" I nearly jumped out of my skin. Zane had been sitting at the couch the entire time and I didn't notice him. "Yeah...sorry I've just got a lot on my mind." I replied back quietly. I always tended to speak quieter towards him. I didn't understand it, but it never seemed to faze Zane. "When did you get back?" I tried to change the subject. I didn't feel like being asked what was on my mind because quite frankly I didn't know what I would say. "Not much earlier before you. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to wake up Aubrey." I appreciated that. Nap time was always hard for Aubrey, but after all the excitement today it was very understandable that she needed a nap. Hell, I felt like I needed a nap after everything that happened. I nodded and started to eat my sandwich. I didn't know why I couldn't carry a conversation with him. I just didn't know what to say. I finished my food and headed back to the room to check on Aubrey. She was still fast asleep. I sat down on the couch, pulled out my phone and started to scroll through my social media accounts. There was an awkward silence in the room and then finally Zane decided to speak. "So, I know the plan was for us to go back to home tomorrow, but something came up and the company needs me to stay another week." We came to Florida because Zane's company sent him down here to do a job. We never went anywhere unless it involved his work. I appreciated the time away from home even if it wasn't a true family vacation. "Oh, okay. Is something wrong? I'm not complaining, just curious." l look at him and notice him shift in his seat. "No, I just have some more work to do before we can head back." Something in me told me he was lying to me, but also I didn't care. I kind of hoped he was cheating on me so I would have a dignified reason to leave him. I smiled at him as much as I could without looking too fake, "Okay sounds good to me. I'm sure Aubrey will have no complaints." He smiled,  then pulled out his laptop and began tapping away at the keys. "I think I need some fresh air. Do you think you could listen out for Aubrey? Just text me if she wakes up and I'll be right back here." Zane waved his hand at me as if to dismiss me and I took it as a yes. I slipped on my sandals and head back out towards the beach. I didn't even know why I wanted to go back outside. In all honesty, I was partly hoping I'd see him again...Garrett. How could such a perfect human being exist and why was it so hard to not think about him? No man had ever made an impact like that on me before. It must be because I've also never seen such a handsome man in person. That must be it. I got close to the shoreline and sat down. I started to make drawings in the sand just to have the waves come and wash it away again. I felt so absentminded. It felt like I was just a shell of a person. My only true meaning in life was to be a good mother to my daughter and raise her to do much more than I had ever done in my life. After I got pregnant with her,  Zane told me to drop out of college because he could provide for us entirely. In his opinion, there was no need for me to work. I regretted it wholeheartedly. I was so close to getting my Chemistry degree and I threw it all away because a man told me to. I felt powerless when it came to him. I always felt like no matter what I said his word always meant more than mine. Zane just had a way of looking at me and his words reeked of dominance. I hated that about him. Before I met him no man could tell me what to do. Not even my own father at certain points. I was determined to be in control of my life and never be a victim again. Here I was though, stuck in a marriage I didn't want and powerless against the man I didn't want to be with. I sighed and laid back against the sand. As a did I noticed someone walking towards me in the corner of my eye. I turned my head and my heart started to race. "Garrett."