THIRTY-FIVE
True to his word, Jason returned wearing a pair of board shorts. Xan felt unusually self-conscious in her bikini. The memory of Vanessa Fisher was still clear in her mind, and Xan came up short when compared to the goddess of love.
Not that she was after love here, Xan told herself. She wanted to share her love of the reef with Jason, that's all. Better that his eyes were on the fish and not her boobs, anyway.
On the shore, his gaze was fixed on her face. His whole face lit up like a kid at Christmas when she held out his mask.
She explained what to do if his mask or snorkel filled with water, as she would for any novice, and Jason nodded gravely. For once, he seemed happy to do as he was told.
Together, they knelt in the shallows, letting him get accustomed to breathi
