Chapter 37

He reached the floating dock in the center of the lake and was already on his way back before I had covered three-quarters of the distance. Startled when he grabbed my arm, halting our movement, I jumped in surprise. Swiftly diving underwater, he seized my thighs and pulled me beneath the surface. As I emerged, spluttering and laughing at his playful gesture, I cupped my hands over the water and playfully splashed him in the face.

"Hey," he chuckled.

The strap of my bra slipped off my shoulder, and he reached over to readjust it.

"Look." He pointed towards the marsh where the crane I had spotted earlier was perched. The elegant bird with its long neck and legs was partially concealed among the grasses and reeds, its gaze conveying a sense of disapproval, as if we had disrupted its fishing or disturbed its tranquility.

As he withdrew his hand from pointing, he briefly rested it on my shoulder, almost as if ensuring I had seen what he had indicated.

"He l