Viona's POV
"Ladies first. I'll start after thirty seconds," he said, playing the gentleman.
I giggled softly. "No need. Let's start at the same time. I'm not your average woman swimmer."
We exchanged a sly look, and on the count of three, we launched into the most absurd race out of nowhere.
Still, the challenge hit my ego hard. My body fired up instantly, energy surging as I slipped into a steady freestyle.
The riverbed stayed shallow, barely two feet below my chest, and the current was pushing me faster.
For the first few seconds, Rafael stayed right beside me. That only pushed me harder. I sped up, my focus locked on the finish, where the large stone marked the mouth of the cave.
At some point, I didn't even notice when he fell behind—I couldn't feel him beside me anymore, and he wasn't ahead either.
