The Trouble with Love Read Online Free

her not to worry about it. They would gaze into each other’s eyes. . .
    â€œCan’t you reach me?” he checked with a frown, and stretched his hand a little further towards her.
    Polly realized her arms were still hanging by her sides. Colour whooshed into her cheeks. She hesitantly put her hand in his, trying to ignore the way her heart thumped at the feel of his skin. He folded his fingers around hers and steadied her as she started to climb towards the boat. His grip was strong and safe.
    Now is not the time for daydreaming , Polly instructed herself, suddenly feeling embarrassed. Now is the time for concentrating. You don’t want to tip the whole. . .
    â€œAhhh!”
    The last rock slid away from her foot and landed with a splash in the sea. Polly lost her balance completely. With her arms flailing, she lunged into the boat head first, tackling the boy around the knees and hitting the deck with a crunch. She watched, frozen with horror at what she had done, as he staggered backwards, caught his foot against a rope and started to fall towards the water.
    â€œOh . . . no!”
    Polly scrambled to her feet and threw her arms around him, trying to pull him back. Her sudden movement made the boat rock worse than ever.
    And then the whole world tipped sideways and she crashed into the dark and freezing water, bottom first, with her arms still wrapped around her rescuer’s waist.

FIVE
    Polly fought her way to the surface, coughing and spluttering. Falling into the sea hadn’t featured in her little daydream, and with good reason. The water was freezing , and the waves buffeted her mercilessly from side to side.
    She kicked hard, feeling clumsy in her heavy shoes, with her sodden fringe in her eyes and her heart racing like a frightened rabbit. Where was everything? The boat? The rocks? And what about the boy – she blushed miserably – the boy she’d pulled overboard?
    I’ll never live this down , she thought in despair. If he didn’t think she was an idiot before, now he would for sure.
    A big wave knocked her sideways and she swallowed a mouthful of salt water. Her skirt was getting heavier, dragging her downwards, and when a rock loomed dangerously close to her head, she panicked and started to scream. This was all her worst nightmares coming true. Dashed against the rocks, knocked unconscious, drowned. . .
    A dark head bobbed up beside her, and a hand grabbed her own.
    â€œI’ve got you,” he said in her ear. His breath was warm against her cold cheek. “The boat’s not far. Can you make it?”
    Polly felt calmer as she glimpsed the white hull of the Arctic Angel floating just behind her rescuer. She kicked hard, grateful for the feeling of the boy’s hand. The moment they reached the boat, he heaved himself out of the water before grasping her by both hands and pulling her aboard beside him.
    They lay side by side, coughing. Polly wanted to die of shame, or cold, or maybe both. Her romantic daydream had turned into a horrible disaster!
    He stopped coughing and rolled on to his side with his chin propped in his hand, seawater pooling on the deck around him.
    â€œI’m Sam,” he said cheerfully, as if she hadn’t tipped him into the sea and almost drowned them both.
    â€œP . . . P . . . Polly,” Polly gasped, shivering.
    â€œPleased to meet you, P-P-Polly.”
    â€œThat was totally my fault,” she moaned. “You must hate me.”
    â€œIt was the rock’s fault,” he pointed out.
    Rock or no rock, Polly still felt utterly stupid. She should have been concentrating on where she was putting her feet, not imagining what it would feel like to have this boy’s arms round her.
    â€œWe need to dry off before we freeze,” he said, getting to his feet.
    He pulled his soaked jumper over his head and dropped it in a soggy heap on the deck. Polly felt herself