Page 2 of Dragon Daddy's Second Chance

Montgomery laughed. “You got it,” he said, then backed away from the wheel. “You want to take over for a while?”

Without hesitation, he slid over and was soon lost in the feel of skimming over the waves, the power of the boat speaking to the part of him that was just a little wild. It was a relief to lose himself in the moment, to let the ache of loss that followed him every minute of his life fade as he navigated the boat through the waves toward Heart of the Ocean and the friend he hadn’t seen in over five years. He was ready for a new start and everything pointed to this being the time and place to make that happen.

When the island came into sight, still only a speck on thehorizon, he looked over at Montgomery, wondering if he wanted to take over. “Take her all the way in if you want,” he said. “It’s an easy harbor and a small marina. You’ve got this.”

Following the path plotted on the instruments in front of him, he slowed the boat and slipped into the harbor, forcing himself to concentrate, but the island's beauty made it difficult. A second later, he noticed another boat keeping pace with them, but only gave it a quick glance to assure himself that there was plenty of space between the boats, thinking more about the dock in front of him.

It had been a while since he’d docked anything but his cruiser; the last thing he wanted to do was scratch Montgomery’s boat, and he thought about handing the wheel back over for a second. But it wasn’t far, and he was sure he could do it, so he stayed where he was, heart pounding just a bit as they approached.

Montgomery stepped up next to him. “Looks like you’re not the only guest captaining one of the boats today,” he said, looking over at the boat running next to them. “She’s giving you a run for your money too.”

Unable to resist, he looked over at the other boat, and his already racing heart skipped a beat when he saw the redhead standing behind the wheel. Completely forgetting what he was doing, he could only stare at the woman as all his senses suddenly came to life. His body began to tingle, and desire swept through him. He knew what was happening to him all too well; it had happened many times before, in crowded restaurants, busy shopping centers, even in line at the bank once, but this response was stronger than anything he’d felt before.

“Hey, you’d better slow down, or you’re going to ram the dock,” Montgomery said, reaching around him to pull back the throttle. “Maybe I should take over.”

“Sorry, I just lost concentration there for a second,” hesaid, shaking his head. “I thought I…..saw someone I used to know.”

The boat had already disappeared to the other side of the marina, the only evidence it had been there was the small wake it had left behind, and he stepped away from the wheel, feeling like an idiot. It had been so long since he’d had one of those episodes, he’d been sure they were over, but the redhead had brought it all to life again, and he groaned, wondering if his broken heart would ever heal.

***Wren***

Wren slid into the jump seat next to the captain, a man named Bruce, who was about her age, and gave him a big smile, feeling like she’d finally come home. It had been so long since she’d been out on the sea, so long since she’d ridden the waves and let the power of the ocean soak into her. Bruce smiled back, a look of perfect understanding on his face, then looked back at her best friend sitting huddled on the deck, her face white with fear.

“Susan doesn’t look like she’s enjoying this very much,” Bruce said. “Maybe I should slow down.”

“She’s been like this since we were kids, the only way she would get on a boat back then is if I was behind the wheel,” she said. “I’ll go back there and sit with her in a few minutes, I just want to enjoy this for a second. It’s been so long since I was on a boat, especially one this fast.”

“Were you raised around boats?” Bruce asked. “I’ve had one foot in the water since I could walk.”

“Me too,” she said, laughing. “My father is a fisherman, and he took me with him all the time. I think I spent more time on the water than I did on land growing up.”

“Eastern coast of Ireland, if I’m not mistaken,” Bruce said,looking over at her and grinning when he saw the surprise on her face. “I spent a few years there working the fishing boats. Do you still go out with your dad?”

She hadn’t expected the question, and it opened the wound of losing her parents all over again, making her hesitate for a second. “I’m afraid not,” she finally said, pleased that her voice didn’t betray the pain that surged through her. “I had a bit of a falling out with my parents a few years ago, and we haven’t spoken since then.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up a painful topic,” Bruce said, his face full of regret, but then he smiled at her. “Do you want to drive for a while?”

“Really?” she asked, then looked back at Susan. “I would love to. It might make Susan feel better, too.”

“Then the wheel is all yours,” Bruce said, stepping back. “Our course is plotted; all you have to do is follow it.”

It was easy to lose herself in the joy of driving the boat. All the stress and worry of her life back home faded as if the spray from the waves washed it all away. For the first time in years, she was on the water, the one place she truly loved to be, and feeding the part of her soul that craved freedom. When the island finally materialized on the horizon, she felt better than she had in years, more relaxed and more in control.

Glancing over her shoulder at Susan, she was relieved to find her friend looking out at the island, a little smile on her face. Reassured that Susan was okay, she took a quick look at their approach to the marina on the chart plotter, then powered down the engines for a slower approach. Spotting another boat on her port side, she caught up to it, then turned to wave at the captain, a smile on her face that probably looked silly but she didn’t care, she was happier than she’d been in a long time.

The smile faded when she saw the man behind the wheel. Her heart began to race and she quickly looked away, sure that she’d been wrong. Unable to resist, she looked over at the boat again, but it had pulled away at an angle. She couldn’t see the captain’s face anymore, but a strange feeling began to grow inside her. A mixture of desire, fear, and anger that left her slightly breathless, and she had to force herself to concentrate so she didn’t miss the turn to get to the slip.

Hands shaking, breath coming in short gasps, she told herself it couldn’t be him, he couldn’t be on the island, it was impossible, too big of a coincidence. “Are you okay?” Bruce asked, his face full of concern. “You look like you just saw a ghost.”

“I’m okay, just a little hungry, maybe,” she said, stepping back from the wheel. “Maybe you should take over. Thanks for letting me drive, it was great.”

When she finally sank down next to Susan, her friend gave her a searching look, then let out a long sigh. “It happened again, didn’t it?” she asked, shaking her head. “When are you going to get over that guy? He was just a rich, stuck-up jerk. You’re better without him.”

“He wasn’t like that and you know it,” she said, wondering why she was defending him after all these years. “It’s not like I haven’t tried to get over him. I’m as tired as you are of this, but I just can’t get him out of my mind.”

“It’s a big waste if you ask me,” Susan said. “There are a hundred men out there who would treat you like a queen if you just gave them a chance, instead, you’re wasting your life pining over that loser. He didn’t even try to come after you, Wren. If he really loved you as much as he said he did, he wouldn’t have given up that easily.”

“Do you think I don’t know that?” she asked, then took a deep breath. “Let’s not fight about this, we’re on the vacationof a lifetime, I promised I would try to move on, and I will. You just have to be patient with me.”

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