Page 34 of Duty and Desire

Watching Nick move through the water, lithe and unhurried, had been the icing on the cake. He’d put his hands behind his back and kicked, propelling himself along with his fins, clearly as entranced by the spectacle below us as I was.

Lunch had been pleasant, a simple affair of crackers, cheese, fruit, and sodas, but sitting in the boat with the sun warming us, peering into the water as we ate…

It beat the St. Regis hands down.

Nick stopped the boat. “I need tothank you.”

“Why? I should be the one who’s doing all the thanking. That was a wonderful day.”

He smiled. “It’s been a while since I last did this. I’d forgotten how much I loved it. And if you hadn’t come up with the idea, who knows when I’d have done it again?” Nick shrugged. “I don’t work every day, but it’s amazing how much real life eats into my time. I need to take a break now and then, and remind myself why I chose to live here.”

“Have you taken Claudia snorkeling?”

Nick snorted. “The closest she gets is lying on an inflatable in a pool, a cocktail floating beside her.” He placed the snorkeling gear in a lock box.

“Well, I’m going to be here until the end of July.” I tilted my head. “Do you think we might do this again?”

His face shone and his eyes sparkled. “I know you said you’d be staying for a couple of months—I didn’t realize you meant four. That’s one really good friend you have there.”

“He is. We go way back.”

“Then I think that’s a distinct possibility.”

I gazed at the lagoon drinking in the sight of boats gliding to and fro, the hum of noise from the village, the call of the birds soaring above us, buoyed by the air currents.

Then it hit me. I didn’t want to get out of the boat.

Specifically, I didn’t want to be parted from Nick.

My tee and shorts were almost dry, and I had no excuse to linger, but still I didn’t move.

I spoke before I changed my mind. “Do you have to get back to Claudia, or would you like to go someplace for a drink?” It was already five o’clock, so the suggestion wasn’t that outlandish.

Nick hesitated for a moment, and I was quick to give him an out. “Forget I asked. I’ve taken up way too much of your time already.”

He flushed. “I was just working out what excuse I could give Claudia for walking in later than I’d promised. We’re having dinner at seven.”

“Then you should go home and get ready.” I was being selfish. Nick had his own life.

Then he smiled, and the reflected light in Nick’s face was so goddamn beautiful.

“I think I have time for a drink.” He pulled his phone from his shorts pocket and tapped the screen. “There. Claudia knows I’ll be back there in about an hour. Now give me five minutes to secure the boat, and then we can be off.” He gave me an amused glance. “Any idea where you’d like to go?”

“Te Moana Nui? Kai makes the best cocktails.” I wasn’t about to share that I knew Nick frequented the bar. That would definitely make me look like a stalker.

And speaking of stalkers, Nick’s shadow was missing. I hadn’t seen him when I’d arrived at the ferry point either.

Interesting.

Did he finally take the hint? Did I have something to do with that? Couldn’t take a little competition, huh?

Yeah, I wassofull of myself.

We walked through the parking lot to where I’d left the buggy. Nick grinned when he saw it, and I rolled my eyes.

“Roger painted it that color.”

He smirked. “Saying nothing.” He pointed to a motorbike. “That’s mine. I’ll follow you. But only one drink, okay? Any more than that, and I’ll be swerving all over the place.”

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