Page 11 of Meet Me in Tahiti

He skipped down the stairs then stopped behind the bench where she sat now, resting one forearm casually on the rail near the others. “I’ll give her this much—it was the most dramatic snorkeling exit I’ve seen in at least a year.”

“See?” Tessa said. “The captain’s impressed. I’m basically unforgettable now.”

Russ leaned closer. “You’d be hard to forget, regardless.”

Tessa glanced up at him, eyes wide, cheeks flushed—from the sun or his words, he couldn’t tell. It was only a harmless compliment, though, right? He couldn’t be flirting with the guests.

He saw her friend Marin smiling at him as he gazed at Tessa. Because something about Tessa was drawing him in. He’d better be careful. There were strict rules about the crew—and especially the captain of a boat—fraternizing inappropriately with its guests. Romantic relationships were strictly forbidden, and he wasn’tabout to lose this job. Even if hewasactively looking for another.

Still, she was here alone, and they were all picking on her, even though it was all in fun. He was only defending her. She didn’t have anyone else to do it.

Russ ignored Marin’s gaze. “How’s the leg?” he asked Tessa, his voice gentler now.

“It’s okay.” She smiled, and their gazes met. “I’ll live.”

“No more chasing fish,” he said, lingering on her gaze.

“Definitely not.”

He shook his head and reached for the ice bucket, happy to see he’d made her smile.

Jules had laid out fresh fruit, chilled water, and a small bottle of rum with sliced limes as she and Malik prepared dinner for the group. It was the kind of casual moment that reminded Russ why he loved this work—not just the sailing, but the laid-back fun that happened in between.

The laughter. The people. The little flashes of connection that made you feel alive. He missed it in his own life.

He snapped open a can of seltzer water, poured it into a glass of ice, and leaned against the wall of the galley, listening to the banter, letting the breeze skim his face.

Tessa was right in the middle of it all, legs tucked under her, freckles dusted across her nose, laughing like she hadn’t looked heartbroken under the moonlight last night. He was glad to see it. Why couldn’t he seem toignore her? Or treat her like all the other beautiful women on this cruise? There was something about her.

And her mistake today had been completely understandable. The coral was sharp, and if you didn’t realize you were swimming over it where it nearly reached the surface, it was easy to slice open a hand or a foot or a leg. The same sort of thing had actually happened on his charters several times before.

She glanced at him, her mouth turning up on one side for a long moment as their eyes met. Lingering there too long, he pulled his gaze away.

How did this woman keep capturing his attention? He didn’t usually take too much of an interest in the chartered groups. They came, and they went. Oftentimes, they drank too much and partied too hard and simply tested his patience. Other times, they kept to themselves and didn’t bother chatting with him. This group seemed somewhere in between the two extremes.

But he always learned the names of his passengers because that was his job, and that was usually as far as it went.

Of course, the guests on his boat were often paired up, like most of this group. Having one single and seemingly vulnerable woman on a charter was definitely outside the norm.

With a sigh, Russ sipped from his glass as the chatting and laughter continued.

Chapter

Four

The next daybrought another blue sky. Tessa stood at the back that morning, watching from the main deck as the yacht’s engine quietly hummed.

The island of Moorea now loomed behind them, all emerald peaks and lush green slopes with a misty layer of cloud hanging low.

TheLatitudewas heading out to sea for a crossing that would take them to the next island, and Tessa was nervous but excited.

They’d been told the trip would take two or three hours, and they’d reach it early this afternoon. Jules passed out anti-nausea tablets just before departure, and most of the group swallowed theirs with juice, groaning about the motion already. Tessa hesitated but took one. It wasn’t worth tempting fate.

By midday, the sun was high, and the boat was rolling gently across broad, endless swells. The deck was quiet, the sky wide and still cloudless. Everyone,including Tessa, had found a place to sprawl—on cushions, sofas, or lounge chairs in the shade.

Music drifted from the outdoor speakers, something mellow and warm. The breeze was constant and soothing.

Tessa curled up with a towel over her legs and drifted easily into a nap.

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