Page 8 of Vanished in the Mist
“Don’t get me wrong. This is a hell of a boat, with all the luxuries I could possibly want. But staying on it a whole week? I prefer the freedom of movement of an actual house, at least when I’m not out on the water searching. I can certainly sleep here at night. But I’d prefer to share your sister’s place during the daylight hours, if you’re open to it, especially since she promised the kitchen would be stocked. I have drinks and snacks on board, but little else.”
“So you were teasing earlier?”
His deep brown eyes sparkled with amusement. “I certainly wouldn’t mind sharing your bedroom, and your bed, if you ever want to.” He winked, making her face heat again, and her belly tighten for an entirely new reason. How could she want him when she barely knew him and felt so awful right now? “But,no,” he continued. “I wasn’t serious when I teased you about sleeping in your sister’s cabin.”
She couldn’t help smiling in response and shaking her head. But even that small movement made her nausea worse. She drew several quick breaths, desperately fighting the urge to throw up.
His expression turned serious as his brow furrowed with concern. “You can lie down on the bed if you’d like. But I recommend you sit outside. There’s built-in seating. It’s secure. And the fresh air should help ease your nausea.”
“That obvious, huh?”
“You’ve gone from Casper the Friendly Ghost white to Shrek green.”
She laughed, then pressed a hand against her protesting stomach and desperately tried to ignore the gentle rocking motion of the boat and the sparkling of the sun off the water surrounding them.
“Sit. Once I drive us to the desired location, I’ll launch off the stern to conduct my search. You won’t have to do anything but relax and work on your tan.”
“In jeans?”
“I didn’t bring any bikinis for you. But I’m fine with you just wearing your birthday suit.”
She laughed again, then groaned, her stomach protesting her every movement. “What did you mean by launch?”
Another small boat passed with two fishermen on board. They waved as they went by and Kaden waved back, then motioned toward the rear of the boat as he turned his attention back to Shanna. “The deck at the stern. That’s where I’ll go into the water, scuba dive.”
She felt the blood drain from her face. “Oh. Okay.”
“That’s the underwater part of search and recovery.”
She gave him a weak smile. “Earlier you mentioned sonar. I guess I figured it was built into the boat and you wouldn’t need to dive.”
“You’re partly right. The main equipment maps out images below the water to help with navigation so I don’t run aground. It also helps me locate large objects, like a submerged car. But it’s not that effective with smaller objects, such as human remains. Detail work requires a diver. So does recovery, for anything we’re looking for.”
She winced. “Makes sense. I’m not thinking things through very well. Usually I’m better than this.”
He lightly squeezed her arm. “You’re facing your fears to help your sister and Tanya’s family. You can’t get much better than that.”
She stared up at him, marveling at his patience and kindness. And how had she not realized how good-looking he was until now? He was clean-cut, with short brown hair and whiskey-brown eyes. Ruggedly handsome was the cliché that came to mind. He wasn’t one of those pretty boys, the ones with a perfect tan and long lashes that graced the cover of a magazine—like her ex, Troy. Instead, Kaden seemed like an incredibly capable man, the kind who could build a fire by rubbing two twigs together in a rainstorm, build a shelter without any tools that could withstand the worst that nature could throw at him. That was far sexier than any cover model could ever be. He didn’t seem much older than her, maybe thirty-two or-three. And yet, he wore the confidence of a man with far more years of experience. Kaden Rafferty washot.
She shook her head in wonder. “How are you not married? Or escorting some beauty-queen girlfriend around on your arm?”
He laughed. “Beauty queen? Is that the kind of woman you think I’d be attracted to?”
“Well, yes, actually. Like attracts like, or so they say. And you’re not exactly plain-looking.”
A sexy smile curved his lips. “Neither are you.”
She blinked, her mouth falling open and her entire body flushing with heat.
His smile widened, revealing straight white teeth and an adorable dimple in his left cheek. “Are you flirting with me, Ms. Hudson?”
If she didn’t feel so bad, she’d be jumping him right now. She cleared her throat instead. “Unfortunately, Mr. Rafferty, I feel too bad to flirt right now.”
He gave her a sympathetic look. “You’ll feel better once you see how smooth she rides.”
“She?”
“Discovery. The boat.”
