Page 7 of Spring Break with a Treasure Hunter
I raised a shoulder and answered, “Yeah. Point taken and not something I do often. But you wanted to dive? And right here? Come on, I’m not that stupid.”
“I never said you were. I was looking into getting a boat and through that discovered you were going on a dive. Since our meeting the other day was rather…abrupt…I thought it might be a good opportunity to go for a dive and with your group. You’d already left, so I got my own boat.”
I watched his features to see if he was spinning me a line. I had no reason not to believe him. Right?
“This is an awful fancy boat for a dive trip.” I commented.
“Yeah, it was the only one available on short notice.” He smiled, and my heart did a little tumble.
Damn, he was gorgeous. My eyes traveled to his lips, and my blood pounded through my veins remembering what they’d just done to me. I squirmed a bit on the seat, feeling so out of my element it hurt.
“I see. Well, what do you say we get back? I’m eager to clean up the coins. Plus, I need to wash the salt off me.” I finished the beer and stood, walking past him to put the empty can in the cooler.
“Is that what you really want to do?” He reached out and curled his arm around my waist.
I felt a shock when he touched me. I stumbled, and cursed the rogue wave that tossed the boat at the same time. My foot slid out from under me and the next thing I knew, I was on his lap with a very unladylike, “oof.”
“Whoa there,” he said, as I scrambled back to my feet.
I tried to shake it off, which wasn’t the easiest thing to do since falling into his lap had felt absolutely perfect and I would’ve rather stayed there.
“What do you say we head back?” I suggested again.
He sighed and rose, going over to the helm. “If that’s what you want.” He started the boat and the powerful engines roared to life.
“Yes, it’s what I want.” I convinced myself it was what I wanted, even though deep inside my stomach churned with indecision.
“Hang on,” Cork called back to me.
The boat lurched forward, bow up, with the sudden surge. I hung on, waiting for the boat to level out. Built for speed and comfort, soon it flattened on the water and we were speeding back toward the marina.
I loved the wildness of the ride, the bounce over the waves, my hair streaming out behind me, the hot sun on my face. This was where I should be. On the water, under a glorious blue sky…and with a hot and gorgeous man at the helm.
I had a feeling he would be difficult to resist and that I’d need to keep myself under control, and my head about me in order to remain focused. However, watching him with his legs braced wide, slender hips, powerful tanned shoulders, hands gripping the wheel with his long sun-streaked hair blowing in the wind, I questioned just how well I’d be able to stick to my resolve.
But for now, I’d embrace this.
Wild.
Exhilarating.
Free.
There was no point even to talk as he drove the boat across the turquoise waters back to the marina. Cork had been completely undone by her. If she’d been willing, he would have made love to her right there and then, but her rejection was like a hot knife.
Tasting her and bringing her pleasure had been glorious and surprising, and he did his best to try to understand her reaction. They were strangers after all; she didn’t know him from Adamand passion of their find and the heat of the moment had taken them both by surprise. Cork would have enjoyed continuing the discovery of her, but he respected the fact that she pulled away.
He wanted to get to know her more, to gain her trust, and not push her past her comfort zones. She was exactly the person he needed to help with his next quest. And it was important for her to come with him.He just had to convince her.
What he hadn’t expected, though, was their passionate connection. The way it had happened so spontaneously, easily, and as if it was destined. However, it was a new experience for a woman to not want to be with him. Which intrigued him even more.
Cork glanced behind him. Daisy reclined on the seat, resting on her arms along the seat back, with one foot on the cushion and the other dangling to the deck. Her face tipped up, eyes closed, hair streaming out behind her. The lean contour of her neck made his mouth water.
She was absolute perfection.
Only a few minutes left until they arrived at the marina and once in the channel, he slowed the boat so they didn’t cause a wake.
“Almost there,” he told her and guided the boat back to the slip.
