Chapter 18

Pippa and River went through customs in record time and she beamed with pride as he praised her organization and accused her of charming the officials, both here in Bonaire and in Curacao.

“I didn’t charm them, but having all the required forms in order helps, you know?” she teased.

“I admit, I might well be the most disorganized person walking on this planet, but none of my previous assistants did this as well as you do.” River chuckled and took the briefcase from her. “Let’s give our guests the good news that they’re free to enter the island.”

“Are you in a hurry?” Pippa breathed, having difficulties keeping pace with him.

“Actually, yes.” He gave her such an intense stare that goosebumps rose on her skin. “Are you hungry?”

“Very. Have you eaten here before?”

“Numerous times. Do you like seafood?” River held his hand out to help her across the gangway.

“Love it.” She smiled at him, acutely aware that she wasn’t afraid of boarding the boat. Not when his hand was there to guide her. The warmth of his big palm gave her strength and comfort. Being with him felt just so – right. But she wouldn’t go there. Friends, remember? Just friends.

“Great. I know this little place that serves the best fish. The owner’s grandsons go out fishing each morning, and whatever they catch, is what’s on the menu.”

“Sounds very rustic,” she replied, already looking forward to dinner.

“Not really. It’s on the other end of the pier, are you up for a bit of a walk?”

“Sure. Now that I have my land legs back, I could use a little exercise.”

River looked her up and down and commented suavely, “You look fine to me.”

“Thanks. Let me grab my purse and I’ll meet you in five.” Pippa rushed to her cabin and changed into a skimpy skirt with a floral pattern and a tight pink sleeveless shirt. Then she made a quick stop in the bathroom to put on some mascara and eyeliner. Not that she wanted to look beautiful for him, not at all. But a girl could use makeup when she went ashore, right?

He was waiting for her at the stern and helped her across the gangway again.

“You don’t have to do this, you know?” Pippa protested.

“But I like to. It gives me an excuse to hold your hand.” He glanced at her with such sincerity in his blue eyes, she was blown away.

They walked close enough to touch each other and she sensed the heat rolling off of him in waves, much like the frothy surf. Good grief. How am I supposed to stay away from him? After ten minutes of brisk walking he turned toward the private pier she could see up ahead.

“A beach bar?”

“Not just any beach bar. Karel’s is a staple here and serves the best fish and seafood around,” River answered.

The hostess led them to a table with an ocean view. Pippa was enthralled with the Caribbean décor, the private pier that situated the entire establishment out over the shallow salt water, and the very modern neon lights that surrounded the centrally located bar and kitchen area.

“This meets your approval?”

“It’s beautiful.” She glanced at the server, who politely waited for them to provide her with their drink orders. River eyed the beer on the table next to them, but ordered a soft drink.

Pippa knew it probably wasn’t wise to drink around him, but she was so nervous, she opted for a rum cocktail to calm her anxiety. The server returned a few moments later with their drinks and then took their food orders.

“Do you often turn your guests loose for dinner and a night on the town?” Pippa asked.

“It’s good for everyone. My guests like to have some fun off the boat and after being in demand non-stop for a couple of days, I really need to get away and take some time for myself. The boat gets a little crowded with that many people milling about.” He gave her one of his devastating grins and she could already feel the desire seeping deep into her body.

“If you wanted some time alone, why did you invite me to dinner?”

“I said I wanted some time for myself. Besides, I enjoy being with you.”

“Unlike your guests?” Pippa knew she’d headed out into unsafe territory, but he’d tempted her past her breaking point.

“That’s not what I meant. I love my job and I love mingling with my guests, if they’re nice like our current ones, but that doesn’t mean I want to spend every waking hour with them. Apart from that, by sending them off on their own once in a while, it keeps them in mind that I’m in charge and when I don’t join them, it provides the distance needed for me to maintain my authority.” He turned his baby blues to her and pulses of sweet anticipation rushed through her body. “Sometimes I just need to stop being River, the diving instructor to be just me.”

Not that she would allow him to kiss her again, but the memory of his soft and full lips on hers made her body tingle. The faint scratching of his beard against her cheeks, his masculine taste…Get a grip, girl! He’s your boss and you agreed to be friends.

“Don’t you worry about the drinking?” she asked, grabbing her rum cocktail tighter. So far the alcohol hadn’t helped to calm her nerves. If anything, the sweet cocktail had increased her appetite for the sexy man sitting across the table.

“No. I don’t give refunds and I have a zero-tolerance policy where any sort of alcohol is concerned. I won’t even let them dive if they take cold medicine containing alcohol. The risks are just too great.” His face hardened as he talked about his job and she wished River, the man, would return. The one with the deep caring voice, the eyes overflowing with emotion and the soft touch.

Thankfully Pippa had an entire table between them or she might have done something really stupid. A few moments later the server returned with their meals and Pippa’s mouth watered as she looked at the gorgeous plates of food. A delicious looking bread bowl filled with conch chowder for starters. The restaurant’s specialty. She sniffed and the hearty, garlicky smell made her stomach growl in anticipation.

“This looks amazing,” she said as their server finished setting out their plates.

“Believe me, for as good as it looks, it tastes a thousand times better. Dig in,” River answered.

Pippa dipped her spoon into the chowder. It was thick and creamy, the conch cooked to perfection and with just the right amount of spices. She smelled the chowder before she slowly swallowed it. “Heavenly.”

“Glad you like it.” River’s eyes were glued to her mouth and he hadn’t even touched his food yet.

“Don’t you want to eat,” she asked, smiling.

“I do, but watching you eat is just so…sensual.” River took his own spoon and she almost spilled her soup, taking her turn watching the fascinating spectacle as he licked his lips and then softly sucked the chowder from his spoon.

Heat shot to her core and she lowered her eyes. They ate in silence for a few minutes and then she asked about the dives. “What did you see underwater today?”

The server interrupted them, bringing the main dish: the catch of the day, Red Snapper, breaded and fried to perfection, accompanied by red beans and rice, cooked and served in a spicy sauce. And a glass of white wine for Pippa.

“A couple of sea turtles. Hundreds of colorful fish and a few green morays hiding amongst the coral.” River’s face lit up as he recounted the experiences of the day.

Memories of her past dives many years ago surfaced. I wish I could have seen those things with him. She didn’t say that out loud, afraid he might offer to take her down and then she’d have to face her greatest fear. She wasn’t ready for that yet. Diving scared the bejesus out of her, more even than boarding a boat. She resumed eating, hoping he hadn’t read anything into her silence or seen anything on her face. River seemed to be incredibly perceptive where she was concerned.

“So, Jeremy and you seemed to hit it off last night,” River commented casually as they finished their meals.

Pippa looked up at him and hid her smile when she saw the jealousy burning in his eyes. She considered teasing him, but then decided it wasn’t worth it. “There’s nothing there. I was just humoring him last night. You said I was supposed to mingle and make smart conversation with the guests.”

The relief on River’s face was almost comical.

The server returned with the wine bottle, “A refill?”

Pippa shook her head. The alcohol had done its job, melting her nerves away. One glass more might damage her good judgment.

They shared a desert, ice cream with fresh fruits, and then walked along the pier back to the boat. They didn’t touch, but the lingering sexual tension increased with every step up to a point that Pippa feared it could physically ignite the air around them.

She had been attracted to men before, but what she felt for River was so much more. Intense. All-encompassing. And that’s why he was so dangerous. She couldn’t afford to be hurt again. Her heart was still too raw from her dirty divorce.

“Why a dive boat?” she asked to distract from the mounting tension between them.

River chuckled. “Why not?”

“Isn’t it hard to move from island to island? Living like a nomad, without a home.”

He stopped and looked at her then started to sing Paul Young’s song, Wherever I Lay My Hat, That’s My Home.

Pippa felt shivers run down her spine.

“No seriously,” River said after he’d ended the first strophe. “I take my home with me. The Moana is my home.”

“Right.” Pippa was still caught up in the beauty of the song and River’s melodic voice, but she also wondered whether he wanted to tell her that she shouldn’t get attached to him, because he could never be loyal. But hadn’t he said earlier that he would never cheat? Maybe she was interpreting too much into a simple song.

“I love having both, the freedom to roam about and the security to returning to my home every night. I could never be happy sleeping in a different bed every night.”

“Oh.”

They resumed walking again, and the atmosphere between them had changed. They were both reflective. After several minutes of silence River said, “Most people don’t understand, but I do feel like I settled down the moment I bought the Moana. She’s everything to me that a house in a nice suburb is to other people. And one day I hope to find a woman who wants to settle with me on my boat.”