Chapter 20
Riley grabbed hold of the first thing she thought might keep her safe as Maggie was violently jostled about: the slim column of mast that sat in the center of the boat. As she clung to it her eyes went from the tiny stairway that led to the cabin and galley to the foaming, seething ocean. The waves were now so high they crested across the bow and spat water onto the boards of the deck. As much as he tried to convince her to go below, she was not about to leave him. She’d seen the dark, thin outline of the shore, and she stared through the rapidly- unraveling mist as they penetrated it, straining to try to find that land again. When she spotted it, a little victorious cry issued from her mouth. “Land! I see land ahead!”
Gray shouted over the wind, “Me, too, but that storm’s kicking in right behind us, doing its best to knock us way off course. Just hold on, okay? If we have to jump off this bastard or ground it without a dock, we’ll do it. I’m gonna get you to dry land, baby, one way or another. I swear. I hope you’re hungry for egg rolls.”
At the moment the thought of that made Riley’s stomach gurgle with sickness, but she appreciated the sentiment. His ideas sounded insane, but she knew they might be their only shot. Her eyes washed over the ocean again, and there was no sign of the Coast Guard at all. She wondered if they had given up on helping them or if they were simply too far away. When the boat rocked and pitched, Riley found herself cheering for Maggie, urging her on. “You know what? I didn’t even realize you’re a sailboat, with more than just a motor. You’re a special girl. Now get us home, damn it!”
Gray shot her an amused look over his shoulder.
Riley smiled back at him sheepishly and shrugged. “So I’m nuts. Shut up about it!”
He had lost some of the grimness and desperation in his expression, which relieved Riley greatly. His hands seemed steadier, too, but they continued to sway and stall as every wave pushed them back a bit, forcing them to lurch slowly forward again. The waves seemed intent on keeping them from their goal, but Riley couldn’t help but be proud of Gray, with a sort of stupendous admiration. He would not give up, and that spoke to her. For the first time, all her doubts about their relationship fell away.
They had not started out well, and they’d both lied to each other. She did not run into his arms at the airport like she should have, and she let too much hold her back then, but she knew she would never, ever hold back from him again. The last of her reservations about them and about him in particular fell away in the face of the sheer courage he was showing. He didn’t look scared or desperate anymore; he looked utterly and purely determined, and there was a newfound strength shining off him. Something had changed and she could see it, sense it, and feel it.
The shore drew closer, but they were battered back time and time again. Maggie waddled up a high wave and Riley let out a scream, her hands clutching the column and her arms wrapping around it as more water slopped in over the sides. The heavy black rain behind them drew closer, marching toward them like an angry infantry set on their destruction.
As they neared the shore, another boat headed toward them, a vessel much larger than Maggie. The boat pulled alongside, and Gray nodded as two men in slickers and uniforms waved at them.
“Everyone all right?” one of the men yelled.
“Can you take her over with you?” Gray responded.
“No!” Riley said, glaring at the strangers. “I’m fine with you.”
“You’re really close to shore, buddy, but the dock’s full. You need to head to the ones near the marina to park your vessel. There are no slips left here for ‘er.”
Gray nodded and Riley clung to the column, unable to let go. The Coast Guard escorted them to the other dock, following closely behind them to make sure they got safely there.
They finally made it to a dock, and the Coast Guard waved before they headed back out to see if anyone else needed help. Much to Riley’s dismay there was a news crew filming the storm, so she raced to the cabin to grab any more modest clothes she could find. As she went the sea made the boat lurch and rise, nearly knocking her off her feet.
Gray walked into the cabin behind her. “That was just a small tropical storm, but it’s gathering strength. We need to get off the boat.”
She had no intention of staying aboard, but she didn’t bother saying so. They just grabbed clothes, stuffed them into a bag, and disembarked, leaving Maggie rocking about in the water.
As they raced past the crowd of press, a reporter shoved a mic in Riley’s face. “Were you two out there when it rolled in?” he asked.
Riley just nodded and kept moving. She’d gone numb, and her limbs shook with exhaustion. She was just being smacked with the reality that they had come very close to ending up as statistics, just a number on a list of fatalities, and the last thing she wanted was to talk to a reporter.
“We need to get as far away from the beach as possible,” Gray said. “Is it okay with you if we catch a cab?”
Riley only nodded, too numb to speak.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and her head dipped low. Gray breathed a sigh into her ear. “Damn,” he said, looking around at the mayhem. “There’s no way we’re gonna be able to make it anywhere. We’re too exhausted, and look at all these people! The resort’s just down the road, so…”
She lifted her head. “No, I’m okay. I know you don’t wanna go there.”
He sighed. “I don’t, but there’s no way I’m putting you up in a raggedy hotel. Besides, the resort has awesome storm protection in place.”
She wanted to argue but didn’t. The resort wasn’t far, and it was already taking every ounce of effort and willpower just to pick up one foot and drop it again. Her entire body ached with weariness, and by the time they crossed into the parking lot and moved through the gates she found herself grateful for the suggestion.
Gray rushed into the office and came back out with a keycard for a one-bedroom suite. He took her hand and led her through the rain to the elevators, neither of them speaking a word. Riley could see she wasn’t the only one who was tired; Gray had nearly died out there, and then he had to go through the stressful ordeal of getting them to shore. His shoulders drooped and his mouthed sagged downward at the corners.
When they stepped inside the dimly-lit room Riley struggled to even walk across the floor, as if she’d forgotten how to move on solid ground.
“You’re shaking,” Gray said. “Let’s get you into a nice hot shower.”
Her entire body was trembling, and she could hardly keep her eyes open. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she admitted, “Gray, I-I don’t think I can stand up.”
“You won’t have to, baby. There’s a tub for that, and a warm soak will do you good. C’mon.”
After a bath that they shared, they’d barely dried and dressed when a knock sounded on the door.
Riley, bemused, looked at Gray.
He gave her a smile. “Wine and food,” he said. “I know you’re not much of a drinker, but a glass won’t hurt.”
“Thanks,” she said. The exhaustion was still there, just below the surface, but she was starting to feel better, if only slightly. “I’m starving.”
Gray opened the door and took the trays while Riley found glasses, a corkscrew, and silverware in one of the drawer of the kitchenette. When Gray lifted the covers off the plates, the aroma of tastefully charred meat and roasted potatoes wafted into the room. “It’s not Chinese, but I hope you like it.”
“Oh wow,” she said as she set the glasses down. “That smells delicious.”
“I agree,” Gray said, rubbing his stomach.
She sat while he opened the wine and filled each glass with a generous pour. The meal of salmon, crusted with herb butter, baked red potatoes, steamed vegetables, rolls, and a delicious apple tart was just what they both needed. They ate greedily, licking their fingers and swallowing the wine in long gulps.
The sweet wine finally rid Riley’s mouth of the salty taste of the sea, and the food helped to steady her. She sat back with a replete sigh and said, “I don’t know that I’ve ever been that hungry in all my life.”
Gray gave their demolished plates a look. “Me neither. I’ve also never been this tired. I can barely keep my head up.”
Riley’s eyes went to the windows. It had grown dark, but she was not sure if it was because it was getting late or because of the steadily increasing rain. It didn’t really matter; either way, the nap she’d taken earlier was simply not enough to fight off the fatigue from the crazy adrenaline rush of nearly dying at sea. Despite being physically tired, though, her mind felt strangely refreshed.
“How about we find an old movie and just stare at the television for a while?”
“That’d be great,” she said. “I’m afraid if I go to bed now, I’ll wake up way too early.”
“Okay. What do you wanna watch?”
“Anything but Jaws or Titanic,” she said with a smirk.
He laughed. “I second that.”
They settled on the sofa, snuggling close. It was nice to be next to him, to feel his body against hers. They had a little good-natured argument over what to watch, then opted for a show about real-life crimes and the people who solved them.
As time ticked by and the storm raged outside, Riley’s body leaned further into his. His hand stroked her hair and arms, and she gave him a smile before saying, “I know it’s fast, and don’t freak out, but… Well, I just… I love you, Gray.” She then held her breath, waiting for him to run for the door.
Instead, he smiled and calmly said, “Good, because I wanted to say the same thing to you out on the boat.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“It just didn’t feel like the right time.”
She suddenly felt warm all over. She couldn’t believe he had fallen just as hard as she had. Happiness coiled around her and a wide, genuine smile flashed across her face. His mouth met hers, and the kiss was the sweetest Riley had ever known. It took away all the horror and fright from the day and left her feeling safe and cherished. His arms wound around her, and Riley nestled within his embrace. Her heart was so full she worried it might burst at any moment.
“C’mon, let’s go to bed,” he said, standing and holding out a hand.
She took it and let him pull her along. After their bath, they had both stepped into the robes the resort provided. Now, Riley released the knot of her belt and let the robe slide gracefully down her body, to land in a puddle at her feet. Gray’s robe hit the floor, too, and they managed to tumble into the bed while letting their mouths meet for a mind-numbing kiss.
Riley’s fingers explored Gray’s body. She found his member, already stiff and thick. His head was swollen and purple, and the vein around it throbbed as she took him into her mouth, her tongue swirling along his flesh as she sucked in her cheeks and tightened her lips around him.
His hips thrust forward, and her hands captured the heavy sac below his organ. She let her fingers cup his balls, then she moved her mouth to them, sucking gently as he gasped and moaned her name. He moved away from her as his most sensitive parts began to tighten. She let him lay her on her back on the bed, and his strength and weight bore down on her for a moment before he spread her legs with his knee.
His tongue flickered across her nipples, tempting them to grow stiff and thick while his fingers drove deeply into her inner folds, enticing fluid to spill out of the pink depths to lubricate his thrusts into her body.
It still wasn’t enough. Riley needed him inside her but he drew the moment out, lowering himself so his mouth was above her vulva. His breath tickled her, and her pubic hair grew even wetter and more tangled as his tongue slid between her inner and outer labia to find her hood and the nub of sensitive flesh nestled below it. His fingers continued to move in and out of her. His breath blew against the warm fluid spewing from her core and caused even more sensation to spike through her, tantalizing her very being.
Riley’s hips arched and her heels dug into the mattress as Gray moved faster, his tongue stroking and circling her clitoris. Her ass jerked up and down and she groaned, and the first spasms of a climax throbbed deeply within her.
Gray moved swiftly, driving into her right on cue just as she began to cum. Her walls closed around his rigid flesh, and her fingers gripped his ass as he withdrew and thrust again, impaling her with his hard, throbbing flesh.
Their cries rose higher, matching octave for octave. The bed squeaked loudly, but Riley didn’t care; her only concern was the orgasm bursting from her body, the feel of him inside her tight, moist tunnel, the feel of his muscles clenching and releasing as he worked faster and harder.
Finally, they stilled, and Gray buried his face in her shoulders while her fingers traced his shoulders and his back, finding the knobs of his spine and then the smooth flesh of his buttocks.
He rolled over and tucked her into the hollow below his shoulder. When he let out a yawn, she chuckled. “What?” he said. “Aren’t you ready to go to sleep?”
“I don’t know,” she said, releasing a yawn of her own. “I’m sort of in shock, I think.” Her voice died, then started again. “Gray, I thought you were dead. I really thought…” Tears washed down her face, making her cheeks feel raw and blasted.
“Hey,” he said, taking her hand and pulling her gently into the safe harbor of his arms. “Don’t, okay? It was all my fault. I shoulda checked the weather, and I damn sure know better than to take my eyes off a wet deck.”
Sobs shook her entire frame. The lovemaking, the food, the wine, and the bath, as well as the safety of the resort suite, all went a long way in distancing her from the nightmare they had endured, but it was not completely evaporated from her thoughts, and she knew it might never be. “That shark, Gray!” she wailed. “A freaking shark!”
“Yeah, I thought he had me for a minute.”
She noticed the trace of fear in his voice, and she managed to wipe her eyes and look up at him. “Damn it, Gray, you could have died. I mean, I really could have lost you out there, and—”
“Well, you didn’t. I’m right here.”
He tried to sound strong, but she saw the fear lurking in his eyes, the full brunt of what he’d gone through out there. He’d come so close to death, and they both knew it. She couldn’t even imagine how awful it must have been for him, with that shark circling him while he struggled to get back to the Maggie. She didn’t even want to think about it. All she could do was hold him and remind herself that she would never, ever let go of him, no matter what.
“We made it, Riley, and I’m so sorry for having dragged you into that mess.”
“Don’t be. I knew you were upset. You never would have done that if you weren’t trying to run away from something so huge you felt like you didn’t have a choice.” Her eyes searched his face again. She wanted to ask what it was had upset him so but the shadows of the sea and the shark were still too close to the surface, and the last thing she wanted to do was give him one more thing to hurt over just then.
“It will never happen again,” he said, “and I hope you won’t refuse to ever get back on a boat.”
She let her legs touch his and her body relax into his grip. “Look, Gray, it wasn’t the best day out on the water, but we can’t blame the sea for our own carelessness, right? I mean, if I wasn’t trying so hard to get in your pants you wouldn’t have been so distracted, and you would have dropped the anchor.”
“Yeah, but if I had—”
She put a finger to his lips. “Don’t, okay?”
He sighed. “Riley, if you can forgive me for that—”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” she said, and she wholeheartedly believed that. Whatever anger and resentment she temporarily felt toward him had vanished during that hellish trip back to shore, swallowed up in that storm and the threat of death while she watched him try to escape the sea and its monsters. “Let’s never talk about it again. Deal?”
“Deal,” he said, then promptly fell asleep.