A beach theme makes everyone relax. There’s nothing better than reconnecting with the water.
—HAMMER GIRL BLOG
Ellie inhaled the scent of the sea—kelp, salt, and sand. The sun glimmered on the waves. A ferry blew its horn on its journey to Whidbey Island, and she returned waves to several of the passengers leaning on the railing.
Their oars dipping into the placid water calmed the nervous energy zipping up and down her spine. She let her oar rest atop the kayak and exhaled. She stared at the way Gray’s hair curled at the nape of his neck. His muscles flexed as he paddled, and she had to restrain herself from leaning forward and laying her palm on his back. Even from behind, he was so doggone handsome.
He pointed his oar at a small, uninhabited island. “I’m thirsty. Can you hand me a water?”
“Sure.” She lifted the lid of the cooler and grabbed them both a bottle of water.
A dolphin leapt from the water to their right, and it startled her enough that she overreacted. Gray tried to correct the kayak’s bounce at her sudden movement, but his jerk amplified the kayak’s movement, and when she reacted as well to keep the kayak from tipping, her hand flew across the side of her glasses, and they flew off her face into the water.
“Easy, Hammer Girl. We’re all right.” With a few deft strokes, he had the kayak settled and turned sideways in his seat. “You lost your glasses.”
Her hands flew to her face. “You’re right. I’ll never find them.”
“Uh-huh.” His hand almost hid his smirk.
There was too much pleasure in his noncommittal grunt, and she stared at him suspiciously. “It sounds like you’re glad I lost my glasses.”
His grin was wide. “You don’t even need them. I’ve seen you take them off when you’re concentrating and need to see really well. Why do you do that?”
Her cheeks heated, and she took a sip of her water. “Let’s eat our snack now and catch our breath. That scared me.” She handed him a baggie of cookies and took one for herself. If a man could be beautiful, he was, though he’d frown at such a term. But beauty meant perfection, and everything about his physique was unmatched by any other man she’d met in her life.
“You said you’ve never dated much, but do you have a girlfriend now?” She put her hand to her mouth. “Sorry, did I just say that out loud?”
He swallowed the last bite of his cookie. “You sure did. And I’ll answer it if you tell me why you wear glasses when you don’t need them.”
“I shouldn’t have asked.” She balled up her plastic bag and reached for his.
He caught her hand in his and turned it over so it was palm up. He took the baggie away and tossed it into the cooler. His thumb made circles against her palm, and he made no move to release her.
“I told you I’ve traveled around too much to date very often, but there’s a little more to it than that. I was a bit of a freak in Japan. My size and all.”
“I can imagine you towering over all your friends. That had to be a bit intimidating.”
His touch on her hand was making it hard to keep her breathing in an even pattern, and her pulse was jumping all over the place.
His gaze never looked away as he brought her palm to his lips in the gentlest and most tender way possible. “Then I went to college, but I knew I wanted to be in law enforcement so I was pretty focused on that, though I dated a bit. Nothing serious, though. I’ve been moving around a lot, and I’ve never really met anyone who tugged at my heartstrings.”
He kissed her palm again, then moved up to her wrist. “Until now, that is.”
He lifted his head and reached for her at the same time she moved toward him. His lips covered hers with a gentle yet masterful touch, and she was lost.
Grayson had kissed other women before, but kissing Ellie was like coming home to a place filled with stability. He cupped her cheek in his palm and kissed her again. Her arms were around his neck, and he never wanted to let her go.
But he needed to.
Pulling back, he rested his cheek against hers. The sun was high overhead and heated his skin. Or was it Ellie? Her amber eyes were huge and pensive, and her skin looked even more golden in the bright light.
“I wish I had a jacket. You’re cold.”
“I’m fine.”
In spite of her assurances about being warm enough, he could feel shudders rippling up her spine.
“I’m a little like the sea creatures here.” Her fingers curled around his hand. “You wanted to know about my glasses, and I’ll admit I wear them as a shield.”
His fingers tightened protectively around hers. “A shield from what?”
“From being seen too closely. From being known too well. The people I loved most in the world have always condemned me, and I never felt very worthy.” She made a face. “Do I sound like a crybaby? Even talking about it makes me feel raw and exposed. Believe me, that’s a sensation I’ve avoided most of my life.”
He dropped her hand, then gripped her shoulders. “You have no idea how amazing you are, do you? Loving, kind, and beautiful, any parents would be thrilled to have you for a daughter. And I’m honored to call you a friend. You make me want to be better, to give more and love more.”
Her eyes filled with tears, but at least she held his gaze. “I don’t deserve those kinds of accolades. I’m no one special.”
He grinned. “I told you that you didn’t know yourself well. I’ve never met anyone like you, and I want to woo you if you give me the chance.” Her skin was incredibly soft.
Woo was an old-fashioned word, but it was how he felt. She deserved the best he could offer.
“I-I’d like that.”
He dropped another kiss on her head. “I’d better check my email again for those drone pictures.”
She lifted her head and nodded. “It’s probably going to take another hour to paddle out to the Elyssa Marie.”
Grayson dug his phone out of the baggie in the cooler, then called up his email. There were the pictures, but they weren’t what he’d hoped to see.
He looked up. “The pictures are here, but the place looks empty. Nasser might have flown the coop.”
If Nasser was gone, they had no real leads to follow. He prayed they’d find something at the ships.