Into Danger Part 33

His cousin finally looked up, the sunlight and shade making his light brown eyes a peculiar golden yellow. One corner of his mouth lifted. "One more beer and your timing may be off. If they asked you to do what I just did, you would have missed."

Steve knew Hawk was right. Any foreign substance would stay in the system long enough to affect more than the physical state. "I hadn't planned on drinking all week," he said, ignoring his cousin's lifted brows. Okay, maybe he might have. "I'm fine."

The other corner of Hawk's mouth lifted up, and the smile he gave Steve was full of mockery. Steve returned the gaze levelly, spoiling for a fight.

"You look like a lovesick pup, drowning in beer, and coming up for air long enough to yip," Hawk told him.

"This pup is going to kick your a.s.s from one end of the island to the other."

"D.C. has softened you up. I think you need to get back to the basics of being a SEAL."

"What do you have in mind?" Steve rose to the unvoiced challenge. Oh, yeah, let's draw blood.

Hawk dropped the rope by the stool and stretched out his legs. "Let's check out whether those crybaby lungs can still take in air, shall we? We sail to the old lagoon and swim to sh.o.r.e and back on the boat."

"And if I get back on the boat before you do?"

Hawk shrugged. "You get to drink all the beer you want, and I won't say a d.a.m.n thing."

"Done."

"Don't you think you should first put down that beer?"

Steve pulled out the big Bowie knife and poured out the rest of the alcohol into the sand. He weighed it in his hand for a moment and hurled it back at his cousin in one fluid move. Hawk picked it out of the air with the ease of someone used to knife combat. He raised his brows again. "Ready?"

The lagoon was on the other side of the island, surrounded by a chain of rocks that made it tough for boats to sail in. Again, this was ideal for Hawk, since it discouraged interested visitors. To get to the lagoon, one either had to drive across the island or anchor in the ocean before using a smaller craft to row through the rocks. And even then, one had better be a d.a.m.n good sailor.

One other way was more direct. Swim. That was no problem for Hawk and Steve. They had done this race numerous times, had memorized which rocks would lead them into the small channel that fed the lagoon. Once inside, Hawk had a dock built there.

Hawk killed the engine and anch.o.r.ed. He was already shirtless, so it was just a matter of throwing off his shades. "Are you sure you can make it there and back, shark bait?"

Steve pulled off his T-shirt. "You're not going to rile me into doing something stupid like waste my breath."

"Good, you're going to need it, beer belly," Hawk said and dove off the boat without warning.

Steve cursed and followed. Hawk never waited. Never played fair.

The water was cold at first, but Steve knew he wouldn't notice the temperature soon. He concentrated on catching up with Hawk, pacing himself till he could count his cousin's strokes. Then he started speeding up. He was alongside in a matter of minutes. He thought of how stupid it was that he was racing his cousin when he should be in D.C. chasing Marlena instead. Anger gave him the strength he needed, and he kicked harder. He began to put s.p.a.ce between Hawk and himself.

The ocean felt good, like a cleansing breath after a long day in traffic. The energy of the waves rolling over and under him fed his will to kick harder. He followed the familiar chain of rocks, ducking under water once he was in the channel to have a better advantage.

He held his breath as long as he could, then burst out into the lagoon and made the final dash for the dock ahead. He reached it and somersaulted under water so he could kick off to return to the boat. If he timed it right, he would come face-to-face with Hawk as he pa.s.sed him on the way back. His mind and body concentrated on winning.

He surfaced, and Hawk grabbed him from behind. They thrashed under water for a few seconds and Steve kicked and resurfaced, his attacker still hanging on his shoulder.

"h.e.l.lo there, sailor, are you here to save this poor mermaid?"

It didn't sound anything like Hawk. Steve grabbed and unhooked the arms around his neck. The sudden stop from high-speed swimming caused him to down a mouthful of salt water as he sank under again. But he held on to the culprit who had cost him the race.

Not that he cared. When they surfaced again, before he could breathe or say anything, lips met his and arms circled his neck. He kept both of them afloat as a familiar wicked tongue, salty from the ocean, stole into his mouth.

She kissed him with a mindless hunger that had him hugging her to him as she imprinted her body against his, oblivious to the fact that most swimmers would not be able to stand in water when their legs and hands were tangled. He didn't stop her, even as he automatically adjusted to the new weight. Devouring him still, she forced his head back with her hands, moving with the churning water as they sank in and out of the waves.

Half floating and half standing in water, he allowed her to take his breath to the point of drowning. He could push her off any time, even as she fiercely held on to his hair, but that was the last thing on his mind as he ran possessive hands down the slim back, hips, legs. No, no, this was a fine way to drown.

Suddenly her legs locked around his waist and she released his lips, gasping for air. He saw the deep, deep blue of her eyes shining in the sunlight before she laid her head on his shoulder, holding on to him and letting him do the work of taking them back toward the dock.

He climbed up the steps, carrying his precious cargo easily. He welcomed the reality of gravity. It made everything real. She was really there. In his arms.

"You've gained weight," he remarked, barely able to contain his smile. At the moment she could weigh two hundred pounds and he would still have carried her.

Her face was still buried in his neck and her teeth nibbled the tender flesh under his ear. "I've been eating and waiting here for three days. Where the h.e.l.l were you?"

She unlocked her legs and slid off his body, but Steve kept her close. It felt too wonderful to be holding her again. "Hawk didn't say anything," he murmured, probing her face for signs.

She looked surprised, then enraged, then turned to face the ocean. Hawk's boat was clearly in view, anch.o.r.ed out there, its bright red flag waving jauntily in the wind. She took a step toward it and yelled, "You b.a.s.t.a.r.d! You made me wait three days!"

Steve could see Hawk standing on deck and wondered when his cousin had made his way back to the boat. He hadn't even realized Hawk wasn't behind him. A tiny figure in the distance, he couldn't hear them, of course, but he waved back, sunlight reflecting off his shades.

"I'm going to get back at you, you son of a b.i.t.c.h!" Marlena yelled again, shaking a fist.

Steve s.n.a.t.c.hed at the hand and brought her attention back to him. "You were here the last three days?" he asked, unable to believe that Hawk had pulled such a trick on him.

"Yes, Hawk told me you were coming here after your training session and brought me to this side of the island himself. He said he would bring you to me when you arrived. He left me here for three days! Three days! Do you know I had no change of clothing for three days? Just wait till I get my hands on him..."

Steve was too busy looking at her to listen to her tirade. Clad only in a white bikini that was all but see-through, her hair curling wet, falling in tiny ringlets down her back, stormy eyes and pouting mouth, she looked like one of those sirens that called out to sailors, and then drowned them. He ran both his hands through her hair, combing through the whole length.

"What have you done with your hair?" he asked. She was Marlena, but she looked different...exotic. There was a mole in the left corner of her mouth that hadn't been there before. Even her lips seemed more lush. He frowned.

Her face softened. "Do you like me?" she asked, shaking her hair out. "I had hair extensions done and then had a perm."

"This is for Tibet, isn't it?" Steve demanded, and he shook her. "d.a.m.n it, Lena. Don't you dare show up here just for a rendezvous before you take off!"

He shook her hard enough that she had to hold on to him, but she didn't defend herself or fight back. He stopped, then gathered her into his arms. Swallowing hard, he tried to regain some measure of self-control, but he couldn't for the life of him think of anything to say.

Marlena felt the urgent tension in Steve's hard body and, looking up, caught the flash of pain in his eyes. She bit down on her lip. She had never felt more humble than at that moment, to know that this man felt so much for her and still was strong enough to let her go.

She took a deep breath, swallowed down the old fears and doubts. He didn't deserve her cowardice. This time she would take a chance, and not look at the probabilities. Her smile came out a little tremulously.

"Stash...Steve," she corrected, fighting down the b.u.t.terflies in her stomach again. "I spent the last two weeks in h.e.l.l, wondering how I was going to live without you. I had my next a.s.signment to prep for and my heart wasn't in it. I spent hours telling myself that it would get better, but it didn't. Do you know why?"

His dark eyes were devouring her with their banked heat. "Why?"

"Because I can't live without you. Because I've fallen in love with you. And I suddenly realized that I didn't have to be without you."

"It's got to be everything or nothing, Lena," he told her softly, still waiting.

She traced his lips with his fingers. So masculine. So sensuous. And she was suddenly unafraid. "M for Marry Me," she said, and with that the quivering nerves inside her dissipated. She felt free. Lighter than the breeze blowing inland. Laughter bubbled from her lips.

"Marry me," she repeated, this time with confidence, "in Tibet. That way, all of our private friends can attend. I might even let you invite Hawk."

The banked heat in Steve's eyes flared with love and desire, and he swung her off her feet, carrying her. "Say it again," he demanded fiercely, as he started down the dock toward the beach. "Tell me you love me. Because I love you, Lena."

"I love you, Stash," Marlena said, holding his face with her hands.

He kicked the door of the tiny cabin open and strode in. "Again," he ordered.

She smiled, happiness swelling inside like warm wine. He was her Stash again, arrogant, demanding, and already untying her bikini strings. He touched her as if she was something cherished, moving his hands over her naked skin slowly.

"I love you, Stash."

"More," he demanded again, just to make sure. "Tell me more because I can't believe this is real."

She did better than that. She slipped her hands into his swimming trunks, hands that he would know anywhere. Then she lowered her incredible body over his and leaned in. She whispered in his ear and entrusted him with her name.

Steve closed his eyes and sighed. Trust. Love. And a woman's hands in his pants. He felt something around him. Opened his eyes. Saw flashing blue eyes full of mischief. A long, long chain of pearls. He closed his eyes again. Oh yeah. It couldn't get more real than this.

From his boat Hawk watched the couple on the beach. His lips quirked slightly as Steve shook Marlena and then a few minutes later strode off with her in his arms. Looked like they were going to leave him waiting out there for a while.

He settled back comfortably on his deck chair, staring up into the sky, lazily following the seagulls circling. And he noticed a larger predator bird flying higher still, alone and wild, surveying its kingdom way above everything else. Probably hunting for prey, he mused. On the other hand, it could be hunting for a mate.

Acknowledgments.

Special thanks to Patti O'Shea, my writing partner; Melissa Copeland, who kept me sane; the sea mammals, who helped with research; Genitta Pearson, my wonderful editor; and Liz Trupin-Pulli, my agent who believed in me.

And from my heart thanks to the Delphi TDD ladies, my best reading BSHes-Maria Hammon, Miriam Caraway, Karen King, Angela Swanson, Sandy Still, Mo Kearney, Jenn Carr, Theresa Monsey, Rosie Lockhart, Sh.e.l.ly Hawthorne, and Tina Weena Smith.

About the Author.

GENNITA LOW is a former translator who speaks Chinese, Malay, German, Russian, and English. She is co-owner of a roof construction business and quite probably the only female roofer in central Florida. Gennita is a multiple Golden Heart award finalist. You can visit her on the web at Gennita-Low.com.

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