Making Waves by Donna Kauffman

Author:Donna Kauffman [Kauffman, Donna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zebra Books
Published: 2020-09-08T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Burke rolled to his back, splayed her across his body. “Let me go cut us loose; then you can help me steer the boat out of here.”

The minute he suggested leaving her, even for a moment, panic flashed across her face. “That’s your idea? To go straight to sailing? Maybe I should come topside with you. I’m good with knots.”

“Lesson one,” he whispered, running his hands down her arms. “Trust me. Lesson two, relax. Don’t tense up. Here, let me show you a little trick.”

She shot him a dry smile, but he just shook his head. “Not that kind of trick.”

“Can’t blame a girl for hoping.”

He laughed and cocked his head. “You know, you’re not like anyone I’ve ever met.”

“You mean women don’t usually rip your clothes off five minutes after meeting you, then run to the bathroom and lose their lunch? Imagine that.” She braced her hands on the wall on either side of his head and shook her hair back. “So glad I could be the first,” she said in an exaggerated, breathy voice.

He grinned at her little performance, but pulled her hands from the wall and put them very definitely around his neck. “What I meant was that you have this interesting combination of easy confidence and a sharp mind, without being pushy or arrogant about it—which is intriguing in and of itself.” He started backwalking her out of the passageway, back up to the cockpit. “But wrapped up in all that are these little moments of insecurity, and rather than try and pretend otherwise, you just own up to them, put them out there to be dealt with. Most people aren’t like that. They don’t want to broadcast their vulnerabilities.”

“Interesting analysis,” she said. Then, weaving her fingers into the waistband of his shorts, she added, “So, are you the type who likes to keep his vulnerabilities under wraps, then?”

“I never thought about it, but probably. Yes. When you’re running a crew, captaining a boat, you don’t really want to project any weaknesses.” He smiled. “Makes the guests jumpy.”

“I wasn’t talking about job confidence. I meant just in general.”

“You know,” he said with a fast grin, “we really should be getting under way.”

She smiled at his rather obvious attempt at derailing the current conversational path. “You started this, you know. But fine, go untie the boat or whatever needs doing. Just know that I’ll expect an answer later.” Her lips curved in a deep smile. “Or maybe I’ll just make it my mission to figure it out for myself.”

“See? Confidence. Very arousing.”

She tugged him closer. “Why yes, yes it is.”

Just then the two-way radio on the console crackled to life, startling them both. “Burke?” came a woman’s voice, the island flavor clear if a bit raspy. “Burke, honey, you there or what?”

“Now what?” Burke mumbled. He braced her hips. “You, don’t move.”

“Oh, trust me,” she assured him, “I’m not doing anything that involves motion unless absolutely necessary.”

“Hmm,” he said, a conspiratorial smile curving his lips. “A challenge.

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