Mist by Miller Maureen A

Author:Miller, Maureen A.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: maine, ocean sea adventure romance, adventure action romance
Publisher: Maureen A. Miller

CHAPTER TEN

Jack angled the outboard motor, staving off the splatter of frosty saltwater. Shrugging into the slicker that Olivia hauled up his arm and around his back, he switched hands to haul it on fully. The musty scent of the Odyssey’s bridge clung to the garment.

As the dinghy closed in on the Algonquin a thick cloud of foreboding suffocated him. Once upon a time he had regarded this vessel as a wonder−a culmination of his uncle’s dreams—their dreams. Now it resembled nothing more than an elaborate coffin.

Shaking off the effects, he decelerated. Olivia sat on the bench seat, white hands clutching the rope between her squeezed knees. Dusky hair blew behind her, emulating the waves. A golden halo circled an eye squinted with resolve.

Guilt besieged him again. She shouldn’t be here. Only the memory of her lips helped ward off the melancholy. Nothing could happen to her. He would do everything in his power to protect this woman. She had come to mean too much to him.

Damn, she was beautiful. Not in a Hollywood tan, anorexic way. Her body was sleek and powerful from the regiment of her daily activities—not from a gym. There was an inner radiance that made her glow. Literally. Her eyes sparkled, her hair shined, and her cheeks blushed vibrantly in the wind. Being near her enabled him to bask in that splendor.

“Circle in from the left so I can hook the ladder,” she instructed.

No way in hell was he letting anything happen to her.

Aligning the small craft with the Algonquin’s dangling pilot ladder, Jack wondered who had unfurled the wood and rope mechanism. Normally it would be rolled up and stowed securely.

Warren stated on the phone that pirates had boarded the ship from a helicopter, but could they have departed by sea? Was another ship lying in wait?

As he helped Olivia secure the dinghy, he verified that the Glock was tucked against his back. When Olivia reached for the ladder he caught her arm and gently nudged it aside.

“Uh-uhh.” He waggled his finger. “Me first.”

Slim shoulders shrugged as she deferred with a subtle roll of the wrist. “Whatever happened to ladies first?”

Jack’s eyebrow dipped. “You know that the open sea has its own set of rules.”

Snagging the ladder, he managed a secure foothold on the first rung. The steps were sturdy, made of hard wood, but the rope was slick, hinting at how long this device had been unrolled.

Climbing with caution, he motioned for her to wait. He wanted to scan the bridge deck, which would be visible in two more rungs. If anyone was sitting there, he was a dead man.

Locking his arm around the rung, Jack reached for his gun, awkwardly scaling the remaining steps. Casting one last look down to see Olivia’s concerned face, he inched his head level with the deck. It appeared empty from this perspective. Still vigilant, he hefted himself aboard and immediately crouched in defense.

Silence as thick as any nimbostratus cloud hugged the deck. Not even the screech of a swinging door or the rumble of a propeller broke the stillness.

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