Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst

Author:Jennifer Probst [Probst, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blue Box Press
Published: 2024-10-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Aspen walked across the beach under the crescent moon. Beams of light fell and sparkled over the dark, quiet water. Stars streaked the night sky. They held flashlights as their feet crunched over the sand. Brick held her hand, strong fingers entangled with hers in a shocking sort of intimacy. What was it about holding hands that could make you feel more vulnerable than kissing? Maybe because kissing could be termed impulsive, and the other was a conscious choice.

She’d dressed in a hoodie, a T-shirt, and yoga pants. Brick towered over her in a similar outfit, except he wore jeans. They reached the markings for the turtles and did a perimeter check to see if there’d been any disturbances. Two beach chairs had been set out for them.

“We got lucky. Was supposed to rain,” Brick commented.

“So, what’s the big plan for tonight?”

White teeth flashed in the darkness. Her tummy did a slow roll as his thumb stroked her sensitive palm. Goose bumps broke out on her skin. “This. Us hanging out with the babies, keeping watch.” His voice lowered to a sexy growl. “Maybe a make-out session later.”

She laughed, but it came out high-pitched. Lord, why did he make her act like a shy virgin? “We gonna share scary stories so I’ll jump into your arms and seek shelter from the monsters?” she teased.

“Once I tell you about the headless OBX killer, that might happen.”

Aspen rolled her eyes. “I love scary movies, so that won’t do. Those creepy crabs crawling over my bare feet may, though.”

“Noted. I shall protect you from sea creatures.”

“What type of predators are we looking out for?” she asked.

“Raccoons, birds, and those creepy crabs. After Judy’s people mark the nests, they watch them for any disturbances. Any holes can harm the babies when they hatch, so we keep the sand smoothed out and shed as little light as possible. The journey to the water is hard to survive, so they need help.”

“Oh, my God. What if they hatch tonight? What do we do?”

He grinned. “They’re not hatching tonight, or the professionals would be here. They mark the incubation time. These turtles are loggerheads, so they have an estimated sixty days to hatch. It’s too early to happen tonight, but late enough that Judy wants all shifts covered. We’re at the forty-five-day mark.” His face tightened. “And if we have any smart-ass stragglers out there feeding the horses, who knows if they’d disturb a nest for fun?”

“I’ll never understand that type of cruelty.”

“The sad part is most of them don’t think it’s cruel. Simple neglect for nature is just as bad as a sin.”

Emotion washed over her as he spoke. Aspen was isolated from so much of the natural world, surrounded by concrete and technology, glass and steel. Being here was giving her a different perspective. A deeper connection to nature that brought a sense of wholeness.

She gestured to the tote bag slung over his shoulder. “What did you bring? I think I can go a few hours without snacks.

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