by Jeny Heckman
“How can these wave things harm the animals?”
“A lot of animals out here are incredibly curious. Those machines make noise, create movement. They have underwater moving parts—blades—that they can cut themselves on. The underlining point is, we don’t have enough information to be confident in their safety. We need more research.”
“But it’s not just that, right?” she asked, sipping her beer.
He glanced at her and inhaled deeply.
“No, and it’s not even just that people are curious. There are some sick sons of bitches that actively kill them.”
“Why?” she asked, horrified.
“I don’t know. Maybe the seals eat their catch, and the men live off what they capture. Or you might have a native that doesn’t believe they belong here. Many feel they were brought by man and aren’t indigenous. Who cares if they become extinct—it’s nature’s way.” He sipped his beer again. “You’ve also got a lotta of rich people who don’t like it when we cordon off the beaches. They think it’s an eyesore.” He took a deep breath. “Many people here love the sea life and want to protect them. They can be a great asset to us. But it’s definitely a hot topic on the islands.”
“Do you cordon the beaches off to keep people away?” she asked.
He leaned back, adjusting the pillow behind him, then stretched out his legs in front of him. He crossed them at the ankle, and then drank from his bottle again.
“Yeah, there’s a group that got started here on Kaua’i, and when someone calls in a sighting, they set up barriers and man them until the seal goes back into the ocean to feed at night. There are around fourteen hundred monk seals left. A percentage of those are living because of what we do. Otherwise, they’d be dead too.”
“So do I even ask how your meeting went with them? Are they moving forward?”
“Yeah. They are.” He stared out at the mother and her pup, running a hand down his beard.
“I’m sorry, Finn.” He closed his eyes and shook his head as if trying to clear it and the mood.
“So.” He grinned at her. “Get certified?”
“I’ll probably be able to after this.”
“Good for you; you’re going to love it. Wanna go swimming?”
“Here?”
“Sure. I won’t tell if you won’t.”
He walked to the stern and kicked off his flip-flops, drained his beer, and took off his tee shirt, muscles flexing and contracting with the motion. Strong shoulders and an incredibly sexy chest caused a streak of lust to vibrate down Raven’s middle. He threw the shirt on the nearest seat, then turned to see if she followed suit.
“Come on,” he said, smiling, “It’s okay, we aren’t gonna stay long. It’s hot.”
She stood and turned her body away from him, unzipping her shorts. He sat down on the edge of the boat wall, watching her. His eyes looked hungry, and by the time she peeled off her own tee shirt, she could see his jaw clench and Adam’s apple move in his throat.
Quickly standing, Finn gathered their gear and attached the BCD and regulators. He finished by hooking the small masks and consoles to the side of the packs. After checking the oxygen levels, he helped Raven into her gear before putting on his own.
“Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
They jumped in, and Raven entered a new world. The bright aquamarine water danced around them like silk. She looked up and saw the sun overhead, shooting beams into the water, essentially lighting their way. Exotic fish of every size and color parted around them, and it wasn’t long before two of Finn’s favorite animals approached them.
He pointed to their back flippers where they were tagged, usually referred to by a series of letters and numbers. The seals, in turn, playfully zoomed around the bubbles the couple produced. Raven loved how graceful and beautiful they were underwater.
One seal approached her, coming so close she could see a fuzzy outline of herself reflected in his eyes. The animal’s perfectly domed head and long whiskers surrounded a permanent smile. As another seal approached, they played roughly with one another, until moving off to scratch their backs on some rocks.
Occasionally, she’d watch Finn. His energy was not unlike that of the seals. The sea life seemed to congregate around him, and he looked euphoric. She imagined most of these kinds of dives were work-related, so the freedom of just interacting must be fun.
They splashed and swam for about an hour before returning to the boat. Once onboard, Finn grabbed two, gallon jugs of water and gave one to Raven. When she looked at him quizzically, he poured the contents over himself washing away a lot of the saltwater, so she followed suit. After cleaning and drying off, they sat in the warm sun, with the lunch Raven packed.
“So, going down there, is it hard not to work?”
“More like at work, it’s hard not to play.”
“It seemed like it. That one got so close. His whiskers were so cute.”
“They are.” He laughed. “Their whiskers are their radar. They’re sensitive to vibration.”
“That’s how they find food?”
He nodded, taking a bite of his sandwich.
“Especially when it’s close by and in the dark.”
“How old were those guys?”
“About fifteen and seven.”
“Wow, how long do they live?”
“Mm, about twenty-five, thirty years.” Finn threw his paper towel onto his plate, then taking hers too, threw them in the trash. “So, you ask a lot of questions but don’t talk much about yourself. Why is that?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’m just private.”
“How did you get started singing?”
“The streets.”
“The streets?” His brows creased like he was trying to process the new information. “What were you doing on the streets?”
“Oh, it’s a long story.”
“We have a pretty long ride back.” She only shrugged noncommittally, so he looked down, then out to the water. “Okay, so you wanna get outta here?”
“Sure.”
They talked about Kaua’i and Dee. She asked him about his upbringing and college life. Their conversation was easy and effortless. So, when Finn tried again, several hours later, her guard was down, ever so slightly.
“So, you told Nate you have a brother, a twin.”
“Yeah.” Raven smiled. “Wyatt.”
“Who else is missing you back home?”
“My best friend, Que.”
“Que? Is that her real name?”
“No.” Raven laughed, “Her name is Raquel, but she hates that. She’s always just been, Que. She finally officially changed it.”
“Hmm, Que.”
“She has a seven-year-old daughter named Abigail, Abby.”
“How did your folks come up with your name?”
Deciding they were once again moving into territory she didn’t wish to enter, Raven opted to try and distract him.
“Um, I’m not sure. I never asked. Oh hey!” She pointed to a familiar beach. “Po’ipū, right?”
“Yep. Okay, come here.” He moved away from the captain’s chair with decision.
“Why?” she asked suspiciously.
“’Cause you’re gonna steer.”
“No.”
“Yep.”
“No!” she yelled in panic when Finn grabbed her hand and pulled it to the wheel.
“Come on, it’s easy.” Moving her in front of him, he reached around and guided her hands, showing what instruments to watch for and what etiquette to use with other boats. “I’m going to get something, just go straight.”
“Wait, what? Finn? You’re gonna do what?”
Knuckles turning white, she gripped the wheel, afraid of a massive tsunami or freighter appearing out of thin air. He walked to a container and withdrew a bottle of wine. She smiled.
“If you steer the boat, I’ll open that for you.” She gave him a radiant smile and tried to bat her eyelashes.
/> “Chicken,” he accused, switching places. She simply laughed. “See over there?” He pointed to a ridge, as he guided the boat into Keoneloa Bay. “The beach is Shipwreck Beach, and the Māhā’ulepū trail runs through here. If you’re in the mood to hike, it’s pretty cool.”
“Is it a long hike?”
“It’s about three or four miles, roundtrip. It’s one of Dee’s favorites.”
Finn stopped the boat and dropped anchor in the bay, then walked back to her and took the glass of wine she offered.
“So what else about you?”
“What about me?” she sighed, slightly exasperated.
“Why didn’t you let me know who you were?”
“I did.” When he just looked at her, waiting, she admitted, “Sometimes it’s nice to be just, unknown. You know—anonymous.”
“I get it. That why you changed your looks?” She ran a hand nervously down her hair.
“I, um…”
“Don’t get me wrong, you look a helluva lot better,” he observed.
“Really?”
“All that other stuff seems over the top, now that I kinda know you.”
“Yeah,” she said, relieved. “I never liked it.”
“Why’d you do it then?”
“Donovan said it’s what sells.”
“Right,” he said, sipping his wine. “Donovan.”
He looked out as the sun fell inches from the surface of the water and held out a hand. “Come here and look at this.”
She walked over to him, and he took her wine, setting it on the floor with his. He sat down and opened his legs so she could sit down between them. Then wrapping an arm around her waist, he brought her back to recline against his chest. He handed her wine back to her, then took his. She wasn’t sure if it was the wine, the sunset, or just content to be with him, but she released her guard and lived in the moment.
She began singing a song she’d written years ago, each note flowing into another, the way silk would sound if it were music. She was content.
A couple of hours later, they arrived back in the harbor. After cleaning out the boat and changing in the restroom, they drove back to the bungalow.
A warm wind picked up and carried the sound of the waves. Finn’s gaze never left hers, as he moved to stand in front of her.
“Easy,” he murmured, approaching her like a skittish colt, and cupping a hand around her neck. He drew her to him so that only their lips touched, then waited. The next move would have to be hers. Raven stepped closer and encircled her arms around his neck and drew him to her.
Chapter 14
Finn kissed her cheeks and eyelids, then hovered over her mouth before gently biting at it. He kissed her throat and collarbone, as her hand moved gingerly down his back. On a low groan, he hugged her more tightly to him and lightly fisted a hand in her hair.
She smelled the sea on him, as her lips parted and deepened the kiss, inviting his tongue to intertwine with hers. His body tensed when her hand smoothed over the curve of his ass. To him, it was as if the simple act had lain a hot wire on his central nervous system.
Slowly, he walked them backward toward her room. Reaching a wall, he stopped and pressed her against it, allowing his hands to move over her. Finn cupped a breast, then kneaded one erect nipple through the fabric of the tee shirt. As if impatient for more, he bent to take it into his mouth. Using his teeth, the sharp punch of pleasure caused her to go wet immediately. She moaned, placing hands on the sides of his face to keep him there and drew in several sharp breaths.
Raven’s eyes glazed at the intense sensation and long liquid pulls of need. Mouth open, heart racing, her gasps made her light-headed. He stood and buried himself in another kiss, as they held hands on either side of her head, interlacing their fingers. She could feel herself slipping and had to stop this, or soon she wouldn’t be able to. However, feeling his heartbeat throb wildly in his chest had her pausing. Raven’s body sizzled with desire, and when his erection pressed hard against her, she wanted desperately to touch his flesh.
Opening her eyes, she glimpsed herself in the mirror, shocking her into realization. Panic set in like an icy wave as she felt her need and watched him all but feast on her body. She knew what came next. Humiliation.
“Wait.”
“No.” He expelled his breath and almost pleaded. “Please… God, come on Raven, don’t say wait.”
He laid his forehead on hers, breathing hard, and she almost obeyed from the simple need in his voice.
“No, I need you to wait a minute.”
On an oath, he stepped back and looked at her with eyes so wild and vivid they almost glowed.
“I-I don’t want this.” She stepped to the side as he laughed sardonically.
“The hell you don’t.”
“Okay, well, I’m not acting on it.”
He closed his eyes and jammed his hands into his pockets, slightly wincing as the fabric stretched hard against his erection, apparently painful in its captivity. He removed them again quickly.
“Why?” he asked with complete exasperation. Trying to move toward her, she backed away in fear, so he lowered his head with what looked like confusion and defeat.
“I’m sorry,” she pleaded and tried to step toward him, but he held up his hands.
“No… Don’t.”
He turned around and walked over to the open patio door to look out at the darkness. He ran both hands through his hair, then left them locked behind his head and puffed out a breath. The soft waves in the distance lapped against the hard lava rocks, mimicking the couple themselves. Finn pressed his lips together in a hard line and turned around.
“Look, I have no idea what’s going on. Sometimes, it’s like you hate me, sometimes I think you like me.”
“I do like you,” she said quietly.
“Then what the fuck is this… Games?”
“This…I…this isn’t for me.” She gestured between them. “You don’t want me.”
He looked at her incredulously, then unconsciously glanced down at the large bulge in his pants, causing her to as well, and blush. He ran another hand through his hair and raised his head again, shaking it in disbelief, then looked back at her.
“The hell I don’t.”
“No, you want one part of me that I’m unwilling to give, so that makes you want it more.”
“So, what then, are you playing some kind of fucking head game with me?” he snapped, angry now.
“No!” she exclaimed emphatically. “Of course not, I wouldn’t do that. I’m just trying to tell you, it’s a waste of time for you.”
“My time.” He shrugged. “How are you going to tell me what I want?”
Lowering her head, she leaned back against the wall, defeated. He walked to her and placed his hands on the wall, on each side of her head. He laid his lips on her forehead and spoke.
“You want this too. I know you do Raven.”
“I…”
Finn released a hand, took her chin, and tilted her face up to his.
“You can be nervous, but you can’t be scared.” He gently jerked her chin. “Look at me; am I really that scary?”
Raven nodded her head, then looked away at his irritated scowl.
“I’m just not very good at sex,” she admitted, mortified.
“That cannot be possible,” he insisted.
“It is,” she yelled, embarrassed and angry. She pushed him away, hard, and walked to the patio door. “Look, I don’t know how to do this.” She shrugged her shoulders and lifted her arms in frustration. “Donovan was the only man I’ve ever been with, and he told me.”
“Told you what?”
“That I’m terrible at this!” she yelled again. “It’s why he left. He said I was boring. That I sucked at it. He had to go to Amanda because she knew what do to and I didn’t.” Her eyes flashed on his. “Is that a turn on for you, Finn?”
She couldn’t believe the level of fury that bubbled up inside her or that she had just y
elled at him. Baffled, she looked up and saw him grinning at her.
“How old is Don Juan?”
“What?”
“He’s older than ya, right? A lot older?”
“So what?”
“So, Donovan’s a dickhead. An old man fuckin’ a young naïve girl, because she wouldn’t know any better if he had a limp dick. For Christ’s sake look at you Raven. Boring? Are you fucking kidding me? He didn’t know what the hell he was doing.” Finn smiled and strode over to her. “I promise you, I do.”
She felt so stupid and her eyes stung with tears. He picked her up without another word and wrapped her legs around his waist before walking her back in the direction of her room.
“People think I’m something I’m not.”
“Is that what you’re worried about?” When she only nodded, he set her down gently next to the bed, then pressed his lips to her forehead. “I only know this Raven. I don’t even know who the hell the other one is and quite frankly, I don’t want to.”
Untucking her shirt, he pulled it over her head, causing her hair to fall in silky waves, settling messily on her shoulders. His eyes darkened, and he shook his head a little, at the scraps of rose-colored lace and silk covering her. The final barrier.
“This one is definitely more than enough to keep me off balance. Okay?”
He kissed her softly again and moved his hands back to her face. She wanted to touch him but hesitated and dropped her hands, looking up dejectedly.
“I don’t know what to do.”
Finn smiled with tenderness and removed his tee shirt, reached for her hands, and placed them on his chest. The springy, golden curls whorled across the muscles and planes. As a look of supreme concentration crossed over his face, she shyly explored him. She tentatively kissed his chest, then ran her cheek over the soft hair. His fingers played lightly over her skin and slid through her own silky blonde mane.
He leveled his eyes with hers, and slowly but deftly unfastened her bra and let it fall to the floor. She swallowed audibly and was sure he could feel her heart beat frantically in her chest. Only then did he pull away and lower his gaze to her. Somewhere deep in his throat, he hummed. Looking so long and intensely at her, Raven looked anywhere but at him and finally, crossed her arms over her chest. Gently, he pulled her hands down and replaced them with his mouth for several moments before laying her on the bed.