By Sea

by Carly Fall

  He nodded. “Yeah, I believe you. I guess we’re cool.”

  Rayna smiled. “I’m glad. I don’t think anything will happen on the boat, but if something were to happen, I’d like to be around someone who trusts me.”

  “Agreed,” he said.

  “How did you get away?” Rayna asked after a moment.

  He smiled. “That, Ms. CIA, is none of your damn business.”

  She glanced over at him and grinned. “Okay, Captain. Fair enough.”

  They stared out at the water for a few more minutes, Brody feeling the tension in his shoulders lessen. He hadn’t even realized it was there. Being out to sea relaxed him, and it always had. There was something soothing about the sound of the soft swells nestling against the boat and the humid breeze tickling his nose, clearing his head.

  “Are you ever going to tell me what they did to you?” Rayna asked, taking another sip of her wine.

  Just then, Brody caught movement out of the corner of his eye and heard the familiar chatter of the dolphins. He looked down at the pod swimming next to the boat, the moonlight gleaming off their backs as they rolled around in the water.

  “Oh my God!” Rayna exclaimed when she saw them. “Look at them, Brody!”

  As the dolphins played and chattered, Rayna laughed and grinned. He wanted to tell her he was somehow responsible for their appearance, that he was connected with them and the ocean in some mysterious way even he didn’t fully understand. However, the words got stuck in his throat as he watched her face light up with sheer wonderment of the moment. Gone was the serious Ms. Hot CIA agent, and in her place was a woman feeling joy at a new experience. As she laughed, she grabbed his arm, and he couldn’t help but think he was seeing a side of Rayna that didn’t reveal itself very often. He realized there was much more to the woman than she let the world see, and he wondered if she harbored her own secrets, or if she was just closed off by nature.

  Her touch set his blood on fire, his heart raced a little faster at her open smile. The chime of her laughter made him feel a little lighter, as if it somehow gave his soul wings.

  The question of what they had done to him was gone, and they watched the dolphins for a few more minutes. The grey bodies soon disappeared under the black, inky sea, and Brody turned back to Rayna.

  Her smile faded into a small grin as she stared up at him. In the moonlight, she looked like an island goddess with her dark hair, tanned skin, and sparkling eyes. The urge to kiss her full lips overwhelmed him, and he wondered if she felt the heat between them growing, almost taking on a life of its own. How fast his feelings for her had turned around. Just a few hours ago, he’d been furious to see her, and now he wanted nothing more than to touch her and get to know her better.

  “I-I think I better go check up on some things,” Brody whispered, afraid of what he may do if he stayed any longer.

  Rayna licked her lips, and Brody fought a groan. Good God, how he wanted to taste that tongue.

  Without thinking, he brushed his knuckle down the side of her face, and traced his thumb over her bottom lip. Her breath hitched, and he longed to know if her heart beat as fast as his.

  Stuffing his hands in the front pocket of his shorts so he wouldn’t touch her again, he turned and decided he would lock himself in the Bridge until this damn trip was over.

  “Only a couple more minutes out here, Rayna. We need everyone inside after dark,” he called over his shoulder.

  No matter what he said about trusting her, the last thing he needed to do was get involved with a CIA agent.

  Chapter 25

  Rayna sat at the long, teak table on the back of the boat watching the sun come up as she sipped her coffee, trying not to think of the way Brody’s touch the previous night affected her. Her cheek still burned when she recalled it.

  The seagulls and pelicans began circling above looking for their first meal of the day. Little splashes of water about a hundred yards away caught her eye, and the birds began dive-bombing the spot.

  Katie came out of the Main Salon and refilled her coffee cup.

  “Katie, what’s going on over there?” Rayna asked, pointing to the small splashes.

  “There’s larger fish feeding below, sending all the smaller fish toward the surface. They’re jumping around, which catches the attention of the birds.”

  “The little guys don’t have a chance, do they?” Rayna murmured as she watched the pelicans dive for the water from above, tucking their wings to their sides, their feet stretched out behind them. They reminded Rayna of missiles.

  “No, they don’t, but that’s Nature’s way. Can I get you anything else, Rayna?”

  “No, thank you.”

  The bloodbath ended after a few moments, and all was quiet again. Rayna looked around at the beauty surrounding her, the dark water turning a light, aqua blue as the sun climbed higher in the sky. It was hard to believe she was here to help protect her sister, as she couldn’t imagine anything bad happening in such a magnificent place. Dark clouds began to form over the island, and Rayna wondered if they were in for a bit of rain today.

  She heard splashes at the very back of the boat by the motor, and hoped the dolphins were back. Standing, she glanced over at the railing surprised to see Brody climbing the ladder wearing red swim trunks.

  Once on the boat, he ran his fingers through his dark hair. Muscles and tendons rippled under his skin as he turned a knob on the side of the boat and pulled out a hose. He shut his eyes as he held up the showerhead and water cascaded down his body.

  Rayna tried to look away, and knew she should sit down. Actually, she should run for her room. Brody was not to be ogled as she was currently doing. His sole function was to keep Margarita safe, not be Rayna’s eye candy.

  However, she couldn’t seem to move, her body warming as Brody finished the quick shower and then grabbed a towel. He patted his wide chest, flat stomach, and long, muscular legs. Running the towel over his hair, he glanced up at her.

  Busted.

  “Good morning,” he said, smiling.

  “Good morning,” Rayna answered, embarrassment heating her cheeks.

  “Did you sleep okay?” he asked, climbing the stairs to the table.

  Rayna sat down and took a sip of her coffee, trying not to let Brody ruffle her, and she hoped he had no idea just how much his presence affected her.

  “I did, thank you.”

  “You’re an early riser,” he commented, wiping the towel over his torso one more time.

  “I could say the same about you,” she said, trying not to stare.

  “I am. I love a swim in the morning. Helps clear my head and gets the kinks in my body moving again.”

  Glancing over at him again, she didn’t see anything that resembled a kink, only hard planes of muscle and smooth skin.

  “Did you see the dolphins this morning?” he asked.

  “No, I didn’t. They were here again?”

  Brody nodded. “Yeah, just for a little while. They headed in closer to shore. Easy pickings for breakfast over there.”

  Katie opened the back door. “Good morning, Brody. Would you care for some coffee?”

  “Hey, Katie. I can get it, but thanks.”

  “I’ve got it Brody, no worries!” Katie smiled.

  As Katie shut the door, Rayna said, “She sure is sweet.”

  “Yeah, she is. She’s an important member of the crew.”

  “I haven’t had much interaction with Heidi,” Rayna said. Once again, she’d tried to talk to Heidi this morning, and she was met with a glare and a short answer. Heidi then walked away.

  “Yeah, she’s not really good with the guests,” Brody said. “She can be a little nasty sometimes.”

  “Why do you have her on the boat?” Rayna asked.

  “Because she’s good at what she does, as long as she doesn’t have to talk to anyone.”

  Silence stretched while they waited for Katie. She appeared a moment later with a large mug. “Here you go!”
>
  “Thanks, Katie,” Brody said with a smile as he took the mug. “I appreciate it. Have you seen Jason yet today?”

  Katie shook her head. “He’s supposed to start at eight, so I’m sure he’ll be sleeping until seven fifty nine or so.”

  Brody chuckled. “You’re probably right. He’s definitely not a morning guy.”

  “Let me know if you need anything, Rayna,” Katie said as she headed back inside.

  Rayna sipped her coffee and slipped on her sunglasses, the water sparkling as the sun ascended fully in the sky.

  “What time will your sister get up?” he asked.

  Shrugging, Rayna said, “She’s not a morning person either—maybe ten or eleven. She likes to stay up late and sleep in.”

  “Okay, I’ll let Danny know so he can plan the meals for the day. I’m going to go change and tend to some things on the boat, but why don’t you think about what you two want to do today.”

  “What do you mean?” Rayna asked.

  “I mean … do you two want to jet ski? Snorkel? Anything like that?”

  Rayna smiled. “That sounds like more of a vacation than a protection job.”

  “Well, if you don’t do something, you’ll go stir crazy. There’s only so long you can stare at the islands and water. Besides, Jason or I will accompany both your sister and you with whatever you decide to do.”

  Rayna thought about it a moment, and if Jason or Brody were with her and Margarita all the time, she couldn’t see a problem with enjoying some of the fun activities the boat offered. “Will you be armed?” she asked.

  “Of course. Although, I highly doubt anything will happen.”

  “I doubt it, too. I mean, I would think it would be nearly impossible for someone to find us, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

  “Agreed,” Brody said. “I’ll see you in a little bit.”

  Margarita emerged from her room around eleven, just as Rayna predicted. After three cups of coffee and turning down breakfast, she was back in self-absorbed boss woman mode, and Brody once again wondered how she and Rayna could be related.

  “I think I would like to try the jet ski before we have lunch,” Margarita announced.

  “That’s fine, but either Jason or I will be going with you,” Brody said.

  Margarita said, “I’ll have Jason accompany me.”

  “Okay, I’ll let him know. When are you thinking of going?”

  “Where is he?” she asked

  “In the engine room,” Brody answered. “He’s doing some work down there for me.”

  “Then I’d like to go now,” Margarita announced with a large smile, looking almost devilish as she batted her eyelashes.

  Brody grinned, determined not to let her see how much she aggravated him. He got the distinct feeling she was trying to make his life difficult by requesting Jason’s appearance when he had just specifically said Jason was busy doing something for him. He’d be damned before he gave her that satisfaction. “He’ll be up in a few,” Brody said, “after he’s done with the work down there.”

  “Excellent,” Margarita said, standing. “I’ll go put on my suit. Ray-Ray, will you be jet skiing as well?”

  Rayna glanced over at him. If Jason went with Margarita that meant Brody would be getting up close and personal on the jet ski with Rayna. He both liked and hated the idea, and wished he hadn’t mentioned it to her earlier. He wanted her body close, to feel her skin against his. However, he didn’t want to get involved with her, and he reminded himself she hadn’t really given any indication she had any interest in him.

  However, he could just let her go alone—give her a gun and send her out to race around the bay. Being a CIA agent she could surely take care of herself. Although Margarita was the client and Rayna probably didn’t need protection, he still felt the need to treat her as he would a client.

  “Yes, I’d like to try the jet skis. I’ve never been on one before,” Rayna said.

  Brody grinned. “Great. I’ll ride with you then. I’ll radio Jason to come up when he’s finished, we’ll get the jet skis in the water, and I’ll get changed.”

  “How fun!” Margarita exclaimed.

  “I can go by myself, Brody. You don’t need—”

  “No, I insist,” he said, turning to put on his suit.

  Chapter 26

  “Come on,” Brody said, smiling, as he sat on the jet ski, his hand stretched outward.

  Rayna took his hand and stepped onto the jet ski, settling herself behind him, her chest touching his back. She was thankful they both wore life jackets, as she didn’t know if she could take skin-on-skin contact.

  “Ready?” Brody said over his shoulder.

  “Yes.”

  “Hold on!”

  Brody gunned the ski, and they took off. Rayna grabbed on to his waist as they flew faster and faster over the water, the loud hum of the motor drowning out most sounds, except Margarita screaming as Jason took a sharp turn, causing water to splash up and fully drench her.

  The wind whipped Rayna’s hair around, a light; salty spray of tropical water coated her legs and arms. Watching the scenery fly by exhilarated her as they glided over the water and bounced every now and then as they caught a wave.

  Brody headed for one side of the bay. As they got closer, Rayna studied the beautiful houses nestled into the trees, and Brody slowed down.

  “See that pink one over there?” he asked, the motor only a low hum now as they almost came to a stop.

  “Yes.”

  “I heard through the grape vine the Clintons used to rent it out for vacations while they were in the White House.”

  The house was massive and very, very pink.

  “It’s an odd color for a home,” Rayna commented as she relaxed her grip on Brody’s waist, noting the other homes were more natural colors such as browns and whites, and fit in better with the landscape. “It doesn’t blend in very well.”

  “I know,” Brody said, speeding up a bit.

  “It seems like they would want to stay in a house that didn’t look like a big target on the side of the mountain.”

  Brody turned and smiled. “That’s exactly what I thought, Ms. CIA.”

  She grinned. “Great minds think alike,” she said.

  “You know the rest of that saying, right?” Brody asked.

  “No.”

  “The rest of it is, ‘small minds rarely differ.’”

  “Let’s just stick with the ‘great minds’ part, shall we?” Rayna asked with a laugh.

  Brody chuckled. “Yeah, I think that’s a good idea.”

  Rayna returned her attention to the huge houses and wondered who owned them and if they lived there full time.

  “It’s really expensive to live down here as everything needs to be flown in,” Brody said, almost reading her thoughts. Was that his supernatural power?

  Suddenly, he gunned it, almost dumping Rayna off the back, and she tightened her grip around his waist.

  They flew across the bay, and Brody headed for Jason’s wake. As they hit the small waves, the jet ski caught air, and Rayna held on tighter, laughing as the spray coated her face and sunglasses, and she rubbed them to see where they were heading next.

  Brody took a sharp turn, and Rayna squealed as she held on tighter to Brody’s waist, her body floating to the side as if she were about to be dumped off.

  “Don’t do that, Brody!” she yelled, finally able to clear the seawater from her glasses. “That scared the hell out of me!”

  Brody laughed and said, “So, Ms. Badass CIA is afraid of a little ocean spray?”

  “You just almost tipped me off this thing!” she continued to yell, but laughed as well.

  He came to an abrupt stop and looked over his shoulder. “Do you want to drive for a bit? Would being in control make you happy?”

  Rayna tried to ignore the sexual heat she felt at his words and take them at face value, yet images of him tied up on a bed played in her mind. Damn. “Sure!” Rayna exclaimed,
and she listened as Brody explained she would need to crawl over him while he steadied the machine.

  All in all, his instructions sounded very intimate.

  He took her hand, and she stood up, swinging her leg over so that she stood on one side, while Brody leaned to the other to balance the weight. She gripped his arm, his muscle tensing under the skin.

  After moving back to where she had been sitting, he patted the seat in front of him. Rayna tried to maneuver her way around his leg in the least sexual way possible, but the jet ski wobbled, sending her off balance. Brody grabbed her hip before she hit the water, and she finally, she got seated without falling in.

  Rayna laughed nervously. “I thought I was going in for sure!”

  “Me too,” Brody said, his close voice sending a tremor down her spine.

  “So what do I do?” Rayna asked, gripping the handles, concentrating on his next words instead of the closeness of his body.

  “It’s easy,” Brody said, leaning into her and handing her a plastic cord attached to the jet ski. “First, tie this on to your jacket. It’ll stop the jet ski if we fall off.” He wrapped his big hands around hers and maneuvered her fingers with his. “To go, pull this lever. To slow down, let up on it.”

  As he slowly caressed her fingers while showing her the controls, undeniable warmth gathered in her core. “That’s simple,” Rayna said while clearing her throat, anxious to pull the lever.

  The jet ski bucked to life, and Brody’s hands snaked around her waist as he pressed his chest into her back. She tried to concentrate on driving, but it was difficult with Brody literally wrapped around her, and now she wished they weren’t wearing lifejackets. Good God, her emotions were all over the place with this guy.

  She drove around for a while, the only noise rising above the din of the engine were Margarita’s screams and shrieks. Rayna smiled, glad her sister was having fun.

  “We can go snorkeling over there later if you want,” Brody yelled, pointing to the other side of the bay. “Katie said she’s seen turtles over there, so it may be worth exploring.”