by Addison Cole
Ashton’s eyes glazed over, and he reached for his father’s hand.
Ashton’s father stepped forward. “That might be a little over his head, but thank you,” he said.
“No problem. I’m always happy to explain what we do. I’m Dane Braden,” Dane said and extended his hand.
“Craig Knoll. Nice to meet you.”
“If you stop by that table, one of the Brave volunteers can give you an educational pamphlet. You’ll find a list of books that you can read to Ashton, so he can better understand sharks and maybe even work on overcoming his fear of them.”
“We’ll do that,” Craig said. He reached his hand out to the woman beside him. “This is Kathie, my wife.”
Kathie stepped forward, her cheeks flushed. She looked a little older than Lacy, and Lacy knew that part of that flush was due to the incredibly handsome man standing before her. Her eyes drifted back to Dane. And he’s all mine.
AFTER WATCHING A movie that explained how four decades of federal protection was the cause for the expanding seal population, Lacy and Dane left the visitors center and headed toward Provincetown.
“So if they protect the seals, won’t the sharks just keep coming as more seals are born or move into the area?” Lacy asked.
“That’s the issue. Part of what Brave does is to gather research about swim patterns, mating grounds, things like that. Something will need to be done, but the answer isn’t killing the sharks. We think the answer lies in somehow getting the seals to migrate elsewhere. But like anything else, politics take precedence, so decisions are slow, and meanwhile, great white sightings are increasing.” Dane glanced at Lacy and could see the gears in her mind working. He loved knowing that she was becoming interested in the process and reasoning surrounding what he did.
Dane pulled into the parking lot of PB Boulangerie, a little French bakery in Wellfleet.
“What’s next on our agenda?” Lacy asked. “I didn’t see anything else on the itinerary.”
Dane lifted the left side of his mouth in a smile. “You’ll see. I have to run in and pick something up. I’ll be right back,” he said. He left Lacy in the car to wonder what he was doing, and he went inside to collect the dinner basket he’d called ahead and ordered when Lacy had been in the ladies’ room at the visitor center. He’d felt closer to Lacy in the past day than he had even over the months they were video chatting and talking over the phone. It was like their hearts had just clicked into place beside each other. As Dane returned to the car, he saw Lacy through the passenger window. Her neck was arched, her eyes were closed, and her lips were slightly parted as she rested against the headrest. They hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before, and as he took in her long, graceful neck and those lips he couldn’t get enough of, he was reminded of the sexy little whimpers she’d made when he was loving her the previous night. Loving her. He had no doubt that he was moving in that direction. Heck, he was probably already there. The thought moved around his mind like a cloud, seeping into every crevice until it was no longer separate from his other thoughts. It was in everything he saw, in the smell of the lobster in the bag in his hands, in the breeze as it mussed his hair. It was even in him. He closed his eyes and reminded himself that she’d been back for only twenty-four hours and that telling her how he felt might send her running right back out of his life.
It was nearly sunset when they turned down a narrow road just before Pilgrim Lake. Lacy carried a blanket and Dane carried the package he’d picked up at the market as they walked down the peaceful stretch of beach. With his free hand, he reached for Lacy’s hand.
Dane saw the pod of seals before Lacy noticed them. She squinted as they neared.
“What…Oh my gosh. Are those seals? There must be hundreds of them.” Lacy’s eyes grew wide as she turned to face Dane.
“When the tide goes out, the seals come in. I wanted you to see just how many seals there might be in any one place,” Dane said.
The seals covered every bare spot of a sandbar about fifty feet from shore. The tide was already starting to roll back in. Dane spread out the blanket and stood with Lacy at the edge of the water.
“They’re magnificent,” she said. “I never imagined how big they really were. They must weigh hundreds of pounds. Look how many there are.”
Dane nodded. “And this is just a fraction of the seals that are around the Cape.”
“No wonder there are no more fish around. They have to eat,” Lacy said.
He took her hand and led her back to the blanket. He withdrew plastic wine glasses, a bottle of wine, a loaf of French bread, and a variety of cheeses from the package.
“When did you have time to arrange this?” she asked.
“I can’t tell you all of my secrets,” he said as he poured them each a glass of wine. “I figured I’d have to feed you at some point, and what better place than while we enjoy the tide as it rolls in?”
She leaned her head on his shoulder. “This is very romantic,” she said.
Lacy felt so good against him. He could sit right there next to her on the beach forever and never feel like he was missing a thing. He put his arm around her shoulder, and they watched the seals disappear with the rising tide.
“You’d never know they were there,” Lacy said.
“I think the silence of mammals is part of their beauty. We humans are loud. Everything about our lives is loud and creates havoc. Take a look around after we leave the beach. From our cars to our lawn mowers, we put things into the air that shouldn’t be there, and we leave so big of a footprint that…” He looked down at Lacy, who was gazing up at him with a tender smile. “I’m sorry. I’m lecturing again.”
“You’re passionate. I like that,” she said. “I can’t help but wonder, Dane. Why are you compelled to be the one to make a difference with something as scary as sharks?”
He kissed her forehead. “They don’t scare me. I could die driving—”
“I know, driving down the street,” she said. “But why? Why not do something safer? Be an advocate for living green or something.”
Dane shrugged. “Everyone has a calling. Sharks are mine.” He put his hand beneath her hair and brushed his fingers along the fine hairs on the back of her neck. “Just like you’re my calling, Lace. I want to be with you, and I want to protect you.” He didn’t know how it had happened so fast, but Lacy owned a piece of his heart as big as any piece his family ever had. “I never want anything to hurt you, and I never want to cause you any pain.” The sun set behind the dunes, casting a blue-black haze over the water. He leaned down and kissed her, hoping that in that kiss, Lacy would feel the three words he couldn’t yet say.
LACY GIGGLED AS Dane kissed the back of her neck while she tried to concentrate on finding the right key on her key chain to open the door. The porch light was off and she couldn’t see anything. She swatted playfully at him with a feigned sigh. He slid his hands around her waist and up her belly. Lacy leaned against him, feeling his heart beat against her back.
“Dane,” she whispered through a smile.
He dragged his tongue along her neck. “I’ve waited all day,” he said.
He spun her around so she was facing him and pressed his hips into hers, then backed her up against the door. With his hands on either side of her head, he pushed her hair to the side.
“I so love your face,” he said, then settled his lips over hers.
Lacy dropped the keys and wrapped her hands around him, pulling him even closer. He smelled like ocean air and tasted like wine. The combination was intoxicating. Well…that and the bottle of wine they’d shared. He moved his hands up her rib cage, kissing his way down her neck. A rush of heat moved through her.
“We should go inside,” she managed.
“Okay,” he whispered, but he made no move toward the door and took her in another deep kiss. His kisses alone were enough to send her into fits of heart-quaking lust, but his hand wandered, driving her out of her mind. She went up on her tiptoes with a l
ittle mewl of desire. If they didn’t go inside, she was going to rip off his clothes right there!
She tore her mouth away, picked up the keys, and fumbled them as fast as she was able, not wanting to waste a second. She shoved the key into the lock and pulled Dane inside, kicking the door shut behind them. The cottage was dark, save for moonlight coming through the glass doors in the living room. He knew just how to make her body sing, and now it was her turn to learn to do the same. She pushed his back against the front door—not so playfully.
“My turn,” she said huskily.
His eyes turned dark and lustful. He reached for her, and she stepped back, then grabbed his fly at the waist and ripped it to the side, sending the button flying across the room.
He pulled her close, ravenously kissing her. She nearly melted into a submissive kitten, but she held strong to her resolve to give him as much pleasure as he’d given her. She drew back from that delicious kiss, and with one palm on his chest, she pinned him against the door.
“You know what I like,” she said. “Now teach me.” She unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hands along his chest.
“Lace,” he whispered. “You don’t have to. Let me love you.”
She lowered her lips a breath away from his, the smell of wine mingling between them. “I’m an eager student,” she whispered, enjoying the rush of control sweeping through her. “Tell me what you like.”
She grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into another deep kiss. In the next second, she was in his arms and he was carrying her to the sofa. Breaking their connection was the last thing she wanted, but her desire to master his pleasure was stronger than the need to be taken by him.
“Dane! It’s my turn.”
His eyes turned volcanic. “Darn right, baby, and I intend to make sure you enjoy every second of it.”
“No. I want to learn to touch you the way you like it.”
“I like every way you touch me,” he said, lowering her to the couch.
How could she argue with that? And when he said, “But if you want me to tell you what I like, I’m all in, baby. Class is in session…”
Chapter Twenty
ROB HAD THE boat ready to go when Dane and Lacy arrived at the marina the next morning. Dane handed Rob a warm to-go cup of coffee, noticing his eyes were clear and his skin color looked healthy. He was relieved to see that Rob’s strength and confidence had returned, but he’d be sure to keep an eye on him just in case. He helped Lacy aboard, then pulled her into a hug. Today they were going to troll for sharks so Lacy could see one in the water.
Dane whispered in her ear, “You sure you want to do this? It might be ten times harder than the aquarium, and you had a hard time there.”
“I know. I do. I really, really do,” Lacy said.
He knew this was going to be difficult for her, but Danica had stressed the importance of Lacy facing her fears, and apparently, she’d told Lacy the same thing. He felt the fast pace of her heart against his chest, and Dane wondered if he was doing the right thing.
“You two must have had quite a night. I almost never beat Dane to the boat,” Rob teased.
“Yeah, about beating me to the boat. You look pretty chipper,” Dane said. “I take it things are better with Sheila?”
“Much. You were right. We needed to talk, and now that we have, we’ve got it all under control. That was three days of misery that I never want to go back to. Hey, why don’t we all have dinner tonight? Sheila and the kids would love to see you, Dane, and she’s heard about Lacy for so long she feels like she knows her already.”
“Lace?” Dane and Lacy had spent the night in each other’s arms, and now, looking at Lacy’s gratified grin, he knew the worst was behind them.
“Sure. Sounds great,” she said. Lacy zipped her sweatshirt over her bikini and stretched out in one of the deck chairs. They were taking Treat’s boat out today instead of the work vessel. Dane had wanted Lacy to be comfortable, and if she had a difficult time, she could escape to the cabin below.
“I guess it’s a date,” Dane said to Rob. “You had me worried, Rob. I want you to know that if you need me, I’m here. I’ll go to meetings. I’ll let you stay on the boat. I’ll stay at your motel. Whatever you need. I’m here for you.”
“I know, Dane, and I appreciate it. I went to a meeting yesterday morning and another last night. I figured immersion therapy might be a good thing.” Rob winked. “I did fine last night. I had them move me to another room. I didn’t want any reminders of how far I’d fallen.”
Dane glanced at Lacy. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, Rob, it’s that we can always change. We make mistakes and we learn from them; then we move on. There is no hard-and-fast point of no return.”
THE AFTERNOON SUN beat down on them as they sailed through Chatham Harbor. Dane was relieved to see Rob back to his old self again. His energy was high and the camaraderie they’d shared for so many years fell right back into place. Dane silently vowed to keep a better eye on Rob. What kind of a friend was he if he didn’t notice when his best friend’s life was upended?
Dane laughed at a joke Rob made and cast a glance back at Lacy, stretched out on the deck cushions with only those tiny triangular patches of cloth covering the parts of her body that were so fresh on his mind. Beneath her head was the sweatshirt she’d had on earlier. Her curls fell away from her face like heavy twine. The evening before, he’d wrapped his fingers deep in those curls. He’d never met a woman whose desire to please was as strong as her desire to be pleasured. Then again, Lacy was like no other woman he’d ever met, and he knew she’d be the last woman he invited into his bed.
Now, looking at her lying in the sun, the curve of her belly moving up and down with each peaceful breath, all he wanted to do was love her. Need felt too shallow for the emotions that were burying themselves deeper in his mind with every thought. His feelings for Lacy encompassed love, adoration, inspiration, respect, gratification, and yes, need was a part of those feelings, but they were not the driving force of his emotions toward her.
“What’s the plan for tomorrow?” Rob asked.
“Tomorrow?” Dane pulled his attention back to his friend.
“We’re supposed to go free diving, remember? You delayed the tagging, but I got a message from Carl today, and he said our equipment would be ready for the dive,” Rob said.
Damn. He looked at Lacy. She might be fine lying out in the sun on a luxury boat, but he doubted she’d be okay on a dive boat while he was underwater looking for sharks.
“Yeah, I did forget, but I’ll be there,” Dane assured him.
“Great. So, what’s the deal with Lacy? Is she everything you hoped for? She seems like a really nice girl,” Rob said.
“The deal?” Dane looked at Rob’s expectant stare and shook his head. “Every time I think I have her figured out, she throws me for a loop.”
“That’s women for you,” Rob said.
“I think it’s more than that,” he said. “I don’t know.”
Lacy came up behind the men. “Are you talking about me?” she asked. She put her arm around Dane’s shoulder and kissed his cheek.
“Not you—all women,” Rob said.
“That’s worse,” she said with a feigned pout.
Dane pulled her onto his lap. “Did you enjoy the sun?”
“Mmm. It was glorious, and I’m not the least bit anxious,” she said.
“There are no s-h-a-r-k-s here either.” Dane kissed her cheek.
“Rob, I’m glad things are going better for you and Sheila,” Lacy said. “I look forward to meeting her.”
“And you’ll meet my kids, too. They’re so cute, but they’ll pester you. Katie loves anything girlie—hair, nails, makeup—and Charlie is pretty quiet, but if you get onto a subject he likes, he’ll talk forever.”
“I love kids. I’m sure we’ll get along just fine,” Lacy said.
“So you work for World Geographic? You think you can help us get people to fund o
ur research? It’s a tough job,” Rob said. “It’s like asking Hansel and Gretel’s parents to fund the wicked witch’s cooking classes.”
In addition to Dane and his siblings having very successful careers, they each had trust funds. Their father would never have allowed them to grow up acting as if they’d had silver spoons in their mouths. He’d instilled in them solid morals and work ethics, and to this day, Dane tried not to dip into his trust fund to subsidize the Brave research. He was emotionally and physically invested, but he knew the only way to get the public to care about the oceans, and the sharks that lived within them, was to educate them and enlighten them to the value of protecting the sharks and, in turn, the oceans.
“I think we’ll find a way to make it appealing. I’ve actually got a few ideas up my sleeve.”
“Have you?” Dane arched a brow. You’ve thought of something other than me?
“That is what I’m here for,” she said, leaning in to his chest.
“That’s great. I don’t know if Dane told you, but there’s some question about whether the Cape has become a shark breeding ground the last few years, so we’re also looking for residency hot spots, which we hope will give us enough information to help keep the sharks and the public safer,” Rob said.
“I think you can use that angle with your marketing, too,” Lacy said.
They talked about Brave and marketing strategies for the next hour. Rob pulled Dane aside and said, “She’s a bright woman. I thought you said she was afraid of sharks. She seems comfortable talking about them.”
“She is afraid. Talking and seeing are two different things,” Dane said with a smile.
Rob looked at his watch. “You wanna bag the sighting then and go back in?”
“I’ll leave that up to Lacy,” Dane said. They went back to the seating in the rear of the boat, where Lacy was sitting in the sun. Dane sat beside her. He put his hand on her knee and looked her in the eyes.
“Lace, we can take this next step toward helping you overcome sharks if you are ready, but if you’re not, we can go back in.” Dane searched her eyes, recognizing the flash of fear that she was trying to hide with her rapidly blinking lashes. Her leg went rigid beneath his palm.