“The whole crew from the magazine is scheduled for a planning meeting this morning,” said Alya. “Before too many boats come with the day tourists from Cairns, you’ll have the reef to yourself to explore. You can try out your new bikini.”
Natasha laughed. “I can’t believe you bought that thing for me.”
“What do you mean? You look fantastic in it.” Her sister lowered her sunglasses and gave her a playful glare. “If I had those boobs, I wouldn’t hide them.”
Natasha rolled her eyes. “One loose string and there’s no hiding anything. One of many reasons I’ll be wearing a dive suit over it.”
The captain called them over to the ladder and helped them out of the boat. Natasha grabbed the handle of her suitcase and pulled it over the uneven boards of the long dock that stretched out in front of her. The morning sun blazed down on her head, and she searched in her bag for something to cover up with.
“Looking for one of these?” her sister asked, pulling an extra sunhat out of her handbag and passing it to Natasha. “I’m so glad you came. We don’t travel together as often anymore.”
Natasha plopped the hat on her head. “Why didn’t you invite Stewart? You could’ve taken the chance to get away as a couple.”
Alya frowned. “I’m just not into him the way I should be. I’m starting to think I’m using him as a crutch, for comfort. Which is pretty harsh. For a little while, I actually considered taking this trip alone. No security.” Natasha’s steps slowed. Though she wanted her sister to feel unafraid, to go around without a bodyguard, that meant Max would disappear out of their lives. Out of her life. Natasha’s gut gave an uncomfortable twist, and she frowned. She was getting way too many steps ahead.
Come on, brain. You’re capable of a holiday, right?
* * *
The bright yellow ring around Natasha’s snorkel peeked up above the calm waters, and her body skimmed the shimmering surface. Max watched her from the shade, leaning back, the sand warm under his fingers. The sun was high, and the last ferries were shuttling day tourists back to Cairns. The long jetty was mostly empty. Every other guest was on the other side of the island for the photoshoot. Only Natasha was in the water.
How long had he been sitting here, drifting in this sexual purgatory, watching her? Hard to tell, but after a long day, he couldn’t think of a better way to unwind. Max had joined Alya for the two-hour planning meeting at the private resort they were staying at, which the magazine had fully booked. Now Alya had a couple hours of...well, the photographer had called it “walking through the concept with the stylist,” whatever that meant. If he and Natasha were going to get down to business, now was the time. But an unfamiliar calm was spreading through him, and he wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Yes, the usual hot-naked-woman-in-his-near-future hum was going on, but for now, he was content to just sit back and watch. For now, that was enough. Strange.
Natasha dove under the rope of buoys that marked off the no-boat zone, then popped back up with a little spray of water from her snorkel. She was swimming straight for him, past the edge of the reef, to where the bottom turned white. Max brushed the sand from his hands and stood up. He wandered down the beach, the sun sparkling over the gentle waves. And from the middle of all this glimmer, Natasha emerged out of the water.
She stood up and lifted her mask. And, fuck, she looked good. The wet suit she wore hugged the curves of her hips, narrowing at the waist and filling out again over her breasts. She looked like a superheroine fantasy, the X-rated version—why the hell didn’t someone make those kinds of movies? Max smiled. Natasha would definitely star in his own version of one of them.
She was twisting the water out of her long hair when she first caught sight of him. Her movements slowed, and her face lit up in an unguarded smile, like he was the most fascinating thing on the whole Great Barrier Reef. More enticing than fish. And it felt good.
“Hey, Max,” she called. She glanced up and down the beach then toward the mainland. “How long have I been out?”
“Awhile. The magazine crew is on the other side of the island.”
“I see.” She was closer now, and her movements slowed as she met his gaze. Was she making the same calculations he’d made the minute he left Alya? He glanced down at his watch. Still plenty of time for fun.
Natasha bent down and pulled off her flippers, then she reached behind her back to unzip her wet suit. She peeled it down, revealing her shoulders, her arms...her tits. Fuck, yes, she was beautiful. The bikini was one of those barely there things that gave a perfect view of the plump roundness of her breasts on both sides. She pulled the wet suit down to her hips and let it hang there as she started for the shore. Water ran down her body, over her bare stomach, down her arms. Her pale skin glistened in the late-afternoon sun.
Max’s dick twitched. Oh, yeah, he was finally, finally going to get a chance with this woman. Though staring at her chest wasn’t really his A game for seduction. Max shoved his hands in his pockets and forced his gaze upward.
“See any fish sex while you were out?” he asked.
Natasha smiled. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
She strode up the shore, her gear in both hands.
“I would,” he said. It was true. He was hoping to figure out what her area of expertise was all about. “Maybe you could take me out, show me around a bit.”
She stopped right in front of him, staring at him with those gray eyes that sparkled with flecks of gold. A little crease formed between her eyebrows. Like she wasn’t sure what to make of his suggestion.
“Seriously,” he said. “I’d love for you to point out some of the creatures.”
They stood, facing each other, close enough to touch. Her eyes had a hazy glow to them in the sunlight. He let his gaze wander down, pausing on her parted lips, on the tender hollow at the base of her neck where drips of water caught. Her hair settled in glossy ropes over her shoulders. There were so many places he wanted to kiss her right now.
Max leaned forward and brushed his lips against her cheek. “You look hot in that wet suit, by the way,” he said, smiling. He tapped the mask in her hand. “Can I borrow that for a minute and get a peek under water?”
She didn’t answer right away, just tilted her head to the side, taking him in. Finally, she gave him a little smile. “It would be more fun if you go get your own and we can look together.”
“I just need a peek. I don’t have one of these,” he said, giving her wet suit a little tug, pulling her closer. If he leaned forward just a little...
She shook her head. “You won’t need one. I just wore a wet suit to protect me from getting hurt on the reef, but we won’t be diving. We’ll stay on the surface just right around here.” She gestured to the reef right along the shore.
He ran through that idea. Back in Natasha’s apartment she had mentioned some shark she wanted to see that was common in this area. They wouldn’t be seeing one of those today, would they? Not that he couldn’t handle it, of course. He had surfed for years, which meant he had likely been close to a shark or two at some point, but Max much preferred going about his business without actually coming face-to-face with them. Hell, that went for plenty of things in life. The less he thought about some shit, the better. Though, next week, he’d be forced to change that approach. But not yet. He still had a couple of days on a beautiful tropical island before his life turned into something he no longer steered himself.
Back to the current issue.
“Any chance of seeing that shark you were talking about before?” he asked, keeping his voice casual.
Natasha shook her head. “I didn’t see any over here. I think we have a better chance on the other side of the island, but you’d need a wet suit for that area.”
“No worries.” Max shrugged, like looking for the best area to swim with sharks was a regular topic of casual conversation. For Natasha, it pr
obably was.
“There’s a basket with water gear outside our cabin,” she said. It gave him a small thrill that he and Natasha were staying in the same suite—of course, that was standard when he travelled with Alya, but still... “If you go get a mask and snorkel, we can have a quick look around.”
Reluctantly, very reluctantly, he let go of her wet suit.
“Don’t swim off on me, Aquawoman,” he said, wagging his finger at her.
Natasha laughed and tossed her flippers onto the sand.
Max jogged through the forest along the boardwalk, turning off to the secluded area where a smattering of two-story beach cabins formed a circle around a swimming pool. He found the basket, dug out a mask and snorkel, and headed back to the beach.
She was sitting at the edge of the water, her wet suit still around her waist. Max walked along the shore toward her, where the water had cooled the sand. Natasha was looking the opposite way, out at the open ocean, her hair in a long mermaid tangle down her back, her curves on full display.
This woman was amazing. The tropical heat must have messed with his brain, because instead of steering them into the bedroom, where he could’ve been tasting and teasing that beautiful body, he had suggested getting back in the water.
Max slowed as he approached her. Natasha’s arms were wrapped loosely around her knees, and her eyes were closed. She had left her flippers farther up the beach, by the trees, and her mask dangled from her hand. She looked so...relaxed. She never looked like this in Sydney.
He had been all for the idea of her coming along to Green Island for selfish reasons, of course. But looking at her now, just sitting with her feet in the ocean and the late afternoon sun on her face, he could feel her relief. Alya had been right to push her to come.
Max snuck up behind her, slowing as he approached, and tickled her under her arms. She laughed, squirming away.
“Not cool,” she said, but she was smiling.
He sat down beside her so their knees just touched. He put on his mask and fitted the snorkel into his mouth.
“Ready,” he said, the tube garbling his voice.
She sized him up. “You do know how to swim, right?”
He pulled the snorkel out of his mouth and gave her the best seductive smile he could manage with the mask pressing on the top half of his face. “Is this where my bad jokes about mouth-to-mouth come in? I have a few.”
“Of course you do,” Natasha said with a wry laugh. “I just want to know what I’m getting into. Do we need life jackets?”
He rubbed his chin, pretending to think. “I usually take a flotation device with me when I swim.” She gave him a questioning look, so he let her think on that for just a moment longer before he added, “My surfboard.”
She shook her head slowly, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. As he tried to rise, she shoved him a little so that he toppled over into the sand.
“Okay, hotshot,” she said standing up. “Let’s get in the water.”
Natasha stood up and shimmied back into the top of her wet suit. Damn that was a nice visual, even if the process was going in the wrong direction. Max brushed the sand off his arms and stood up. Natasha fumbled behind her back for the long zipper strap, so he took a step closer and covered her hand with his.
“Let me get that for you,” he said softly.
She stopped midreach, as his fingers brushed over her wrist. Then she lowered her hand.
He had never talked a woman into covering up before—it usually went the other way. But everything about her was different. He tucked in the material under the zipper, running his fingers up her warm skin. The sun was hot, but she shivered under his touch. Slowly, he pulled up the zipper and fastened the Velcro strap behind her neck.
He was so close to her, and the temptation to change his mind, to head back to the cabin right away, was strong. But that would come soon. Instead, he pressed his lips against her neck.
“Ready when you are,” he whispered.
She laughed. “I’m sure you are.”
Natasha started into the water, bending down to dip her mask and rinse it out.
“Make sure you drag your feet when you walk around here,” she said. “The stingrays will move to avoid you as long as they know you’re coming. You don’t want to step on them.”
Max’s heart jumped at the word stingray. Of course, he knew there were occasional run-ins with these creatures, just like with the sharks, but he wasn’t keen for a direct encounter.
“You mean the same kind of stingray that killed the crocodile bloke with a strike to the chest?” he asked. “What was his name?”
“Steve Irwin. And yes, that kind.”
“Just checking.”
Natasha didn’t look bothered in the least bit, so neither was he. But, just to be safe, he followed her path. Tailing her gave him a nice view of her ass, too. They waded out, the sandy bottom massaging Max’s feet, until they reached the edge of the reef. Natasha strapped on her mask and fitted her lips around the mouthpiece of her snorkel. Then she looked over at him.
“Let’s go.” Her voice was muffled, but she still managed to be sexy as hell. She lowered herself into the water and headed out into the endless ocean.
The water was balmy as he followed her out, warmer than the beaches back in Sydney where he and Simon surfed. And without the wind and waves, the water was a hell of a lot clearer. Which meant that instead of sitting on his board in blissful ignorance, he was about to get a close-up view of whatever was lingering just below him.
He sank into the water and looked around. Holy hell, it was amazing. There were fish everywhere, hundreds or even thousands, all in different shapes and colors that were brighter than what looked natural. Some kinds seemed to stick together in a formation, and others weren’t team players. Like the long, red, snake-like thing with black and white spots that slithered by him. It looked like it could be poisonous, though it was currently minding its own business.
There seemed to be some sort of scrum action going on over to the left, and Natasha turned, swimming straight for it. But as they approached, the free-for-all broke up, leaving a maze of coral that looked like radioactive cauliflower. The bright blue sea stars he could identify, and those purple spiny creatures, well, he’d probably recognize their name if someone said it. But there was so much more. Like a clam thing that opened to reveal layers of deep pink petals that rippled inside. A few dirty jokes that would make Natasha smile came to mind, but they kept going.
She pointed to fish hiding in crevices or inside other marine life, and at one point, she stopped moving altogether to let a school of tiny, iridescent fish swim by. Slowly, she led them in a half-circle, making their way around the shallower spots on the reef until they were back at the edge of it, where the sandy bottom began.
Max stood up and lifted off his mask, and Natasha did the same. Then she turned to him and smiled. And right there, Max’s heart gave a mighty thump. The happiness on her was breathtaking. Water ran down her beautiful cheeks and the mask had left imprints all around her eyes. She looked glorious. Alive.
Why couldn’t life be like this moment more often? He already knew there was no good answer to that. Beautiful moments had a way of coming then disappearing forever, so he swallowed and smiled back at her.
CHAPTER SEVEN
MAX SHOOK OUT his hair, water spraying off him like a shaggy dog as they headed up the beach.
“Now that was fun,” he said. “And we didn’t even get undressed.”
Her smile widened. Okay, this was the Max she knew. She’d caught a glimpse of who he was under all that charm in the water, and the pure pleasure while exploring the reef was a new side of him. But he was still Max. Of course he was thinking about sex. “Do we still have time for that, too?” she asked.
He stretched his hands over his head, his arm muscles flexing. “Not sure. But
I am definitely up for giving it a try.”
He gave her body a slow, appreciative perusal, his gaze lingering on her breasts, which were currently being squeezed and flattened by her wet suit. But he didn’t seem to be picky in this area.
“I didn’t see any mating,” he said conversationally. “Now I’m curious. How do they do it?”
She waved off his question with her hand. “It’s really not very sexy. But I’m sure you can find videos.”
“Hmm...videos.” He grinned. “Thanks for the tour,” he said, more seriously. “I loved it.”
“You’re welcome.” She met his gaze, and the electric pull between them sizzled.
“What do you want to do next?” His voice came out lower, softer, leaving no question about what kind of plans he’d like to make.
A slow smile spread across her lips. “Go back to the cabin. Take off my wet suit. Get into the shower.”
“You want any help with any of that?” he asked with mock seriousness. “Since I helped you zip up, I figured it only fair that I offer unzipping services, too.”
She chuckled. “Very generous of you.”
He took a step closer, and her laughter faded. Another step and her breath was a quick, sharp inhale. The sun sparkled through the drops of water on his eyelashes. Like he was magic.
Max leaned into her, his mouth close to her ear. “I’ll start by carrying your gear.”
Natasha bit her lip, but she couldn’t hold back her smile. She had meant to get in the water for a bit, to enjoy the reef while no one else was splashing around. The cloudless days were perfect for diving, and she had lost track of time...until Max joined her. It felt good sharing her time in the water with him. Refreshing, actually.
Now, miracle of all miracles, fish were no longer the first thing on her mind. If she wanted to get this sexploration started, this was her window of opportunity. The heavy heat in Max’s gaze, the way he leaned in, his mouth grazing her skin, suggested he was thinking exactly the same thing.
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