she chanced fully facing the sights they passed. It made her laugh. She'd missed so much hiding away behind him on the way there.
They reached the pier too soon and turned in the machines and gear. A photographer stood by the entrance to the Rhino Rider hut selling photos of all the couples on the boats. He'd taken pictures before they raced away, but she'd been preoccupied.
"Do you want one?" Nate lifted theirs to look at it.
"No, that's okay." She didn't want to seem sappy. The photo showed her head burrowing against his back, as she pressed close against him. He wore a big grin.
"I'll take it," Nate told the photographer. He turned to Kara. "I'd like one and they come in pairs. Here." He handed her one of the photos. "Something to remember the day."
"Thank you."
What a nice gift. He looked strong and sexy in that photo. I'll always treasure this photo and the memory of today.
She wondered if she'd spend hours looking at the photo and missing him when she was home again.
Nate paid the man for the photo then they boarded the van.
Kara stretched her towel across the seat. Salty seawater and sticky suntan lotion covered her. Everyone wore swimsuits back, trying to dry off.
Nate stretched his arm across the back of her seat. She studied his profile as he chatted with the others about the black coral reef none of them would have seen had he not taken the initiative. Confidence rolled off of him with everything he did. His black hair looked silky and gleamed from the seawater. She longed to touch it.
They rode back to the ship and the van stopped to let them off. Daryl approached, tossing the newspaper he'd either been reading or hiding behind into the trash, and Kara quickly rewrapped her towel around her waist as he drew near.
Nate placed his hand on the small of Kara's back and they moved forward together.
Daryl stopped in front of her, his feet spread in a strong stance, "Kara, I want a word with you." The straw hat he now wore partially hid his expression, making her nervous as to what he wanted and what his mood was.
"If you want me to get rid of him for you just say the word," Nate said under his breath.
"No," she whispered, "He's my boss."
Nate didn't say another word, but she sensed tension coiled within his body.
"Daryl, I have to get ready for dinner."
"I've been here waiting for you for some time. You can give me ten minutes." His gaze dropped to her red bikini top then up to her face again.
Kara frowned in confusion as they moved toward the ship and he continued to walk on the other side of her from Nate. "But I told you I didn't know when we'd be back."
Daryl acted like she'd done something wrong, but she hadn't agreed to meet him again. It wasn't her fault he'd waited. Why was he acting like she was to blame?
Kara didn't like the way his eyes had lit as he looked at her breasts in the brief moment before the shadow of the hat hid his eyes again or the fact he'd seen her in a bikini top.
It gave her a squirmish feeling, even with Nate right beside her.
"We have things to discuss. You can spare me ten minutes before you go."
As Nate guided her toward the ship, forcing Daryl to walk alongside, Nate's words to her during snorkeling came back to her, I've got you .
"Daryl, I have to go. I'll see you at work when I get home. Enjoy your visit to the island."
They reached the gangplank.
Daryl stepped forward and Kara froze.
"I can't believe you're being so cold. And rude."
Pressure from Nate's hand and his presence next to her made her feel bold. She wasn't going to stay here and talk to him. This was her vacation and he did not belong in it.
"I'm not the one being rude. I didn't show up unannounced on someone else's vacation and expect them to drop everything for me."
She hurried up the gangplank with Nate right beside her and she didn't look back.
"I wish you had let me take care of him for you." Nate's voice was quiet and calm but there lay anger beneath it. "I'd make sure he never
They reached the pier too soon and turned in the machines and gear. A photographer stood by the entrance to the Rhino Rider hut selling photos of all the couples on the boats. He'd taken pictures before they raced away, but she'd been preoccupied.
"Do you want one?" Nate lifted theirs to look at it.
"No, that's okay." She didn't want to seem sappy. The photo showed her head burrowing against his back, as she pressed close against him. He wore a big grin.
"I'll take it," Nate told the photographer. He turned to Kara. "I'd like one and they come in pairs. Here." He handed her one of the photos. "Something to remember the day."
"Thank you."
What a nice gift. He looked strong and sexy in that photo. I'll always treasure this photo and the memory of today.
She wondered if she'd spend hours looking at the photo and missing him when she was home again.
Nate paid the man for the photo then they boarded the van.
Kara stretched her towel across the seat. Salty seawater and sticky suntan lotion covered her. Everyone wore swimsuits back, trying to dry off.
Nate stretched his arm across the back of her seat. She studied his profile as he chatted with the others about the black coral reef none of them would have seen had he not taken the initiative. Confidence rolled off of him with everything he did. His black hair looked silky and gleamed from the seawater. She longed to touch it.
They rode back to the ship and the van stopped to let them off. Daryl approached, tossing the newspaper he'd either been reading or hiding behind into the trash, and Kara quickly rewrapped her towel around her waist as he drew near.
Nate placed his hand on the small of Kara's back and they moved forward together.
Daryl stopped in front of her, his feet spread in a strong stance, "Kara, I want a word with you." The straw hat he now wore partially hid his expression, making her nervous as to what he wanted and what his mood was.
"If you want me to get rid of him for you just say the word," Nate said under his breath.
"No," she whispered, "He's my boss."
Nate didn't say another word, but she sensed tension coiled within his body.
"Daryl, I have to get ready for dinner."
"I've been here waiting for you for some time. You can give me ten minutes." His gaze dropped to her red bikini top then up to her face again.
Kara frowned in confusion as they moved toward the ship and he continued to walk on the other side of her from Nate. "But I told you I didn't know when we'd be back."
Daryl acted like she'd done something wrong, but she hadn't agreed to meet him again. It wasn't her fault he'd waited. Why was he acting like she was to blame?
Kara didn't like the way his eyes had lit as he looked at her breasts in the brief moment before the shadow of the hat hid his eyes again or the fact he'd seen her in a bikini top.
It gave her a squirmish feeling, even with Nate right beside her.
"We have things to discuss. You can spare me ten minutes before you go."
As Nate guided her toward the ship, forcing Daryl to walk alongside, Nate's words to her during snorkeling came back to her, I've got you .
"Daryl, I have to go. I'll see you at work when I get home. Enjoy your visit to the island."
They reached the gangplank.
Daryl stepped forward and Kara froze.
"I can't believe you're being so cold. And rude."
Pressure from Nate's hand and his presence next to her made her feel bold. She wasn't going to stay here and talk to him. This was her vacation and he did not belong in it.
"I'm not the one being rude. I didn't show up unannounced on someone else's vacation and expect them to drop everything for me."
She hurried up the gangplank with Nate right beside her and she didn't look back.
"I wish you had let me take care of him for you." Nate's voice was quiet and calm but there lay anger beneath it. "I'd make sure he never
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