Sandcastle Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story by Krista Lakes, Mel Finefrock Page A

do.”
    Noah looked up and beamed at me. “Thank you. This is one of the coolest things I've ever done.”
    “You are most welcome.” I grinned at him. “Once I feed the nurse sharks, you ready to go out in the ocean and see these guys in the wild?”
    Noah swallowed hard, but his grin didn't falter. “If you're with me,” he said, his eyes meeting mine, “then yes.”

Chapter 12
    T he turquoise waters were calm under bright blue skies as we skimmed along the shoreline in the small boat toward my favorite snorkel spot in the world. To our right, the Grove extended out into the ocean like a finger beckoning a lover. The mangroves turned the water a lighter color as their strong roots dug into the sandy bottom, but they protected the island from the waves of the deep ocean.
    Nestled in the shielded curl of the Grove was a small coral reef. It was perfect for much of my marine research, as well as some of the best snorkeling in the entire Caribbean. Only locals knew about this spot, and the pristine conditions of the reef only proved the lack of human interaction. It was untouched by people and absolutely the best place to dive into an underwater world. I couldn't wait to show it to Noah.
    I turned off the motor, lowering the anchor onto the sand near the reef and securing the boat so we could swim without worry. Noah stared out at the water's surface, his eyes dancing as he grinned at me. He had his goggles perched on his forehead, causing his hair to spray up like some sort of strange crest. He looked ridiculous, but very excited.
    “How is the water so peaceful here? The waves on our way in were fun, but it's like being in a bathtub here.” Noah pushed his goggles up further, causing his hair to stand even more on end. It was hard not to giggle.
    “The Grove,” I explained, pointing to the mangrove trees in the distance. “The mangroves protect this spot from the big ocean waves. It lets the coral grow and is really important during the tropical storms. The reef here usually doesn't get much damage.”
    “You mean those weedy looking plants?” He frowned slightly at the ugly trees.
    I nodded. “Yup. Not only are they the perfect breeding ground and nursery for a bunch of species, they help keep beach erosion down, and they help keep the island safe from storm surges. They are incredibly important to the whole ecosystem of the island.”
    Noah raised his eyebrows. “Interesting. But they don't exactly scream 'beautiful tourist destination,' do they?”
    “No, they are kind of strange-looking.” I put my own goggles on my head and managed to keep the snorkel from smacking me in the face in the process. “But I'm glad they don't scream ‘tourist’. Tourists tend to think that since they're just here for a short amount of time, nothing they do is going to matter. But there are hundreds of them with that same idea. They take pieces of the reef home as souvenirs; they leave litter and trash; they fish without restraint.”
    “Tell me how you really feel... don't hold back.” Noah held up his hands like he was defending blows from me.
    “Sorry.” I smiled apologetically. I stopped myself from telling him all about how my fellow researchers and I wanted to purchase the land and turn it into a nature preserve. He didn't need to worry about it, and it wasn't all that interesting. “It's one of my soap box triggers. This is supposed to be fun. This is probably my favorite spot in the whole world.”
    Noah's blue eyes sparkled like the ocean. He sat on the back of the boat with his feet in the water, getting ready to jump in. “Then I'm honored that you're showing it to me.”
    “You should be,” I teased, pushing him in. He splashed as he hit the water and I followed him into the ocean. It was warm and calm. I took his hand in mine, and together we swam away from the boat and over to the reef.
    Coral in the shape of giant fans reflected purple in the sun below us while orange fronds waved smoothly in gentle