The Erotic Expeditions - Complete Collection by Hazel Hunter Page A

suspected Karlin’s behavior, he’d never been able to figure out but virtually each person here had helped him in one way or another.
    The sea today was like glass and the boating was easy. Weather was clear to the horizon. The bow of the whaling ships slapped against the water in time with the men’s rowing. The paddles of the kayakers sliced in and out as they kept pace. Tiny droplets of water were wafted up into the air as the blades dove in and out. The white spray sparkled and he felt it hit his face. The conditions were perfect.
    And yet it didn’t feel that way.

Chapter 8

    Emily had only lasted an hour in her room. She had paced, reviewed her photos, then paced some more. All she could think about was Austin and if he was safe. The thought of those small boats and the giant whale had unnerved her. The nice people who owned the B&B had told her how to get to Hunter’s Lookout and had agreed that there was no better place for photos.
    Now that she was here, she had to agree. The vistas were stunning. The lookout was nothing more than a rocky spit that pointed west. But from its tip, the view was unrestricted. It was like standing on the bow of a ship.  
    Not far below, the water crashed against the bottom of the cliff. Since she had driven north, she concluded that the whalers would come from the left. When they emerged from the bay and headed up the coast, she’d see them. She raised the camera to her eye and used it like a telescope.
    She couldn’t wait to see Austin. More than that, she couldn’t wait for him to see these shots. Unfortunately, wait is exactly what she’d have to do because no one had yet appeared.

    • • • • •

    Why could he not concentrate?
    Austin jabbed his paddles into the water.
    It wasn’t just Emily, though he thought of little else any more. Something was wrong. If that man on the beach had been his father, something was wrong.
    “See a whale?” Emmet called from behind him.
    Austin scanned the horizon but when he realized that none of the whalers was doing anything different, he looked back at Emmet.
    “See a whale?” Emmet said again.
    “No,” Austin said. “Do you?”
    “No,” said Emmet. “Which has me wonderin’ what you’re chasing?”
    Austin slowed down as Emmet caught up. The two of them were far in front of the other kayakers and Emmet was breathing hard.
    “You need to focus, son,” Emmet said. “If your mind is elsewhere you’ll end up in the drink. Or worse, somebody else will.”
    Austin’s face flashed hot. Emmet was right.  
    “Sorry,” he said, for the second time that day.
    He knew these men depended on him. They depended on each other for their very lives. A fall in the water might easily be deadly.
    Suddenly, he thought of Emily falling through that hole in the ice and he held his breath. He glanced back at the shore, in the distance. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. She was in trouble. He knew it.  
    He stopped paddling and as Emmet neared, held out his harpoon and bucket. Without a word, Emmet took them, hardly breaking stride. In moments, the rest of the tribe was by him. Though several glanced in his direction, none stopped.
    Now he spun his kayak around so fast, it almost stood up on its stern.

    • • • • •

    “What took you so long?”
    Emily jumped at the sound of a voice and spun around.
    It was Karlin.
    “I’ve been waiting,” he said.
    He nodded below and to the south and Emily saw an ATV on the gravel beach below. He’d come here along the beach and then climbed up. He must have waited to see her on the promontory. Her heart began to pound. She looked behind him to her car. It seemed very far away.
    “No, you don’t need a car,” he said smiling that brown smile. “You don’t need anything.”
    He started to come toward her.
    “Everything you need,” he said, gripping his crotch. “I got right here.”

    • • • • •

    Austin paddled for his life. His back burned, his