tingling—her arm, her hip, everywhere his body touched. She cleared her throat and looked straight ahead. “Be my guest.”
“I said ‘we.’”
“Thanks, but I don’t care to be left in the water while the boat sails on ahead.” Implied was that she wouldn’t mind if he was left behind.
He ruled out that possibility. “We’ll lower the sails and drift. The Golden Echo won’t go anywhere, and we can play.” With one finger he blotted the dampness from her upper lip. “It’ll be fun.”
She was afraid to move. “I’ll watch.”
“But the water will feel great.” He pried his back from the bulwark. “My shirt’s sticking. You’d think the breeze would help.”
“You’re too hot for your own good.”
“I don’t know about that,” he said in a sultry tone, “but I am hot.” Without another word, he leaned forward and peeled off his shirt.
Shaye nearly died. She’d never seen a back as strong and as well formed, and when he relaxed against the bulwark again, the sight of his broad, leanly muscled chest was nearly more than she could bear. She swallowed down a moan.
“Did you say something?” he queried innocently.
“No, no.”
“Your voice sounds strange. Higher than usual.”
“It’s the altitude. We must be climbing.”
“We’re at sea level.”
“Oh. Mmm. That’s right.”
Without warning he stole her hand, linked their fingers together and placed them on his bare thigh. Then he looked at Victoria. “Maybe you’d like to join us for that swim.”
Victoria grinned. “I’d like that.”
“’Course, if you come, I’ll have to behave.”
Shaye grunted. “Like you’re doing now?” She tried to pull her hand away but only succeeded in getting a better feel of his warm, hair-roughened thigh.
He feigned hurt. “I’m behaving.”
“You’re half-naked.”
“I’m also half-dressed. Would you rather I’d left on my shirt and taken off my shorts?”
Victoria laughed. He was outrageous! And still he went on, this time turning injured eyes her way.
“I beg your pardon, Victoria. Are you suggesting that I have something to be ashamed of?”
Unable to help herself, she was laughing again. “Of course not. I—”
“This is no laughing matter! You wound my pride!”
“No, no, Noah,” she managed to gasp. “I didn’t intend—”
“But the damage is done,” he said with such an aggrieved expression that she burst into another peal of laughter, which only made him square his chin more. “I can guarantee you that I’m fully equipped.”
“I’m sure—”
“You don’t believe me,” he said in a flurry. He looked at Shaye. “You don’t believe me either.” He dropped his hand. “Well, I’ll show you both!” He had the drawstring of his shorts undone and his thumbs tucked under the waistband before Shaye pressed a frantic hand to his belly.
“Don’t,” she whispered. “Please?”
Never in his life had Noah seen as beseeching a look. Her hand was burning a hole in him, but she seemed not to notice. She was near tears.
In that moment he lost his taste for the game. “I was only teasing,” he said gently.
She looked at him for a minute longer, her eyes searching his face, moving from one feature to another. Her lower lip trembled.
Then she was up like a shot, running aft along the deck and disappearing down the companionway.
He started after her, but Victoria caught his hand. “Let her be for a while. She has to work some things out for herself.”
“I don’t want to hurt her.”
“I know that. I trust you. Your uncle is a talker once he gets going. He’s proud of you, and with good reason.”
Noah frowned. “When did he do all this talking?” His eyes widened. “While we were on deck last night?”
“While we were on deck this morning, ” she answered, grinning mischievously. “You and Shaye sleep late. Samson and I wake up early.”
“Ahh,” Noah said, but his frown returned. “I’m trying to understand Shaye, but
“I said ‘we.’”
“Thanks, but I don’t care to be left in the water while the boat sails on ahead.” Implied was that she wouldn’t mind if he was left behind.
He ruled out that possibility. “We’ll lower the sails and drift. The Golden Echo won’t go anywhere, and we can play.” With one finger he blotted the dampness from her upper lip. “It’ll be fun.”
She was afraid to move. “I’ll watch.”
“But the water will feel great.” He pried his back from the bulwark. “My shirt’s sticking. You’d think the breeze would help.”
“You’re too hot for your own good.”
“I don’t know about that,” he said in a sultry tone, “but I am hot.” Without another word, he leaned forward and peeled off his shirt.
Shaye nearly died. She’d never seen a back as strong and as well formed, and when he relaxed against the bulwark again, the sight of his broad, leanly muscled chest was nearly more than she could bear. She swallowed down a moan.
“Did you say something?” he queried innocently.
“No, no.”
“Your voice sounds strange. Higher than usual.”
“It’s the altitude. We must be climbing.”
“We’re at sea level.”
“Oh. Mmm. That’s right.”
Without warning he stole her hand, linked their fingers together and placed them on his bare thigh. Then he looked at Victoria. “Maybe you’d like to join us for that swim.”
Victoria grinned. “I’d like that.”
“’Course, if you come, I’ll have to behave.”
Shaye grunted. “Like you’re doing now?” She tried to pull her hand away but only succeeded in getting a better feel of his warm, hair-roughened thigh.
He feigned hurt. “I’m behaving.”
“You’re half-naked.”
“I’m also half-dressed. Would you rather I’d left on my shirt and taken off my shorts?”
Victoria laughed. He was outrageous! And still he went on, this time turning injured eyes her way.
“I beg your pardon, Victoria. Are you suggesting that I have something to be ashamed of?”
Unable to help herself, she was laughing again. “Of course not. I—”
“This is no laughing matter! You wound my pride!”
“No, no, Noah,” she managed to gasp. “I didn’t intend—”
“But the damage is done,” he said with such an aggrieved expression that she burst into another peal of laughter, which only made him square his chin more. “I can guarantee you that I’m fully equipped.”
“I’m sure—”
“You don’t believe me,” he said in a flurry. He looked at Shaye. “You don’t believe me either.” He dropped his hand. “Well, I’ll show you both!” He had the drawstring of his shorts undone and his thumbs tucked under the waistband before Shaye pressed a frantic hand to his belly.
“Don’t,” she whispered. “Please?”
Never in his life had Noah seen as beseeching a look. Her hand was burning a hole in him, but she seemed not to notice. She was near tears.
In that moment he lost his taste for the game. “I was only teasing,” he said gently.
She looked at him for a minute longer, her eyes searching his face, moving from one feature to another. Her lower lip trembled.
Then she was up like a shot, running aft along the deck and disappearing down the companionway.
He started after her, but Victoria caught his hand. “Let her be for a while. She has to work some things out for herself.”
“I don’t want to hurt her.”
“I know that. I trust you. Your uncle is a talker once he gets going. He’s proud of you, and with good reason.”
Noah frowned. “When did he do all this talking?” His eyes widened. “While we were on deck last night?”
“While we were on deck this morning, ” she answered, grinning mischievously. “You and Shaye sleep late. Samson and I wake up early.”
“Ahh,” Noah said, but his frown returned. “I’m trying to understand Shaye, but
Similar Books
