By Sea (10 page)

Chapter 23

As Rayna and Margarita sat down to dinner at the dining room table in the Main Salon, Rayna giggled again, not remembering the last time she’d been this tipsy, even though she’d only had two rounds of Rum Punch.

She stared out the windows as the yacht gently rocked back and forth. Brody had anchored in a place called Magens Bay, and it was beautiful. To the bow of the boat, light greenish-blue water lapped at a white sandy beach. On each side of them, stood mountains of green trees with houses interspersed among them. To the back of the boat was Turtle Island, an uninhabited rock that really did look like the outline of a turtle. The sun was setting, casting the sky in gorgeous pinks and oranges.

She realized for the first time since she started at the CIA, she was relaxed. The self-imposed pressure to succeed had tied her up in knots and drained her. As her body loosened, she seemed to become more and more tired.

Margarita smiled at her, and Rayna noticed her droopy eyes, indicating Margarita was feeling the rum as well.

“Danny has prepared filet mignon with scalloped potatoes in a Béarnaise sauce, and for dessert you’re having strawberry shortcake,” Heidi announced.

“I can see we’re going to put on a few pounds this week,” Rayna grumbled.

“Don’t worry, Ray-Ray!” Margarita exclaimed. “You’re far too skinny anyway!”

Jason and Brody came down the steps from the Bridge, talking in low tones.

“Jason! Brody! Join us!” Margarita commanded.

“Uh, no thanks. We have things we need to take care of,” Brody said, brushing past her.

“But I always like to dine with fine men,” Margarita complained. “Please join us? Don’t you think they should, Ray-Ray?”

Jason glanced at Brody, and Rayna could see the pleading in his eyes. If she wasn’t mistaken, Jason had a thing for Margarita, which was a cause for concern. Margarita went through men faster than crap through a goose. She’d take him, use him, and leave him wondering what the hell just happened. Jason seemed like a nice guy, and she’d hate to see him get crushed by the likes of her sister.

“It’s not part of the protocol on a yacht,” Brody said.

Margarita shrugged. “This isn’t a normal voyage, Captain,” she answered, her voice dripping with sticky sweetness as she batted her eyelashes.

Brody glanced over at Rayna, and she nodded. She didn’t care one way or the other whether the two men joined them for dinner. It seemed the heated words between her and Brody had lessened a little, and maybe he finally trusted her that her being on the boat had nothing to do with him. She was here for her sister.

“Well, I guess that would be okay,” Brody said as Jason grinned.  “Are you okay with it, Katie?”

“Sure! Let me set up a couple other place settings!” Katie said.

A moment later, two table settings were laid out; Jason took a seat next to Margarita, while Brody sat next to Rayna.

“Ray-Ray?” he teased under his breath. “Isn’t that cute.”

Rayna wanted to smack him as she hated her sister’s nickname, but then Margarita said, “So Brody, tell me about yourself.”

Rayna picked at her salad as she listened to him talk, her curiosity piqued. A son of a fisherman and a housewife, he’d been an only child. She studied his strong jaw and chiseled cheekbones with a dark five o’clock shadow. His black-as-night hair gleamed in the overhead lamplight, and soft curls kissed the nape of his neck. Once again, she couldn’t deny the man was gorgeous, and a shiver went down her spine as goose bumps pricked her arms.

Allowing her gaze to travel over his thick shoulders covered in the white button down crew shirt, she studied his strong arms and hands, and noticed the way he delicately held the fork and knife as he cut a tomato into small pieces. He chewed with his mouth closed and wiped his lips with the napkin on his lap. His mom had obviously hammered good manners into him as a child, and they hadn’t been lost in the dust of Afghanistan or deep jungles of Guatemala.

“We share the same father, but different mothers,” Margarita was saying when Rayna tuned back into the conversation. She shifted in her seat, hoping that Margarita would leave out the part about what exactly their father did for a living. “I live in Mexico, and Rayna resides in Virginia.”

Brody looked over at Rayna. “How’s work been going?” he asked.

Rayna shrugged. “Fine.”

“No great stories of espionage and intrigue?”

She glanced over at him, his dark eyes boring into her, bringing on not only another round of goose bumps, but a jolt of warmth to her belly. She hated that this man who had been so rude to her caused such a visceral reaction within her.

“No,” she said.

“Maybe when you get back home,” he murmured.

Rayna cleared her throat, not bothering to tell him she was a paper-pusher. “Maybe.”

As the main course was served, Rayna tried to talk herself out of the desire she felt for Brody. It had been there the first time she’d met him in his apartment, but it had been quickly extinguished by his brash behavior. Now, as he as next to her with his perfect manners, his sexy smile, and her nose tingling with the faint smell of his aftershave, it bloomed. This wasn’t the time or place to spark up a romance, or even indulge in sex. Her sister’s life was in danger. She needed to focus on that, not the sudden needs of her long-ignored libido.

Margarita peppered Jason with questions, and the guy stammered and blushed his way through the answers as Margarita laughed and flirted with him. By the time dessert was served, Rayna decided she needed to get up from the table and move around, her inner pep talk about no sex failing miserably. Brody’s closeness made her extremely uncomfortable. She was here on a professional capacity, and the salacious thoughts going through her mind needed to stop.

“Excuse me, please,” she said, setting her napkin on the table.

“Is everything okay?” Katie asked, obviously concerned. “Can I save the dessert so you can have it later?”

Rayna shook her head. “No thank you, everything was delicious. I’d love a glass of Merlot, though.”

Katie nodded, and Rayna felt the heat of Brody’s gaze on her. She turned and headed for the bow of the boat. “I’ll be out here, Katie!” she called, the need to put space between her and Brody absolutely crucial.

Chapter 24

Brody watched Rayna flee as if her ass was on fire. The sway of her hips under her light blue cover-up caught his eye, reminding him of that perfect ass he’d been admiring earlier.

Katie stood at the bar and opened a bottle of Merlot. Brody got to his feet and set his napkin down on the table. “I’ll take it out to her, Katie,” he murmured.

“Sure. Thanks, Brody. I’ll get everything cleaned up in here.”

Brody took the glass and glanced over at Jason and Margarita, who were still talking. Well, Jason looked like a puppy waiting to be pet by its master, and Margarita gazed at him like she wanted to eat him for dessert. Brody had the distinct feeling Margarita was far more than Jason could handle.

He pushed open the door leading to the bow, the moon coming up over St. Thomas as the sun set behind him. Rayna stood at the side of the boat, her arms resting on the teak railing.

“Here you go,” he said as he approached.

She turned to him, startled. “I-I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I was expecting Katie.”

“She had things she needed to get done, so I volunteered to bring it out to you.”

Rayna took the glass and gave him a small smile. “Thank you,” she murmured, turning back to the bay. Brody stood next to her, leaning his arms on the railing, leaving just a few inches between them.

“This is beautiful,” she said, taking a sip of wine.

Brody studied her in the moonlight. He saw a little bit of Margarita in her features, but he wouldn’t know they were related unless he’d been told so. While Margarita’s features were strong and hard—just like her personality— Rayna’s were softer, more feminine. She tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear, and Brody had the urge to take the lobe into his mouth and suckle it. “Yes, you’re right,” he said, hearing the gravel in his voice. “It is beautiful.”

She glanced over at him her grey eyes glimmering in the deck light. “I take it you talked to your boss and now trust me that me being here is all a coincidence,” she said.

Brody sighed and looked out over the dark water. “I guess I have to,” he said, “because nothing else makes sense. If the government wanted me back, they would have taken me at the dock. There’s no reason for them to send you here to go cruising on a yacht. Besides that, I do trust my boss. It’s after this trip I worry about.”

“Why?”

Brody shrugged. “Who’s to say that you won’t go running to your supervisor with information on where I am? What if there is some type of reward on my head, and you can cash in? Turning in a fugitive would definitely help you move up the ladder, right?”

“Brody, I would never do that,” Rayna said, placing her hand on his arm. “You have my word that your location is safe with me.”

He stared at her for a long time, and she never looked away. He’d learned that people who lied usually needed to break eye contact. Those who could hold the stare while telling a lie usually gave their deception away with something else, like a tapping foot or quivering lip. As she looked up at him, he knew he had to listen to his gut, and it was telling him she told the truth.

He nodded. “Yeah, I believe you. I guess we’re cool.”

Rayna smiled. “I’m glad. I don’t think anything will happen on the boat, but if something were to happen, I’d like to be around someone who trusts me.”

“Agreed,” he said.

“How did you get away?” Rayna asked after a moment.

He smiled. “That, Ms. CIA, is none of your damn business.”

She glanced over at him and grinned. “Okay, Captain. Fair enough.”

They stared out at the water for a few more minutes, Brody feeling the tension in his shoulders lessen. He hadn’t even realized it was there. Being out to sea relaxed him, and it always had. There was something soothing about the sound of the soft swells nestling against the boat and the humid breeze tickling his nose, clearing his head.

“Are you ever going to tell me what they did to you?” Rayna asked, taking another sip of her wine.

Just then, Brody caught movement out of the corner of his eye and heard the familiar chatter of the dolphins. He looked down at the pod swimming next to the boat, the moonlight gleaming off their backs as they rolled around in the water.

“Oh my God!” Rayna exclaimed when she saw them. “Look at them, Brody!”

As the dolphins played and chattered, Rayna laughed and grinned. He wanted to tell her he was somehow responsible for their appearance, that he was connected with them and the ocean in some mysterious way even he didn’t fully understand. However, the words got stuck in his throat as he watched her face light up with sheer wonderment of the moment. Gone was the serious Ms. Hot CIA agent, and in her place was a woman feeling joy at a new experience. As she laughed, she grabbed his arm, and he couldn’t help but think he was seeing a side of Rayna that didn’t reveal itself very often. He realized there was much more to the woman than she let the world see, and he wondered if she harbored her own secrets, or if she was just closed off by nature.

Her touch set his blood on fire, his heart raced a little faster at her open smile. The chime of her laughter made him feel a little lighter, as if it somehow gave his soul wings.

The question of what they had done to him was gone, and they watched the dolphins for a few more minutes. The grey bodies soon disappeared under the black, inky sea, and Brody turned back to Rayna.

Her smile faded into a small grin as she stared up at him. In the moonlight, she looked like an island goddess with her dark hair, tanned skin, and sparkling eyes. The urge to kiss her full lips overwhelmed him, and he wondered if she felt the heat between them growing, almost taking on a life of its own. How fast his feelings for her had turned around. Just a few hours ago, he’d been furious to see her, and now he wanted nothing more than to touch her and get to know her better.

“I-I think I better go check up on some things,” Brody whispered, afraid of what he may do if he stayed any longer.

Rayna licked her lips, and Brody fought a groan. Good God, how he wanted to taste that tongue.

Without thinking, he brushed his knuckle down the side of her face, and traced his thumb over her bottom lip. Her breath hitched, and he longed to know if her heart beat as fast as his.

Stuffing his hands in the front pocket of his shorts so he wouldn’t touch her again, he turned and decided he would lock himself in the Bridge until this damn trip was over.

“Only a couple more minutes out here, Rayna. We need everyone inside after dark,” he called over his shoulder.

No matter what he said about trusting her, the last thing he needed to do was get involved with a CIA agent.

Chapter 25

Rayna sat at the long, teak table on the back of the boat watching the sun come up as she sipped her coffee, trying not to think of the way Brody’s touch the previous night affected her. Her cheek still burned when she recalled it.

The seagulls and pelicans began circling above looking for their first meal of the day. Little splashes of water about a hundred yards away caught her eye, and the birds began dive-bombing the spot.

Katie came out of the Main Salon and refilled her coffee cup.

“Katie, what’s going on over there?” Rayna asked, pointing to the small splashes.

“There’s larger fish feeding below, sending all the smaller fish toward the surface. They’re jumping around, which catches the attention of the birds.”

“The little guys don’t have a chance, do they?” Rayna murmured as she watched the pelicans dive for the water from above, tucking their wings to their sides, their feet stretched out behind them. They reminded Rayna of missiles.

“No, they don’t, but that’s Nature’s way. Can I get you anything else, Rayna?”

“No, thank you.”

The bloodbath ended after a few moments, and all was quiet again. Rayna looked around at the beauty surrounding her, the dark water turning a light, aqua blue as the sun climbed higher in the sky. It was hard to believe she was here to help protect her sister, as she couldn’t imagine anything bad happening in such a magnificent place. Dark clouds began to form over the island, and Rayna wondered if they were in for a bit of rain today.

She heard splashes at the very back of the boat by the motor, and hoped the dolphins were back. Standing, she glanced over at the railing surprised to see Brody climbing the ladder wearing red swim trunks.

Once on the boat, he ran his fingers through his dark hair. Muscles and tendons rippled under his skin as he turned a knob on the side of the boat and pulled out a hose. He shut his eyes as he held up the showerhead and water cascaded down his body.

Rayna tried to look away, and knew she should sit down. Actually, she should run for her room. Brody was not to be ogled as she was currently doing. His sole function was to keep Margarita safe, not be Rayna’s eye candy.

However, she couldn’t seem to move, her body warming as Brody finished the quick shower and then grabbed a towel. He patted his wide chest, flat stomach, and long, muscular legs. Running the towel over his hair, he glanced up at her.

Busted
.

“Good morning,” he said, smiling.

“Good morning,” Rayna answered, embarrassment heating her cheeks.

“Did you sleep okay?” he asked, climbing the stairs to the table.

Rayna sat down and took a sip of her coffee, trying not to let Brody ruffle her, and she hoped he had no idea just how much his presence affected her.

“I did, thank you.”

“You’re an early riser,” he commented, wiping the towel over his torso one more time.

“I could say the same about you,” she said, trying not to stare.

“I am. I love a swim in the morning. Helps clear my head and gets the kinks in my body moving again.”

Glancing over at him again, she didn’t see anything that resembled a kink, only hard planes of muscle and smooth skin.

“Did you see the dolphins this morning?” he asked.

“No, I didn’t. They were here again?”

Brody nodded. “Yeah, just for a little while. They headed in closer to shore. Easy pickings for breakfast over there.”

Katie opened the back door. “Good morning, Brody. Would you care for some coffee?”

“Hey, Katie. I can get it, but thanks.”

“I’ve got it Brody, no worries!” Katie smiled.

As Katie shut the door, Rayna said, “She sure is sweet.”

“Yeah, she is. She’s an important member of the crew.”

“I haven’t had much interaction with Heidi,” Rayna said. Once again, she’d tried to talk to Heidi this morning, and she was met with a glare and a short answer. Heidi then walked away.

“Yeah, she’s not really good with the guests,” Brody said. “She can be a little nasty sometimes.”

“Why do you have her on the boat?” Rayna asked.

“Because she’s good at what she does, as long as she doesn’t have to talk to anyone.”

Silence stretched while they waited for Katie. She appeared a moment later with a large mug. “Here you go!”

“Thanks, Katie,” Brody said with a smile as he took the mug. “I appreciate it. Have you seen Jason yet today?”

Katie shook her head. “He’s supposed to start at eight, so I’m sure he’ll be sleeping until seven fifty nine or so.”

Brody chuckled. “You’re probably right. He’s definitely not a morning guy.”

“Let me know if you need anything, Rayna,” Katie said as she headed back inside.

Rayna sipped her coffee and slipped on her sunglasses, the water sparkling as the sun ascended fully in the sky.

“What time will your sister get up?” he asked.

Shrugging, Rayna said, “She’s not a morning person either—maybe ten or eleven. She likes to stay up late and sleep in.”

“Okay, I’ll let Danny know so he can plan the meals for the day. I’m going to go change and tend to some things on the boat, but why don’t you think about what you two want to do today.”

“What do you mean?” Rayna asked.

“I mean … do you two want to jet ski? Snorkel? Anything like that?”

Rayna smiled. “That sounds like more of a vacation than a protection job.”

“Well, if you don’t do something, you’ll go stir crazy. There’s only so long you can stare at the islands and water. Besides, Jason or I will accompany both your sister and you with whatever you decide to do.”

Rayna thought about it a moment, and if Jason or Brody were with her and Margarita all the time, she couldn’t see a problem with enjoying some of the fun activities the boat offered. “Will you be armed?” she asked.

“Of course. Although, I highly doubt anything will happen.”

“I doubt it, too. I mean, I would think it would be nearly impossible for someone to find us, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

“Agreed,” Brody said. “I’ll see you in a little bit.”

Margarita emerged from her room around eleven, just as Rayna predicted. After three cups of coffee and turning down breakfast, she was back in self-absorbed boss woman mode, and Brody once again wondered how she and Rayna could be related.

“I think I would like to try the jet ski before we have lunch,” Margarita announced.

“That’s fine, but either Jason or I will be going with you,” Brody said.

Margarita said, “I’ll have Jason accompany me.”

“Okay, I’ll let him know. When are you thinking of going?”

“Where is he?” she asked

“In the engine room,” Brody answered. “He’s doing some work down there for me.”

“Then I’d like to go now,” Margarita announced with a large smile, looking almost devilish as she batted her eyelashes.

Brody grinned, determined not to let her see how much she aggravated him. He got the distinct feeling she was trying to make his life difficult by requesting Jason’s appearance when he had just specifically said Jason was busy doing something for him. He’d be damned before he gave her that satisfaction. “He’ll be up in a few,” Brody said, “
after
he’s done with the work down there.”

“Excellent,” Margarita said, standing. “I’ll go put on my suit. Ray-Ray, will you be jet skiing as well?”

Rayna glanced over at him. If Jason went with Margarita that meant Brody would be getting up close and personal on the jet ski with Rayna. He both liked and hated the idea, and wished he hadn’t mentioned it to her earlier. He wanted her body close, to feel her skin against his. However, he didn’t want to get involved with her, and he reminded himself she hadn’t really given any indication she had any interest in him.

However, he could just let her go alone—give her a gun and send her out to race around the bay. Being a CIA agent she could surely take care of herself. Although Margarita was the client and Rayna probably didn’t need protection, he still felt the need to treat her as he would a client.

“Yes, I’d like to try the jet skis. I’ve never been on one before,” Rayna said.

Brody grinned. “Great. I’ll ride with you then. I’ll radio Jason to come up when he’s finished, we’ll get the jet skis in the water, and I’ll get changed.”

“How fun!” Margarita exclaimed.

“I can go by myself, Brody. You don’t need—”

“No, I insist,” he said, turning to put on his suit.