In Too Deep (3 page)

She now owned a house in Texas, but she spent more time away from it—consulting, working, giving speeches or preparing papers, occasionally teaching—than there. While she liked it well enough and always enjoyed going back, she wasn’t tied to home the way most people were.

Her routine grounded her, though. No matter where she laid her head, it was always the same. Brushing her teeth, taking off her makeup, preparing her clothes for the morning...

She could barely keep her eyes open by the time she switched off her light and crawled beneath the blanket. Tonight she didn’t even bother cracking open the book she’d brought with her. Instead, she was asleep within minutes.

And awake again two hours later when a loud noise startled her.

Avery jackknifed straight up in bed, her body responding before her brain had fully kicked in. With bleary eyes, she glanced around, trying to figure out where she was and what had woken her. It only took a few seconds to realize the disturbance had come from outside her room. On the
Amphitrite
.

Loud music. Laughter. Someone yelling.

And, there it was, the thump of some idiot slamming into the wall in the hallway outside her door.

Throwing a silk robe on over the cotton shorts and tank top she normally wore to bed, Avery yanked open her door just as another down the hall slammed shut. At least the drunken fool had made it to his bed.

But the noise. In the hallway it was so loud, the ship practically vibrated to the thump of the music.

She’d never get back to sleep.

With a huff, Avery tightened the knot on her robe and headed toward the commotion. A door down the hall stood wide-open. Inside it appeared the entire crew had congregated.

The space wasn’t huge. The ship was a working vessel, so most areas onboard were needed for their mission. It was clear this room served multiple purposes. The crew had eaten their dinner there earlier in the day. Now everyone was scattered about—lounging in chairs, sitting on top of tables, playing poker, drinking beer, listening to music.

Someone, she’d guess Catherine, their cook, had put out several bowls of munchies and a few dips.

Everyone’s faces were bright with happiness and laughter. She stood on the edge of the group and for a minute jealousy twisted her gut. She’d never had this, not even at college.

Especially not at college. She’d been too young and shy to really fit in with the other undergrads. Graduating high school early, she’d started college at sixteen.

By the time she’d reached grad school, she was so focused on her goals and burned-out that trying to fit in had seemed like a lost cause. She’d simply drawn into herself and set her sights on completing her program as soon as possible.

She had a few close friends now, but they were people like her. Quiet, professional, contained. When she was in Galveston, they’d get together for dinner, wine and some conversation. Nothing like this.

Avery’s gaze swept across the sea of people, most wearing shorts, T-shirts and flip-flops. There was nothing about this group that said
contained
.

They looked like they were relaxed. Enjoying themselves. A bright spurt of envy bloomed inside her chest.

Shaking off the unproductive reaction, Avery reminded herself why she’d ventured out. Scanning the crowd, she tried to find Asher. Maybe he’d be willing to tone down the party so she could sleep. He’d seemed like a nice enough guy the couple times they’d met.

But instead of finding him, her gaze locked with Knox’s. From across the room she felt the unexpected zing. Once she saw him, she couldn’t seem to look away, even though her brain was screaming at her to.

Pushing away from the table he’d been leaning against, Knox set his bottle on the scratched surface. Then he was striding across the room toward her. He didn’t have to say anything, the people between them simply moved out of his way.

“Welcome to the party. Have to say I’m surprised you joined us.” His dark eyes studied her. “In your silk robe.”

Avery fought the urge to grab the lapels and pull them tighter over her chest.

Luckily, his words jump-started her brain and reminded her exactly why she was there.

“Would you mind turning down the music? I’m trying to sleep and it’s very loud.”

“Sorry, doc. I promised the crew a party tonight since we’re going to be pulling twelve-and fourteen-hour days once we get to the site.”

The party. The music. The nickname. Having this man stare down at her out of those smooth brown eyes, delicious and warm...it was wreaking havoc with her brain. Why did she always have the impression Knox was judging her?

And why did it bother her so much that she was afraid he didn’t like what he saw?

Frustration piled up, making her response more explosive than she’d meant. “For the love of all that is good and holy,
stop
calling me that.”

Knox considered her. His head tilted to the side and the tip of his tongue snuck out, slowly sweeping across the firm edge of his lower lip.

Avery’s stomach rolled and heat leaked into her veins, spreading unwanted desire like poison through her system. She should have stayed in bed.

She shifted on her feet, ready to turn away and admit defeat. Maybe she’d just put her earbuds in and hope for the best.

But Knox snagged her arm before she could move two steps. His fingers wrapped around her bicep, sliding against the silk covering her skin. “Ever heard the phrase, ‘if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em’?”

A low groan rumbled through her chest. Avery’s eyes slid shut as she asked for strength in dealing with the man. “Never mind.”

Knox shrugged, that damn grin twisting his lips even as his eyes began to twinkle.

Without asking he reached into a cooler and came up with a beer bottle. Water and ice slid down the smooth glass. Knox didn’t seem to care that it left a puddle on the floor at his feet.

He cupped his palm around her hand and sent a flame of awareness shooting up her arm. Slapping the bottle against her palm, he curled her fingers around the ice-cold surface. “You look like you could use this. If nothing else, it might help you sleep.”

Avery blinked at him, speechless.

Her brain, the thing that had faithfully served her for years, revolted. So her body took over, raising the bottle to her lips and pulling in a huge swallow. She didn’t particularly like beer, preferring cosmos and wine. Tonight, she didn’t even taste the liquid pouring down her throat.

Asher sauntered up to the two of them. Where the hell had he been a minute ago when she’d needed him?

He grinned at her, his eyes flashing mischief and mayhem. Whatever he’d sauntered over for couldn’t be good.

“Interesting wardrobe choice, Firecracker.”

Asher wasn’t the first person to give her that nickname. Her bright hair made it an obvious choice. Why couldn’t Knox have latched onto it instead of
doc
?

“Her beauty sleep was disturbed,” Knox said, his tone ripe with laugher. “Although I have to admit I like the robe better than the pearls, heels and business suit.”

Avery’s shoulders straightened and she wished she’d thrown on a pair of those heels so she could look him in the eye when she glared at him.

Being five foot four was often a hindrance, especially in the male-dominated field of nautical archaeology.

When she’d first started her career she’d wanted to eliminate at least one disadvantage when dealing with older male colleagues who tended to dismiss a young female out of hand. Heels and professional clothing had been her solution. And, over the years, had sort of become her signature. In her mind, projecting a competent, conservative image could never be a bad thing.

But apparently Knox McLemore didn’t see it that way.

“Hmm,” Asher murmured, taking a pull on his own beer. His gaze drifted down, lingering at the V where her robe closed. There wasn’t any heat in the perusal—it was more like it was a habit. “You do realize that just makes me want to find out what you’ve got on underneath, right?”

“Stop sexually harassing our employees, Ash. We’re going to end up with a lawsuit.” Knox frowned, his lips pulled into a tight, thin line.

A little-boy grin curled across Asher’s lips, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Avery realized Asher wasn’t playing with her, he was intentionally riling up Knox. Which was fine with her. The man deserved some of his own back.

Drawing another sip from her beer, Avery casually mentioned, “Technically, I’m not your employee.”

The corners of Asher’s eyes tipped up a little higher and his smile went to megawatt. “Does that mean I’m free to sexually harass you?”

Avery opened her mouth, but Knox beat her to it. “No, no you are not.”

“Doesn’t bother me,” she answered.

Asher chuckled, clinking the neck of his bottle against the one she still held in her hand. Then he winked and sauntered away. Avery watched him, not with lust, but fascination. She’d never had that kind of confidence.

“Stop staring, doc. Trust me, you don’t want to go there.”

“I didn’t...I don’t...” she sputtered, finally slamming her mouth shut.

Wrapping a hand around her arm, Knox led her through the room to the table he’d been propped against when she walked in. He settled his hips back against the edge. She did the same.

“Stay. Mingle. Have a beer. You’re going to be part of the team for the next couple weeks, Avery. It’s probably a good idea that you get to know the crew.”

The way he said her name, his low, smooth voice caressing each syllable, sent a jolt of something twisting through her. Was it the first time he’d actually used her name? She thought maybe it was.

She liked it a hell of a lot better than
doc
.

“I don’t need to braid hair, have a pillow fight or sneak beer from my parents’ fridge in order to bond with your team, Knox. I’d hope your crew is professional enough to do the same. No one has to like me in order to do their job.”

“No, you’re right. No one has to like you. It would make things easier, though. On everyone.”

They sat there, the weight of their silence, in contrast to the laughter and music surrounding them, pressing in on her until she had to say something.

“It’s not that I don’t want to be a part of the team. I’m not very good at bonding with colleagues.”

She should have felt anxious about making the confession. But there was something about Knox—while he usually made every muscle in her body tighten with tension, at the moment he’d somehow managed to put her at ease.

“That sounds...depressing.”

They sat there for several minutes. Avery watched as the people around them laughed. Why couldn’t she be that way? Why couldn’t she feel comfortable socializing like this?

Out of nowhere, Knox reached out and snagged a strand of her hair, running it between the pads of his thumb and forefinger. “Something tells me you worry too much. I like your hair down.”

The unconnected thoughts had her brain spinning. Or maybe that was the beer.

His hand continued down, the backs of his fingers brushing against the edge of her robe.

“Ash isn’t wrong. I’m dying to know what you’ve got on under this thing. Want to hear my guess?”

Avery swallowed. She did and she didn’t. She could take Asher flirting with her because she wasn’t attracted to him despite his charm and good looks.

But she didn’t think she could take Knox messing with her. Already she could feel the tide of blood rushing to the spot where his finger had brushed against her skin.

Somehow she found the strength to shake her head. Unfortunately, for some reason, the word, “Yes,” tumbled out of her parted lips at the same time.

Something mischievous flashed through his dark eyes, joining the dangerous grin that tugged at his wicked mouth.

“Well, judging by the rest of your clothes, something silky. Lots of lace. Probably in some soft color like pink or baby blue.”

Her voice was breathy, but not nearly as shaky as it could have been, when she responded, “I hate to disappoint you, but I’m wearing cotton shorts and a Texas International University tank top.”

His grin widened. “Now why would you think that would disappoint me? Actually, I like the idea of that a hell of a lot better than the lingerie.”

He leaned closer, his lips near enough that she could feel the heat radiating off his skin. His scent welled up around her, a combination of musk and salt and man.

His low, quiet voice rumbled in her ear, “Gives me hope that deep down, beneath that perfectly polished surface you prefer to show the world, there’s a real woman.”

Breath caught in the back of her throat. Heat and longing flooded her system. Her fist tightened around the bottle in her hand, needing something to hold on to so that she wouldn’t reach for him.

And then he had to go and ruin the moment.

Knox murmured, “Sleep tight, doc,” before walking away, leaving her alone, breathless and seriously turned on.

Bastard.

3

“Y
OU
KNOW
WE
can’t trust her, right?”

Up on deck, the early-morning air seeped beneath his thin T-shirt, making goose bumps pearl across his skin. The sun, rising low in the sky, flowed off the smooth surface of the water surrounding them. It was funny how mornings like this could remind him of similar moments he’d spent in the desert, the light glaring off sand instead.

Knox, cradling a steaming mug of coffee in his hands, shot Asher a sharp glare. “Pretty sure I said that weeks ago, right after we interviewed her.”

Leaning against the railing, Asher raised a single eyebrow. “Yeah, but you said it because you have a problem with her. I’m saying it because something about this whole thing stinks.”

“Oh, you mean like McNair slithering out from whatever rock he lives under to claim the wreck isn’t really the
Chimera
?”

“He wants the gold. And apparently he’s got enough connections to make a play. I don’t trust McNair.”

No joke. The man was slick and charming. The kind of perfect that made you think the veneer could crack at any moment to reveal the truth underneath.

“Avery and McNair are connected.”

“So you noticed the inordinate amount of glee McNair was woefully inept at covering when we announced she’d been hired?”

“Oh, yeah. And the way, after weeks of delays, the Bahamian government agreed to the US court’s decision, letting the paperwork sail through the minute Dr. Walsh signed on to the project.”

Knox had put two and two together, coming to an answer he didn’t like. For multiple reasons. He’d called in several favors, but none of his contacts had been able to find a concrete connection between McNair and Avery. It was there, though. He just knew it.

The whole situation left him uneasy. As if he was walking into hostile territory with no idea which direction the bullets might fly from.

Something about Avery worked under his skin, itching and irritating until he wanted to pick at it. Pick at her. Annoying her could quickly become his favorite hobby out here on the open sea with nothing else to occupy his time and mind.

It was either that or crowd her against the closest hard surface and kiss the fire out of her. Something he’d nearly done last night.

That damn robe she’d been wearing was designed to entice a man. The way it had brushed against the tops of her bare thighs, clung to the curves of her breasts...and the fact that she hadn’t put it on for that reason only made the appeal more difficult to ignore.

He’d had a hard time reconciling the vision of the woman who’d shared a beer with him and the professional, put-together executive type who had walked on to his ship hours earlier.

Avery was competent, intelligent and good at her job. But last night he’d realized she was also more complex than he’d thought and surprisingly introverted.

He was still struggling with that revelation. Considering their first encounter had involved her yelling at him for his stupidity, he would have expected that to be the last adjective he’d ever use to describe her. There’d been nothing shy about her that afternoon.

And while he’d been attracted to the cool, collected Avery, something about the small chink of vulnerability she’d revealed last night made her even more appealing.

It had been difficult walking away from her.

Knox was blaming his reaction on the three beers he’d indulged in before she arrived. Although he hadn’t even had a decent buzz going.

From his vantage point across the room, he’d watched her walk out, the roll of her hips a metronome begging him to pursue. But he’d forced himself to stay put and enjoy the party with his crew.

Asher leaned against the railing, pulling Knox back into the conversation. Hell, the woman wasn’t even here and she was distracting him. This wasn’t good.

“All I’m saying is you should drag out those rusty surveillance skills to keep an eye on her. Or, hell, that charm you’re famous for. I’ve noticed it’s been decidedly AWOL since Dr. Walsh arrived.”

“There’s nothing rusty about my skills,” Knox said, popping Asher in the shoulder.

“Keep her close.” The twinkle in Asher’s eyes and his lifted brow clearly suggesting just how he thought Knox should accomplish that objective.

* * *

“W
E
’
RE
JUST
RUNNING
sonar to ensure the wreck hasn’t shifted since the last time we were down. Given what happened to Jackson the first time he entered the
Chimera
—”

“If she is the
Chimera
,” Avery interjected. Knox ignored her, although the way his eyes narrowed at the edges suggested her statement had registered.

“—there’s really no reason for you to come with me.”

He had to be joking. There was no way she was letting him close to that wreck without her. Who knew what the cowboy might decide to do if she wasn’t there to rein him in? He said he had no intention of going down, but once he was on that boat away from the ship, she had no guarantee.

“Not a chance in hell.”

“Suit yourself, doc.”

Avery refused to rise to the bait. He was doing it on purpose, but she was going to be the bigger person.

They loaded the sonar equipment on to one of the smaller boats the crew kept. A half an hour later they were heading out to the location of the wreckage.

And Avery had to admit to the bubbling euphoria rippling through her chest.

She loved her job. It was amazing to help recover and preserve pieces of history that had been lost for ages. She’d seen pictures of the wreckage, haunting as it stood silent and still beneath the water.

But there was no way the photos could be as impressive as the site itself. She wanted to see it. The need was a physical pressure inside her chest, that drive to be down there with the memories and history so perfectly preserved by the cold, dark water.

There was nothing like the peace she always found beneath the surface. Something that often eluded her up in the air.

The
Amphitrite
was anchored quite a way from the site for safety reasons. They wanted to be well clear of the wreckage so that they minimized the potential for disturbances, especially since she rested so close to the edge of the ravine and had already shown signs of instability.

They were going to have to get closer eventually, but for now protocol dictated they visit the area as little as possible. They approached the site, Knox throttling down as he turned the sonar equipment on and began to take readings of the seabed beneath them. She had enough experience to read the data spilling back at them and identify the dramatic depth difference where the rocky ledge the
Chimera
rested on dropped off.

Her heartbeat sped as the outline of the wreckage appeared on the screen. Slowly, the equipment revealed what had brought them both there—proof that a sunken ship sat over a hundred feet beneath them.

Excitement and impatience buzzed through her system, making it difficult to sit still. She wanted to be down there, not stuck on the small boat with Knox.

Avery found herself holding her breath in a mix of anticipation, excitement and guilt.

No, she wasn’t going to go there. She had no idea if the ship below them was really the
Chimera
and until she did there was no sense in borrowing trouble.

Avery watched Knox work, grudgingly admitting that he knew his way around the equipment. Even if he moved at a snail’s pace while using it. Every shift of his body was deliberate—the way the muscles in his arms and legs rippled as he moved, adjusting knobs, flipping switches, staring at the readout.

The longer she sat and watched him, the more tension seemed to fill her body. The boat was small. The man was big. And he wouldn’t let her do anything.

“Let me help.”

“No,” he said, without even bothering to look up from the data.

“Come on. I’m just sitting here.”

“I told you it was pointless for you to come, but you insisted.” The
so sit there and be quiet
was implied by his tone of voice.

Avery didn’t appreciate that much either.

Her fingers began tapping on the edge of the boat, a rhythm she couldn’t seem to stop. She wasn’t used to watching someone else work. Being idle drove her nuts.

After several minutes, Knox finally threw her a glare. “Stop that.”

Beneath the weight of his gaze, Avery stilled. For a moment. And then she deliberately thrummed her fingers against the smooth wood again.

It might have been childish to enjoy watching the edges of his mouth tighten with irritation. But there was a part of her—a bigger part than she really wanted to admit—that delighted in knowing she could get under his skin the same way he managed to dig at her.

“Payback is hell,” she taunted.

Knox opened his mouth, she expected a string of unhappy words to flow out, but instead a slow smile bloomed across his face. It crinkled the corners of his eyes. Light and laughter flashed through them, turning the caramel color to something hot and inexplicably making her mouth water.

Leaning sideways, Knox dipped his hand into the water beside them. Cupping his palm, he scooped up a handful. Avery knew what was coming, but there was nothing she could do. Nowhere to go.

“Don’t you—”

He did, flinging the salt water straight at her. It cascaded down the front of her shirt leaving splotches over the cotton. Droplets clung to her eyelashes and the wisps of hair that had fallen down from her ponytail.

“You’re right, doc, it sure is.”

Avery wanted to yell at him. She opened her mouth to do it, but nothing came out. She wasn’t used to men playing with her. Didn’t know how to react. Especially since her entire body was responding as if he’d touched her instead of the water, flaming hot and throbbing in inopportune places.

At least she could blame her tightened nipples on the cool breeze drying her shirt.

Out of nowhere, a low buzz interrupted any retaliation she might have planned. At first it was faint enough that Avery thought maybe Knox had stuffed his cell into his pocket. But as the sound grew, the rumble quickly increasing to a whine that vibrated through her chest, she realized that wasn’t the case.

Then a small plane appeared on the horizon.

“Knox,” she said, pointing to where the speck was quickly growing.

It wasn’t unusual to see planes carrying passengers or cargo from island to island, but this one was out in the middle of nowhere.

“It’s coming in low,” Knox murmured, almost to himself. Abandoning what he’d been doing, he straightened, using a hand to shield his eyes from the glaring sun. “Very low.”

He flipped an assessing glance at her. It didn’t last more than a few seconds, but it was enough to let her know he somehow thought she was responsible for whatever was happening.

What the hell?

The plane buzzed past, banking hard to the right and swinging in a large arc. At a diagonal, it headed away, but managed to drop even lower in the sky.

“What the heck are they doing?”

“McNair.”

It wasn’t an answer, and yet it was. “You think he’s surveying the wreck site?” Surprise crept into her voice, although once the words were out of her mouth, she didn’t know why.

It was exactly the kind of thing McNair would do. Even thinking he had her firmly lodged in his back pocket, he wasn’t the kind of man to leave things to chance.

Or maybe he was just checking up on her.

Anxiety ricocheted through Avery’s rib cage. He needed to back off or he was going to ruin any chance she had of doing what he’d ordered.

Then something tumbled out of the back of the plane and plunged toward the water.

“Oh, my God!” Avery shouted, shooting to her feet. The boat rocked unsteadily with the sudden shift in weight. Knox reached for her hand and tugged, pulling her back down.

As they watched, a parachute popped free of the dark spot plummeting toward the water. Avery let out a sigh of relief, slumping onto her seat.

The dangerous descent slowed. Whatever had fallen dropped out of their line of sight, but there was no doubt it had hit the water.

Knox barely gave her any warning before revving the engine. “Hold on.” He cranked it high and jolted forward, speeding in that direction.

Gripping the edge of the boat, Avery closed her eyes against the spray of water whipping into her face. The boat bounced on the waves, sending her stomach jolting up and down between her throat and toes, until she felt as if her insides were jumbling together. Adrenaline surged into her already spinning system.

It didn’t take them long to reach the object, five minutes at the most. But the
Amphitrite
was no longer on the horizon. They were surrounded by nothing but open sea on all sides, which normally wouldn’t bother her.

Except someone had dropped something into the water and the parachute suggested it was intentional.

For the first time since everything had started, Avery began to question why they were chasing after whatever it was.

A huge wooden box came into view. The parachute stretched out across the water like a colorful oil slick. On all sides were inflated tubes keeping the cargo afloat.

Avery was getting a really bad feeling.

“Uh...remind me why we raced over here?”

Knox flashed her one hell of an untamed glance. It had the pulse fluttering in her throat with a mixture of lust and excitement.

“Because, doc, I’m a SEAL and we don’t run from trouble, we barrel toward it.”

“Fabulous, but could you do that when I’m not around?”

His mouth hardened, but he didn’t respond. His focus was entirely on the box in front of him. He slowed the boat, circling the box, stirring up a wake that rocked both it and their boat.

Knox maneuvered close and then cut the engine, floating the rest of the way until the side of their vessel bumped gently against the roughly hewn wood.

“It’s probably a drug drop.”

Avery’s eyes slid closed, her stomach clenching tight. Not the words she’d wanted to hear, but not altogether surprising. “Then we should leave and call the Coast Guard or something.”