“Let’s go,” she said cheerfully.
As she stood, she swayed slightly. He automatically put an arm around her, steadying her, and his libido took a wild leap. She was warm, so vital against him that he found himself instantly lost in carnal thoughts that entwined with the reborn desire to protect her from…something. He gritted his teeth, torn between the desire to push her away and the urge to shake her and demand to know the truth.
What truth?
…Why was he so convinced that there was more to her than what he saw? Why not just accept her at her very attractive face value and be glad for the chance to spend time in her company?
He didn’t know, nor did he have time to explore the thought, because she pulled herself together quickly and apologized. “I am so sorry. I haven’t had a drink in…I can’t even remember. I’ll go slow tonight, I promise you.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t let any harm befall you,” he said, stepping back and wondering why he’d chosen that particular turn of phrase. For just a moment their eyes seemed to lock.
Images flashed through his mind. Eddie on an open sea. Maeve dying in his arms. Sean in his hospital bed. Blue eyes, bluer than the sea and sky, deep and dark, staring back into his eyes. Eyes filled with enigma and shadows…
She turned swiftly, heading for the door. “Chop-chop, then. Let’s go on for a bit of supper and get back, eh? Tomorrow will be long.”
She had moved, and whatever had held him hypnotized lifted its hold.
Yeah, supper. Something to eat and a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow, back to reality, and starting tomorrow night, the search for Eddie.
He would bring logic to bear, and discover the truth behind Eddie’s disappearance and Sean’s illness.
Cal Johnson usually slept well. But not tonight. Tonight he couldn’t stop thinking.
He was the youngest of the three partners, and he knew he’d been brought in because Eddie and Sean had been starting to get tired of handling everything themselves. Face it, they were both getting older—even if Sean had married a woman half his age. The point was, the two older guys wanted more free time. Hell, they deserved it. They’d worked hard.
They loved their history, those two. Loved to pore over books and charts, then sail out to the site of some important event and relive it.
He wasn’t all that into history himself.
He was still into making money.
He love sailing, and loved the area. And if he had to learn history to run a successful charter business, then he was glad to do so, but it wasn’t anything he would have done otherwise. He was better when his passengers just wanted a look at the scenery from the water, or even a sailing lesson. He was good at that.
And no one could tell a worn-out old story and make it sound exciting again the way Sean could.
It had to be three or four in the morning, he thought, tossing restlessly.
Why the hell couldn’t he sleep?
Eddie. That was why.
They’d found the boat, but there’d been no sign of Eddie.
He trembled suddenly. He knew why he had awakened. He’d had a nightmare. He’d seen Eddie all covered in seaweed, tangled up in ropes and torn sails. Hungry sea creatures had been clinging to him, were almost a part of him.
He’d come in with the shriek of the wind, all darkness and menace and…
He’d stood at the foot of the bed, staring down at Cal, but when he’d opened his mouth to speak, he hadn’t said anything.
Cal had awakened instantly and sat up, but Eddie, of course, hadn’t been there.
There was no actual proof that Eddie was dead, he told himself. Eddie had taken out a single passenger and hadn’t come back for the party. Then the Coast Guard had discovered the Sea Maiden. Nothing wrong, nothing out of order. Sails furled.
Except that neither Eddie nor his passenger had been seen since.
Cal closed his eyes, exhausted. It was winter, but the weather was good, so people kept wanting to go out, damn them. And with Eddie missing and Sean sick over in Ireland, he’d been left to manage everything himself. Now he was exhausted.
And he was scared.
At his side, Marni stirred.
He didn’t want to wake her.
Too late.
“What’s wrong?” she asked him.
“I don’t know. I just…woke up.”
She reached out and stroked his face. “It’s all right, Cal. Sean will be back soon. Kat sent that friend of theirs, Zach Flynn, to bring him home.”
Cal felt a flash of annoyance. His own wife would feel secure if Sean—a sick old man!—came home. She was supposed to feel secure with him. But she doted on Sean.
Then he wondered if he was annoyed because Zach was coming. Sean, in turn, doted on the Flynns, especially Zach.
He took a deep breath and told himself to watch it. Jealousy was a curse.
“Cal?” she urged when he didn’t say anything.