I hesitated, wondering if he was just being polite or issuing a genuine invitation. "Yeah, checking for damage sounds like a blast."
"Come on." He grinned beguilingly. "It won't be all work. It'll be fun, I promise. You'll love the island. It's gorgeous. We can play castaway and gather coconuts." When I didn't bite immediately, he paused. "I'll take you swimming in the cove."
"You're going to have to offer me something more tempting. I could go swimming here." I crossed my arms, wanting him to work for it.
He wiggled his eyebrows.
It was such a charming expression. I couldn't help smiling. I had to remind myself to unclench my toes. "Now if you were planning to gather driftwood and make a bonfire to signal for help, like a castaway, hoping a passing ship will pick you up, that might be entertaining."
He pulled his phone from his pocket and shook it at me. "I have a phone. I already called for help. Sorry to disappoint."
"True. But that doesn't help you with passing ships."
He rubbed his chin. "I hadn't thought of that." He laughed and his adorable dimples deepened. "I was thinking, maybe the boat washed up on the far side of the island." He wiggled his eyebrows again comically. "Worth checking out."
"Serious?"
"What else are we going to do all day? You can't pass up the island. And we might get lucky." There was a hint of innuendo in his voice again.
It was hard to resist. "Don't count on it."
"Come on." He bumped the bottom of my foot playfully with his.
I let out a breath. "Fine. I'll pack us a delicious picnic lunch."
"Is there any other kind?" He grinned. "Why take a tasteless picnic along?"
I laughed. At least he had a sense of humor. "Can we take the amphibious fish thingy?"
Four
While he checked the second story and roof, I changed into a bikini and cover-up, and packed a lunch, beach towels, sunscreen, swim fins, and snorkels. The beach house was well equipped with gear. He pronounced the house sound, saying what little needed repair could wait. We loaded the gear, including a mean-looking machete and a saw that he threw in, into the barracuda and climbed in.
"You're going to love this." Eli smiled brilliantly.
How was it that he was so hot?
"It's grownup's toy. Like a Sea-Doo that can go underwater."
"What? Underwater?" I laughed. "Seriously?"
He nodded. "It's awesome."
"Is there anything here that can't go underwater?"
He grinned and put the domed glass lid down. "I hope you took your Dramamine. This thing is a wild ride."
He backed out of the half of boathouse that was left and headed for the island. "First we'll circle the island and see what damage the storm did. Damn, I'll be mad if it eroded the beautiful beaches."
"And ecstatic, I imagine, if we find the boat. Or gold doubloons. Oh, wait. Right. That would be me. You're rich. You don't need doubloons or bouillon."
He laughed. "So you tell me."
Eli was right. The barracuda thing was fun. It skimmed across the water like a jet ski, but with the lid down, there was no wind whipping the hair. It was easy and maneuverable. He took great joy in zigzagging and riding the waves as we headed toward the island.
"Want to dive?"
It was hard to resist the excitement in his voice and posture, and the light in his eyes. "Why not?" I yelled over the roar of the engine and the blaring music he'd put on.
He pushed a lever and the boat thingy went underwater.
I held on to the edge of my seat as we were suddenly submarining it. "Whoa!"
He maneuvered through the coral reef and schools of tropical fish while I gawked at the scenery. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but this might be better than the underwater bedroom. This makes snorkeling passé."
He just grinned. "You ain't seen nothing yet. This baby can jump like the dolphins."
Before I could say anything, or feebly protest, he pulled back on the wheel. We climbed to the surface, springing out of the water into the air like a jumping fish.
I screamed in delight as we hit the water and dove below the surface. "Do it again!"
"Those are words I love to hear." He took us underwater again.
"On the way home I want to drive!" I laughed. "Teach me."
We made several more jumps, surfacing for the final time as the water grew shallow. He explained the basics of driving before we cruised slowly around the island near the shore.
Our mood turned serious as we surveyed the destruction. The downed trees and upturned vegetation. Part of the boathouse roof had lodged high up in a grove of trees. But no luck as far as spare marooned boats. Ours was truly carried off to Oz or somewhere. A dead shark had washed ashore on the far side of the little island. And plenty of seaweed and shells. But the beaches were mostly intact, according to Eli, anyway. I simply thought they were beautiful.