Chapter 8
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“S O WHAT’S THE VERDICT , Riptide?” Noah asked the following morning.
“Head out for a few hours?” He took a sip of his steaming black coffee, feeling the burn of the dark liquid roll down his throat.
He’d woken up twice last night, his dick rock-hard as he’d thought of Bailey stretched out on the sofa beneath him.
Seeing her in that sexy little halter dress yesterday had nearly made him come undone.
The fabric had wrapped around her perfect tits, showing them off to their full advantage. And when he’d hauled her over his shoulder and felt her lush little body up against his?
Fucking spectacular.
She was so much smaller than him, he could easily maneuver her into different positions if he ever made love to her.
Made love.
What was with him this morning? He was a one-night-stand kind of guy.
He had sex with women, didn’t “make love.” And he’d flat-out told her that if she’d said the word, he’d make a move.
They were together for a few days here, so he didn’t want to come on too strong if she wasn’t ready or just wasn’t interested.
But he’d wanted her to know that if she was game?
He’d be kissing and teasing her perfect body all night.
Mason grumbled under his breath, tapping the weather app on his phone. “Storms are moving in this afternoon. We should be good to go this morning though. We won’t have another full day on the water, but we can get in a few hours of fishing. It’s a little overcast out, but that won’t hurt anything.”
“Are you sure it’s okay?” Taylor asking, frowning. “What if the water’s really choppy or something? Is it safe?”
“I wouldn’t put you in harm’s way,” Mason assured her.
“I wouldn’t go out if I thought it was dangerous.
Noah and I are used to training in bad weather, but I don’t want to be out there with you on the boat in a storm.
We can head out for a couple of hours this morning and then come back early.
Be safe at home before the first rains drops even hit. ”
“Well, if you’re sure,” she said hesitantly.
Noah glanced over at them. “It should be fine, Taylor. We’ll come back long before the storm is supposed to roll in.”
She nodded, still looking nervous, and Noah glanced toward Bailey’s closed bedroom door. “Is she still asleep?” he asked.
“She’s a night-owl,” Taylor said. She picked up her own coffee mug and took a sip. “So am I, really, thanks to my work hours at Anchors. I’ve gotten used to Mason waking up early though.” She shrugged.
A moment later, Bailey came padding out of her bedroom, wearing a pale pink tank top and floral sleep shorts. Her hair was twisted up in a messy bun, and she collapsed on the sofa beside Noah.
“Morning, sunshine,” he said with a grin, watching as she curled her legs up beneath her. She was cute as hell in those little pajamas. Whatever the hell women called them.
“What’s everyone talking about?” she asked with a yawn.
“There’s a storm coming later this afternoon,” Mason said. “We thought we’d head out early and get some fishing in to beat the rain.”
“Sounds good,” she said. Her gaze drifted to the overcast skies outside. “I won’t be able to get much of a tan,” she said.
“Well, tomorrow’s our last day, and the weather’s supposed to be perfect,” Taylor said. “We can find something else to do this afternoon and enjoy the sunshine tomorrow on the boat.”
“All right,” Bailey said. “So when do we go?”
Mason shrugged. “How long do you ladies need to get ready?”
***
N OAH WATCHED AS BAILEY shivered slightly as the winds picked up. She zipped up the hoodie she was wearing, standing there wearing that and her bikini bottoms, holding the fishing pole.
“I’m not catching anything,” she said. “So much for my good luck yesterday.”
“It’s probably the pending storm,” Noah said. “The fish all swam deeper where the water is calm. They’re not biting today.”
“Not at all,” Mason said with a chuckle. “Good thing we grilled extra yesterday. We can have leftovers tonight or go out if you ladies prefer. There are supposed to be some great restaurants nearby.”
“I’m good with either,” Taylor said. She reached in her bag and pulled out her camera, adjusting the lens.
“You’re taking pictures today?” Noah asked. “The sky is overcast.”
“The sun was so bright yesterday, there was a glare on the water. I should actually be able to get some better photos today with the cloud cover.”
“Makes sense,” he agreed, his gaze drifting toward the whitecaps in the distance.
Mason glanced over at him, raising his eyebrows. He’d noticed the same thing. Although the forecast wasn’t predicting the storm to roll in for another couple of hours, the seas were getting rough.
“Is that rain?” Bailey asked, looking at the clouds in the distance.
There was a distinct line on the horizon where the rain had started—darker gray than the rest of the sky.
She reeled in her fishing line, resting the pole against the stern.
“I’m going to put my shorts back on—it’s getting kind of chilly. ”
Noah watched as she stepped into her cut-off denim shorts, trying not to bemoan the loss of the sexy hot pink bikini she’d had on. Bailey seemed to love bright colors, and hell if he didn’t love watching her in them.
She’d look equally sexy in nothing at all, but that long blonde hair and the dresses and bikinis she’d worn on the trip worked for him.
She slid on her flip-flops, and Noah noticed that even her toenails were painted hot pink.
She took off her sunglasses, stashing them in her bag.
Her tiny little eyebrow ring gleamed as she turned, and he resisted a groan.
He was dying to peel off her clothes and discover all her secrets.
The low boom of thunder in the distance sent her jumping, and Mason and Noah exchanged a glance.
“Yep,” Noah said. “That’s rain. We should probably head back to shore. Let’s pull up the anchor.”
Taylor lowered her camera, frowning. “Are we going to make it back in time?”
“We should, sweetheart,” Mason assured her. “We might get wet on the dock running back to the car—oh damn. I think I left the top down on the convertible.”
Noah chuckled. “A bit late to realize that. You took out extra insurance on the rental though, right?”
“Absolutely. Why don’t you ladies stash the fishing gear. We’ll start the engine and pull up the anchor.”
“On it,” Bailey said, moving around the boat. Noah grabbed his tee shirt from his bag, slipping it over his head. There was a bolt of lightning in the distance, and he frowned. He pumped the shift lever to prime the engine and then turned the key in the ignition, listening to it sputter.
“Oh hell,” Mason muttered, crossing over toward him. “The engine won’t start?”
“Let me give it another try.” He turned the key again, listening to the engine turn but not start.
“Check the kill switch,” Mason said.
“Nope, it’s good,” Noah said, glancing down. “Let me try pumping the gas.”
“What’s going on?” Bailey asked, walking over. Thunder boomed in the distance, and Noah glanced over, hating to see the fear in her eyes. He pumped the gas a few times, his hand on the key.
“Just trying to start the engine. Let me give it another go.” He turned the key in the ignition for the third time, and it finally roared to life. The wind picked up, blowing a spray of water onto them, and she squealed in surprise.
“Why don’t you both sit down!” Mason called out over the engine. “We’re going to head back more quickly than we got here.”
Bailey nodded, looking nervous.
“No need to worry, sunshine,” Noah said, lightly grabbing her arm to pull her closer before she walked away. “We’re used to being out in bad weather. We train in all kinds of situations.”
She nodded, and he brushed her hair back, ducking to give her a quick kiss on her forehead. He was trying to reassure and calm her, and he didn’t like that she trembled slightly beside him.
“Okay,” she said, walking over to one of the benches on the side of the boat.
Taylor grabbed her tote bag and sat down beside Bailey, holding onto her things. Her camera was in her bag, and Noah knew it had to be expensive.
Mason checked his smart phone. “There’s no coverage out here. I was hoping to get a weather update.”
“We can try the radio,” Noah said. “Maybe there’s something about the storm.”
“Roger that,” Mason said, walking over to pick up the headphones.
The two women glanced nervously over at them, but Noah put his foot on the gas, turning the boat back toward the shore.
There were a number of small islands off the coast, and if the weather got really bad, he supposed he could try to pull onto the beach on one of them.
It wouldn’t be ideal, stranded out on an island during the storm, but it’d be a hell of a lot better than being stuck on the boat, rocking back and forth in the churning waves. Even hardened sailors could get seasick in extreme weather.
He wasn’t sure how Bailey or Taylor would fare on choppy waters. He and Mason might have iron stomachs thanks to extensive training, but he didn’t want to worry about them getting sick.
The winds picked up, and he frowned.
They had emergency supplies stashed on the boat—flares, beacons, ponchos, emergency rations and water. The ideal scenario would be to beat the storm back to shore though.
Mason walked over to him, a grim look on his face. He scrubbed a hand across his jaw. “There’s a severe thunderstorm warning—no surprise given the conditions. It came a hell of a lot earlier than expected.”
Noah nodded, concentrating on maintaining control of the boat as the waves began to pick up in the already choppy water.
A wave crashed against the side, and the women screamed as water poured down around them. “Damn it,” Noah muttered, and Mason hurried over to them.
“Come sit on the ground over here by us,” he said, holding out his hands to help them up. They all walked back toward where Noah was, and Mason opened the storage compartment, pulling out orange life vests as rain began to pour down.
“We need those?” Taylor asked, her eyes widening.
“Better safe than sorry, sweetheart,” Mason said. He handed one to Bailey and then helped Taylor put her life vest on, securing the buckles.
Bailey slipped hers on as the boat rocked, but before she could fasten it, a sudden gust of wind caused the boat to list to the side. She screamed as she stumbled and then slid across the deck. Noah’s heart lurched as he watched her, torn between running to her aide and holding the steering wheel.
“Bailey!” he shouted.
She got on her hands and knees and tried to crawl back toward him, up the incline, but a strong wave suddenly had her flying overboard.
“Bailey! Grab the wheel!” Noah shouted.
Mason hauled Taylor along with him, holding her to him as he took control of the vessel.
Noah didn’t even stop to grab a life jacket for himself, just jumped overboard, diving headfirst into the ocean. He kicked hard away from the boat, swimming underwater a good distance before coming up for air.
The rain poured down harder, and it was impossible to see even a few feet in front of him. The dark, choppy waters made it difficult to see anything around him, and he took in a deep breath before he was briefly pulled under.
His training instinctively kicked in, but his blood ran cold at knowing Bailey was out here, too. At his not being able to find her.
He kicked back toward the surface. “Bailey!” he screamed again into the wind as rain poured down from the heavens and the choppy water jolted him around.
He couldn’t even see the boat anymore in the storm.
Thunder boomed from above, and he hoped like hell he wouldn’t be electrocuted out here if lightning struck the water.
Treading water, he circled completely around, trying to see any sign of her.
A brief flash of blonde hair had his heart stopping, and then he was swimming toward her, fighting against the waves. His muscles burned and his lungs screamed for air, but he would get to her no matter what.
The minutes it took to reach her felt like hours, but he finally was at her side, pulling her weak body toward him.
“Hang on to me, sunshine,” he said, holding her close as he wrapped both arms around her. “I got you.”
“I’m so tired,” she said, choking and sputtering on the water.
“Don’t talk—just save your strength. I need to get us back to the boat. I’m going to tow you along. Don’t let go of my arm, no matter what.”
Bailey choked out a sob, and his heart clenched.
“Don’t cry, sunshine. You’re going to be fine. When we get back, you can take a nice, hot bath and get warm. But right now, I need you to stay strong. To stay with me.”
“I don’t see the boat,” she gasped, looking around in panic. “Oh my God, what if we can’t find it?”
“I don’t see it either, but we’ll find it. We just need to hold on until the storm blows over, and then we’ll signal Mason. I’m going to swim us back in the direction I think we came.”
“But the ocean is huge! He might not even be able to spot us.”
Noah nodded, not wanting her to panic. All the emergency flares and beacons were back on the boat. He didn’t even have a whistle with him.
There was no telling how far they’d drifted in the storm. Even if they did spot the boat when the rain blew over, it would be hard as hell for Mason to see them.
Bailey’s wet hoodie clung to her like a second skin, and he worried the soggy material was weighing her down.
He didn’t want to discard it though in case they ended up trapped out here.
The temperature would cool down when day turned to night.
If they couldn’t find the boat, their best bet would be to attempt to swim to one of the small islands.
Her sweatshirt would eventually dry out, and until then, they could huddle together for warmth.
That was a worst-case scenario though. Because he hoped like hell they hadn’t drifted too far from the boat. Mason would’ve already called the Coast Guard by now, but in the storm, they couldn’t exactly send search helicopters to look for them.
Gritting his teeth, he began to swim in the direction he thought they’d come, pulling Bailey right along with him.