Chapter 7
Chapter
Seven
The upper deck of the Latitude was quiet now, save for the occasional laughter floating up from the lounge below.
Russ leaned against the railing, beer bottle in hand, the glass chilled with condensation, the sea a soft hush in the background.
The boat was still, anchored in the calm bay, and the stars were out in full force.
He liked this time of night. When the guests had settled, the work was done, and the ocean felt like it belonged just to him.
Footsteps padded softly up the steps behind him.
Tessa’s voice came out quietly. “Fancy meeting you here.”
Russ turned, his heart doing that reckless lurch it had taken to doing around her.
She was barefoot, of course, a tank top revealing slightly pink shoulders, but after all the fun they’d had teasing her about her fair skin, she was actually tanning, and it gave her an alluring, vibrant glow. His pulse quickened.
Her hair was a little windblown. She walked toward the railing like she’d done it a hundred times before. He smiled at the difference only a few days had made.
“Still up?” he asked.
“Just wanted to look at the stars before bed,” she said. “Didn’t know I’d have company.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” he said, his lip curling on one side, although the chance of seeing her up here had crossed his mind. It might be why he’d stayed out so long, waiting to see if she’d show tonight.
She stepped up beside him, folding her arms on the railing. They both looked out in silence for a moment. The water below shimmered faintly. He’d turned off the green underwater lights over an hour ago.
“You weren’t kidding about the stars out here,” she said.
“Best show on the islands,” he replied.
“Besides the sharks,” she added with a sly grin, and he chuckled.
“That’s right.”
He was glad they’d all liked it so much. When both the sharks, or even just a ray, showed up, it always wowed the guests. And he had to admit, he’d really wanted to see her reaction to it. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
They stood side by side, their shoulders not quite touching, a quiet comfort between them. The hush of the waves, the faint music still drifting up from the lower deck, the clink of ice from someone’s glass below— it all made the moment feel suspended, like they were floating above it.
“I’m really glad I came on this trip,” she said eventually.
Russ glanced at her. “Yeah?”
She nodded slowly, eyes fixed on the stars. “I wanted this to be a kind of turning point, you know? A personal reset. Especially after… well, you know who…”
He nodded. He knew all about personal resets. He’d done one himself, and it had taken years. “And is it turning out that way?”
She smiled, her gaze on the water. “I think so. I feel like my eyes are opening. My horizons are expanding. And I think... I think not having Ethan here was the best thing that could’ve happened.”
Russ felt a quiet warmth spread through his chest. He thought so, too. Maybe a little selfishly, but he thought so, nevertheless. “I’m glad.”
She looked over at him. “Thanks for helping to make that happen. I know you didn’t mean to, but you have.”
He chuckled softly, and his face was probably flushing, but fortunately it was probably too dark for her to tell. “I told you, you’d find your sea legs in no time.”
She laughed, the sound light and free, making his heart swell. “You were right. And tomorrow, I’m going back in the water.”
“Leg doing better?”
She nodded. “It’s closing up nicely. Doesn’t sting anymore. ”
“Good,” he said. “Because we’re snorkeling again tomorrow. You ready for round two?”
“Bring it,” she said with mock bravado. Then, meekly, she added, “I hope.”
They both laughed again, and the moment stretched a little longer than it should have.
“Hey,” she said, glancing up at him as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “This is really nice. Talking up here like this.”
Russ nodded, his throat tighter than he liked.
“Yeah. It is.” He meant it more than was willing to admit.
He let his gaze linger on her, wishing things could be different, because he’d kiss this girl right now if he could.
With long, slow, passionate kisses from one ear to the other.
And he was fairly certain she’d kiss him back.
He sucked in a deep breath and forced his gaze back to the ocean. So much for a platonic friendship.
She stepped back from the railing. “Same time tomorrow?” She looked so gorgeous there in the moonlight.
She felt something for him, too, didn’t she? But did she understand he couldn’t make a move? Even though he wanted to—so badly it hurt.
“Sure. Same time tomorrow.” He smiled wistfully.
Was he playing with fire? Should he hide out in his cabin tomorrow night?
The last five years flashed in front of his eyes.
The yearning for someone that had never truly been filled since Mia.
The loneliness—the search for another woman who could replace her.
He’d failed, though, time and again. No one had ever quite fit the bill, leaving him restless and uninterested.
But Tessa… she checked all the boxes. The more he got to know her, the more his interest grew.
So no, this wasn’t just friendly, harmless conversation. He was way past platonic.
But he wouldn’t kiss her. He couldn’t take that risk.
Could he?
Why was it that he couldn’t stop thinking about it, then?
As she descended the stairs, he raised his beer bottle to his lips and threw back a taste of the cold liquid.
He gazed at the moon, waxing silver and high as it cast a pale shimmer across the gently rippling water, and sighed.
Okay, so maybe his heart sprang to life every time she looked at him. Was that a crime?
Because, honestly?
He was already looking forward to tomorrow night.
The next morning, the air buzzed with anticipation as Tess listened to Russ explaining the plan for the day’s excursion. They’d be heading out to a shallow reef not far from the island, but the reef was too delicate and the waters too shallow for the Latitude to approach directly.
So Russ and Malik would ferry small groups in the dinghy, dropping them off near the reef to snorkel while he stayed nearby to monitor .
Sun-screened and geared up in her new floral bikini, Tessa waited with the final group. Marin, Kyle, and a few others had already gone ahead. Excitement swirled in the air, but Tessa felt only the light, fluttering press of nerves.
“You ready?” Russ asked as she stepped into the dinghy behind Avery, Nate, and Malik.
She nodded anxiously. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” This would certainly turn out better than the last time she’d tried snorkeling. She’d be brave. Just like she’d promised herself.
The ride out was smooth, the water glassy under the late-morning sun. The reef shimmered just beneath the surface, colors shifting in bands of turquoise and jade. It looked magical. Serene, even.
But it went on forever, as far as the eye could see. And where had all those sharks from last night gone? She breathed in deeply and let it out, nerves gnawing at her stomach.
She would be fine. Even if it killed her?
Russ cut the engine. “Perfect spot. Clear view. Shallow reef right beneath us.”
Drew and Avery hopped out with a hoot and a holler and immediately swam off to check out the sights.
“I’ll hang here with the group if you want to go back,” said Malik.
Russ nodded. “Sounds good. I’ll come and get you all in about forty-five minutes.”
Malik jumped in and swam toward the others.
Tessa swallowed but didn’t make a move .
She adjusted her fins nervously, her mask at the ready, still pulled up over her hair. She could see straight to the bottom. Bright coral formations. Darting fish. Everything pristine and peaceful.
But it was far too deep to touch the bottom. Her stomach twisted.
And there was no shore nearby. No dock. No solid ground. The catamaran was much too far away to swim to. There was only this dinghy, and Russ would be leaving with it just as soon as she jumped out.
Her breathing quickened as the girl from Ohio shouted from inside of her to stop. To stay put. To stay right here. In the dinghy.
“You okay?” asked Russ, raising his brow hopefully.
She bit her lip. How could she tell him how frightening this was to her? He was so comfortable in the water. He wouldn’t understand.
And it was silly! She was being silly. She needed to stop, to get over herself. She straightened, squared her shoulders.
Okay, so she could float, and the fins would make that easy. And the gash on her leg was almost healed.
Besides, she’d done this once before. But she grimaced as she remembered how that had turned out.
“Tessa…?”
She stared at the water. “Uhhh…”
She sucked in another deep breath. Personal reset, right? All that stuff she’d said last night about expanding her horizons. Was it all just a lie she’d been telling herself?
Her arms and legs seemed frozen in place .
She glimpsed Russ out of the corner of her eye. What would he think if she flipped out? She didn’t want to lose it in front of him.
But the ocean felt too big for her. Far too big. This was precisely why she’d wanted a land-based vacation.
Because what if the sharks came back? She could put everyone in danger—again. With the stupid gash on her leg that might start gushing again once she hit the water.
“Tessa?” said Russell. She felt his eyes on her.
She breathed. “I can’t do it.”
His eyes were patient, concerned. “Can’t go snorkeling?”
“I can’t go in there.”
She’d never suffered a panic attack in her life, but this was going to become one if she hopped in that water right now.
He blinked, then looked at the water with her. Probably thought she’d lost all the marbles she still had left. “You sure?”
“Completely sure. There are some things a girl from Ohio is not meant to do. I’m just not cut out for this. Can I just go back to the Latitude, please?” She’d wear the shame proudly if she had to.
He smiled warmly, nodding. “Of course you can. You don’t have to go in.”
His voice was soothing. She let out a heavy breath, shaking her head. “Thanks. I thought I could do it. But the sharks—last night… All I can picture is…”
His expression softened even more, his deep blue eyes kind.
“Ahhh. Got it. That makes total sense. But I’d never bring you guys here if we had anything to worry about.
The sharks rest in the deeper caves during the daytime.
They only come out hunting at night.” He seemed to be trying to give her a second chance, which was fair.
It was his job. And he’d been there for her whole reset speech last night.
But she shook her head. “Okay, but—my leg. If the cut broke open somehow—I mean, look at all that coral—and then I started to bleed again… I do not want to find out what would happen next.”
His warmth felt genuine as he glanced at the closed wound on her leg, which was, honestly, small and insignificant now. “Hey, I get it,” he said gently. “These reefs aren’t for everyone. And it takes guts to speak up.”
Her pulse was still racing, but she figured he would rather not have to rescue her if she’d gone in and then panicked. “Thank you. I appreciate that.” She also appreciated that he hadn’t pressured her to go in.
He glanced around for the others in the water, taking a quick headcount. Avery and Nate swam side-by-side, faces in the water, backs to the sun. Kyle and Marin treaded in awe amid a school of colorful fish. Jenna and Drew were exploring the reef to the east.
He turned back to her. “But maybe we can find something else you’d want to do instead of going back to the boat?”
She felt a lift in her mood, her nerves easing, her pulse slowing to a normal rate. “Like what?” she asked, straightening her shoulders.
He moved out of the driver’s seat and sat down next to her, and she felt his toned bicep brush against her arm, smelled the fresh coconut scent of his sunscreen under his T-shirt. Her skin tingled.
“Learn to drive this thing?”
She laughed out loud, then glanced at the controls of the dinghy. “Seriously? You would let me drive this thing?” Now this was something she would love. She studied the wheel.
He nodded enthusiastically.
She gazed into his blue eyes. “Oh my gosh, yes.”
“Yeah?” He grinned. “Cool. You said you were expanding your horizons, right?”
She nodded, still a little embarrassed.
He was trying to stop her from feeling bad about missing out on the reef, wasn’t he? And it was just what she needed right now. How could he know that? They’d only just met a few days ago.
Intrigued, she bit her lip. “Okay. So how does this thing work?”
She slipped carefully into the driver’s seat, and somewhere between his gentle coaching and the steady throttle of the dinghy, something yielded in her chest. He directed her away from the reef and further out into the open waters.
“That’s it. You’ve got it,” he said. “Now, you want to go a little faster?”
She did. Laughing into the salty breeze, she tightened her grip on the tiller and gunned the dinghy faster, sending up sparkling sprays of water as she carved wide, looping circles over the clear blue water below .
Tessa’s heart filled. She felt alive. Completely and utterly happy—and so alive.
Russ cheered her on, and she glanced back at him, their eyes locking. She could enjoy being out on the water like this—really enjoy it—and moreover, he got her in a way that Ethan never had. Without even trying very hard, Russ Callen understood what she was about. And he liked it.