In Deep Waters (5 page)

"You really don't get it."

What a shame he didn't treat everyone the way he treated Madison. Ben was attractive when he wasn't snarling like a caged tiger. "Get what?" Kayla asked.

"Stevie won't realize the difference."

"Stevie and I discussed food. Nothing else."

"Doesn't matter," Ben said. "He'll think you're interested in him."

She wasn't an idiot. And from what she'd seen so far, neither was his crew, despite the belching, bad manners
and not-so-subtle stares. "I know how to deal with men."

"Not these men."

Kayla didn't like Ben's attitude. "What if I'm interested in Stevie?"

"What?"

She tried not to smile at his shocked tone. "It's not every day a woman finds a man who can cook like that," she whispered. "Is he married?"

"Stevie married?" Ben's frown turned into a scowl. The pirate was back. Dark and dangerous and more than a little peeved. "He's only twenty-four."

"I'm only twenty-seven. Besides, he might like older women." Kayla was enjoying herself, especially since Ben wasn't. "And what does age have to do with being married?"

Ben stared at her as if she'd lost her mind. "Are you...serious about this?"

She let him stew for a minute. She had the upper hand and she liked it. Liked it a lot. "That's none of your business."

His eyes darkened to an inky black. His lips narrowed until they almost disappeared. "Whatever happens on this ship is my business. Do you understand?"

She was playing with fire. Something she never did. But she'd never been on a ship with a band of pirates before. Time to take chances even if it meant getting burned. The crew and Madison were staring at them. Too late to back down now.

"Do you?" Ben repeated.

"Aye, aye, Captain." Kayla saluted him. "I read you loud and clear."

Chapter Three

Standing on the bow, Ben took comfort in the scents of saltwater and sunscreen and oil in the air. The familiar smells and daily routines gave the appearance of normalcy. But nothing was normal with Kayla Waterton aboard.

He wanted to know how her first shift had gone last night, but she was still asleep. She might sleep until her next shift. He didn't know. He knew nothing about her. Ben told himself he didn't care. He didn't. He was just getting...curious. And that bothered him. More than he wanted to admit.

Madison raced ahead of him in her Tweetybird sandals and pink life jacket. "Hurry, Daddy."

"The deck is wet," he said. "Don't run."

Beneath a cloudless blue sky, Madison kicked off her shoes. "Aye, aye, Captain."

Thanks to Kayla, Ben had heard that phrase a hundred times since last night. Even Madison had joined in.

"Who am I?" he asked.

"My daddy."

"That's right." He knew she was a smart kid. "I'm Daddy. Don't forget that."

"Aye, aye, Captain."

Maybe she was a little too smart, Ben realized.

Madison saluted him though her hand was at nose level. "Is this the right way, Daddy?"

He'd put his navy days behind him and wanted to keep it that way. "That's perfect, princess."

"Let's play." She plopped down in her plastic kiddie pool and kicked. The pool had been Wolfs idea and a great one at that. It kept Madison entertained for hours. The entire crew had gotten involved. Stevie set up a cooler and filled it with drinks and snacks. Monk put together a pump device to fill the pool with seawater. "You be the monster and splash me."

Ben did as ordered. Her squeal of laughter brought a welcome smile to his face. He needed to spend more time with Madison and less time thinking about the expedition and Kayla. He raised his arms and growled. "I'm going to get you."

"No, I'm going to get you." Madison splashed until he was soaking wet. She giggled. "You're all wet, Daddy."

"Yes, I am." He removed his shirt and tossed it on a nearby chair. "You got the best of the monster."

"Real monsters don't admit defeat so easily."

At the sound of Kayla's voice, he turned. "They do when facing a beautiful fairy princess," he said.

Kayla stood a few feet away from him at the top of the staircase leading to the bow. She wore a navy T-shirt

with a schooner on the front and a pair of khaki shorts that showed off her long, tanned legs. Legs that went on forever. A dull ache spread through him.

A no-shorts-allowed rule would come in handy. No, the boys wouldn't go for that. Not in this great weather and with Kayla on board. Nothing was wrong with looking as long as everything else stayed professional. Yeah, Ben could live with that.

"I'm the princess and Daddy's the monster," Madison said. "Wanna be a princess, too?"

Playing did not constitute professional behavior in Ben's opinion. Nor did the urge to run his fingers through Kayla's hair. Each strand glistened like gold. No doubt he was catching treasure fever like the rest of the crew. He needed to stay focused. "Miss Waterton has work to do, princess."

"I have a few minutes to spare." Kayla walked toward him. Her hips swayed seductively. "And I'd love to be a princess, if I'm not intruding."

She was a siren. She had to be. Ben knew it wasn't his smartest move, but the expectant looks on both Kayla's and Madison's faces made it impossible for him to say no. At least they weren't playing house. Or doctor. "You're not intruding."

"Thanks," Kayla said.

Her soft smile tugged at his heart. Ben didn't like it. His heart was off limits to everyone but Madison. She pulled at his heartstrings enough. There wasn't room for anyone else.

"All princesses have to get in the water," Madison ordered. "Otherwise the monster will get you."

"Wouldn't want that to happen." Kayla kicked off her deck shoes and stepped into the pool. The water hit mid-calf. "Am I safe now, princess?"

Madison tilted her chin the same way Kayla had done a few times. "Sit down."

"I don't want to get my clothes wet. May I stand instead, Your Highness?"

Madison thought for a moment. "You may."

Kayla curtsied. "Thank you, princess."

"Get in the pool with us, Daddy." Madison waved her arm in the air as if she held a magic wand. "You can be the prince."

Ben stared at the pool. It was already crowded with Madison and Kayla. Besides, he knew princesses liked to dance with princes. At least his princess did. And if Kayla did, too...that would be far from professional. New rule--no dancing among crew members. "I like being the monster."

Amusement flickered in Kayla's eyes. "It's a fitting role."

Ben growled, "Thanks."

"Anytime." She glanced around the bow at the various chairs and loungers. "Nice little pool area."

Madison splashed water onto the deck. "It's my beach."

"We call it the beach," Ben said. "There's a cooler with drinks if you get thirsty and the bathroom is right over there."

Kayla nudged a beach ball to Madison. "Thanks."

Zach jogged up the stairs, grabbed a soda from the cooler and downed a swig. He let out a loud burp.

"Excuse you, Uncle Zach," Madison said.

His gaze fell on Kayla, and Zach blushed.

"Manners are important." Madison emphasized each word with a pointed finger. Three going on thirty. "Isn't that right, Kayla?"

Her smile had enough wattage to light a cruise ship. "That's right."

Zach muttered an apology and took the stairs two at a time.

Ben laughed. At least Kayla helped with the crew's lack of etiquette. Better manners were needed around here, but sometimes he had trouble remembering that himself.

"How did it go last night?" he asked.

Kayla rubbed water on her legs. "We didn't see anything."

She sounded nonchalant, but Ben heard a twinge of disappointment. "Nothing at all?"

"Not unless you want to count mud."

Frustration filled her voice. Bingo. He knew it wouldn't take long, but this was better than he'd hoped for. He bit back a smile.

Madison splashed him. "Can we play in the mud, Daddy?"

"Not today, princess."

She pursed her lips, but before a full-blown pout formed, she reached for her buckets and filled them with water from the pool.

Time to tighten the screws. "The
Izzy
is out there, Kayla. It's difficult when we have such a large area to search. An overdose of mud is one of the hazards."

"I know, but..." She shifted her weight between her feet.

This was it. She was going to give up after her first shift.

"Daddy, I have to go potty," Madison answered instead.

He helped her out of the pool. "Do you need help?"

"No, I'm a big girl." She ran into the head, located ten feet away, and closed the door.

"Sometimes she runs through the entire ship so she
can tell me she has to go. Kids." He studied Kayla, trying to figure out what was going on inside her pretty head. "What were you going to say before?"

"I don't know how to tell you this..."

"No need to hold back now."

"I suppose. It's just. ..I've only been here twenty-four hours, yet it seems longer."

"I know."
Remain cool.
As soon as she said the word, he would radio Pappy to come back and get her. "What's on your mind?"

Kayla squared her shoulders. "We're wasting time and money with this current grid. I've spoken with the crew about your findings so far. None of the targets have panned out. Nothing confirms the
Isabella
went down in this vicinity. It's time we moved on."

Yes, especially if the "we" meant only her.

He didn't like Kayla speaking with his crew, who were already on edge. Everyone believed the
Izzy
was out there, but Ben had heard rumblings of discontent about another wasted season. "We have no idea how big the debris field is scattered."

"Granted, but we're not going to find anything here." She rubbed her right foot on her left calf, and Ben forced himself to look away. This was not the time to be distracted. "We can always come back later."

"Later? Losing confidence in your research?"

"I'm still confident." She tilted her chin. At this mo-ment, she looked like a real princess, not a pretend one. No wonder Madison had mimicked the action. "We'll and the
Isabella
if we follow my research, so it's easy to say we can come back later."

Ben appreciated Kayla's honesty. "But if we don't,

we won't be able to come back if our funding is pulled." "I could...put in a good word."

How much pull could a historian have at the museum? Unless she was sleeping with the boss. No, he realized, she didn't seem the type. He glanced at the closed door to the head. Another minute and he'd have to check on Madison. "You think that will help?"

She rubbed her foot again. "It couldn't hurt. We all want the same thing."

"I want to find the
Izzy.
"

"So do I." The determination in her voice surprised him. "But I can't find the
Isabella
without your ship and crew. And you can't find her without my research."

She'd been honest with him; she deserved the same. Kayla still hadn't offered to show him any real proof to back up her search coordinates. "I'm withholding judgment about your research."

"Whatever. You'll see I'm right."

He respected her confidence. Not that he believed her any more than he had yesterday. He might be on a treasure hunt, but he was relying on historical research and a scientific process to find it. Not intuition or feeling or psychics. Those three things his father would have trusted without a moment's hesitation in order to make one of his dreams come true.

"What matters is locating the ship." She circled the pool, kicking her feet as she walked. Her healthy tan suggested she spent time outdoors. The color was too natural-looking to be from a tanning booth or a bottle. "Who cares what research we use as long as we find her?"