In Too Deep (12 page)

Avery’s breath caught as she arched up into the pleasure. She should have felt open, exposed. But she didn’t. How could she, with the way Knox was looking at her? As if she was the only solid thing left in the universe.

There was no build to the orgasm. One minute it was too far away and the next her body was imploding. She couldn’t control it or the way she shouted his name, not caring who might hear on the quiet ship.

The world spun out and for several moments she felt weightless, the same glorious sensation she’d only ever found beneath the water.

It was breathtaking. Profound in an unexpected way. Sex had never been earth-shattering for her. She’d had friends over the years gush over one lover or another. She’d listened as colleagues shared tales of their exploits.

She’d never had that.

Until now.

Even delirious, she felt the kick of Knox’s release deep inside her as he joined in the ecstasy. And that only increased the experience, the mingled moments of pleasure shared. Energy flowed between them.

A knot of something clogged her throat. Avery swallowed it.

Knox collapsed onto the bed beside her, rolling them both so that she faced him, and tucked her comfortably against his body.

She felt boneless. “I’m pretty sure I’ll never be able to use my legs again. How the hell can you move?”

His palm spread wide across her rear, squeezing and pulling her even tighter against him. He made a sound, a cross between a grunt and a rumble of approval. “One of us deserves a gold star from the professor.”

Avery chuckled, burying her nose against his shoulder. He was warm and a little sweaty. He smelled like man, which, as far as she was concerned, was perfect.

“Pretty proud of yourself, aren’t you sailor?”

“That’s frogman to you.”

“Mmm,” Avery murmured, stretching her body.

She felt him relax. Really relax, all the tension leaving his body and melting away into nothing. Until that moment she hadn’t realized just how...alert Knox always was. Even the night before when he’d held her in the sand, it had been there. Now she recognized the difference.

Avery wasn’t sure whether to be flattered that he was comfortable enough with her to let go, or feel guilty because he probably shouldn’t.

Because now that her physical hunger had been met, the tug-of-war she’d been fighting with her conscience was back in the forefront of her mind.

This didn’t help. She shouldn’t have given in, but it was too late now. Actually, it had been too late the moment they’d been forced onto that tiny island together.

It didn’t take long for Knox’s breathing to quiet and sleep to claim him. Unfortunately, her own mind wouldn’t stop churning.

How was she supposed to do what McNair wanted after what she’d just experienced?

But how could she not? If she didn’t say the wreckage wasn’t the
Chimera
, McNair would ruin her reputation. Without that, her opinion as an expert would be devalued...worthless. She’d lose her business, her home, her life. Melody would lose access to the care facility that was finding a way to help her.

She would hate herself if she followed through. But did she really have a choice? She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if her choices left Melody helpless.

There was no good answer. No way out.

Despair pulled at her, thickening the lump that had stuck in her throat.

She’d woken up afraid of a nightmare, but Knox had chased that fear away. Unfortunately, there was no one who could save her from the destruction she was about to bring upon herself.

11

K
NOX
TRIED
NOT
to stare as Avery walked across the deck of the
Amphitrite
. But the woman was difficult to ignore, especially in a wet suit. He’d touched and tasted every inch of her body and lived in a perpetual state of wanting to do it again.

That damn wet suit put everything on display even if she was covered in neoprene from neck to toe. Every delicious curve was outlined and he wanted them all to himself.

It didn’t help that he wasn’t the only one who noticed. He’d caught several of the men staring across the deck, whatever tasks they’d been performing completely forgotten.

Avery, on the other hand, was oblivious, which only made her sexier.

When she’d first strode across the deck in her pearls and heels he’d thought she dressed that way for the attention. It hadn’t taken him long to realize that was the furthest thing from the truth.

And considering the story she’d shared with him after her nightmare, he understood why she used clothing as a facade, a kind of armor. She projected a sense of confidence that she didn’t always feel. Which floored him.

Avery Walsh was one of the most intriguing, beautiful, dynamic women he’d ever met. She was complex in a way that called to him, stirring a need to dig deep beneath those layers and understand what made her tick.

They were diving on the wreck today. He’d organized a group that would inspect the structural integrity of the ship to determine what safety precautions would need to be implemented as they undertook the salvage. They’d be taking measurements, photographs and documenting with video.

He planned to shadow Avery as she made her own assessments, recording and cataloging what she could from outside the wreck. That was as close as he planned to let her get today, until his team could evaluate the risk of going closer.

Avery wasn’t going to like being held back, but they would both have to live with that until the ship was stabilized.

Striding across the deck, Knox fought the urge to bend her back and kiss the hell out of her. It was impulse and need, an unfamiliar compulsion he didn’t necessarily like.

And he knew Avery wouldn’t appreciate it if he made a spectacle of her in front of the entire crew.

But that didn’t mean he had to keep his distance.

Although if he was smart he would, if only to protect his own reputation. The last thing he needed was for someone to discover he was sleeping with their nautical archaeologist.

Not that he would try to get her to alter her report if she decided the wreck wasn’t the
Chimera
, but he didn’t need McNair or anyone from the US courts believing he could.

Reaching for the tanks she’d dropped at her feet, Knox began inspecting the lines.

“What are you doing?”

He didn’t even bother looking up. “My job.”

“No,” Avery drew out the single word. “You’re doing my job. That’s my equipment. My safety responsibility.”

Crouched down at her feet, Knox angled his gaze up at her. Okay, so he took a little longer than necessary to find her icy eyes, enjoying the detours along the way. “You’re on my ship. Your safety is my responsibility, Avery.”

Her jaw tightened, a minuscule tic picking up the corner of her mouth. “I don’t see you inspecting anyone else’s gear.” She leaned closer, whispering for him alone, “Are you doing this because you’re sleeping with me or because you’re afraid I’ll slip something down there to sabotage you?”

He was smart enough not to react to her words, because she would surely use whatever he said against him.

Although apparently it didn’t matter because her fists landed on her hips as she glared at him. “No, really. I’ve been diving for a hell of a long time. I know what I’m doing.”

“My business partner was trapped down there, Avery. Almost couldn’t get out.”

“So? I’m not Jackson. I don’t take unnecessary risks with my life.”

Why had he needed to hear those words from her so badly?

Select members of the team had been down to the wreck since Jackson’s accident, but everyone on the crew had been under strict orders to proceed with maximum caution. No one had been allowed close. They’d used robotic cameras to inspect what they could of the ship.

But Avery hadn’t been content with the pictures those expeditions had provided. She’d insisted a firsthand view was necessary to collect data, measurements and inspect the ship for minuscule details cameras were notorious for missing, especially in the murky depths.

That hadn’t bothered Knox when this whole thing had started, but it did now.

Pushing up from his crouched position on the deck, Knox stared at her. A familiar ache centered right in the middle of his chest, fear and guilt mingled with a powerless frustration because he knew there was no way to prevent her from going down there.

It was dangerous. He didn’t like the idea of her being close to that wreck. But Trident needed her down there.

Avery stalked close, snatching her regulator out of his hands. He’d forgotten he was holding the thing.

“If this is your passive-aggressive way of trying to get me out of the picture again, I’m not amused.”

Knox’s eyebrows knit. “Of course not.”

Okay, so a week ago he might have done or said anything necessary to get Avery off the
Amphitrite
. But not now. Not after they’d been stranded together, bonding over shared rodent and fireside confessions. Not after he’d touched and teased her, learned the breathy sound she made as she came.

“Look, you’re good at your job, Avery. I’ve always thought that. I didn’t agree that we needed anyone to authenticate the wreckage. Jackson and Loralei spent a lot of hours sifting through historical records, ocean currents and hurricane data. They knew exactly where to look to find the
Chimera
. McNair’s claim that she’s another ship is ludicrous.”

“Right, because no one else over the last one hundred and fifty years sifted through the same data? Knox, people have been looking for the
Chimera
for a long time. And considering no one expected her to be resting anywhere near the Bahamas...excuse me if I remain skeptical. McNair presented credible evidence that this could be another ship.”

“You haven’t seen her.”

“Neither have you.”

She wasn’t wrong. While Jackson, Loralei and some others on their crew had been down, he hadn’t had the chance. But he’d seen enough data and photographs to know what they were dealing with.

“Look, the ship is unstable. I’m worried about you going down there. I’ve seen enough friends injured and bloody, lost enough people who mattered to me to be cautious when someone I care about is taking unnecessary risks.”

Avery’s mouth opened and then slammed shut again.

Knox didn’t realize what he’d said until that moment. Her wide-eyed expression didn’t exactly breed confidence.

On top of that, Knox still didn’t trust her. He’d been worried someone would accuse him of using his connection with Avery to influence her. But maybe her goal was to distract
him
, deflect his attention from her true purpose. He had no idea what that purpose could be. He wanted to believe she was here strictly to do her job, but his gut told him there was more going on.

“I...I don’t know what to say.”

Knox closed his eyes, screwing his lids shut for several moments so that he could regain his composure. It had definitely deserted him right now.

His stomach felt as though he’d swallowed an entire quart of battery acid. Had he just made a huge tactical error without even realizing it?

God, he hoped not. There was a part of him that wanted to see how quickly he could reel those words back in. But something stopped him. He’d spent so many years blaming himself for the accident, pushing people away not only because of the guilt but also because it hurt so damn much to open up, to risk caring for and then losing someone.

His unintentional admission made him vulnerable. But he was starting to realize there were worse things in the world, and if he didn’t risk something, he was going to be left alone anyway.

Jackson had found Loralei. Asher was gone more often than he was home lately.

“Look, I buried my brother when I was sixteen. I’ve witnessed plenty of men—on both sides of the line—die. Trust me, when you’ve been caught in the middle of death and destruction, you become very protective of the people who matter.”

She swallowed visibly. “Are you saying I matter?”

He wanted to say yes, but the word wouldn’t come.

“I’d be concerned for anyone on my team who was going down there to poke around.”

“But you’re not inspecting their equipment.”

“No. I’m not.”

Slowly, Avery nodded, but her eyes never left his. Her tongue snuck out, sweeping across her plump pink lips.

He wanted to kiss her, and this time the urge had absolutely nothing to do with proving a point or staking a claim. He wanted the taste of her filling him up.

“Just promise me you’ll be careful.”

Her eyes searched his for several moments before she said quietly, “I promise.”

Knox wasn’t certain whether it should settle his nerves that she’d so easily agreed or jack them up even more.

He was walking a knife’s edge with this woman. And he was afraid that when it was over, he would be the one bleeding.

* * *

A
VERY
LOVED
BEING
in the water. She had to in order to do her job. There was something soothing about the underwater world in which she was often a guest.

Today, she’d need that peace. Unfortunately, it was difficult to come by when Knox flanked her every move.

His hovering would make her nervous on a good day, but this couldn’t be considered good.

Avery wasn’t sure what to hope for—that she’d find definitive evidence this ship wasn’t the
Chimera
or proof that it was.

She knew what Knox wanted. Expected.

And the thought of disappointing him left a sour taste in her mouth. She’d had to be the bearer of bad news on numerous occasions in her career. That had never bothered her before—the facts were the facts, simple as that.

But now she had a conflict of interest, and not only because she was sleeping with Knox.

The team descended slowly, going several hundred feet beneath the surface, the water gradually getting darker as the sunlight could no longer penetrate the depths.

Avery was awestruck at her first glimpse of the wreck.

She took in its power and majesty. The irrefutable evidence of the ocean’s destructive forces.

The nature of her job often had her dealing with shipwrecks, remains of ancient civilizations, and underwater tragedies. The power of water to both destroy and give life never ceased to amaze and humble her.

This wreck had been buffeted by winds, swamped by waves, dragged down to the depths of the sea by a storm so powerful it had the potential to toss large ships as if they were tinker toys.

This wasn’t the first ship she’d studied that had been destroyed by the force of a hurricane. Without the modern convenience of tracking and warning systems, these kinds of storms would often take ships and islands by surprise, leaving people helpless and alone.

Avery couldn’t suppress the shiver that snaked down her spine. Or stop thinking of the impending storm they’d been briefed about earlier in the morning.

Respect. She could never lose her respect for the sites she surveyed, the windows they opened into other times and other lives.

The ship was huge, looming out of the darkness. Behind it, the water appeared almost black—the abrupt drop-off she knew the team was concerned about.

A jagged hole in the side of the hull was clearly visible. The ship had tipped onto its side when it had landed on the sea floor, indicating to her that it had rolled before sinking.

It was breathtaking. Haunting. Somehow sad.

A tight band pressed against her chest. Avery stopped, treading water as she let her body and emotions catch up.

She always had the same response when viewing these kinds of wrecks. They were graveyards, after all.

And yet there was something uplifting about seeing the ship as well. Against the odds and elements, the thing stood. Maybe not straight, but still surviving, refusing to surrender completely to the sea that had sucked her down.

She felt a kinship with the wreckage. A determination to push through, as always. To tackle the issues in front of her one step at a time.

First, she needed to know for certain whether this was the
Chimera
. Then she could decide how to proceed with McNair’s threat.

Knox stopped beside her, laying his hand on her arm. Through the plastic of their masks, he peered at her and signaled, asking if she was okay.

She nodded and gave him a thumbs-up before moving closer to the wreck.

The water was noticeably cooler in the shadow of the ship, but that didn’t stop Avery.

It was clear that this was no ironclad steam ship, as most of the blockade runners had tended to prefer. But then, she’d already known that about the
Chimera
.

She needed a better look, but it was clear the ship was a wooden side-wheel steamer. Probably over 150 feet.

So far, the details matched the information they had of the
Chimera
. But then, she’d found that out from the photographs and video Trident had provided.

What she needed now was irrefutable proof, either that the wreck was the
Chimera
or indicating she was the ship McNair was claiming.

In her mind, Avery conjured up the drawings she’d studied of the
Chimera
, trying to fit the present pieces together with the past. But with the ship lying on her side and so damaged, it was difficult to tell whether or not they matched without getting a closer look.

Avery kicked out, streaming towards the wreck only to come up short when something yanked on her ankle.

Thrashing out, she tried to free herself. Twisting, she found Knox behind her, his hand gripping her foot.

Even through the shield of his mask, she could tell he was glaring at her. She kicked again, harder this time, until he finally released her.