With an extra half hour until she had to meet Thad and Drummer, she decided to poke around the open-air market.
She moved through the hustle of locals and a few tourists who’d ventured south of the resort areas, stopping to look here and there at the handwoven baskets and local crafts. The tin roofs protected the merchants from sun and wind and rain, and the blue tarps were a sort of shelter from each other.
The shops all sold roughly the same goods. A different necklace here or there. A wooden boat she hadn’t seen at any other booths. When she spotted a young native girl behind a low counter with various forms of jewelry laid across the top, she paused to glance over the selection.
A necklace with a large white shell hanging from the middle of a silver chain sparkled and caught her eye. “This is beautiful,” she said to the girl. “Did you make it?”
The girl nodded. Not much older than Isabel. But down here, craft was taught early. “Abalone.”
Maren held up the necklace, marveling at how the shell caught the light. “Can you put it on for me?”
“Me?”
“Yes. I know a girl about your age who’d love this. I’d like to see how it looks.”
The young girl took the necklace and clasped it around her neck. Maren smiled. “Very nice.”
The girl motioned to a pair of earrings. “These match.”
“Your English is very good.”
“Gracias. I study hard.”
Maren lifted the small drops and held them up against the necklace at the girl’s throat. “Really pretty. You do good work.”
“Gracias,” the girl said again.
“I’ll take them.”
The girl beamed as she slipped the necklace off and bagged the purchase. She passed Maren the bag, then leaned across the counter to get a better look at the choker around Maren’s neck.
“Es, um, shark tooth?” she asked.
“This?” Maren brushed her hair over her shoulder and fingered the choker, leaning closer so the girl could see it better. The lone tooth was attached to a braided hemp rope, positioned between two small beads. “Yes.”
“A real shark tooth?” the girl asked.
“Yep.”
“Es más grande, um…larger…than any of the shark tooth necklaces here. Where you get it?”
“Great Barrier Reef. I was diving there.”
“You found it?” The girl reached out and ran her fingertips along the sharp edges.
“No. The shark took a liking to me.”
“He alive?” This time she glanced up at Maren with wide eyes.
“He was. My diving partner didn’t like how he was eyeing me.”
“What happened?”
From the corner of her vision, Maren caught sight of a native woman staring at her from across the market, and for reasons she didn’t quite understand, her senses went on high alert.
“Senorita?”
Maren looked back at the girl in front of her. “Excuse me?”
“The shark,” the girl prompted.
“Oh.” Maren forced a smile. “Let’s just say he met an untimely death.”
The girl continued to stare. “Were you asustada?” She gave her head a fast shake and dropped her hand. “Mm, afraid?”
Maren glanced over her shoulder again. The woman was gone, but the fine hairs along Maren’s nape still stood as if some kind of danger lurked.
She smiled again, more to ease her own nerves than the girl’s, and leaned closer. “Terrified, but don’t tell anyone.”
“You were lucky. My uncle was attacked by a shark. Lost his leg.”
“Dangerous work, diving. Is he okay?”
“Si. Complains a lot.” The girl smiled. “I hope your young friend likes the necklace.”
“I’m sure she will. Thank you.”
Maren turned and looked through the crowd outside the shop. She didn’t see the woman again. Drawing a relieved breath, she headed for the wide doorway. And made it three steps before she drew up short.
Every nerve in her body lurched to attention when she saw Thad standing near a display of scarves, hands in the pockets of his loose-fitting jeans, his dark eyes watching her every movement.
Sweat beaded her forehead and prickled her back. “What are you doing here?”
“You’re late. I’ve been looking for you.”
She glanced at her watch. “Oh, sorry. I had some time to kill, so I thought I’d check out the market. I lost track of time.”
“No biggie.” He turned and fell into step next to her as she walked. “Is that true?”
“What?” The hair on the back of her neck stood straight. Had he been listening to the whole conversation?
“About the shark.”
“Oh, um…yeah.”
She stepped past a booth, intent on getting away from him as fast as she could. But a hand closed around her arm, stopping her forward progress. She yelped as she was tugged into a dark corner, then gasped when her back hit a solid wall and Thad closed in at her front. “Wh-what do you think you’re doing, Leighton?”
Was that her voice? It sounded breathless and—dammit—excited.
He braced one arm against the wall near her head and fingered the shark tooth at her throat. “Getting a look for myself. When did this happen?”
“Um…” She couldn’t think straight. Dammit, she was flustered. And hot. He was making her all hot and flustered. “About two years ago, I think.”
“And?”
Why was he hounding her? It was no big deal. And why had he cornered her in here like this? Perspiration slid down her spine. “You’re crowding me.”
“I know. Focus, Maren.” His finger skimmed the tooth, and heat shot all across her collarbone where his hand brushed. “The shark.”
She swallowed hard. Tried not to look into his dark eyes. Focus on his chin or throat or something besides his eyes. “I-I was working a wreck off the reef, and this tiger shark came along, thought I was a tasty morsel. My dive partner happened to see him eyeing me and came to my rescue.”
“He didn’t get you?”
“No, Raoul got to him first.”
“Raoul?”
Something in his tone made her relax. He hadn’t heard her talking about Isabel, she was sure of it, and she hadn’t mentioned Isabel by name, so there was nothing to stress over. That gave her the balance she’d been missing. She lifted her eyes to his and smiled sweetly. “Handsome Australian marine archaeologist. With a body like Russell Crowe and a voice to match.”
“I doubt that.”
Her smile faded. Was that hurt in his voice? Irritation? She couldn’t tell. And since he was looking down at her shark-tooth necklace and not into her eyes, she couldn’t read him.
But she could feel him. Warm. Solid. All man. She was as close to him as she’d been since arriving in Mexico, and the way he had her boxed in was making her breaths come faster, her pulse beat quicker, and his familiar scent was doing crazy things to her libido.
Keep it together. Don’t freak out…
His finger trailed from the shark tooth at her throat to the silver chain lying across her collarbone. Electrical pulses arced across her skin. “I wonder what’s at the end of this.”
She didn’t immediately register what he was talking about. Then he brushed his finger down the left side of the chain, heading for the locket hidden inside her shirt.
Panic closed in. She slapped her hand over his. Surprised, he stilled his fingers against her overheated skin and looked up into her eyes.
“Don’t,” she whispered.
One side of his lips curled in a wicked for-her-eyes-only smile. The same smile he’d given her hundreds of times when they’d been tangled together nine years before. The same one that still made her knees weak today.
“I have this strange feeling you’re hiding something from me, Blondie.”
She was. Everything.
She narrowed her eyes and worked for blasé when inside she felt anything but. “You have a
n overactive imagination, Leighton.”
“I may not have the fancy degrees, but I’m good at uncovering secrets. And I’ve already figured out yours.”
Maren’s breath caught. “I…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yeah, you do.” Beneath her hand, he traced his finger over the edge of the chain again, inching slightly lower until he grazed the top of her breast. Tingles spread from the spot, straight to her nipples. “I’m talking about this. You and me. And all that bullshit about being colleagues. You can spew as much of it as you want, but I know the truth.”
Her brain felt like it was short-circuiting. When he touched her like that, she couldn’t remember where she was. What she was doing. Couldn’t remember anything.
“And—” God, there went her voice again. Weak, pathetic…aroused. She cleared her throat. “What’s that?”
“That the girl you used to be is still in there. And as much as you’re trying to be all professional and detached, I know that girl’s dying to come out and play.”
She stared at him. Didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know anything except her thumping heart and racing pulse and the hundreds of butterflies alive in her belly. “Stop being cute, Leighton.”
He smiled again. Slow. Sexy. Dangerous, because he was the worst kind of temptation. “You think I’m cute?”
“I think you’re trouble.”
He chuckled. “That doesn’t sound nearly as bad as I know you want it to sound. In fact, it sounds kinda fun.”
Her jaw clenched at his obvious amusement. And because…he was right. It sounded like a helluva lot of fun to her right now too. “I’m not here for fun. I’m here to work. And you’re still crowding me.”
His smile was pure sex. And invitation. And filled with a desire she only just barely resisted. And it did more to her pulse than his flirty words had moments before. But thankfully, he moved back enough so she could breathe.
She drew air into her lungs. In and out. Slow. Then she squared her shoulders and tried like hell to look calm and casual. And knew from the way she was sweating that she failed miserably. “Where’s Nate?”
“He decided to walk back to the marina.” Thad moved another step away and gestured for her to walk ahead. But he was studying her with those knowing eyes. She could feel his gaze boring into her back. Watching the sway of her ass.
Her internal temperature felt like it jumped another five degrees.
“Which way to the hardware store?” he asked, sounding totally calm and collected. The bastard.
Stomach tight, she climbed into the rig and pointed the direction. Luckily, they drove through the village in silence, but out of the corner of her eye, she caught his relaxed jaw, his loose shoulders, and that cocky smile curling the corner of his mouth.
Dammit. He was cute. Cuter than he’d been before, because he knew he’d gotten to her. And she was in serious trouble.
After picking up her order, they headed back to the marina. Thad and Nate helped her haul in her boxes, then left her to finish cataloging her equipment and re-store her supplies, alone.
Feeling more at ease in the familiar surroundings, she worked through the afternoon and finally glanced at her watch, noting it was after three o’clock. Arms lifted over her head, she stretched her tired shoulders and paused, listening for voices. The guys were somewhere on the bridge, playing with the equipment. She could just barely make out their voices above.
Perfect timing.
She fished her cell out of her backpack and dialed home, knowing it would probably be her only chance to talk to Isabel for a few days. And just as she hit Send, the woman who’d been watching her in the market popped into her mind. Another shiver raced down her back.
Just nerves. About the dig. About talking to Isabel when Thad was close. About Evan. She shook off the stupid feeling and waited for the line to pick up.
As she expected, the connection was bad, but her mother answered on the third ring. “Hudson residence.”
“Hello, Mother, it’s Maren.”
“Maren, dear. You sound tired.”
No apology for misleading her. Leave it to her mother to act like nothing had happened. “I’m fine, Mother, just working.”
“You should tell your father you need some time to catch your breath.”
“He doesn’t listen to me.” Much the way he doesn’t listen to you.
Her mother sighed. “How is he?”
The genuine interest softened Maren, and she blew out a breath. Though Sophia Hudson had no desire to live with the man, she obviously still cared about him. “He’s fine. I’m on the boat, and he’s not here right now; otherwise, I’d let you speak with him.”
“He’ll call if it’s important. Now…” Her voice hardened. “I suppose you want to speak with Isabel.”
So much for small talk. “Yes. If she’s around.”
“I’ve already told her about the project, so there’s no reason to waste your time rehashing that. She’s right here. Hold on.”
The betrayal she’d felt when she realized her parents had tricked her sliced like a hot, sharp knife all over again, but Maren swiveled her seat and bit her lip as she looked out the windows at the sunshine glinting off the water. For all her mother’s shortcomings, the woman loved her granddaughter. “Hey, Mom!”
A wave of warmth rushed through Maren at the sound of Isabel’s chipper voice, and a relieved smile curled her mouth. Until this moment, she hadn’t realized how anxious she was about Isabel. Hearing her sweet voice reinforced the knowledge that Evan was nowhere close. “Heya right back, baby. How are you?”
“Good. I miss you, though.”
“I miss you too, sweetie.”
“How’s Grandpa?”
Patrick was the last person Maren wanted to talk about. “He’s fine. Ordering people around, making demands, unbending. Same old, same old.”
Isabel giggled. “Not sick, huh?”
Maren clenched her jaw. “Not in the least.”
“Give him a kiss from me.”
Maren grimaced. “I will.” She wouldn’t.
“How’s the dig?”
“Well, we haven’t really started yet. I spent most of today getting the lab set up. We’ll start diving tomorrow.”
“Be sure to take your underwater camera. I can’t wait to see pictures.”
“I will. For you, anything.” She leaned back in her chair and tried to settle her nerves. “Is everything okay up there?”
“Yeah. Grandma’s been busy at the hotel, but things are fine. Jenny’s boyfriend showed up with flowers and a cake for her birthday, caused all this commotion at the front desk, and Grandma almost had a conniption fit.”
Maren relaxed as she listened to Isabel chatter about the hotel happenings. Normal. Everything sounded as normal as it got up there. As long as Evan kept his distance, everything would be just fine.
She waited until Isabelle finished her story. “I probably won’t be able to call you for a few days. We’ll be working pretty long hours.”
“That’s okay. I’m fine, and Nona’s teaching me to make her famous chocolate chip cookies.”
“Is she?” Nona was Sophia’s housekeeper and more grandmother than employee. And she had a knack for keeping Maren’s mother in line. “Well, in that case I’ll expect a homemade batch the next time I see you. About time you started pulling your weight around that house.”
Isabel laughed again. “I miss you, Mom.”
The love in Isabel’s voice tugged at Maren’s heart. “I know, baby. I miss you too. I think about you all the time. And I love you, more than you know.”
Silence echoed over the line; then in a small voice, Isabel said, “Grandma said maybe I could join you in a few weeks.”
Maren’s heart caught, and she thought of Thad somewhere upstairs. Squeezing her eyes tight, she pressed her fingers against her forehead. “I’m…not sure. The conditions here aren’t great. We’ll…have to see. I’ll talk to Patrick, but…I’m ju
st not sure.”
“Okay,” Isabel said on a dejected sigh.
Maren hated lying to her daughter, but she couldn’t bring Isabel down here. Not with so much at stake. And now wasn’t the time to tell Isabel that her long-lost father had suddenly reappeared.
Maren swallowed the bitter bile and worked for happy in her voice when she said, “Okay, I gotta go, baby. Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Isabel answered. “I guess.”
But she wasn’t. Maren could hear the disappointment in her daughter’s voice, and it only added to the burn in her stomach.
“Sleep well tonight, sweetie.”
“Bye, Mom.”
“Bye.”
She clicked off the phone and tossed it onto the table, then pressed both hands against her closed eyes. Normally, Isabel’s sweet voice calmed her. Today all it did was reinforce that when this was over, everyone would hate her.
The shuffle of feet behind brought her guard up again, and she swiveled her seat toward the noise. Thad stood in the doorway with a box of supplies.
Her blood ran cold, and the fine hairs along her nape jumped to attention.
“Sorry,” he said. “Didn’t want to interrupt your conversation.” He lifted the box. “More supplies Patrick brought down.”
Her nerves vibrated with the speed of a hummingbird’s wings. “Oh, thanks.”
He set the box on the table, and she rose on unsteady legs, crossed the floor, and started to go through it. His eyes were on her, though, watching her every movement and reaction, and she couldn’t seem to concentrate on the bottles or tools in front of her. She knew he’d heard at least some of her conversation, and she was racking her brain trying to remember if she’d said Isabel’s name or not.
She finally glanced up and forced herself to remain calm, but inside she felt the firestorm of all her lies swirling together in a giant vortex. “What?”
His gaze was curious, not heated like it had been back at the market. And her pulse jumped all over again. An uncontrollable urge to turn into him, to tell him everything, overwhelmed her.
For several seconds, he said nothing. Just stared at her with those curious, intense, familiar eyes. And that connection they’d shared so long ago seemed to flare to life in the space between them.