Trust Me (3 page)

Creighton
stopped and pointed to the beautiful blue and yellow fish, not very large, only about two or three inches long, swimming along the edge of a rock.

“It’s
a flameback angelfish,” Creighton’s voice filtered calmly through her helmet. “And over there in the sand, see it? It’s a white spotted bamboo shark.”

“A
shark?” She gulped in fear as a warm hand touched the small of her back, steadying her from swimming backward.

“It
won’t hurt you; it’s considered a carpet shark, harmless to humans.” She drew a deep breath and relaxed, the warmth of his hand remained on her back. “Take a picture,” he reminded her, and she pulled the arm holding the camera up and snapped the button. “Look up there.” He pointed above them as a pair of stingrays swam through the water with an effortless grace. She raised her camera again and snapped another picture. This was getting fun and she completely forgot about her uneasiness as the thrill of what she was seeing embraced her. Creighton continued to point out the various types of fish, all eager to have their pictures taken as they swam around them like puppies.

He
reached for her hand and pulled her toward some rocks. His touch sent waves of excitement traveling down her the inside of her wet suite and she found herself actually having to stifle the nervous giggle that threatened her composure. He showed off the many types of plant life and coral, pointing toward some strange-looking fish he said were barracuda, swimming in a circular motion above them. In the near, distance was a school of tuna and swimming toward them was a Galapagos shark
. She caught her breath and squeezed his hand unconsciously.

“Don’t
worry about it,” he said through her helmet speaker. “It’s not after us, but we should get back to the boat. It’s not safe to tempt fate.” She nodded her agreement and was about to swim back toward the ship when Creighton’s hand stopped her. “Aren’t you going to take a picture? You may never get a chance to see another shark this close.”

“I
don’t want it to see us,” she whispered and heard the now familiar warm chuckle through her helmet.

“It
won’t hear you even if you whisper,” he teased. “Take the picture.” Her hands trembled as she drew the camera up and she realized she was holding her breath again as she snapped the picture. The shark continued to swim with the rest of the fish, not paying the least bit of attention to the silent spectators.

“Are
you ready to go back?” Creighton watched as the camera drifted in the water by the strap holding it around her wrist when she let go of it. Her legs were shaking and she could feel the adrenalin burning within her veins as she nodded, feeling his hand in hers again as he pulled her along beside him. She glanced behind them several times to make certain the shark wasn’t following, but it had swum further out to sea without even noticing their presence. She inhaled a deep steading breath and glanced beside her to Creighton, who was watching her every move like a panther stalking its prey, causing her heart to begin racing within her chest. Her smile was shy and timid and she could hear the soft chuckle fill her helmet once again.

Once
they reached the ship, Ruelle reached down and pulled her up by the straps across her shoulders as Creighton lifted her around the waist, his dark eyes smiling at her through his visor. It was a strange sensation to have his hands on her and she felt their heat burning through the rubber wet suit. She was thankful once again that she had lost those fifteen pounds as she was hoisted out of the water. She quickly stripped off the mask as Creighton pulled himself out of the water to sit across from her.

“Have
fun, mademoiselle?” Ruelle asked pulling the tank off her shoulders.

“It
was awesome, thank you…er,
merci,
” she corrected herself. “Thanks to Creighton, I got some great pictures.”

“
Qui
, Cray is a great leader. I am very happy he joined us.”

“So
am I,” the man in question said as he looked up from his seat, now void of his air tank and diving gear. Ruelle laughed, patting the younger man on the shoulder.

“I
leave you to finish helping Mademoiselle Dennis,” he said with a wink. Sandra glanced up just in time to see the exchange and felt the sting of color edge its way up her neck and into her face. “Now all is aboard; we go back, no?”

Ruelle
walked away as he made his way toward the glass cabin. Two deck hands began to gather the gear as Sandra pulled the wet suit off, slipping her shirt back across her bikini top. Creighton watched while she slipped her dark-blue shorts over her bikini bottoms and smiled a strange, almost inviting grin when she caught him. How could anyone be this handsome, with such a perfectly sculpted straight nose, full kissable lips and dark seductive eyes and perfect smile? There was enough of him to make two normal men. Something in his manner assured her he was vividly aware of the effect his appearance had on the opposite sex and that he knew she had been checking him out. A strange sensation began to caress her insides, a mixture of heat and tingling that seemed to tug at her stomach.

“Shall
we?” he asked her waving his hand back toward the seats. Sandra nodded as she preceded him down the narrow aisle to the empty bench where they had sat before, feeling the heat of his eyes on her backside. Everyone was talking very animated about their experience and events of their afternoon as she sat looking out across the crystal blue sea and sighed, a contented grin caressing her lips. So far, Cote d’Azur had proven to be a very interesting place to visit.

The
sun had dropped much lower by the time they got back to the docks and a warm glow of pinks and turquoise was slowly spreading across the evening sky. It was absolutely beautiful. Sandra stayed behind to enjoy the tranquility of the sea as the rest of the passengers disembarked. She closed her eyes, basking in the sounds of sea gulls echoing across the water, the soft creaking of waves filtered the stillness at they caressed the wooden pillars of the walkway. She was relaxed and comfortable and yet oddly reenergized.

“One
of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever seen,” Creighton said softly, making her aware that he was still sitting beside her. She nodded again, drawing a deep breath. This specific moment was definitely worth all the sacrifice she had made in order to come here. When she looked back toward Creighton, she blushed, realizing he was watching her.

“Ruelle
needs to close up the ship for the night,” he told her gently, an inviting smile caressing his lips as he took her hand in his. The touch of his hand on her bare skin sent a sudden shudder racing through her arm and into her stomach, causing her heart to skip a beat. She looked up into those dark-blue eyes and smiled.

“Do
you have plans for supper?” he asked, as they walked together down the wooden walkway and up the short path to the hotel. She felt the warmth of his touch as it coursed through her arm and into her breast as he watched her intently.

“I
don’t have anything special planned.”

“Would
you like to have supper with me?” he asked with another dazzling smile that warmed her down to her toes.

“I
would love to,” she said suddenly, glancing downward when she realized how eager she sounded.

“Great.
Do you like pasta?” he asked as they walked into the lobby of the hotel.

“I
love pasta, but I don’t eat it much. It’s not very good for the waistline.” She bit her tongue trying to put a halt to the malfunctioning filter between her brain and her mouth. She looked up into the dark eyes that traveled down her slender body and felt a strange tingling in her inner thighs when his eyes began inspecting the area of discussion.

“
I
don’
t
thin
k
yo
u
hav
e
muc
h
t
o
worr
y
about.
”
His eyes seemed to take on a light of their own as his lips twitched into a seductiv
e
grin
,
squeezin
g
he
r
han
d
an
d
causin
g
he
r
t
o
bit
e
he
r
botto
m
li
p
t
o
kee
p
fro
m
gigglin
g
lik
e
a
schoolgirl
.
Pausing,
h
e
leaned into her, surprising her as h
e
kisse
d
he
r
cheek, his touch sending currents of electricity across her skin
.
H
e
smelle
d
o
f
seawate
r
an
d
a
masculin
e
muskines
s
tha
t
wa
s
s
o
alien
,
s
o
allurin
g
tha
t
severa
l
ne
w
sensation
s
bega
n
t
o
awake
n
deep dow
n
insid
e
her.

“Eigh
t
o’clock.
”
He smiled at her with a raised brow as if waiting for an answer, but all she could do wa
s
nod
,
a lump of anticipation blocking her vocal cord
s
.
Hi
s
smil
e
brightene
d
a
s
h
e
release
d
he
r
han
d
an
d
slowl
y
walke
d
awa
y
towar
d
th
e
lift
.
Sh
e
stoo
d
ther
e
in a dumbfounded trance
,
watchin
g
fo
r
severa
l
moment
s
befor
e
sh
e
realize
d
sh
e
wa
s
standin
g
i
n
th
e
middl
e
o
f
th
e
lobb
y
alone
.
Sh
e
drew a deep breath to calm her nerves and heade
d
towar
d
th
e
stairs on legs that felt like jelly. He
r
roo
m
wa
s
o
n
th
e
secon
d
floo
r
s
o
a
lif
t
reall
y
wasn’
t
necessar
y
an
d
beside
s
that
,
sh
e
fel
t
lik
e
sh
e
neede
d
a
littl
e
exercis
e
t
o
ge
t
th
e
anxiet
y
ragin
g
throug
h
he
r
vein
s
unde
r
control
.

Sh
e
opene
d
th
e
door
,
tosse
d
th
e
ke
y
car
d
t
o
th
e
stan
d
nex
t
t
o
i
t
an
d
pulle
d
th
e
dea
d
bol
t
acros
s
th
e
frame
.
Th
e
roo
m
wa
s
small
,
bu
t
efficien
t
and decorated i
n
dark orange and white. Ther
e
wa
s
a
queen-size
d
bed, a dark reddish-orange comforter and matching drapes
,
a
ches
t
o
f
drawers
,
a
flat scree
n
television an
d
a
roun
d
tabl
e
wit
h
tw
o
chair
s
nea
r
th
e
larg
e
French-style doors that opened onto a private balcony
.