couldn't help but wonder if she was the reason most of the slobbering sacks of hormones had joined the diving club in the first place.
'God, I feel old, Jenks,' I whispered, tucking a stray red curl behind an ear.
'Yeah, me too.'
Damn it. I wondered if I could jam my foot any farther down my throat. The wind seemed to shift as the boat turned, and Debbie expertly hooked the buoy and tied us off. The diving flag went up the pole, the engine cut out, and the level of excitement grew.
'Divers, listen up!' Marshal said, standing to garner everyone's attention. 'Look to your guides. They'll give you your warmth amulets and make sure they're working, though I'm sure you'll sing out once you hit the water if they aren't.'
'You got it, Coach,' one of the kids sang out in a high falsetto, gaining laughs.
'That's Captain when we're on the water, smartass,' Marshal said, flicking a glance at Jenks and me. 'Debbie, you take the boys,' he said, unzipping his windbreaker. 'I'll take Mr. Morgan and his sister.'
Not feeling at all bad for the lie on the release form, I stood and the butterflies started.
'Any time, Rache,' Jenks muttered, and I thwacked him with my foot.
Two of the boys gave each other high-fives, clustering around the woman in rubber as she comfortably fended off their exuberance. She knew them by name, and it looked like this was an old game. My pulse quickened when the line of tanks got shorter as they unlatched them from the side and spun them to the back of the boat. Everyone seemed to know what to do, even the guy who drove us out there, now settling himself in the bow in the sun with a handheld game.
'Miss?'
I jerked, bringing my attention back to find myself eye-to-chest with Captain Marshal. My God, he was tall. And really, really…hairless. Completely. Not a hint of hair on him marred the even honey tone of his skin. No beard. No mustache. No eyebrows, which had bothered me yesterday until I realized that like a lot of professional swimmers, he probably used a potion to remove it. Earth charms aren't very specific, taking off everything, which might sound like a good idea, but isn't unless you don't mind being bald. Everywhere.
He was smiling, his brown eyes expectant. The man was in his late twenties by the look of his lean muscled legs, bare to the wind, and the defined abs stacked above his tiny Speedo. Bald looked good on Marshal, I decided. Well-defined legs, wide shoulders, and in between was mmmmmmmm good. And he was a witch with his own business. My mother would love this one, I mused, then grimaced, remembering the last time I'd thought that.
'I'll be your guide today,' he said, glancing from me to Jenks, now standing behind me. 'We're going to let the dive team get out of the way, and then we'll follow.'
'Sounds good,' I said, hearing a forced cheerfulness in my voice, but inside I was scrambling. There were too many people. I wanted to ask him privately, but I was running out of time.
'Here's your charms,' Marshal continued, handing me a plastic bag with two redwood disks in them. His gaze landed on my neck, still bruised from Karen, and fell away. 'They're already invoked. You can put them on now, though you'll be toasty until you get in the water.'
'Uh, thanks,' I stammered, fingering them through the insulating plastic. They were stickered with his name and license number on one side. All I needed to do was put one on so it touched my skin and even the slight chill from the morning would be gone.
I handed the bag to Jenks, who immediately shook one into his palm, sighing in relief at the warmth. Satisfied they worked, I gave serious consideration to shooting everyone with a sleepy-time charm and just stealing everything. 'Um, Mr. Marshal…'
He ducked his head, smiling at me to show even white teeth. I could smell the heady scent of redwood coming from him like spice. He made his own charms; I could tell. 'Captain Marshal,' he said as if it was a joke. 'Marshal is my first name.'
'Captain Marshal,' I amended. 'Look, I've got to ask you something.'
Debbie called, and he put up a long finger. 'Just a sec,' he said, and walked away.
'Damn it!' I exclaimed under my breath. 'What in hell is wrong with that woman! Can't she do anything without asking him?'
Jenks shrugged, squinting at the morning sun as he took off his knit hat and messed with his gear. 'She thinks you like him,' he said, and I blinked.
'Miss?'
I jumped and spun when Marshal's hand landed on my shoulder.
He tightened his grip, and I looked into the depth of his brown eyes, surprised. 'Ready to go?'
'Uh,' I stammered, my gaze flicking behind him to Debbie. She was glaring, adjusting her fins with sharp motions before she fell over the back of the boat. It was just me, Marshal, Jenks, and the guy at the front of the boat hunched over his game in the sun. Yesterday's fiasco at the pool was making a whole lot more sense. 'Ah, Marshal? About the dive…'
The witch's lips turned up into a smile. 'It's okay, Ms. Morgan,' he said solicitously. 'We'll take it step by step. I know the straits look daunting, but you did well at the pool.'
Pooal, I thought, liking his mild accent. 'Uh, it's not that,' I said as he selected a tank and beckoned me closer. But when I met his eyes, I was shocked to find him grinning at me, more than a hint of attraction in his dark gaze. 'Captain Marshal, I'm very sorry,' I said flatly. 'I should have brought this up earlier. I didn't come out here to dive on the wreck.'
'Sit,' he said. 'Right there so I can get your tank hooked up.'
'Captain.' He took my shoulders and sat me down, reaching to adjust my gear. 'I meant to ask you before we got all the way out here…' I looked at Jenks for help, but he was laughing at me. 'Damn it,' I swore. 'I'm sorry, Marshal. I'm out here on false pretenses.'
'I'm flattered, Ms. Morgan,' Marshal said, glancing up under his hairless eyebrows. 'But you paid for a dive on my wreck, and I feel obligated to do my best to fulfill it. If you're going to be in town a few more days, maybe we can have dinner.'
My jaw dropped, and I realized why he had been watching me. Oh God. Debbie wasn't the only one who thought I was interested in him. Suddenly I saw my stammering attempts at trying to talk to him in an entirely new way. Jenks snickered, and I felt myself blush.
'Captain Marshal,' I said firmly. 'I'm not looking for a date.'
The man's face slowly lost its expression, his faint smile wrinkles easing to a smooth nothing as he straightened. 'I, uh…You're not? I thought you two were brother and sister.'
'He's my partner,' I said, adding a quick, 'business partner.'
'You like women?' Marshal stammered, backing up a step and looking like he was going to die of embarrassment. 'Shit, I hate it when I misread people. God, I'm sorry.'
'No, it's not that either.' I said, wincing as I pulled the hair out of my mouth, which the wind had tugged from my braid. 'You're an attractive man, and any other time I would be salivating at the idea of a private lesson at your pool…pooal…but I need your help.'
Marshal zipped his coat up, looking uneasy. I glanced at Jenks and took a breath. 'My old boyfriend is on that island, and I need to rescue him without anyone knowing about it.'
Smooth features blank, he stared at me, the sun glinting off the top of his head.
'I'm an independent runner,' I said, shuffling in my waist pack and handing him one of my black business cards. 'A pack of Weres kidnapped my old boyfriend and they're holding him. I need to get over there undetected, and you were in the book. Uh, if I could borrow a second set of gear and tanks for him to swim out with, that would be…great. I'm prepared to pay for it. You, uh, have my credit card on file, right?'
Brown eyes blinking, Marshal brought his gaze up from the business card. Squinting, he peered at Jenks, moving his head this way and that like an owl. An intent look came into his eyes, almost predatorial. Jenks backed up a step, and nervous, I watched. 'What are you doing?' I finally asked.
'Looking for the camera.'
My jaw clenched. 'You don't believe me.'
'Should I?'
Disgusted, I felt my anger rise. 'Look,' I said as the wake from a passing ship hit us and the bobbing boat added insult to my clenched stomach. 'I could have come out here and shot you all with sleepy-time potions and
