Sandcastle Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story Read online

“I was thinking margaritas on the beach, but I'll take snorkeling with a marine biologist.” He gave me a serious face. “Just as long as there's no test at the end.”

  “Oh, I was going to make you name every species of nudibranch!” I teased.

  “I'm not sure I want to even know what that is.”

  “They're basically sea slugs. Afterword, we can go for margaritas. I know a great spot for both,” I said. I made no effort to move. His arms were still on either side of me, and I had no intention of leaving.

  “You definitely know all the best spots,” he murmured, his lips going to my collarbone. I blushed at the reference to last night. At least I knew he had enjoyed it as much as I had.

  “You better believe I do.” I leaned my head back, giving him better access to the sensitive skin around my throat as he nibbled down my jaw. At this rate, we would never even make it off the porch. “It's a secret spot, but I think I can trust you.”

  He gave me one last flutter of a kiss before stepping back and releasing me from the balcony. “I'll get my swim suit.”

  “I thought I’d interest you in something first,” I growled, stepping forward and putting my hands on his chest.

  Noah grinned. Snorkeling could wait.

  ***

  We walked along the sandy path away from the bungalow holding hands. After our morning romp, Noah had microwaved the leftovers from the night before, and we had feasted. I wasn't sure how it was possible, but the pancakes had tasted just as good the next day.

  With full stomachs and happy hearts, we headed toward the research station. We walked by the sandcastle we had built the day before.

  “Look, it's still up,” Noah said, pointing at the castle. Somehow it had survived the tides, and no one had knocked it down. It was still close to being picture-perfect. The idea that the fragile creation the two of us had made was still up and standing made me smile.

  We continued down the path, laughing and talking. Noah pretended to casually bump into me at every opportunity, and I relished it. His every touch was heaven. We walked passed the mangrove peninsula that made up the Grove, cutting through the private property to reach the research facility. It was afternoon now, and I needed to check on the sharks as well as pick up our snorkeling gear.

  Noah glanced around as we walked, and I could see him formulating questions for later. I wondered what he saw with his expertise in real estate. The property was considered prime location for the island.

  “Any questions?” I asked as we walked.

  “I'm on vacation,” he answered with a smile. “I'll ask the questions when you're not playing tourist with me. I'll ask when you're back to being the islander.”

  I laughed. This was going to be a fun day. It wasn't often that I got to play tourist on the island, and I had forgotten how much I loved just visiting places here. I couldn't wait to show Noah my favorite two places in the entire world.

  The research station was finally visible as we rounded a corner and cleared the peninsula with the Grove. It was just a small house, but it held so much more than just people. Four research assistants, the Doc, a staggering amount of sea life, and a wealth of knowledge filled the small building to almost bursting.

  I looked down at the dock to see the main boat was gone and breathed a sigh of relief. Doc would be out on his dive, and the others had hopefully gone with him. I had the place to myself. It wasn't that I didn't want my coworkers to meet Noah; it was that I didn't want them to give him a hard time. I liked him, and I didn't want them scaring him off.

  I turned to see Noah staring at the house, his face blank as if he were remembering something and trying to forget it.

  “You okay?” I asked, taking his hand.

  He shook himself, smiling as he cleared whatever he was thinking from his mind. “Yeah. Just thinking. Is this where you live?”

  “Yeah. I guess you can come pick me up here next time instead of the parking lot,” I said. He chuckled. “Me and four others live and work here. If we are able to purchase some land near by, then I'll be able to do my doctorate research program here too.”

  “What if you don't win?” His voice held a note of concern that made me smile.

  “I don't know. I'm trying not to think about it too much. Once we find out, then I'll make a decision as to where to go next. I really love it here, though. I want to stay,” I said. I took his hand. “But that is not tourist talk. You want a tour? I have to grab my swimsuit.”

  Noah nodded and followed me in the back door. I couldn't remember the last time I had used the front door.

  “Here's the kitchen. There's an attachment over there where we can make the shark food and not get it mixed up with ours,” I told him as we entered the house. He nodded, his head on a swivel as he looked at everything. We walked through the “living room” filled with all sorts of fish tanks, and I gave a running commentary on our research and what we did with all of them. His eyes glassed over a little and I hurried him to my room.

  I peeked in the door to make sure that Brooke wasn't still sleeping. Her bed was neatly made in the corner, and I gave a little sigh of relief. “Come on in,” I invited him. “That's my bed over there.”

  Noah walked cautiously into the room, going over to my corner. He looked strange standing next to my bed, and yet somehow like he belonged.

  “I'm going to change real quick,” I told him as I opened the bathroom door. “Make yourself at home.”

  Noah sat gingerly on the edge of my bed, looking around at my things. I had a poster of the local tropical fish hanging on the wall and pictures of my family pinned below it. He leaned over to look at a family portrait from the last time I was home. A slight smile twitched at the corners of his mouth and I ducked into the bathroom.

  I changed as quickly as I could, managing to brush my teeth, put on waterproof mascara, brush my hair, run a razor across my legs, and get in my swimsuit in less than three minutes. I debated between a one-peice swimsuit and a bikini, finally daring to go with the bikini. Even though we would be in the ocean, I was willing to risk losing my suit. I smirked as I thought about the possibility of losing it on purpose with him around. I came out and handed him a bottle of sunscreen.

  “If you'll get my back, I'll get yours,” I offered, turning around. He quickly stood up from the bed and took the lotion. His big hands rubbed it into my skin in smooth strokes. I had to concentrate on not sighing with pleasure as he did it. “Your turn.”

  He wiggled out of his shirt, presenting his back to me. Well-defined shoulders merged with the perfect muscles of his back and down into a tight waist. I was sad when I had finished rubbing in the lotion; I could have touched his bare skin for days.

  He stretched the shirt over his head as I slathered a little more sunscreen across my face and exposed skin. As he escaped the collar of the shirt, he pointed to the pictures on the wall. “You look like your mom.”

  “Thanks,” I said. I thought my mom was beautiful. “Dad says Jake and I got her smile, but we got lucky and got his brains.”

  Noah laughed, the warm sound filling the small room. His blue eyes took me in, checking me out in my swimsuit. For once in my life, I didn't feel self-conscious; I felt sexy. I liked the way his eyes felt on me, and judging from the reaction in his swim shorts, he liked it too. I was all warm and soupy inside because of it.

  “Let's go get the gear,” he said, taking my hand in his. I had a feeling that a little longer, we would be even later getting to the water.

  I guided him back through the house, stopping in the prep kitchen to pick up some fish for the shark pups. Noah eyed the small bucket of fish warily as I led him out to the pen.

  “I need to feed the pups before we go out on the water,” I said, kicking off my sandals and stepping into the pool. “You want to try?”

  “Pups? That's water. Pups are dogs.” He stood on the edge looking at the four little sharks swimming lazily around the pen.

  I laughed and set the bucket down, stepping out of th
e pool to take his hand. He frowned, but he slid off his shoes. He followed me until he was knee-deep in the water before he stopped moving. I let go of his hand and kept going. “Just come stand here. I'll bring one to you. They can't hurt you. They're too little.”

  “Yeah, you say that until Mama Jaws comes to rescue them,” he muttered under his breath.

  I waded out to where one of the baby nurse sharks was resting in the sun. The little shark let me catch her easily, and I brought her over to show Noah.

  I flipped the tiny gray shark over so he could see her tummy. “Look at the spots,” I told him. “Aren’t they cute?”

  Noah raised his eyebrows at the idea of a shark being 'cute', but he looked at her anyway. A little smile came over his face as he saw the tiny, dark polka dots on the creamy underside of the little shark. “They are kind of cute.”

  “Go ahead and touch them. She won't hurt you,” I coaxed. Noah looked at me with his blue eyes big as saucers before reaching out a tentative hand to stroke her skin. The shark held still, letting him caress her.

  “She’s rough and soft at the same time,” he whispered, his smile widening. “What kind of shark is she?”

  “She's a nurse shark. Even full grown, she isn't a threat to humans. She likes to eat crustaceans, mollusks, small fish, and stingrays.” I turned the shark back over, letting Noah stroke her back. One of the small lemon sharks came over to investigate, but Noah was too involved in the nurse shark to notice. “You want to hold her?”

  Noah's smile faltered slightly, but he nodded, holding out his hands. His jaw was tight, but the smile and the excitement in his eyes was enough to tell me he was enjoying the adrenaline rush of holding an apex predator in his hands. I put the little shark on his outstretched fingers.

  “How big will she get?” he asked, breathless.

  “Up to fourteen feet and seven-hundred and thirty pounds.”

  “Whoa.” Noah stared at the little two foot baby in his hands.

  The little shark only stayed for a moment before swishing her powerful tail and swimming off into the deeper water. Noah barked a laugh and pointed at her. His eyes shone with excitement. I loved encounters like this: letting someone who was afraid of sharks experience them in a safe environment. It was like magic.

  “You want to feed them?” I asked.

  “By hand?” Noah asked, his eyes widened again slightly.

  “Typically. Using your toes just doesn't work as well.”

  Noah nodded and I went to get the bucket at the edge of the water. “Okay, now hold the fish by the tail and keep that end away from the shark. They do have sharp teeth, and you don't want them to catch you accidentally.”

  I picked a fish out of the bucket and put it under the water. The little lemon shark that had sneaked over to watch us hold the nurse shark came swimming over to get it, taking it delicately in its jaws before swimming off.

  “Was he there the whole time?” Noah asked, a quaver in his voice. He might be a big-shot in other areas of his life, but here he was no longer the top of the food chain. Noah was handling better than many others I had seen.

  “Yup.” I grinned at him. “He was just curious. Now put your fish in the water. The other one wants his snack.”

  Noah hesitated for only a fraction of a second before putting his fish in the water. The second little lemon shark swam slowly toward him, waiting until the fish was completely underwater before gently taking the fish and darting away. I didn't know that it was possible for a human to smile that big.

  “He was so careful!” Noah exclaimed. “I've had dogs be more aggressive.”

  “They are really quite smart,” I told him, smiling at his Christmas morning level of excitement. “This isn't something you would want to do without me around, though. These two know what's going on. This isn't something everyone gets to do.”

  Noah looked up and beamed at me. “Thank you. This is one of the coolest things I've ever done.”

  “You are most welcome.” I grinned at him. “Once I feed the nurse sharks, you ready to go out in the ocean and see these guys in the wild?”

  Noah swallowed hard, but his grin didn't falter. “If you're with me,” he said, his eyes meeting mine, “then yes.”

  Chapter 12

  The turquoise waters were calm under bright blue skies as we skimmed along the shoreline in the small boat toward my favorite snorkel spot in the world. To our right, the Grove extended out into the ocean like a finger beckoning a lover. The mangroves turned the water a lighter color as their strong roots dug into the sandy bottom, but they protected the island from the waves of the deep ocean.

  Nestled in the shielded curl of the Grove was a small coral reef. It was perfect for much of my marine research, as well as some of the best snorkeling in the entire Caribbean. Only locals knew about this spot, and the pristine conditions of the reef only proved the lack of human interaction. It was untouched by people and absolutely the best place to dive into an underwater world. I couldn't wait to show it to Noah.

  I turned off the motor, lowering the anchor onto the sand near the reef and securing the boat so we could swim without worry. Noah stared out at the water's surface, his eyes dancing as he grinned at me. He had his goggles perched on his forehead, causing his hair to spray up like some sort of strange crest. He looked ridiculous, but very excited.

  “How is the water so peaceful here? The waves on our way in were fun, but it's like being in a bathtub here.” Noah pushed his goggles up further, causing his hair to stand even more on end. It was hard not to giggle.

  “The Grove,” I explained, pointing to the mangrove trees in the distance. “The mangroves protect this spot from the big ocean waves. It lets the coral grow and is really important during the tropical storms. The reef here usually doesn't get much damage.”

  “You mean those weedy looking plants?” He frowned slightly at the ugly trees.

  I nodded. “Yup. Not only are they the perfect breeding ground and nursery for a bunch of species, they help keep beach erosion down, and they help keep the island safe from storm surges. They are incredibly important to the whole ecosystem of the island.”

  Noah raised his eyebrows. “Interesting. But they don't exactly scream 'beautiful tourist destination,' do they?”

  “No, they are kind of strange-looking.” I put my own goggles on my head and managed to keep the snorkel from smacking me in the face in the process. “But I'm glad they don't scream ‘tourist’. Tourists tend to think that since they're just here for a short amount of time, nothing they do is going to matter. But there are hundreds of them with that same idea. They take pieces of the reef home as souvenirs; they leave litter and trash; they fish without restraint.”

  “Tell me how you really feel... don't hold back.” Noah held up his hands like he was defending blows from me.

  “Sorry.” I smiled apologetically. I stopped myself from telling him all about how my fellow researchers and I wanted to purchase the land and turn it into a nature preserve. He didn't need to worry about it, and it wasn't all that interesting. “It's one of my soap box triggers. This is supposed to be fun. This is probably my favorite spot in the whole world.”

  Noah's blue eyes sparkled like the ocean. He sat on the back of the boat with his feet in the water, getting ready to jump in. “Then I'm honored that you're showing it to me.”

  “You should be,” I teased, pushing him in. He splashed as he hit the water and I followed him into the ocean. It was warm and calm. I took his hand in mine, and together we swam away from the boat and over to the reef.

  Coral in the shape of giant fans reflected purple in the sun below us while orange fronds waved smoothly in gentle sway of the water. Colorful fish darted through the rising coral and swaying sea fronds like dancers. Parrotfish with their bright scales moseyed along the reef, watching us with curious eyes. A stingray swam below us in graceful flight before disappearing into the dark of the water. Blue tang, angelfish, trumpet-fish, and myriads of shiny, tiny mi
nnows moved through the reef with amazing ease, filling the ocean floor with color and movement.

  Noah pointed excitedly to a hole in a rock where a spotted eel slithered out and went into another section of the reef to find something to eat. Even despite the snorkel in his mouth, he couldn't contain the grin on his face. I dove down to the bottom, picking up a conch shell. It was still very much alive, and Noah held it reverently in his hands. Light pink flesh peeked out of the shell as Noah examined it, and he nearly dropped the living creature. I could hear him laugh under the water as he realized that it wasn't just a shell.

  With strong strokes, Noah dove down to the bottom and gently placed the creature on the sand. I smiled at his careful gesture as he made sure the conch was safely settled before returning to the surface. I was glad I had brought him here.

  My heart was full of a mixture of sorrow and happiness as I watched him point to a bright blue parrotfish. Noah had said he was only going to be on the island for a couple of days, and I knew he would be leaving any day now. I knew I was falling for him despite my best efforts. Watching him interact with the reef with respect and excitement wasn't helping. It was only making him more attractive to me. I tried to convince myself that just the experience of bringing him here was enough, and that I would be okay not repeating it. Unfortunately, I knew I would want to show him all my favorite places again and again.

  Noah came to the surface and pulled his mask from his face, grinning from ear to ear. Together we floated on the water, our hands and feet moving in constant rhythm to keep us steady above the water. His hair gleamed in the sunlight, and his eyes were alive with excitement and enjoyment.

  “It's so beautiful down there!” he exclaimed, wiping water from his eyes.

  “I thought you would like it,” I said with a grin, pulling my own mask up onto my forehead. “Did you see the eel?”

  “Yes!” Noah frowned slightly. “You are not getting me to touch it, though.”

  I laughed. “Good, because I don't think he wants to be touched.”

  “Unlike some other eels...” Noah gave me a naughty wink. I couldn't stop the blush as I laughed at his dirty joke. He swam closer, his powerful arms easily cutting through the water until he was close enough that we could kiss. “Thank you for showing me this today.”