Wicked Nights (Men of Discovery Island 2)

She waved a hand. “Well, you do have your moments.” Laughing, she danced away from him when he pretended to swat her butt. “Keep the kinky stuff to yourself.”

“You did a good job,” he said. “You kept Sal from drowning himself or surfacing too fast. He may be way down at the bottom of our favorite-persons list, but he’s also not spending the next couple of hours in a decompression chamber.”

She made a face. “Yeah. I rocked, right up until the point he snagged my regulator from me.”

“He weighs two hundred pounds. You weigh—” He checked himself.

“Wise move.” She grinned. “And don’t finish your sentence.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“And I appreciate the assist,” she said more seriously. “That’s the second time you’ve jumped in to rescue me.”

“In one piece is good,” he said roughly. “I like you whole, Piper.”

Too bad she always came apart in his arms.

“I’m going to change,” she yelled, refusing to think right now about how he made her feel. Instead, she headed into the backroom. “I’ll be right back. Make yourself at home.”

Part of her wanted to invite him back and try out a few late-night fantasies of hers but, really, the dive shop was both a little too public—and too uncomfortable. She was definitely a fan of mattresses. She stripped off quickly, pulling on a pink sundress and panties. Her phone rang right as she finished up—Jaws again—so she headed back out front as she answered.

“I’ve got a second offer,” Del said before she could get further than hello.

“There’s a surprise.” Today had not gone well. “And hello to you, too.”

“I need a yes or no from you.”

“You promised me two weeks,” she said. Cal raised an eyebrow and motioned to ask if he should step outside. The gesture was sweet, but he didn’t need to go. She shook her head and made a stay gesture. “I’ll hear about the Fiesta contract later this week.”

“Piper—” Just once, she wanted someone to say her name without sighing or groaning in frustration. Although she might cut Cal a break. She grinned. He groaned so well.

“I’ll have an answer for you soon,” she promised and hung up.

* * *

“BAD NEWS?” GIVEN how stormy Piper’s face looked right now, Cal figured he knew the answer to his question.

“Not yet.” She sighed and tossed her phone into her bag. “I own only a partial interest in Dream Big and Dive. Del, my former coach, put in eighty percent of the cash, so he’s calling the shots and he wants to sell.”

“Ouch.” Piper liked being the one in control, which he completely got. He felt the same way himself. She’d put a lot of effort into the business, as well, so having someone threaten to pull the rug out from underneath her would be a blow.

“So...when I win the Fiesta contract, I’ll be able to line up financing.”

“And if you don’t?”

She waved a hand toward the shop. “Then Del will sell his interest to someone else. I’d rather own my own place.”

“You really think he’d sell to someone else when you’ve expressed an interest?”

She made a face. “He already has two cash offers. I mean, really? Who knew a used dive shop on Discovery Island would be such a hot commodity?”

Since she was looking up, she didn’t catch the moment he froze because...yeah. He knew precisely who was bidding on her place, didn’t he? Probably. He didn’t know for certain, he reminded himself. Still, since it couldn’t hurt to double-check, he texted Tag to look into the purchase. Surely he hadn’t just tried to buy her place out from underneath her.

He’d accidentally taken one dream away from her when his motor boat had crashed into her Jet Ski, so fate must be laughing her ass off at the possibility that he was about to K.O. another dream.

“Thanks,” he said as his phone vibrated.

“I owed you one.” She didn’t look like she was in any hurry to leave. Instead, she peered down the street. “Did you bring the Harley or the truck today?”

“Truck. Piper—”

Her fingers walked up his arm. “Someone might owe someone else a night.”

“True.” He leaned down and brushed a kiss over her mouth. “Is this someone interested in settling up tonight?”

“I’d never renege on a bet. Are you collecting?”

“Absolutely.”

13

“MY PLACE?” HE LIKED the breathless sound of her question. Liked knowing she was as hot for him as he was for her.