Water Bound (Sea Haven/Sisters of the Heart 1)

She shrugged. "I was never interested in sex. I don't learn about things that don't matter to me. But I'm interested now." She turned toward him.

Lev was still lying on top of the crumpled sheets. The other blankets had long ago fallen to the floor. She let her weighted blanket do the same, kneeling up over him, studying his body. She knew every inch intimately, since she'd given him massages every single night, but she'd never explored his manhood. He was long and heavy and thick, and she had been drawn to the sight of him naked and full many times. He never tried to hide an erection from her, and she'd grown used to the sight of him hard and thick.

Rikki stroked an experimental caress over the broad, flared head of his cock and Lev's body jerked. He gasped. She smiled. He tried to lie still for her. Her hands cupped the weight of his balls. She was very gentle, rolling them, getting used to the feel and texture of them. He could barely breathe, waiting for what came next. Rikki was very focused on what she was doing, just as she often was when she was fascinated by something. Lev liked that his body fascinated her.

At first, she was Rikki, completely enthralled and caught up in her exploration so that, for a time, she was wholly focused on feel and the mechanics of her experimentation. He set his teeth and tried to just let her be in control. She had a natural sensuality that shook him, and when she began using her mouth and tongue, his breath left his body in an explosive rush.

All of his training didn't seem to work around her. It didn't matter that she had no experience; she made up for that in her enjoyment, in the way she savored taste and texture, in the way she lost herself in making him pulse and jerk under her ministrations. He finally gave in with a groan and guided her head with his hands, his eyes wide open, watching her. Without a doubt he found her the sexiest woman he'd ever met. It didn't take long before he could tell he wasn't going to last.

Very gently he stopped her, needing to feel hot silk and tight, scorching heat. "Straddle me," he ordered.

Rikki obeyed him, and breathing deep, Lev pushed upward as she came down over the top of him. He felt her sheath unfurl, an exquisite fire surrounding him. He thrust and she shivered, giving him that soft, sexy moan he loved so much. Need. It was alive. Breathing in him, clawing at him, ripping at his heart and mind. He needed this beautiful, giving woman. She was so damned sexy, so giving and generous.

He lifted his hips even as he reached up and covered her breasts with his hands, claiming her. Claiming her body. Wanting to feel her heart beating into his palm.

"Ride me, lubov moya," he whispered and tugged at her nipples, feeling the answering rush of heat bathing his cock.

Her hair was disheveled and wild, the way he liked it, the sun-kissed streaks darker from her dampness. There was a sheen on her flushed skin, and her eyes were bright and glazed. He loved that he could do that to her, bring that change--the vivid color, the harsh, ragged breathing and the soft, musical moans.

He kept changing his rhythm, just to hear her gasp, to hear those astonished little whimpers as he impaled her. His hands were on her hips, driving her down to sit on him deeper and deeper each time. He felt the hot clasp of her body as her silky muscles surrounded him, gripping like a vise. She shuddered and the first strong wave moved over her, taking her. He increased his thrusts, driving up into her, holding her to him, wanting to explode with her. Scorching hot ecstasy washed over him, left him mindless for a few sweet moments.

Rikki took his past, took every bad thing and simply obliterated it. He floated in that sea of emptiness. Somewhere, sometime, when his mind began to work again, he realized it wasn't emptiness--it was love and he had it. And he was keeping it.

He reached up and caught her head with both hands, bringing her down to him so he could kiss her long and deep. Very gently he helped her off of him and coaxed her to lie beside him. She was exhausted, and this was the part where she felt awkward and uncertain. He dragged her blanket over her and tucked it around her.

"I'm staying, Rikki. Just so you know." He could tell she was drifting a little beneath the weight of the blanket and the sound of the rain through the open window.

She smiled, her eyes closed. "I want you to stay."

"Rikki," he whispered, holding her close, his mouth to her ear. "When the weather's good, let's go out on the boat together. You can dive, and I'll just rest and enjoy the views."

She stirred, her lashes fluttering. "You can't go on my boat."

He kissed his way from her mouth to her breast, his tongue flicking the tight little bud. She groaned and put a hand on his chest as if in protest, but she turned her body toward his, giving him better access. He suckled for a minute or two, his free hand massaging her buttocks.

"I'll just sit quietly. Not touch anything," he promised.

She made a growling noise, but she didn't look at him and her lashes settled. He lapped at her breast, teasing with his teeth.

"Lev, you can wake me up in an hom." Her voice was so drowsy his cock gave a little attempt to stir to life again.

"I want to watch you work. You look hot in your diving gear."

She sighed. "If you wake me in an hour, I'll let you on my boat. But you can't touch anything while you're on it"

"Not even you?" he prompted.

She smiled without opening her eyes. "I might let you touch me."

He kissed her breast and curved his body around hers before setting his watch. One hour it was.

14

"I can't believe I fell for the oldest trick in the book," Rikki said, glancing sideways at Lev before turning her gaze back to the narrow ribbon of asphalt above the ocean.

Highway 1 was deserted in the early morning hour, and she usually had the coastal road to herself. The sea sparkled invitingly with the sun barely up and joy was already spreading through her. Excitement lent a teasing note to her tone, but as always, she drove with her slow control, mindful of her speed.

Lev glanced pointedly at the speedometer and assumed an innocent air. "I have no idea what you're talking about"

"Sex. You managed to worm your way onto my boat using sex."

He laughed softly. "Any means, lyubimaya moya." He was totally unrepentant. "I wasn't about to let you go out to sea without me. Who knows what you might find in the ocean?"

She couldn't help but laugh at the implication. "So you think I'm in the habit of pulling strange men out of the sea and bringing them home?"

"I'm not taking any chances."

She laughed and shook her head as she turned onto the road leading to the harbor. "I love to smell the eucalyptus trees. The scent means I'm close to my boat."

"When we get to the parking lot, hang back, Rikki, and let me check out the boat"

The amusement faded instantly and she stiffened. "The Sea Gypsy is mine. I'm captain. If you think something's wrong, it's me that's going to board her first and check it out, not you."

"Protection is my field of expertise. I'm not telling you how to do your job," he said, and his voice went soft and scary.

She glanced at his face. His jaw was set. Not stubborn. Implacable. "I knew you were going to be like this. I knew it" She slapped the palm of her hand hard against the steering wheel. "I told you there would be no taking over."

He shrugged broad shoulders in a fluid, casual way that only made him appear bigger and stronger and more dominant. She considered trying to push him out of the truck while she was driving. Maybe he'd topple down the steep hillside and roll right into the river.

"I'm sharing your thoughts," he informed her.

She sent him her blackest scowl. "Then you know I'm not in a mood to be messed with. No one takes over my boat. Not even if they're the best lover in the world. Especially not the best lover in the world. He's already thinking he's all that."

Lev found himself laughing. She meant it, that was the thing that amazed him about her. She wasn't even thinking she was complimenting him. She was too annoyed with him to be pandering to his ego. She simply thought he was the best lover

in the world, but to her, she was the captain and he wasn't taking over her boat. Little did she know, he cared nothing for taking over the boat--just the captain.

He leaned over and kissed her vulnerable neck. Once started, it was a little hard to resist kissing her soft skin over and over. And since he was there, a small nip was in order so he could use his tongue to ease the sting.

"I'm going to crash if you keep that up. You're sort of distracting."

He laughed again at her matter-of-fact observation. "I'm sort of distracting? Obviously I need to try harder."

She elbowed him and gave him a look from under long lashes. "Are you going to be this way the entire day? Because I'm likely to throw you in the ocean."

He flexed his muscles. "I'm willing for you to try. Might be fun." Even as he teased her, he was already in survival mode, his gaze sweeping the entire Albion Harbor. There was a single recreational vehicle on the grounds, although no one was in sight. She drove through the parking lot to the dock. They were the first ones there, as they'd hoped.

Before she could exit the vehicle he caught her wrist, all teasing gone. "He could have been here, Rikki. It's just as easy to rig a boat to catch fire as it is to burn your house down. This is where I'd choose to hit you, if I was looking to kill you. You'll need to check your engine and your air compressor before you touch anything. And when I tell you to get off the boat, you move. Captain or not, your life is more important than anything else."

She sat very still, her expression unreadable. Her lashes veiled her eyes so it was impossible to see into their dark depths, but he felt a small tremor run through her.

"Don't be afraid, Rikki. I'm not going to let anything happen."

Her lashes lifted and the full impact of her black eyes hit him. There was no fear, only a deep anger smoldering there. "I want him to come after me. All these years I believed I might have killed my parents and Daniel. He made me and everyone else believe that there was some monster lurking in me that slipped out while I was asleep. Four homes were destroyed, people's lives, everything they owned, and my parents ..." She shook her head and her eyes flashed a dark promise. "I'm not running from him."

He slid his arm along the back of the seat, his fingers curling around the nape of her neck. "No, but we're going to be smart about it. We'll be prepared and careful. Right?"

She was silent a moment, tense, sitting upright and not relaxing back into him. He waited patiently. It took a few minutes before she allowed herself to relax into his massaging fingers. He remained quiet, simply waiting her out--he'd learned patience a long time ago. He wanted Rikki to trust in him and he knew she wouldn't give that up so easily. She'd taken charge of her own life and found a way to live within a world that was alien to her. She didn't trust or like authority, which was the only reason she hadn't turned him over to the police. There was no pushing her. She had to come to her own decisions and he wanted her to choose him every single time.

Rikki sighed softly and leaned her head back, turning to look at him again. "I can take care of myself. You know that, don't you? I've made a good life here, Lev. I like being with you, but I don't want you to think you need to take care of me. I may be different, but I can think for myself."

He tried not to wince at the word like. He wanted her to love being with him. He couldn't imagine not waking up to her soft body beside his, or her face with the incredible eyes and sexy, generous mouth. He recognized that perhaps he needed her a little more than she needed him, but he wasn't trying to own her. Just protect her. And there was a difference.

"Have I made you feel that way?"

She bit her lip, her frown back. "Not really. I just think it's important that you know I can take care of myself and make my own decisions."

"I respect you, Rikki. If I've made you think differently, in any way, then I apologize. I have a certain expertise that I hope you'll choose to make use of, that's all. You're so used to doing everything on your own that you might forget that I can help you." He was going to track down and kill the bastard, but now didn't seem the right time to say so.

She nodded. "Just so we're clear. And I don't like using you. You're starting a new life. The last thing you need to do is deal with some crazy person who decided to kill me for something I did when I was thirteen." She pushed open her door and slid out.

Lev did the same, moving around the bed of the truck to help with the equipment. "Do you remember anyone being terribly upset with you?"

She burst out laughing. "I hate to tell you this, Lev, but just about everyone was upset with me. I didn't look at them. I refused to talk half the time. I just wanted all the noise to go away. If it was too bad, I had violent tantrums. My parents were the only ones who liked me. I have no idea if I slighted someone or hurt their feelings. I spent most of the time just trying to survive without losing my mind."

He followed her along the dock until they came to the Sea Gypsy. He was grateful she didn't just jump aboard. She studied the boat first, carefully looking it over before stepping aboard.

"I don't think anyone's been on her. Generally, I can tell if someone's been snooping around her. I'll check the engine and air compressor though, just to be safe. I've taken the engine apart myself and I'll know if anyone's touched it."

He believed her. She had already assumed an air of supreme confidence and authority, as if the moment her feet touched the deck she was a different person--and maybe she was. He'd first seen her beneath the water, her eyes fierce and determined, holding his life in those dark depths, and she had been just as fierce on board her boat.

"Get to it, then. I'd like to get out of here before anyone else shows up. The fewer people who see me up close, the better." He rubbed his hand over the beard on his face. He'd never grown out a beard and it felt strange to him, but it changed his appearance.

"You should have stayed home like I told you."

"And be a kept man? I don't think so. I have my pride."

She paused as she went through her routine check of her equipment to give a derisive snort. "You have more money than I'll have in my entire lifetime. You just wanted to come aboard my boat." She narrowed her eyes. "And if you're considering a mutiny out at sea, I won't hesitate to throw you overboard."

"I was considering sex at sea. Lots of sex. I think the fresh air is giving me ideas."

She laughed and shook her head, stepping past him to peer at the air compressor. "We're working here, not playing."

He loved watching her, especially there with the early morning sun shining down on her. The day was cold but clear, with little wind, and the water appeared to be sparkling wherever the sun hit it. She was lost to him again, taken by the water, but this time, it was all right. He could take her in, watch her unhindered, see the smooth, efficient way she moved on board, listen to the way she hummed--he doubted if she even noticed she was humming. Yeah, she was deep in her zone, and he had become part of her boat.

He smiled, realizing she'd accepted him aboard whether she knew it or not. She would be acutely aware of him, feeling as if he was out of place, in her space, if she hadn't. As it was, she moved from her air compressor to the engine, and he watched her routine, memorizing it carefully, adding it like a diagram to the maps and blueprints stored in his brain. He kept out of her way, and turned his attention from her, to their safety.

She obviously knew what she was doing regarding her engine and air compressor, and she carefully went over both, leaving him to double-check that they had no stalker. He reached with his mind, expanding easily, sending his call to the birds up and down the river, in the harbor and on the sea stacks rising out of the water. In answer, they took to the air in a large migration. There were so many that Rikki actually broke her concentration to look as the air filled with various species. It was quite a sight, so many circling above the cliffs and harbor, over the highway and even along the sandy beach.

The birds called to one another and filled Lev's head with information on the location of any lone ma

n in the surrounding vicinity. One appeared to be a fisherman and the other was sitting on the bluff overlooking the beach. Lev singled out the cormorant that had shoved the shadowy figure into his head, fought for control and took it, soaring high with the bird, directing it to circle above the bluff so he could see the man for himself. Old clothes, a white beard and an empty bottle of whiskey gave the distinct impression that the watcher had spent the night on the bluff. Beside him was a ragged blanket and curled up on it, a dog. He released the bird and waited, breathing deep to orient himself.

He felt her eyes on him and looked up to stare straight into those dark depths. She had the lines in her hands and a strange expression on her face.

"We're heading out of the harbor, you might want to pay attention."

"Give me another minute."

She knew he had something to do with the birds. She probably felt the subtle buildup of power without realizing what it was. She stayed very still, her body swaying with the boat unconsciously, as if she were already out to sea and riding the waves. He loved that stillness in her, the lack of questions, the acceptance. She watched him without blinking. It took a little longer to send his mind soaring, finding and choosing the bird that had seen the fisherman.

Once again, the man seemed genuine enough, sitting in a small boat just at the edge of the bluffs. But seemed wasn't good enough. He set his watchers to spy on the man and to come tell him if the man should move from his spot and head out after them. He smiled at her. She hadn't moved, apparently mesmerized by him. "Are you going to get us out of here?" He gestured toward the parking lot where another truck had pulled in.

She turned abruptly without a word and stepped up to the helm. She looked as if she were part of the boat, one hand on the helm, her hair blowing in the breeze as they slowly made their way up the calm waters of the river to sweep under the Albion bridge into the ocean. He knew he should have been admiring all that wood and metal spanning the mouth of the river--and it was a beautiful sight in the early morning hours--but all he could see was Rikki.