Hydromancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 4)

She turned the nose of the boat toward the small waves and timed them. There weren’t big waves along this coastline, but they had to cross a small break to make it to the open sea. She waited for the last wave in a succession of three. When it broke, she steered them parallel with the coast and cut over the swell of a building wave. She angled the boat toward the beach and maneuvered it past the next breaker before it lifted high enough to crush.

On open water, she held her hand out to Tim. “Come here.”

He shook his head, but she gave him a stern look that made Lee laugh. At least Lee seemed to be feeling better now that they were moving. Tim went forward cautiously, clutching the side of the boat.

She pointed next to her. “Sit.”

For once Tim did as she said. When he was seated, she guided his hand to the steering handle.

“Hold it steady. It’s easy.” She patted his leg.

Big drops of perspiration rolled down his temples. He was truly frightened. Just how hard had it been for him to go on that dive with her? She closed her hand over his, giving him a reassuring smile. He leaned against her, and some of the tension seemed to leave his body.

In a few minutes, the island came into sight. She cut the engine to scan the coastline for an entry point.

“Here’s an opening,” Tim said, handing her a map of the ocean and pointing, “in the reef there.”

She barely glanced at the map. She didn’t need it to know exactly how the water worked. She could feel it in her bones. She could steer them blind-folded to the island without getting a scratch on his boat.

“Hold on,” she said, preparing to drive the boat onto land.

They slid smoothly to the edge of the wet sand, and only then did Tim let go of the grip he had on her leg.

Lee helped carry their picnic basket to a shady patch under a palm tree. When he turned, she said, “Aren’t you staying?”

There weren’t that many trees, and even if Lee was a pain in her backside that kept her from doing her job, she’d hate for him to have to hang out in the hot sun while she and Tim enjoyed a meal.

He lifted a fishing rod from the boat and waved it in the air with a grin. “I’ll see you later … with your lunch.”

Laughing, she sat down into the sand next to Tim and gave him a sidelong glance. “Your boat?”

“Yep.” He stared at the inflatable raft as if it was an alien.

A small Australian flag waved at the front. “And the flag?”

“Lee’s idea.”

“Ah.” She suppressed a chuckle.

Tim gave her a mock-undignified look. “What?”

“You didn’t have the boat yesterday, did you?”

“Nope.”

“Tim?” She waited until he looked at her. “Why did you buy a boat when you’re terrified of water? You hated the ride.”

He shrugged. “I wanted to do this picnic for you. I thought you’d like it.”

She leaned over and kissed him. “I love it.”

“Good.” He grinned. “Then it’s worth the sweat.”

If she didn’t know better, she’d say he was the sweetest man ever, but she knew who he really was. She suddenly wished for Felicity’s innocence. The woman had no idea her family was being cared for by a criminal who made his money from smuggling arms—arms that killed innocent people.

The afternoon passed quickly. It was five o’clock when Tim suggested they head home. He gave Maya an apologetic look. “I still have to go back to San José.”

It was a long four-hour drive to San José. He’d already sacrificed so much to make the day special. She had to return to reality and stop pretending she was enjoying a normal day with a normal guy in normal circumstances. All right, exceptional day, exceptional guy, and the wrong circumstances.

Tim, probably sensing her shift in mood, kissed her softly. “I’ll be back on Friday.”

Before then, she had to sink Ilano’s boat with his weapons.

She got to her feet and dusted the sand from her legs. “Let’s go.”

Back at Tim’s place, Lee and Cesar saw to the boat while Tim and Maya made their way to the house.

Frida waited for them on the veranda. Her hair was braided down her back in a French plait. In a yellow cotton dress, she looked like a lemon ice cream, ready to be licked. She probably had every man she came across drooling at her feet.

Her tone was cool but professional as her eyes traveled over Maya. “Miss Martin.”

“Frida, please get Maya an invitation to the dinner,” Tim said.

Frida nodded and disappeared into the house.

She must’ve stared at Frida’s back a second too long, because Tim said, “You don’t like her.”

She looked at him quickly. “Excuse me for not being perfect.”