A Beauty Uncovered (Secrets of Eden 2)

“I thought you’d like it. Do you want to get in?”

Sam smiled. “Can we?”

“Yeah.” Brody laid his paddle inside the kayak and threw his legs over the side into the water.

Sam watched him slip beneath the surface of the water in a haze of blue-green clouds. She could follow his every movement through the dark water. He swam under her kayak coming up on the opposite side. When he surfaced, his whole body was dripping with iridescent green water.

“Come on,” he said, holding his hand out to her.

She was nervous about swimming in the ocean at night, but she couldn’t pass up this opportunity. She’d try to forget there might be sharks or other creepy creatures nearby.

Sam took his hand and followed his lead, throwing her legs over the side and slipping into the water. She was too nervous to stay under for long and immediately reached for the surface. When she reopened her eyes, she was amazed by the glow of her every movement as she treaded water.

Brody watched her with a soft smile curling his lips. It was a curious expression considering their circumstances. “What?” she finally asked as she pushed a wet strand of hair out of her face.

“You’re even beautiful when you’re green.”

Sam chuckled and shook her head. If she looked anything like Brody did, it was more likely that she looked like a human glow stick or space alien. Of course, Brody looked handsome even as the drops of luminescent water dripped down his cheeks. The glow of the water around them was bright enough for her to see his face clearly in the darkness. Nothing about him had physically changed, and yet he looked like a completely different person here on his island. It had taken until today for her to really notice the change, but it was definitely there. He was relaxed. Open. She dared say he even looked happy. He didn’t have the same countenance in Boston. Not even at his home, which should’ve been a place he could relax and be himself.

It was as though a massive burden had been lifted from his shoulders coming here. Maybe telling her about his past and his parents had helped, too. That was a huge secret to carry around. He had his foster family, which was wonderful, but who else could he talk to? Confide in? Not Agnes. But he could tell Sam. And she was glad to be that for him.

As she watched him here, in this beautiful, magical moment, she realized she wanted to be more to him than a confidante. More than just his secretary. Sam wanted to be with Brody. And not only physically. The shy, mysterious charmer had stolen her heart away.

Temporarily stunned by the turn of her thoughts, she stopped swimming and her head slipped under the water again. It was too deep in this part of the lagoon. She pushed herself back up, turned and started swimming closer to the shore where they’d come in. She stopped when she could feel sand and stones scraping against her toes. It made her feel more stable physically, if nothing else. “That’s better.”

“Was the water too deep?” Brody asked, coming up behind her.

Sam turned to him and smiled. She didn’t want him to know she was having thoughts about her feelings for him. “Not usually. But it’s so amazing and romantic out here, and I want to kiss you so badly. I’m afraid I’ll get distracted touching you and drown.”

Brody chuckled, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against him. She moved easily through the water, colliding with his chest. “I’ll keep your head above water, don’t worry.”

She was sure he would. His hands glided over her bare back. He’d grown so much more confident since that first night. He was a quick learner, she was pleased to discover. Like a true left-brainer, he had set his mind to learning every inch of her body, memorizing every response. She’d never had a man figure out so quickly how she liked to be touched.

When his lips met hers, she felt a chill of excitement run down her spine. With a little hop and a luminescent cloud following her movement, she wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed her body into his. Brody groaned against her mouth as her center made contact with the firm heat of his arousal. The thin fabric of her bikini bottoms and his swimming trunks did little to disguise how badly he wanted her.

Sam was intrigued about the idea of making love to him right here. The blanket of stars and eerie glow of their movements was so romantic. But there were no smooth sandy beaches here. Or protection. It was an interesting but impractical idea. They needed to go back to the house.

“Take me to bed,” she whispered.

Brody complied, walking them out of the water and onto the beach. She expected him to put her down once they reached the trail back to the house, but he didn’t. He continued walking, carrying her as though she were no heavier than a small child. She clung to him, burying her face in his neck. She couldn’t resist tasting his skin with him so close. Her lips and tongue moved over him. He tasted salty from the ocean.