Sandcastle Kisses (The Kisses 5)

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.