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“You’ve got a natural talent with that,” Mark told her as he studied her handiwork, voice full of pride.
She swiped the last of the resin on the side of the hull and let out a bitter laugh. “I can’t believe I have a natural talent with any of this. I work on software. I’m basically a computer geek.”
“You don’t look so geeky to me.” Mark flashed his white, even smile, his eyes crinkling up around the edges in a way that made Laura’s stomach tighten. Why did he have to be so gorgeous? She wasn’t supposed to be attracted to him. He was a mess, and he ran hot and cold.
Still, she hadn’t failed to notice he was a good-looking man. Rugged, outdoorsy, tan. Kept in shape and looked downright handsome when he smiled, which wasn’t too often. She couldn’t help but remember the feel of his lips against hers. He’d been so passionate, so raw. It was hard to believe that it had all been a show for Edward. But how else to explain why he never made a move on her in private?
Mark stood unusually close to her, and she felt his presence, his broad shoulders and the muscled, tanned arms that hung at his sides.
“What next?”
“We’re done,” he announced, much to Laura’s surprise.
“Done? Really?” She couldn’t quite keep the disbelief out of her voice.
“Yep. She looks great, doesn’t she?” Mark glanced at the boat with a new coat of waterproof resin, the air still thick with the chemical smell, and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to his side. Laura liked the feel of his strong arm around her. She didn’t wiggle away.
“I couldn’t have done this without you, Laura.”
“I know. You only wanted to quit about a bazillion times.” She laughed a little, and he did, too. It was true. She felt the sudden urge to lean into his touch and then shook herself. No. She wasn’t going to do that. She wasn’t going there. “So we’re really done? With the boat, I mean?” she asked, pulling herself away from his touch and rubbing her own arms.
Mark sighed. “I think so,” he said. “Now all I have to do is get her in the water. Want to join me? Tomorrow?”
“Me?” On a boat with you alone on the water?
“Yes! Why not? You helped restore her. Why not take her out for a spin?”
“Sure,” Laura said before she could even think about what all that time with him on the water might mean. Still, she decided, she could keep her resolve. No more unavailable men. It was a promise she’d made to herself—a promise she planned to keep.
CHAPTER TWELVE
WITH THE CRYSTAL blue sky overhead and the hull of their sailboat slicing through the blue-green water, Laura felt the exhilarating rush of being on the boat, driven by wind and what seemed like magic.
“Here, hold this,” he told her, and she grabbed the wheel as he rushed forward to make adjustments to the sail. He wore no shirt and no shoes, and she couldn’t help but watch his muscles working as he adjusted the rope. God, the man was gorgeous. Even more gorgeous than this beautiful weather and the sea.
Suddenly, the wind caught the rigging and they were headed swiftly in a new direction.
“Amazing,” she breathed, taking in a huge gulp of sea air as the boat cut through the relatively calm waves. He was by her side again, though his eyes were covered by mirrored glasses. She could only see a tiny reflection of herself—oversize shirt, bikini bottom and dark bob tucked into a baseball cap. She, too, had abandoned her flip-flops. It was easier to grip the deck and its endless rocking with bare feet. Now she knew why ancient sailors never wore shoes.
“You like it?” he asked her, and she grabbed the wheel tighter.
“Like it? I love it!” she shouted into the wind. Mark laughed at her enthusiasm, but she couldn’t help it. She felt like she was flying, except on water. There was no other way to explain it.
“It’s not so fun on stormy days,” he cautioned her. “The waves aren’t even three feet high today.”
“Then I’m going to enjoy them,” Laura declared and grinned. Her heart lifted with each rise and dip of the boat’s stern. She felt amazed that something as simple as sailing could make her feel so alive, so whole. It was as if sad thoughts weren’t allowed here out at sea. Even Mark couldn’t help smiling, she noticed.
“You’re taking to this like a fish,” he remarked as he squeezed in next to her.
“I could do this forever,” she said, lifting her face up to the sun and closing her eyes. The warmth against her skin felt right, even as she felt the cool spray of seawater on her face. Nothing could be more perfect than this.
