Captain’s Log

July 10

Today we took on a distraction the size of the Titanic-sinking iceberg. She might look great in a pair of shorts, but her presence is already disrupting the crew, turning a bunch of practical, hardworking men into giddy schoolboys. There’s no room on this ship for a good-looking, starry-eyed dreamer. Kayla Waterton has to go!

It shouldn’t be hard to convince her to leave. She says she wants to be one of the crew—so I’ll put her to work. A few midnight survey shifts, and she’ll be begging to go back to the comfortable world she knows. My own sanity depends on it!

In Deep Waters
Melissa McClone

www.millsandboon.co.uk

For Mackenna and Finn

MELISSA McCLONE

has a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, and the last thing she ever thought she would be doing is writing romance novels, but analyzing engines for a major U.S. airline just couldn’t compete with her “happily-ever-afters.”

When she isn’t writing, caring for her two young children or doing laundry, Melissa loves to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea, her cats and a good book. She is also a big fan of The X-Files, and enjoys watching home decorating shows to get ideas for her house—a 1939 cottage that is slowly being renovated.

Melissa lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon, with her own real-life hero husband, daughter, son, two lovable but oh-so-spoiled indoor cats and a no-longer-stray outdoor kitty who decided to call the garage home. Melissa loves to hear from readers. You can write to her at P.O. Box 63, Lake Oswego, OR 97034.

Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Prologue

“Please tell me about Atlantis, Daddy.”

Jason Waterton covered nine-year-old Kayla with a quilt and tucked in the edges. “What about the leprechauns?”

“Tomorrow. I want to hear about Atlantis tonight.”

Her eyes, the same gray-green of her mother’s, sparkled like the ocean at sunrise. Each year, Kayla’s resemblance to her mother grew. Same eyes, same smile, same golden mane of hair. A heavy weight bore down on him, reminding him of all they’d left behind. How he missed—

“It’s my favorite, but Heidi Baxter said Atlantis and mermaids don’t exist.” Lines formed on Kayla’s forehead. “They’re real, aren’t they, Daddy?”

The hopeful tone in her voice tugged at Jason’s heart. She was such a dreamer. A dreamer with a pure heart. Her classmates sometimes teased her about her belief in the whimsical, but he hoped she never changed. “If you believe they’re real, they will be, love.”

With a satisfied smile on her face, she snuggled against her pillow. “I believe.”

“You must always believe.” Jason kissed her forehead. The intensity of his love for her never ceased to amaze him. He couldn’t imagine life without Kayla.

“I will.” She smiled. “Can I hear about Atlantis now?”

He always gave her what she wanted. He only wished he could give her more. Jason sat on the edge of her twin bed. “A long time ago in a sea far, far away, a magical island called Atlantis existed. The people of Atlantis knew no hardship. The land provided unlimited food and natural resources. Science rid society of all diseases and invented technology to simplify life. It was a perfect existence.

“Until one day, smoke and ash spewed from a mountain in the center of the island. Lava flowed. The smell of sulfur made it difficult to breathe. The island fought bravely against the pressure of the volcano and the movement of the earth, but in the end lost the battle. Atlantis sank to the bottom of the ocean.”

Kayla shivered. “That must have been so scary.”

Jason held her small hand. “But Atlantis had been good to the sea, taking only what it needed and never any more. So the sea allowed a large dome of earth to cover the island and provide a pocket of air for the people to breathe. Scientists helped the people adapt to their new underwater home.”

“The people became mermaids.”

He nodded. “Over time, the people of Atlantis evolved into ‘mer.’ They could live in the sea with gills and a tail, or out of the sea with lungs and legs, but most preferred the freedom of the water.” Jason closed his eyes for a moment. “To leave the confines of Atlantis behind… To be connected to the other creatures of the sea… To be surrounded by water and able to swim anywhere was…total exhilaration.”

Kayla sighed. “I wish I could be a mermaid.”

“So do I, love—” Jason kissed her cheek “—so do I.”

Chapter One

Foamy green swells tossed the supply ship back and forth like a child’s plaything. Kayla Waterton grasped the railing and peered over the edge. She’d done her research and knew what to expect while at sea. Still, she couldn’t hide her awe at the water’s power or the secrets buried in the murky depths.

“This will keep you safe while you transfer to the other ship, Miss Waterton.” Pappy, who looked more like Santa Claus than the ship’s captain, connected a lifeline to her life jacket in case she fell into the water when she transferred to the other ship tied alongside them. “Just wish I knew what turned the water so rough all of a sudden.”

As soon as the Xmarks Explorer, a survey-and-salvage ship, had appeared on the horizon, the calm waters had turned choppy. None of the supply ship’s crew could explain why, but Kayla thought she knew the answer.

The sea was angry.

She wasn’t supposed to be in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. She’d promised her father she would stay away from the sea. If only he was here with her. But he was gone and she’d taken up where he’d left off—locating lost shipwrecks. Piecing together and solving the secrets of the past gave her such satisfaction. She found comfort reading old journals and maps, comparing cargo ledgers and insurance claims, putting the bits and pieces of research into reports for search expeditions.

And for the first time ever, she was going on an expedition herself. She couldn’t deny her excitement, even though she’d had no choice in coming. Her father’s dream had been to find the Isabella—a pirate ship of untold value lost nearly three centuries ago, but the bozo running the search expedition was looking in the wrong place, wasting valuable time and money.

“Are you ready, Miss Waterton?” Pappy asked.

Kayla nodded, but she felt less than confident. Spray from the swells hitting the ships flew through the air. She would have to walk right through the mist, but she was more worried about the waves washing over the narrow plank bridging the gap between the two ships. A shiver ran down her spine. Kayla liked reading about adventure on the high seas, not experiencing one herself.

Think about finding the Isabella, locating the lost treasure, making Daddy’s dream come true, finding the answers I need… It was only water. So what if she got wet? She could do this. She had to do this.

“We’ll bring your gear over with the supplies.”

The sooner she got to the other ship, the sooner her search for the Isabella began. Kayla smiled. “Thank you, Pappy.”

“Hold on and keep moving.” He assisted her onto the gangway. “It’s not that choppy, but whatever you do, don’t look down.”

She gripped the handrails and took a step. The plank moved up and down, following the motion of the waves. Water seeped through her shoes, wetting her socks and feet.

Don’t look down.

That hadn’t been in any of her books, but she knew good advice when she heard it.

Kayla stared at the crew standing on deck. She focused her gaze on one man with hair the color of coal. He stood out from the others. Though he was simply standing, he exuded a confidence and an arrogance Kayla found both appealing and unnerving.

With a gold hoop in his left ear, he was more pirate than white knight. It was much too easy to imagine him at the helm of the Isabella, barking orders to his crew, stealing treasures from ships sailing the Pacific and kidnapping their female passengers. No doubt he whispered seductive phrases in Spanish, if Kayla guessed his ancestry correctly, before ravishing the maidens locked in his cabin.

As if reading her mind, his dark-as-midnight eyes met hers with such intensity she almost took a step back.

She swallowed hard. Twice. It didn’t help.

Dangerous was the only way to describe him. She wouldn’t call him handsome. Not unless you liked tall-dark-ruggedly-sexy-one-hundred-percent-males. She didn’t, but her body forgot that fact. For some strange reason, her pulse picked up speed. Adrenaline? Attraction? Standing midway across the plank, she wasn’t sure of the difference right now.

The only thing she knew to do was keep moving.

Instinct told her to turn around, but she didn’t. Instead, Kayla forced herself to walk toward him. Not him, the ship. She took another step and another. Moving closer, Kayla found herself entranced, almost mesmerized, by his eyes.

Look away, look anywhere but at him.

She looked down. Right at the churning water. Oh, my…

“Watch out.”

The warning registered, but it was too late. The wave smashed into her and tossed Kayla against the rail. She hit hard against her left hip. Cold water drenched her, soaked through her clothes. Saltwater stung her eyes and filled her mouth. Despite the slippery rail, she hung on. Lifeline or not, she wasn’t taking any chances. She had researched what getting lost and rescued at sea entailed.

Strong arms lifted her and carried her onto the ship. She blinked to clear her eyes and came face-to-face with the pirate. His eyes were even darker up close. She shivered. From the cold.

“What were you doing just standing there?” Frustration—perhaps a little irritation—filled his voice. An all-American voice. No sexy foreign accent for this pirate, she realized with a twinge of disappointment. He drew his full lips into a thin line. “Do you always walk around with your head in the clouds?”

His comment brought back painful memories of being teased. She had never fit in at school. Or anywhere else. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“The least you could do is thank me for saving your life.”

She didn’t like his attitude, and she didn’t like being held in his arms. Her legs felt prickly. “I didn’t ask to be rescued.”

As he released her from his arms, he laughed. Her legs quivered on the rocking deck and wouldn’t support her weight. Kayla fell backward, landing with a not-so-graceful thump.

“You okay?” The tone of the pirate’s voice softened. He sounded genuine.

Not trusting her voice, she nodded. Talk about a memorable entrance. She remained seated on the wave-tossed deck and he helped her out of her life jacket. He handed her a blanket. “Here.”

She muttered thanks and dried herself. The world closed in on her, and she struggled to catch her breath. Kayla glanced up. Half a dozen men surrounded her. Not your average tenured history or archeology professor types, either. No, these guys would look more comfortable on the back of a Harley than in a classroom.

“Give the lady some room, boys,” the pirate said. “You’re crowding her.”

The men backed away, and Kayla’s breathing returned to normal. Perhaps the pirate wasn’t so dark and dangerous, after all. Perhaps he was a prince in disguise. Perhaps a gentle heart lay beneath his rough exterior….

Her legs prickled again. “I’m sorry for any inconvenience.”

“A little late for that.” His face darkened into a scowl.

Okay, he wasn’t a prince. She wasn’t a princess, so they were even. But he stood way up there, and she sat way down here. Time to lessen his height advantage. She rose and managed not to fall again despite the pin-and-needle numbness in her legs. The blanket pooled at her wet sneakers. She ignored it.

Kayla would spend the next month or two with these people—make that men. She didn’t want to start out on the wrong foot. She was a calm and cool professional. She could handle this. “Thank you for getting me on board.”

His frank appraisal made her blush. His mouth twisted. “I’m Ben Mendoza. This is my ship, my crew and my expedition.”

So he was the one in charge and looking for the Isabella in all the wrong places. Figures. All looks, no brain. At least she wasn’t itchy or shivering any longer. “I’m Kayla Water—”

“Look, Watertown—”

“It’s Waterton,” she corrected. “I realize your first impression of me might not be—”

“Why should my impression of you matter?”

She wet her lips. “Because we’ll be working together.”

He blew out a puff of air. “Now, that’s a good one.”

“I was sent here to help.”

Ben frowned. “The museum sent you to legitimize the operation and appease the investors.”

He had it all wrong. “But I’m—”

“Already a distraction.”

Kayla didn’t know what she’d done to upset him so much, but the expedition had bigger problems than searching in the wrong location. The pirate didn’t want her here. Too bad. She had the right to be here, and she was staying. Somehow she would make this work. “Mr. Mendoza, there seems to be a misunderstanding.”

“I understand things better than you think.” His eyes narrowed. “And I have one simple rule for you to understand. Stay out of our way. We have real work to do, Mrs. Waterson.”

A slap across the face would have hurt less, but she wasn’t going to let him get to her. “It’s Waterton. Ms., not Mrs.”

“Today’s our lucky day, boys,” a grizzly voice said from behind her. One of the “boys,” no doubt. “She’s…single.”

“When has that ever stopped you, Wolf?” a man with a distinctive Southern drawl asked.

The comments didn’t seem to register with Ben. “Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t care if your name is H2O. No one wants you here but the investors and the museum.”

“I wouldn’t go that far, boss,” the grizzly voice added.

Ben rolled his eyes. “But as long as you’re here, you are my responsibility, so don’t do anything stupid.”

The “again” was implied. Kayla’s mouth nearly gaped. He didn’t have a clue as to why she was here or who she was. Damn Mr. Andrews, the museum’s PR person, for not telling Ben more about her participation in the search. She imagined what his reaction would be when he learned the truth.

“Lucky me,” she murmured.

Ben frowned. “Go change.”

“I beg your pardon?”

He rolled his eyes again. This time it was directed at her. She didn’t like that any better than she liked him.

“Common sense not part of your ivory-tower curriculum?”

Her cheeks burned, but she stared him straight in the eyes. “I blew that class off the same day I skipped the course you taught on rudeness.”

He met her gaze but said nothing.

The seconds turned into a minute.

Damn Ben Mendoza. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. How was she going to work with him? Kayla could barely breathe, and she couldn’t blame it on claustrophobia. Her heart rate increased, and she felt warm. Hot, actually.

Much to her relief, he broke the silence first. “Lock the door to your cabin. My crew is all too human and you’ve already given us a sneak preview of your…wares.”

Kayla glanced at her clothes plastered to her like a second skin. Great, she was a poster girl for a wet T-shirt contest. She crossed her arms over her chest and noticed the men with leering grins and glints in their eyes. “All too human” was putting it nicely. For a highly trained technical crew of shipwreck location specialists, they were a motley bunch. Add a Jolly Roger flag to the mast, and she would be on a pirate ship.

Ben stood in front of the door to Kayla Waterton’s cabin. Twice he’d raised his hand to knock. Twice he hadn’t.

He’d given her plenty of time to dry off, change clothes and unpack. He’d used the time to chill himself. He wasn’t proud of his behavior on deck, but he’d been caught off guard.

Kayla Waterton wasn’t what Ben had expected. That bothered him. Annoyed him. Frustrated him, too.

And he’d taken it out on her.

Real smart, Mendoza.

Some pro he’d turned out to be. But he couldn’t help himself.

It was bad enough the museum had to send anyone out here in the first place. A knife in the back. Xmarks Explorers had been good enough to partner with when no one else wanted to chase down the legendary lost pirate ship. But now, after he’d made all the preparations and done all the work, they wanted to toss a ringer into the act. And not any ringer, a total looker who belonged on a catwalk and made men lose sight of what was important—their goals.

Ben Mendoza, meet your worst nightmare—Kayla Waterton.

Bulky life jacket aside, she’d stood on the gangplank looking more like a sea nymph than a maritime historian. By definition, a historian should have her hair pulled back into a tight bun, her body disguised by shapeless, gray, nonfeminine clothing and her eyes hidden behind a pair of bottle-thick glasses. He could have lived with that sort of woman on his ship. His crew, too. She would have been a pain, but she wouldn’t have been a distraction.

Unlike Kayla. She was a distraction the size of the Titanic-sinking iceberg, and twice as dangerous.

Her long blond hair shimmered even with the overcast skies. Hair like hers was supposed to be worn loose—brushing the middle of her back or a man’s chest. Contorting her hair into a tight bun would constitute a criminal act.

And those eyes…an intriguing blend of green and gray, a mixture of colors from the sea and sky. Staring into her eyes, he’d felt a moment of recognition, a sense of déja` vu. A familiar gnawing in his gut made him realize why. Kayla had a dreamy quality in her eyes. Similar to his father and his ex-wife.

The appreciative sighs and catcalls from his crew had echoed the jolt of attraction shooting through Ben the nanosecond he saw her.

But Ben had no room in his life for another good-looking, starry-eyed dreamer to mess up his hard work and his plans. He had a ship to find. He wasn’t about to fail—he couldn’t afford to. The crew and Madison were counting on him to deliver. He wasn’t going to blow this. Or let anyone else blow it for him.

Kayla Waterton had to go.

The investors and the Museum of Maritime History wanted her here. They were co-sponsors of the expedition and held the purse strings, so he wouldn’t go against their wishes. But now that she’d arrived, all Ben had to do was make her decide to leave.

An idea formed. A bit devious, but she was the one who didn’t belong here. She was the one who was going to get in their way.

Life on a salvage ship might be adventurous, romantic to some. But the reality was a far cry from images of opening a chest full of gold and jewels. A middle-of-the-night survey assignment, and Kayla would be begging to go back to the comfortable confines of her ivory-tower world.

Ben smiled. He’d make her feel like one of the crew, put her to work and watch disillusionment take over. The sooner she left his ship, the sooner he and the crew could concentrate on finding the Izzy.

He knocked. The lock bolt clicked after a few seconds and the door opened. At least she followed instructions.

Kayla stared at him. Silence stretched between them like the calm before the storm.

“Do you need anything?” he asked finally.

“No.”

She wasn’t going to make this easy for him. Okay. He deserved it. “About what happened earlier…”

She’d changed into a pair of well-worn jeans and a white shirt. Damn, she looked good. Almost as good dry as she had wet.

He leaned against the doorjamb. “I was—”

“A jerk.”

He shifted his weight. “That’s one way to put it.”

“A tyrant.”

“That’s another.” Apologizing wasn’t his strong suit. Nor was idle chitchat. But he deserved this, too. “I…I’m…”

He thought about the Izzy. Some had called the search for the ship a pipe dream, since many believed she didn’t exist. At first Ben had seen the search as nothing more than a job. But after two seasons of looking for the Izzy, the search had become more. He wasn’t about to lose funding.

No matter how he felt about Kayla Waterton, Ben couldn’t let ego or pride get in the way now. Not when he was so close to finding the lost pirate ship and her stolen treasures he could taste it. Finding the Izzy would change his life, his crew’s lives and, most important, his daughter’s life. He wouldn’t fail.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

Kayla’s brows furrowed, wrinkling her forehead. Something told Ben not to rush her. He stood and waited.

“Apology accepted.” The pink tip of her tongue darted out and wet her lower lip. “Did you want anything else?”

Besides you. The random thought hit too close to home. He hadn’t wanted anything else—anything but the Izzy—until Kayla arrived. He would have to keep his distance. Not the easiest thing to do on a ship this size, but the last thing he wanted were any personal complications that could jeopardize the expedition. “A second chance.”

Her gaze met his, and Ben’s temperature shot up ten degrees. The heat seemed to be generating between them.

She extended her hand. “Kayla Waterton.”

“Ben Mendoza.” He took her hand in his. Her skin was soft and smooth and tanned. She might spend time outdoors, but he expected the only manual labor she did was carrying books from the library. “Welcome aboard the Xmarks Explorer.”

“Daddy, Daddy.” Madison, his three-year-old daughter, barreled into him. She carried her favorite doll and constant companion, Baby Fifi. “I’m done sleeping.”

“You’re not supposed to leave your cabin by yourself.”

“But I’m done sleeping and I heard footsteps.” She grinned, and Ben smiled. Madison had him wrapped around each of her little fingers and toes. “Is this her?”

Ben stared at his daughter. Forty-odd inches of sugar, sunshine and smiles. She wasn’t a perfect child, but he wasn’t a perfect father. Together they made a pretty good pair. Loving warmth settled around his heart, as soft and comforting as Madison’s baby blanket.

“Kayla, this is my daughter, Madison.” He stepped out of the doorway. “Madison, this is Miss Waterton.”

Kayla kneeled down to Madison’s level and shook her hand. Both had long hair, but his daughter’s was as dark as Kayla’s was light. “Madison Mendoza. What beautiful alliteration.”

Madison scrunched her brows. “Alli—what?”

Kayla smiled. “You have a pretty name.”

“Thank you.”

“How old are you?”

Madison raised three fingers. “Three.” She tugged on his arm. “When does the other lady come, Daddy?”

“What other lady, princess?”

“Peyna Deass.”

Ben scratched his head. Madison was a chatterbox, but he still had trouble deciphering some of her phrases. Before he could ask her again, she slipped inside Kayla’s cabin and fiddled with a cabinet latch. “Madison, this isn’t your cabin.”

“It’s okay,” Kayla said to his surprise. “She can’t hurt anything.”

“You’d be surprised what those little fingers can get into.” He peered around Kayla. Madison played with the latch, oblivious to everything else. She was growing up so fast. Too fast. She was the main reason he wasn’t about to screw up finding the Izzy. He wouldn’t let her down.

“Figure out who she’s talking about yet?” Kayla asked.

“No,” Ben admitted. Ladies never came aboard the ship. Until Kayla.

“She’s talking about me.”

“But you’re not—”

“A pain in the ass?” Kayla whispered.

Oh, hell. He was going to have to watch his language around Madison. Normally he was better, but every so often he forgot she was three years old. He’d have to have a little talk with Madison. And one with himself, too. “Kids…”

Kayla’s eyes sparkled with laughter. So the pretty historian had a sense of humor. Why wasn’t he more relieved?

“Daddy?” Madison glanced up, her eyes wide with excitement. “When does Peyna Deass arrive? I want to roll in the hay with her.” She turned to Kayla. “Daddy says that’s what she needs to do.”

“On that note, I’d better put my little magpie back in her cage.”

“I want to see the little magpie, Daddy. Is it in your room?” Before he could say a word, Madison skipped down the passageway toward his cabin.

“She’s cute.”

“Sometimes a little too cute,” he admitted. “What she said—”

“Why don’t we make your original apology all-inclusive?”

He couldn’t believe she was letting him off so easily. “Deal.”

“Speaking of which, do you want to start over again?” A smile as wide as the Panama Canal lit up Kayla’s face, and Ben’s breath caught in his throat. She introduced herself and winked. “Third time’s the charm.”

Okay, she had a great smile and a sense of humor. Not to mention a great body and face. Not that he was interested, but it didn’t hurt to look.

“So are you going to be the lucky charm that leads us to the Izzy?”

Kayla nodded. “Most definitely.”

Over his dead body. “You sound confident.”

“I am,” she admitted. “Because I know where the Isabella is…and you don’t.”

Chapter Two

She shouldn’t have said that.

It may have been the truth, but the moment the words escaped, Kayla regretted them. She’d glimpsed a softer side of Ben during his interaction with Madison. A side Kayla liked. She didn’t want to antagonize him and bring the mean pirate back.

Too late.

His eyes darkened; his nostrils flared. If he could breathe fire, she would be toast.

And then he laughed.

Kayla did a double take.

Yes, Ben Mendoza was definitely laughing. The deep, rich sound rippled through the air and surrounded her. His laugh was warm and intriguing and much too appealing. She didn’t know whether to be relieved or worried.

“That’s a good one.” The crinkles at the corners of his eyes should have made him look older. Harder. Instead, they took years off and softened the rugged planes of his face. Kayla’s heart beat triple-time. “You had me going for about thirty seconds.”

He didn’t believe her. Worse, he was laughing at her. Kayla’s blood boiled. She dug her nails into her palms.

What nerve. She’d felt guilty for saying something that might upset him when he was still a total jerk. And here she thought he was a sensitive father.

The man was as soft as an abalone. A mixture of embarrassment and anger washed over her. She wanted to tell him what she thought of his expedition. She wanted to tell him why he’d better listen to her.

She wanted to tell him where he could stick it.

Be poised, confident. You are the one in charge. Kayla tilted her chin. “I’m serious, Ben.”

His smile disappeared faster than a galleon caught in a hurricane. He started, then stopped himself. “The Museum of Maritime History signed off on our research.”

She nodded. “Jay Bruce verified your research. He’s no longer with the museum. In fact, several law-enforcement agencies have been trying to track him down. Seems he was selling bogus shipwreck information on the Internet.” The crestfallen expression on Ben’s face almost made her feel bad. “Almost” being the operative word.

“Why wasn’t I notified?”

“You just were.”

A vein throbbed in his neck, reminding Kayla he was human after all.

“Mr. Andrews was supposed to explain the details when the arrangements for my—” she searched for the correct word “—visit were made. I know you’ve been blindsided. I don’t blame you for being…defensive, but the museum and investors are a bit concerned with the lack of targets, given the vast area you’ve searched.”

“They said they were worried about the legitimacy of the operation.”

“That, too,” she admitted. “But funds are not unlimited.”

Ben Mendoza might be a lot of things, but stupid wasn’t one of them. The thoughtful look on his face told Kayla he understood the seriousness of the situation. She didn’t want to threaten him, but would if necessary. Finding the Isabella was the priority. Nothing else mattered. Especially his overinflated ego.

“I stand by our research,” he said. “We hired the top shipwreck researcher in the world to locate the Izzy.”

“And you’ve been using this ‘top’ researcher’s work for how many years? Two? Or is it three?”

Ben frowned.

Okay, maybe her last remark wasn’t called for, but Ben didn’t seem to realize she was one of the top shipwreck researchers. She was better than his guy. She’d spent her childhood following her father’s work and learning all he had to teach. She always knew maritime history would be her lifework. Her father had told her the sea was in her blood, and she knew in her heart it was true.

“Even the most brilliant researchers are known to falter.” Kayla smiled. “Present company excluded.”

He didn’t crack a smile. His lack of humor didn’t surprise her. His lack of humor was the first thing that fell into line with her expectations. But no matter what she thought of him, they would have to work together.

Ben raised a brow. “What makes you so certain your research is correct?”

“The Isabella has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.”

Her father used to tell her stories about the ship and the pirates who’d sailed on her. She remembered the long hours he spent researching the lost shipwreck. The value of the cargo was unimaginable, but her father had located treasure ships before. This one had been different. For some reason, the Isabella held a greater allure for him. Kayla wished she understood why.

“I’ve studied and researched the Isabella off and on for the last eleven years.” Ever since the submersible accident had taken her father’s life and two others’. She ignored the empty feeling inside her and touched the silver talisman she always wore around her neck. It was the only key to her past, to the memory of the father she loved and the mother she couldn’t remember. Kayla fought an unexpected rush of emotion. “It’s taken a bit of digging and sorting through letters, journals, old charts and insurance records, but in the last two months I finally pulled all the information together to support my coordinates.”

“And?”

“The Isabella was my father’s obsession.” She wasn’t about to admit how important the pirate ship had become to her. No one knew how much she wanted to find the Isabella, and Kayla wanted to keep it that way. She hid the talisman under her shirt. “His research has proved invaluable to me and verifies my own.”

“And?”

“My instincts.” A satisfied feeling settled in the center of her chest. “I know I’m right.”

His features hardened. “You’re touting your so-called researching brilliance on a feeling?”

“An instinct,” she corrected him.

“Same difference. Why not consult a psychic?”

“I did that, too.” She smiled. “I figured it couldn’t hurt.”

His sharp gaze met hers, making Kayla want to step back. “How many expeditions have you been on?”

She stood her ground. She wasn’t about to let him intimidate her. “Zero.”

“Zero,” he echoed. “This is your first time at sea?”

“Yes.”

“That makes perfect sense.” A glint of something—amusement, perhaps—flickered in his eyes. “The museum is worried about the legitimacy and spending habits of the expedition so they send you—a highly respected maritime historian who’s never been on a search before and consults psychics and uses her instincts to locate shipwrecks.”

The truth sounded a bit unusual, but at least Ben was finally seeing things clearly. She nodded.

“Yes, it makes perfect sense if we were looking for the Izzy in the Bermuda Triangle and Bigfoot was the captain of this ship and the sky was…purple.”

Okay, so maybe he didn’t quite get it. She’d have to go into more detail and—

Ben turned and walked down the hallway.

“Ben?” He didn’t stop, so she did the next logical thing. She followed him.

The woman was a real…fruitcake. Ben had another word for her—several, actually—but he was watching his language, both verbally and mentally, for Madison’s sake.

Another second of listening to the wacky historian and Ben would have lost it. So he walked away. She called after him, but he didn’t consider glancing back.

Kayla might be a looker, but she was as nutty as they came. Might as well tie a bunch of helium-filled balloons on her and let her float around in the ozone because that’s where she belonged—in the clouds with all the other dreamers. It was as if his father and Ben’s ex-wife had been combined into one person named Kayla Waterton.

What had he done to deserve her?

Footsteps sounded behind him, but he kept walking.

“Where are you going?” Kayla asked. “I haven’t given you the new coordinates.”

As if he would ever use her coordinates. Ben continued down the passageway. Perhaps it was rude, but it would be ruder for him to speak. Neither she nor the museum would appreciate what he had to say. He wasn’t about to let a few choice words jeopardize the expedition. He recognized a threat when he heard one. No Kayla, no funding. If only it were that simple…

His cabin door was open. A minicyclone had cut a path through the room and left devastation in its wake. Drawers hung open. Closet doors were ajar. Clothes lay strewn across the floor. He didn’t need this right now. Ben stepped inside.

Madison sat on his bunk, her legs crossed and Baby Fifi on her lap. Fat tears streamed from her red-rimmed eyes and squeezed his heart. “I can’t find the little magpie, Daddy.”

“Come here, princess.” Ben scooped her up into his arms and sat on the bed. She was the greatest treasure in his life. He wanted to be a good father and give her what he’d never had growing up: stability and security. Sometimes he succeeded, other times he needed to work harder. Much harder.

Madison buried her face against his chest. “Do you think the little magpie flew away?”

“She’s right here.”

The crying stopped. Madison looked around. “Where?”

He smoothed her hair. “Right here in my arms.”

“I’m in your arms.”

Ben smiled. “You’re my little magpie.”

Two small lines formed above the bridge of her nose. “I’m not a magpie, I’m Madison.”

“Yes, you are. But you also repeat whatever I say. That’s what magpies do.” He lifted her into the air. “So that makes you my magpie Madison.”

“Magpie Madison.” She giggled, and a smile replaced the tears. Everything was right in her little world. And his, too. “Lift me up again, Daddy.”

Ben did as he was told. Again and again and again. Nothing fun could be done only once.

“Hello,” she said in midair. “This is my daddy’s room. Do you want to play?”

Reality came crashing back. He glanced at the doorway. Kayla stood watching them, an odd expression on her face.

“Hello.” A thoughtful smile formed on Kayla’s lips. “You walked away so quickly I didn’t know what was wrong. I forgot Madison had gone off by herself.”

He weighed the situation. Madison wasn’t the reason he’d walked away, but Kayla didn’t know that. He still had to report to the museum. No doubt she would be in touch with it, too. He had to be smart about this. “She knows she’s not supposed to go on deck by herself, but it’s not good to leave her alone for too long. Usually she’s back before I have a chance to worry.”

“You worry?” Kayla sounded so surprised. “You don’t look the type.”

“I worry about things that are important to me.”

“Want to see my room?” Madison asked her.

Kayla nodded. “I’d love to.”

“I need to talk to Miss Waterton first. Go on ahead and she’ll be right there.”

“Okay, Daddy.” With Baby Fifi in her arms, Madison stopped in the adjoining doorway to her cabin and turned. “I’m really happy you’re here, Miss Water—”

“Call me Kayla. And thank you. I’m happy I’m here, too.”

With a wide smile on her face, Madison danced into her cabin. Ben could see how much having another female aboard already meant to his daughter. If it were anyone but Kayla…

She motioned to the mess in his room. “I take it she tried looking for the little birdie.”

“Yes.” He brushed his hand through his hair. “Didn’t think she’d look this hard, though.”

“Shows her determination.”

“Or her stubbornness.”

Kayla winked. “Takes after you, does she?”

“Yes.” A smile tugged at the edges of his mouth. Madison already liked Kayla. Maybe she wasn’t so bad, after all. “Madison’s mother claimed she was a DNA copy machine. Only hers got left out.”

He picked up a pile of clothes and placed them on his bed.

“Where is Madison’s mother?”

He shut a drawer and glanced up.

“You spoke about her in the past tense so I’m assuming she passed—”

“Last I heard she was in L.A.” Bitterness coated the inside of his mouth like barnacles on the hull of his ship. Too bad it wasn’t as easy to scrape away. “She’s off chasing her dream of stardom.”

“How often does Madison see her?”

“She doesn’t.” Ben closed another drawer, taking care not to slam it. He didn’t know why Kayla wanted to know and resented the intrusion into his personal life. Still, he answered, “I have full custody. Her mother didn’t want any visitations.”

“Daddy,” Madison called out. “Are you done playing with Kayla? I want my turn.”

Ben smiled. “In a minute, princess.”

Kayla’s eyes gleamed with interest. “So it’s just you and your daughter?”

He nodded, ignoring the little voice in his head calling him a failure. He’d failed to make his marriage work. Failed to provide his daughter with a stable family home. Failed to find the Izzy.

“My mother died when I was two so it was just my dad and me, too.”

Ben noticed the past tense. “Your father?”

“He died eleven years ago right before my sixteenth birthday.”

An orphan. The word seemed old-fashioned, but that’s what Kayla was. He thought about Madison. At least she wouldn’t be alone if something happened to him—his parents would care for her. “That must have been rough.”

Kayla nodded. “Seeing you and Madison together brings back so many wonderful memories. I don’t remember my mother, but my dad did an amazing job raising me on his own. He was the best.”

Her love showed both in her voice and in her eyes. Ben hoped Madison grew up feeling the same way about him. Raising a daughter alone would only get harder as she got older. He wondered if Kayla had any regrets. “Did you miss having a female influence in your life?”

“Sometimes,” she said. “Actually, a lot of times when I was a teenager. But I loved my dad so much. It had always been just the two of us. I assumed he would fall in love and remarry, and maybe if he had…” Kayla got a faraway look in her eyes.

Her smile, full of honesty and openness, touched Ben in a way he’d never felt before. He wanted to reach out to Kayla, but couldn’t. Something—make that lots of things—held him back. He looked away, shut the closet doors and straightened the photo on his nightstand.

She continued. “If you do the best you can with Madison, you’ll be fine. And so will she.”

He hoped so. Every day was a new adventure. Some good, some messy, some he never wanted to repeat. Soon Madison wouldn’t be a little girl… His stomach knotted, and he picked up a shirt from the floor.

“And who knows—” Kayla winked “—you might find someone to share your life with one day.”

He tossed the shirt onto his bed with the other clothes. This conversation was getting too personal. “We work a four-hour on, eight-off schedule. Do you want a shift?”

“I’d love one.” Excitement sparkled in her eyes. “Should I give the coordinates of the Isabella’s location to the captain or you?”

“We need to finish our current search first.”

Kayla’s smile fell. “But—”

“We’ll discuss your coordinates later.” If Ben had his way, later would never come. She would be out of here before then. “Dinner’s at 1800. Your shift starts at 0100.”

Her eyes widened. “At 1:00 a.m.?”

“Is that a problem?”

“No,” she said a little too quickly. “It’s fine. Great. Perfect.”

Ben smiled at her attempt to sound enthusiastic. He couldn’t wait to hear how she sounded in a couple of days when she said bon voyage. Those words would be music to his ears.

Kayla could handle this, she really could. The more times she told herself that, the better she felt. And things had gotten better over the past few hours.

Her tour of the ship, with its high-tech search capabilities and equipment, raised her hopes of finding the Isabella. The Xmarks Explorer’s facilities were first-rate. A STORM portable satellite terminal provided communication channels and data-exchange means and Internet access. She’d be able to keep in constant touch with the investors and the museum.

The crew was larger than she’d expected. One group dealt with the ship’s operation and the other handled the search. She sighed at the thought of working with the bawdy crew of search-and-salvage “specialists” and eating meals with them.

As dinnertime rolled around, Kayla wasn’t sure what to think. She sat alone at a small round table in the ship’s dining room. Ben was the only one who didn’t seem to be watching her eat, and that suited Kayla fine. If only she could stop noticing him, too. Despite his less-than-stellar personality, she liked seeing him interact with his daughter. And scowl or not, he was easy on the eyes.

Just like tonight’s dinner was easy on Kayla’s stomach. She leaned back in her chair and smiled. Stevie, a two-hundred-and-fifty-pound towering giant from Minneapolis, had cooked lasagna. Although, cooked didn’t do justice to the delicious melted-cheese-and-veggie concoction that she might expect to be served at her favorite Italian restaurant back home in Portland, Oregon, rather than on a salvage ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Stevie carried a tray of sourdough slices. The aroma alone added calories. “More bread, Kayla?”

“No, thanks. I must have eaten half a loaf already. Did you make the bread from scratch?”

He nodded. “I use a starter my grammy gave me seven years ago. Sure you don’t want another slice?”

“Maybe one more.” As she took a piece, Stevie grinned, showing the gap between his front teeth.

“Yo, Cookie.” A short, stocky man with reddish hair strutted up. “More bread over here.”

She noticed Madison watching the interaction. This was none of Kayla’s business, but the little girl was only three and very impressionable. She had to say something.

“Excuse me, but I forgot your name,” Kayla said to the man.

“I’m Fitz.” His green eyes danced. “Want to get to know me better? Say in the horizontal position?”

Stevie stared at his tray of bread.

“Thanks, but I’ll pass.” Kayla pasted on a smile and lowered her voice. “Right now I’m more concerned about Madison, who’s listening to everything you say. Good manners are important, especially in front of a three-year-old.”

Fitz’s face reddened to match his curly hair. “Damn, I forgot about the kiddo.”

Staring at the floor, Fitz shuffled back to his table.

Time would tell if he’d learned his lesson. Kayla finished a bite of bread. She’d died and gone to bread-lover’s paradise. “Do you always cook like this?”

“Nah, I mean, no.” Stevie said. “This is one of my lighter meals.”

She’d have to pay attention to her eating habits on board. Food tended to go straight to her hips.

“I set out a pan of brownies if you’re interested.”

“Are doubloons gold?” Kayla joked. “I love brownies. I love anything chocolate.”

“Chocolate is as necessary as oxygen and water,” Stevie said. “I bake this amazing triple-layer devil’s food cake with fudge icing.”

“Okay, you’re my new best friend.” Kayla winked. “But I’m going to have to start working out or my appetite and your awesome cooking are going to get the best of me.”

Stevie’s smile widened. “A woman after my own heart.”

“Why don’t you take your heart and get back to work?” Ben said.

“Sure thing, boss.” Stevie headed to another table.

Kayla looked up. Ben towered over her. His harsh gaze made her self-conscious. Still, she smiled. “Stevie seems nice.”

Ben frowned. “Don’t flirt with the crew.”

Flirt? The idea was ludicrous. She rarely had time to date let alone perfect the art of flirting. Her life revolved around two things: researching shipwrecks and trying to find answers about her past. There wasn’t room for anything more, especially a man. “I was only making conversation.”

“You really don’t get it.”

What a shame he didn’t treat everyone the way he treated Madison. Ben was attractive when he wasn’t snarling like a caged tiger. “Get what?” Kayla asked.

“Stevie won’t realize the difference.”

“Stevie and I discussed food. Nothing else.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Ben said. “He’ll think you’re interested in him.”

She wasn’t an idiot. And from what she’d seen so far, neither was his crew, despite the belching, bad manners and not-so-subtle stares. “I know how to deal with men.”

“Not these men.”

Kayla didn’t like Ben’s attitude. “What if I’m interested in Stevie?”

“What?”

She tried not to smile at his shocked tone. “It’s not every day a woman finds a man who can cook like that,” she whispered. “Is he married?”

“Stevie married?” Ben’s frown turned into a scowl. The pirate was back. Dark and dangerous and more than a little peeved. “He’s only twenty-four.”

“I’m only twenty-seven. Besides, he might like older women.” Kayla was enjoying herself, especially since Ben wasn’t. “And what does age have to do with being married?”

Ben stared at her as if she’d lost her mind. “Are you…serious about this?”

She let him stew for a minute. She had the upper hand and she liked it. Liked it a lot. “That’s none of your business.”

His eyes darkened to an inky black. His lips narrowed until they almost disappeared. “Whatever happens on this ship is my business. Do you understand?”

She was playing with fire. Something she never did. But she’d never been on a ship with a band of pirates before. Time to take chances even if it meant getting burned. The crew and Madison were staring at them. Too late to back down now.

“Do you?” Ben repeated.

“Aye, aye, Captain.” Kayla saluted him. “I read you loud and clear.”

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