Eden's Spell by Heather Graham

the chart desk, at the radio, identifying himself over and over again at 44DFS.
    All he received in return was static.
    An oath escaped him as he threw the earphones down on the desk, removed his cap, and threaded his fingers wearily through his hair.
    Then he glanced at Katrina, as if just realizing that she was there, silently and warily standing behind him. “You got any kind of a safe harbor on that island of yours?”
    â€œJust the beach—that’s the most protected area.”
    â€œIt’s surrounded by reefs.”
    â€œYes, it is,” Katrina said. “But if you know what you’re doing …” She shrugged. “There is no dockage, though. All you can do is take her into the cove, anchor, and hope for the best.”
    He seemed to mull over her words, watching her distrustfully. Then he stood, approaching her with a little smile. “Why do I get the feeling that you’d love to see the Maggie Mae in a thousand pieces?”
    Katrina was tempted to back away from him. There was still a fury burning deep inside her; he’d no right to play God with them! And she still didn’t know … didn’t understand … everything that had happened.
    She didn’t like the feeling that she wanted to like him, to touch him, to laugh with him. She even had the wistful feeling that she would like to get to know him very, very well.
    He was an attractive man, she reminded herself stiffly. Very attractive, and painfully beguiling to her, although she didn’t know exactly why. Except that he was so tall, so nicely muscled, so lean. Everything about him spoke of the differences in the sexes, differences she had forgotten for years now, so determined had she been to live in the past.
    James—who had been too young to die. James, whom she had loved from the very first time she had ever seen him, sitting astride his motorcycle, looking at her in such a way that her heart had seemed to melt, her insides to go ragged….
    Katrina turned away from Taylor abruptly, tears stinging her eyes. What had she done to herself? she wondered with dismay. Set herself apart from life for so long that when this stranger abruptly tore into privacy and dreams, she had lost all sense of reason? Surely if she had just dated now and then, she wouldn’t feel all these rather humiliating and rather desperate sensations now!
    â€œI’ve no intention of hurting your precious ship!” she lashed out. She spun back around, ready again to do battle. “Nor am I your prisoner. There’s definitely a storm brewing out there—strong enough to clog your pathetic excuse for a radio. If you want your ship safely in, I’ll pilot her for you. If not, I’m taking my son back home so that we can batten down.”
    â€œI’ll take her in. Now,” he said stiffly. “And you’re not running off with my dinghy, because I’ve things that have to be salvaged off this boat!”
    With an abrupt and very militaristic about-face, he left her standing there and quickly clambered up the few steps to the deck. A second later she heard him swearing softly. Then he came down the steps, drenched.
    He shot her one of his level silver glances—as if it had been entirely her fault that the rain had already started. He dug into a cabinet beneath the chart desk and procured a couple of yellow slickers, tossing her one.
    â€œWell?”
    â€œWell, what?”
    â€œDo you intend to let me know where these reefs lie, or not?”
    She shrugged slowly. “Sure. But you should know that I still intend to sue you and everyone else I can think of, and to speak to every reporter I can find this side of the Mason-Dixon line.”
    â€œDon’t waste your time,” he told her briefly. “Go straight for the National Enquirer. They’ll give you top billing.”
    He was back on the deck again. Katrina followed him, staggering a little against the sudden force