In Deep Waters by Melissa McClone Page A

Ben smiled. "You had me going there for a minute."
    "I'm serious, boss."
    Ben didn't believe him. "You always said marriage was for wimps, wusses and women."
    "That was before."
    "Before what?"
    "Before Kayla." Monk said her name with a reverence reserved for sports and supermodels. "I can now break my life into two halves. Before Kayla and after Kayla."
    Ben was going to be sick.
    "If you want in on the action, give Wolf a hundred. But you two haven't hit it off so I wouldn't waste your money." Monk raised a brow. "Though it would be a challenge."
    Ben had already learned an important lesson. Chal lenge plus women equaled three things--disappointment, ulcer and divorce. "I'll pass."
    "Smart move." Monk grinned. "I've got to find an iron before my shift starts."
    Ben knew better, but he had to ask. "What are you going to iron?"
    "My T-shirt. Impressions are everything." Monk waved. "Later."
    Not if Ben could help it.
    Time to put an end to this Kayla love-fest before disaster struck. If a confirmed bachelor like Monk was talking the m-word without any verbal threats or physical force being applied, what would the rest of the boys be thinking? This went beyond poker games and other forms of gambling the guys did to pass the time. This was entering a realm that could destroy the camaraderie of the crew--a crew more like family than employees-- and keep them from finding the Izzy.
    As he continued along the hall, his mind raced. He had to get Kayla off the ship. So far she hadn't complained about her shifts, the crew, nothing. His plan to make her want to go home wasn't working, which meant one thing. He needed a new plan.
    Wolf stuck his head out of his cabin. "Hey, boss, can I ask you something?"
    "What?"
    Wolf opened the door and placed his hands on his stomach. "Do you think I need to go on a diet?"
    "Not you, too."
    "What?"
    "Next you'll want to know if your jeans make your butt look too big."
    Wolf glanced at his backside. "Do they?"
    Ben covered his ears with his hands and walked away. "I'm not hearing this."
    The others he could understand. Well, almost understand. Even he had to admit Kayla was a babe.
    But Wolf, too? No way, no how. Ben's oldest and closest friend wasn't going to be taken in by a pretty face, a nice smile and a great set of...
    Okay, Wolf had always been a breast man, but he was beyond this does-she-like-me-or-not high school behavior. Sensible, levelheaded. He was a rock. Ben's rock. Wolf had been his best man and was Madison's godfather. He'd seen Ben through his surgeries and recovery, his marriage and divorce, the opening of his salvage operation and now the raising of Madison. Wolf wasn't the kind of guy to be worried about love handles and the size of his butt. Hell, no man was that kind of guy.
    Just shoot me now. And stop the insanity before it gets any worse. He needed to escape. Not an easy thing to do miles from land. Luckily he knew one place of sanity left on the ship--Madison's cabin.
    Her door was ajar. Two female voices drifted out. Something about French braids and ponytails? Giggles followed and then a soprano, very feminine version of the ABC song.
    He glanced in. Ribbons and barrettes and rings and bracelets lay on the floor. He counted two hairbrushes, three combs and half a dozen scarves in varying shades of pink.
    With a seashell necklace around her neck, Kayla sat on the twin bed with Madison's bare feet on her lap. Madison wore a rhinestone tiara on her head and had every necklace she owned minus the shell one draped around her neck.
    She flapped her hands in the air like a little bird. "Are they dry?"
    "Not yet." Kayla held up two bottles of nail polish. "What color do you want on your toenails?"
    "Pink. Purple." Madison stopped flapping. "No, pink."
    Kayla's smile captivated him, and Ben felt an odd twinge in his stomach. He should let them know he was here, but he enjoyed watching them. Ben didn't have any sisters. He didn't know a lot about girly stuff and needed to learn