In Deep Waters by Melissa McClone Page B

for Madison's sake.
    "It's hard to make up your mind sometimes, isn't it?" Kayla asked.
    Madison nodded. She scrunched her forehead as if debating the fate of the world, not the color of nail polish. "I don't know which one to choose."
    In that moment, Ben saw the future. Decisions about how to fix Madison's hair, what clothes to wear, what boys to... Ben wasn't ready for any of that. He wanted Madison to stay little forever.
    "We can use both colors," Kayla suggested.
    Good answer. No matter how he might feel about Kayla's presence on the ship, she'd been great to his little girl.
    "Use both?" A brilliant smile erupted on Madison's face as she realized what Kayla meant. "I want this foot pink and this one purple."
    Ben wanted to tell Madison to say please. As Kayla had been telling the crew, manners were important no matter what age. The sooner Madison learned that, the better. He ignored the inner voice reminding him eavesdropping wasn't polite.
    "Let's do it." Kayla opened a bottle of nail polish and started painting.
    Madison giggled. "That tickles my foot."
    "I'm sorry." Kayla's voice was so soft and soothing. She had spoken to him that way when she'd asked about his injury and he'd liked it as much as Madison seemed to. "Do you want me to stop?"
    Madison leaned her head back and her smile widened. "No, thank you. I like being tickled. My daddy tickles me."
    Kayla finished painting the right foot, put away the pink bottle and opened the purple one. "Sounds like fun."
    Madison sat straighter. "Daddy could tickle you."
    Way to go, princess. Ben smiled. Tickling Kayla would add a new and welcome dimension to the age-old game.
    "That would be..."
    He could think of a whole lot of different words to insert--fun, intense, foreplay.
    "Interesting," Kayla said finally. She continued painting Madison's nails. "But I don't like being tickled."
    Bummer. Ben wondered why she didn't like to be tickled.
    Two little lines appeared above Madison's nose. "Why?"
    Kayla shrugged. "Just don't. I'm all done with your toenails. Do you like them?"
    "Oh, yes. Thank you." Madison wiggled her toes. "They're so pretty."
    "Just like you." Kayla laughed. "But sit still so they can dry and then you can paint mine."
    Madison's eyes widened. "Really?"
    Kayla nodded. "I'll show you how."
    Adoration filled Madison's eyes. "I'm glad you're here."
    Unguarded emotions played on Kayla's face. She kissed the top of Madison's head. "Me, too."
    Two little words, but important ones for his daughter. The look of pure joy on her face warmed Ben's heart.
    "Do you want to hear a story?" Kayla asked.
    "I love stories." Madison scooted closer to her. "What's it about?"
    "A fairy and how her dreams come true. "
    It was only one story, but still... Every one of Ben's nerve endings went on alert. His muscles tensed. Madison was so young and she wanted to believe in everything. Real or make-believe. Kayla had already shown him what a dreamer she was, and he couldn't allow her to influence his daughter that way.
    As Kayla began with "Once upon a time," Ben turned away from the doorway and sagged against the wall. This was another complication, another distraction he didn't need. His crew might be falling for Kayla, but so was Madison.
    She longed for female interaction, a mother figure, so to speak.
    He didn't want Madison to get hurt, but worse, he didn't want her head filled with dreams. She was too young, too impressionable. He didn't want her heart broken.
    Between Madison and his crew, no leeway existed. Kayla had to leave before she did any more damage. And Ben finally knew how to make that happen.
    Chapter Five
    Kayla stood at the stern of the ship, a safe distance away from the winches and hoists used to raise and ower the sonar sled, remotely-operated vehicles and submersible. The mixture of oil, diesel and salt in the air appealed to her, as did the well-used appearance of the gear, some of which had seen better days, because this was a working ship, not a