boats.
“It’s definitely thinking outside the box. Let’s take a look.” Seana motioned for Mina to lead the way. The outside of the boat was scarred and rusted. The sails were gone and the deck was dangerous with a few missing boards. From first impressions she wasn’t holding her breath.
Mina stepped down and opened the door to the living quarters, dragging Seana inside. It was like she’d entered another realm. Red teak gleamed with a high-gloss finish that someone must have spent hours refinishing. Crisp white curtains covered the small long windows. When Mina opened a few, brass glowed in the filtered light.
“Wow,” Seana whispered. “This is stunning.”
“Isn’t it?”
“This is too pretty to rent out.” What if she spilled or scratched something? “What’s the story here? Why is the owner willing to rent his boat to me?”
Mina shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe he needs the money to help finish it. Looks pretty awful on the outside. Come on, you have to see the berth and head.” When Seana looked at her puzzled she explained, “Nautical terms for bed and bath.”
“There’s running water?” Seana took in the open room with its built-in cream leather sofa, rich wooden table, and galley kitchen that shined with loving care.
“Yes. The dock provides potable water, shore-power, and refuse removal. There are also batteries and solar power wired into the power system. No need to shower at the station.”
“That’s a relief.” And so much more than she’d hoped for. With what she’d looked at so far, she’d given up hope of leaving the hotel. There had been a shed with a community outhouse. An ice box above a garage, again with a glorified outhouse. And then the extra room in Greta’s house. After meeting her husband, Carter, and the way the two of them eyed her breasts, that was a no thank you. She was not into multiple partners. Hell, it had been years since she’d even had one partner. The closest she had come to sex was the kiss she’d shared with Treat the other day.
No, don’t think about it.
Morehouse hadn’t said anything either, which worried her. What was his agenda?
If the town wasn’t so small, with everyone waiting to see if she failed or passed as the new Deputy Chief, she’d be tempted to treat herself to a night with Treat. Oh good hell, she hadn’t just thought that had she? She had to quit thinking about him. He was nothing but trouble.
Maybe a few nights of actual sleep would clear her mind and body of Treat Devereux. “I’ll take it.”
“I knew you’d like it.” Mina beamed.
“What’s not to like?” Treat asked from the doorway.
“Wait. This is your boat?” Seana’s excitement about moving into this sweet, quiet sailboat turned to something darker, more tempting, and definitely more dangerous.
“One of them.” He ran his hand down the length of trim around the doorway, and it took everything Seana had not to shiver in reaction. She wanted those rough hands caressing her like that. Those lips on hers again. And this time her hands wouldn’t be around bars, but buried in his thick mane of coffee-colored hair. She shook her head. So not what she should be thinking about.
“I’ve spent a long time restoring her. Still have a ways to go, but she’s getting there.”
“Why would you be willing to let someone stay here?” she asked.
He met her eyes. “She needs life inside her again. She’s been left abandoned, unloved, for a long time.”
“Then why don’t you live here?”
“I’m not ready.” He straightened and walked inside the cabin, the space getting much smaller with his large frame filling it. “But she is.”
“You talk like this boat’s a real person.”
“To me she is. All boats have a spirit about them. A soul. The way they ride the waves, take the wind in their sails, slice through the water. Much like a woman, she can nurture you, thrill you, or scare you senseless.”
“Wow,” Mina breathed. “I…uh…need
“It’s definitely thinking outside the box. Let’s take a look.” Seana motioned for Mina to lead the way. The outside of the boat was scarred and rusted. The sails were gone and the deck was dangerous with a few missing boards. From first impressions she wasn’t holding her breath.
Mina stepped down and opened the door to the living quarters, dragging Seana inside. It was like she’d entered another realm. Red teak gleamed with a high-gloss finish that someone must have spent hours refinishing. Crisp white curtains covered the small long windows. When Mina opened a few, brass glowed in the filtered light.
“Wow,” Seana whispered. “This is stunning.”
“Isn’t it?”
“This is too pretty to rent out.” What if she spilled or scratched something? “What’s the story here? Why is the owner willing to rent his boat to me?”
Mina shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe he needs the money to help finish it. Looks pretty awful on the outside. Come on, you have to see the berth and head.” When Seana looked at her puzzled she explained, “Nautical terms for bed and bath.”
“There’s running water?” Seana took in the open room with its built-in cream leather sofa, rich wooden table, and galley kitchen that shined with loving care.
“Yes. The dock provides potable water, shore-power, and refuse removal. There are also batteries and solar power wired into the power system. No need to shower at the station.”
“That’s a relief.” And so much more than she’d hoped for. With what she’d looked at so far, she’d given up hope of leaving the hotel. There had been a shed with a community outhouse. An ice box above a garage, again with a glorified outhouse. And then the extra room in Greta’s house. After meeting her husband, Carter, and the way the two of them eyed her breasts, that was a no thank you. She was not into multiple partners. Hell, it had been years since she’d even had one partner. The closest she had come to sex was the kiss she’d shared with Treat the other day.
No, don’t think about it.
Morehouse hadn’t said anything either, which worried her. What was his agenda?
If the town wasn’t so small, with everyone waiting to see if she failed or passed as the new Deputy Chief, she’d be tempted to treat herself to a night with Treat. Oh good hell, she hadn’t just thought that had she? She had to quit thinking about him. He was nothing but trouble.
Maybe a few nights of actual sleep would clear her mind and body of Treat Devereux. “I’ll take it.”
“I knew you’d like it.” Mina beamed.
“What’s not to like?” Treat asked from the doorway.
“Wait. This is your boat?” Seana’s excitement about moving into this sweet, quiet sailboat turned to something darker, more tempting, and definitely more dangerous.
“One of them.” He ran his hand down the length of trim around the doorway, and it took everything Seana had not to shiver in reaction. She wanted those rough hands caressing her like that. Those lips on hers again. And this time her hands wouldn’t be around bars, but buried in his thick mane of coffee-colored hair. She shook her head. So not what she should be thinking about.
“I’ve spent a long time restoring her. Still have a ways to go, but she’s getting there.”
“Why would you be willing to let someone stay here?” she asked.
He met her eyes. “She needs life inside her again. She’s been left abandoned, unloved, for a long time.”
“Then why don’t you live here?”
“I’m not ready.” He straightened and walked inside the cabin, the space getting much smaller with his large frame filling it. “But she is.”
“You talk like this boat’s a real person.”
“To me she is. All boats have a spirit about them. A soul. The way they ride the waves, take the wind in their sails, slice through the water. Much like a woman, she can nurture you, thrill you, or scare you senseless.”
“Wow,” Mina breathed. “I…uh…need
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