Safe In His Arms

Despite the crush of activity, her appearance didn’t go unnoticed. As she passed, she received curious glances from the sea of primarily male workers, some more blatant in their show of appreciation than others. Her step faltered, her face flushing with embarrassment, as catcalls followed her down the wooden dock. Quickening her step, she hurried to Samuel’s shrimp boat.

The Marianna stood silent, oblivious to the frenetic activity of the surrounding fishermen. So quiet, in fact, that Jessie wondered if anyone was aboard. She hesitated, biting her lower lip as she studied the white boat with its blue trim, debating the wisdom of calling out and attracting any more unwanted attention.

Just as she was about to turn around and head back to Gull’s Cottage in defeat, a familiar blond-haired figure emerged from the shadows of the hold. Samuel’s powerful body dwarfed the boat as he stepped onto the deck. Like a magnet drawn to steel, his gaze flew to her. In stunned silence, he stared at her.

She froze, held by the force of his gaze. Dressed in a grease-stained T-shirt and faded jeans, he wore a harried expression on his face. The wind stroked his sun-streaked hair, blowing it across his forehead. Absently, rubbing his hands with a dingy white cloth, his gaze slid up and down the length of her body.

Jessie fought the urge to squirm beneath the touch of his assessing glance. Even without the censure that she saw reflected in his eyes, she felt out of place in her pristine white jeans, her black-and-white-striped shirt and her unscuffed tennis shoes. He didn’t need to tell her what they both already knew.

That she didn’t belong here.

Jessie was the first to break the silent standoff. Gathering her courage, she cleared her throat, then said, “I need to talk to you.”

For one terrible moment she thought he might turn and walk away, ignoring her and her request. Instead, he slowly shook his head. “I don’t think that’d be a good idea,” he said, his tone a low warning.

Aware of the other nearby fishermen stopping to watch them, Jessie braced herself against the undisguised hostility in his stance and the anger which corded his muscles. Sternly she told herself she could not let him intimidate her. Lifting her chin, feigning a confidence she did not feel, she said, “Is that because you’re too scared to talk to me?”

For the first time since she’d met him, Samuel actually smiled, seeming amused by the question. He drew himself up to his full six-foot-plus height and stepped forward, closing the distance between them. In a cool voice that sent a chill down her spine, he said, “I’m not the one who should be frightened.”

Jessie’s heart pounded against her breast. She fought the urge to turn and run. Despite the challenging look in his eyes, she sensed that his threat was harmless. That, no matter how daunting an image he tried to project, Samuel would never hurt her. Taking a gamble on her instincts being correct, she stood her ground and refused to budge.

Slowly his smile faded. Releasing an impatient breath, he stepped down from the boat and landed with a thud on the dock in front of her. For a long, resolve-stealing moment, he stood within inches of touching her. Close enough that she felt the heat of his sun-kissed skin. So close that she grew lost in the pale blueness of his eyes. Dizzied by his overwhelming presence, she was tempted to rest a hand against the anchoring strength of his wide shoulders.

“I don’t have time to waste on chitchat,” he said finally, his curt tone snapping her out of her trance. He jabbed a finger in the direction of his boat. “Right now I’ve got to take a test run with my repaired motor. If you want to talk to me, it’ll have to be out on the ocean.”

Without another word, he stepped away from her and began loosening the thick lines of rope that moored the boat, leaving her to deal with a confusing rush of emotions.

He wanted her to turn and run. She’d heard the challenge in his voice. He was letting the decision to stay or go fall squarely on her shoulders, gambling on the chance that she’d be too scared to actually take him up on the offer.

If she were smart she would run as fast as her feet could carry her. Knowing how much he must resent her, she told herself, she would be a fool to go anywhere alone with him. Once they were on the ocean, there would be no one to protect her from his anger.

Despite what reason might be telling her, Jessie felt as though she could trust the man standing before her. As illogical as it might sound, deep in her heart she believed that nothing bad would happen to her as long as she was with him.

Besides, she was tired of running away. Tired of crawling into her protective shell of isolation at the first sign of trouble. Never opening herself up to what the world had to offer, good or bad, had proved a very lonely way to live.