Romancing the Crown: Kate & Lucas. Justine Davis

the one who always has to go after the next adventure, not me,” she said, her tone harsher than she had intended.

      His smile disappeared. “I’m sorry about upsetting you earlier, Kate.”

      “It’s all right. Let’s just forget it, okay?”

      “No, we can’t forget it. That’s the whole point. We’ve been trying to pretend that our past didn’t happen, and it’s not working.”

      He was right, she thought. It wasn’t working. But that only meant they had to try harder. “We’re on a mission, and you’re in the water. I don’t think this is the time or place for a discussion, Sam.”

      “Then what is?”

      “Would you just get in the dinghy now, Lieutenant Coburn?”

      He watched her in silence for a moment before he clamped his hands over the gunwale. “Better lean back.”

      Just as she’d done when he went in, Kate leaned over the opposite side to help balance his weight. He kicked hard to heave his upper body out of the water, then hooked one knee over the side of the boat and rolled smoothly inside.

      The dinghy was designed to accommodate two people easily, but it suddenly seemed too small. Kate returned to her seat in the stern and tried to do what she’d done for a week. She tried to ignore the six feet two of ruggedly handsome male in front of her.

      But as Sam had said moments ago, it wasn’t working.

      “Kate…”

      She held up a palm. “Please, Sam. We’ve said more than enough. Let’s just get back to the boat.”

      This time he didn’t argue. He slicked the water from his chest and arms with his palms, completely unselfconscious about being half-naked. Without another word he took the oars, spun the dinghy around to point out of the cavern and rowed across the cove to their anchored sloop.

      The moment they had secured the lifeboat over the stern and stowed their gear, Kate headed for the cabin. But before she could reach the cockpit Sam stopped her with a firm hand on her arm. “Wait,” he said.

      “I need to get on the radio and check in,” she said almost desperately. She had to establish distance between them. She had to focus on her duty to keep the memories—and the doubts—at bay. They had to get back to the base before they dug up more things better left buried.

      “This will only take a minute.” Sam transferred his grip to her shoulders and gently turned her to face away from him. There was the click of an opening stud and the rasp of a zipper.

      “Sam! What are you doing?”

      “Trying to get my hand into my pocket.” He grunted. “This wet denim is like glue. Couldn’t get my hand inside unless I opened my fly, and I didn’t want to try this on the dinghy or you might have tried to jump overboard again.”

      She felt her breath stop. He was already half-naked. Now he was unfastening the only garment he wore. And he was standing right behind her, close enough for her to sense every whisper of motion. She closed her eyes, but she could all too easily picture how the sun would be gleaming off his moist skin, how each ridged muscle would tighten with his movements, how pale and slim her hand would look as she caressed his body…

      No. It was over. Gone. She could control this. She had to.

      “Got it. Hang on a minute.” The zipper rasped closed. A moment later he turned her around to face him and held out his hand.

      A fine gold chain was draped between his fingers. A gold butterfly glinted in the center of his palm.

      Kate’s heart was pounding so hard it took her a moment to realize what he was showing her. When she did, she felt a surge of warmth that had nothing to do with sexual awareness. “Oh, Sam.” She reached out to touch her fingertip to one of the butterfly wings. “You found it, after all.”

      “Yeah. I’m sorry about the broken chain, but I think it can be fixed.”

      She couldn’t move, caught by the image of his large, strong hand holding her delicate necklace. Her throat grew tight with a sudden lump of emotion. This was too much. The man who had created a baby with her, a precious and fleeting life, now held the symbol of it.

      He ducked his head to catch her gaze. “I thought you’d be happy.”

      She didn’t know what she was. Right now, she was too mixed up to analyze it. She clasped her hand over his and lifted her face. “Thank you, Sam.”

      “You’re welcome, Kate.”

      And then, as naturally as drawing her next breath, she stretched up and kissed him.