Unfamiliar Waters Page 11

  “She did try,” Jules said. “I remember once when I was young, and she told Nigel and me that we were going to go on a long boat ride.” He lifted his head, blinking.

  “Fairfield had taken ill, and I thought if I could get the boat keys, then I could get them away while he was gone.” She stood and brushed off her clothes, probably out of nerves. “The old goat requested backup, and Hilliard sent someone else for a few days to keep an eye on things.”

  “Cousin Greg?” Jules asked, and Phyllis nodded. “He played toy soldiers with me.”

  “Yes, and if there had been anything out of place, he would have turned into a real soldier very quickly. I decided to play along, bide my time, and try to get the three of us off the island eventually. I tried twice more, but I could never get access to the boat for long enough. After that, I gave up and made sure they were safe but kept all of us as low profile as possible.” She smoothed her hand over Jules’s hair, her gaze hardening slightly. “I know you don’t trust me, and that’s fine. But while you were sound asleep, I could have taken the boat or hurt you or them if I wanted to. I also didn’t say anything to the locals who were here earlier. I could have caused trouble or gotten away to call Hilliard. I didn’t and I won’t. I want these boys safe just as badly as you do.” She put her hands on her hips, glaring at him.

  Garrett stared back, neither of them backing down. “Maybe, but you’re going to need to prove it to me… and to them.” He turned to Jules. “I’m not telling you what to do, but remember what she did, and be careful.” He didn’t want to lecture him; that wasn’t Garrett’s place. But he wanted Jules to be able to make up his own mind and look at others with a little skepticism. He purposely said what he did in front of Phyllis, so she’d know where he stood. Then he cleared his throat before going back below. Sometimes folks were too kindhearted for their own good.

  Nigel looked like he was still asleep, his nose twitching like he smelled something good, and when Garrett got close, a long arm snaked out, wound around his back, and pulled him nearer.

  “What are you doing?” Garrett whispered.

  “I missed my furnace,” Nigel hummed softly.

  “It’s the tropics. You don’t need a furnace here,” he teased as Nigel tugged him even closer. And maybe that was the point. Nigel really didn’t need him for anything. No matter what, Garrett’s heart might have perked up to hope. He swallowed hard and tried not to let the dark thoughts overwhelm the others, but it was damned hard. Reality had a way of throwing its wet blanket over everything.

  “I’ve been here for eleven years. If it gets below eighty degrees, I need a blanket.” Nigel slid his arms around Garrett’s waist, resting his head on his belly. “I want somewhere we can be alone. Like in the cave during the rain.”

  Garrett nodded and closed his eyes, remembering those few hours they’d had alone. Nothing else had mattered. Nigel had been a sweet escape from his worries, a needed diversion. At least that’s what he’d told himself, knowing that wasn’t completely honest but unable to face the truth.

  “Do you?” Nigel asked.

  Garrett nodded, unable to form words for a minute, his thoughts running jumbled through his head. “At first I wanted simple and uncluttered,” he admitted. “And you represented that. We could be together and it was fun, uncomplicated, and wasn’t going to last long because I was going to have to leave. But then things….” God, he had a way of not saying what he really wanted to.

  “So you don’t really like me… that way.” Nigel’s hands slipped away. “I see.” He sat still, his head cocking just enough that Garrett knew he was looking beyond him. “You don’t have to. I was… randy…”

  Garrett smiled at his word choice.

  “…and you were there, and I thought—”

  “Don’t,” Garrett said firmly. “You don’t need to say things to try to make it different than it was.” He placed one hand on Nigel’s head. “I didn’t say I didn’t like you… to use your words. It’s difficult.”

  “Because of David?” Nigel asked.

  “I thought things would be easier if I had to leave. Then I couldn’t get hurt. I’d know things were temporary, that what we had was just for now. But then I kept staying. I probably should have left right away, but I couldn’t. Instead, I sat around on the deck of the boat each day, waiting for you to step out of the undergrowth.” Garrett smiled, and Nigel turned to look up at him. “It was like there were two sunrises each day, one in the sky and a second in my heart when I saw you.”

  Nigel smiled, his eyes shining. “You’re a poet.”

  “No,” Garrett chuckled. “I most definitely am not.” Most of the time, he stumbled to find the right words. Lord knew he had with David.

  Nigel shook his head and patted Garrett’s hand. “You know what I think?” He cocked his eyebrows, and Garrett remained quiet, his gaze locked on Nigel’s. “I think most men are poets when they’re in love.”

  Garrett swallowed. “You do?” There was no way he could deny it, and if Nigel asked, he’d tell him the truth, but part of Garrett wasn’t ready to say the words out loud. If he did, then they couldn’t be taken back, and that led down a road he wasn’t quite sure he was ready to follow. For him, those three important words had only been reserved for one person. If he said them to someone else, then he was letting go of that one connection to David and the one special, enduring link that David still had to him, the kind that death couldn’t break. At least that’s what the stories and love songs always said.

  “I think so.” Nigel sighed and held Garrett tighter. “You don’t need to say anything more. I know you have troubles with saying some things.” He cocked his head so Garrett could look into his eyes. “I know you aren’t ready yet.”

  Garrett huffed softly. “And do you know that life isn’t like a storybook?” he whispered, not wanting it to sound too harsh.

  Nigel humphed. “And do you know that sometimes life can be a fairy tale?” He ran his hands up Garrett’s back, tugging him down until he could wind his hands around Garrett’s neck, closing the distance between them.

  The kiss was gentle, as though Nigel knew what Garrett needed. The mind and body were already on fire, his cock throbbing in his pants, but this… it was different. It wasn’t about heat or passion, but more about…. It took a second for Garrett to understand, and by then Nigel had pulled back. Garrett was being reassured, having his faith and hope rebuilt. How Nigel knew what he needed surprised and warmed him at the same time.

  “It’s time you got your fairy tale.”

  Garrett bit his lower lip. “What if I already had it?”

  Nigel shook his head, rolled his eyes, and then looked at him as though he had just said the stupidest thing on earth. “We get more than one.” Then, probably to silence the protest already on his tongue, Nigel kissed him again, harder and more demanding, as though to emphasize his point.

  Nigel tugged him back toward the bed, and Garrett went willingly, heat building to the point that he needed to taste, feel, and smell Nigel all around him. Garrett slipped his arms under him, pressing Nigel to his chest, hijacking the kiss, plundering Nigel’s mouth as Nigel stripped away his control.

  Within seconds, Garrett climbed onto the bed, careful of the low ceiling, bringing Nigel along with him. He had to feel Nigel, and slipped his hand under Nigel’s shirt, the kisses growing more and more urgent by the second as logical thought gave way to instinct and basic, nearly uncontrollable need.

  “Nigel,” Jules called from outside, a hint of alarm in his voice. “Garrett.”

  Garrett stopped, holding still, forcing his head to clear, even as he growled under his breath. Jules had perfect timing. Garrett slid off the bed and Nigel scampered to sit on the edge of the bed, righting his clothes, as Jules clambered down the steps.

  “There are men in a boat, and they’re going from group to group,” Jules explained breathlessly as Phyllis joined them in the cabin.

  “Do you recognize them?” Garrett asked
, and Phyllis shook her head. “Okay. All three of you stay down here. Phyllis, make something for us all to snack on, please, and stay out of sight.” Garrett grabbed his bag and began pulling off his clothes. “I need to put on my swimsuit so I can look like I don’t have a care in the world. It isn’t likely that anyone your uncle would send would know very much about me, and unless Fairfield is with them, they haven’t seen me. So….” He pulled out his suit and the others turned away. He changed, grabbed a towel, and put his clothes on the bench. Then he returned to the deck, snagging an old paperback off the table as he went.

  Garrett spread his towel out and grabbed his sunglasses off the console. He pretended to read his book as he watched the boat from behind his glasses. They were indeed slowly trolling around the area as though they were looking for something or someone. Garrett studied them and wished he had a way to snap pictures. Still, he committed detailed descriptions to memory, as well as the numbers on the boat and its make. They passed him without a second glance, and when they were out of sight, he called below. “They’re gone.”

  Nigel popped his head out of the cabin. “What do we do?”

  “Stay here and wait out the day. Can you grab my notebook out of the blue duffel?”

  When Nigel handed it up, Garrett jotted down notes while they were fresh and continued to watch. The strangers seemed to be making another pass, so he went back to his reading, checking on any details he could add to his description. This time they came pretty close, and Garrett was able to spot an eagle tattoo on the one man’s neck and what looked like part of an ear missing on the other. They were hard men who lived rough lives.

  “Stay below,” he cautioned without moving. “I don’t know what they’re looking for.” He got to his feet and began stretching and moving on his towel, watching without appearing to watch. He straightened up and turned toward the boat. “Hey, guys,” he called and waved, as they slowed. “Great day.”

  They turned his way, looked him over, and continued on without any acknowledgment. After a while, they sped off and didn’t appear to be coming back.

  “What was that?” Nigel asked.

  “Just being a little forward. They expect their quarry to hide from them, so anyone who’s out front and forward will probably be discounted.” Garrett sat down and pulled open the door to the cabin so the three of them could get some fresh air. “That doesn’t change the fact that you are being searched for.” And it was probably best if they set sail and got away as quickly as they could.

  “Can’t we come out now?” Jules asked.

  “Please, just stay there.” Garrett wrapped his towel around his waist and went below. It was a little cramped with four people. Thankfully Phyllis had put the table up and sat on one of the bench seats out of the way. “It’s for your safety.”

  Jules sat down, and his leg bounced. Garrett understood that he had plenty of energy and wasn’t used to being cooped up like this. He and Nigel usually had an entire island to run on, and now Garrett was asking him to stay below in the cabin. “Why don’t we make some dinner and try to keep busy? After we eat and it starts to get dark, we’ll slip out of port and head north.” Garrett pulled out his phone to check the local and regional radar, groaning.

  “Is it bad?”

  “Yes and no. For most larger ships, probably not. But there are some troughs of moisture and rain that seem to be heading this way. As much as I want to be able to move, we’re probably stuck here at least until tomorrow.” They’d have to wait for the weather to pass and any associated wind to die so the seas could calm to a safe level. Then they could venture north.

  “So we have to stay here….” If there had been room, Jules would have paced.

  “Just until the weather clears. Once it gets darker, you can come up on deck and sit if you want. But what if those men are looking for you?” Garrett asked, needing to be a little firm.

  “Jules. This is for the best,” Phyllis said calmly. “Come over here and try to relax. None of this is your fault, but remember how scared you were this morning?”

  Jules hung his head slightly, nodding. “Sorry,” he said softly.

  “It’s okay. Just be patient, and everything will be fine.” God, Garrett hated giving such stupid advice, but it was all he had.

  He checked the radar again, groaning softly. It would be best if they could leave now, but with the weather on the way, that wasn’t safe. Additional boats would be gathering for safe harbor as well, and soon the entire place was going to be full up.

  “Wouldn’t anyone who’s looking for us check at the harbormaster to find out which boats just came in?” Phyllis asked.

  “Yes. And it’ll only take a little palm greasing for them to find out that we came in last night. But they’ve already seen the boat and discounted us… I hope.” Garrett sighed. “They don’t know which direction we’ve gone and are going to have to check St. Lucia and even as far as Barbados by now.” And the more time went on, the greater their search distance. “All we can do is not give them any indication that we’re here.”

  “But people saw us in town,” Nigel said.

  Garrett nodded slowly. “I know, but unless they’re willing to talk to everyone, I’m hoping that we can go pretty much unnoticed. I’m going to stay above and keep a lookout. You can help by making sure everything is straightened up and battened down here, though I don’t think this weather is going to affect us much in the harbor.”

  “Then why don’t we just leave?” Jules asked.

  “The harbor is protected by the breakwater and its position. This isn’t like a tropical storm or anything, but the waves on the open sea would make being out in a boat our size a difficult, rough ride. We could probably do it if we had to, but I’d rather be safe.”

  Nigel hugged Jules tightly. “It’s going to be okay. Garrett knows what he’s doing.”

  While Garrett was grateful for the vote of confidence, he didn’t feel like he knew anything. The men he’d watched could have been looking for anyone. Hell, whoever Hilliard sent to try to find them could be closing in at this very minute. He had no idea.

  Garrett went back up on deck, sat in the shade, and watched the area around the harbor as clouds thickened and the sky darkened. Most of the time, as night fell and the energy of the day left the atmosphere, the rain and storms died away, but these seemed determined. The harbor emptied of people, and the other boats rocked in the waves. Garrett went below to join the others.

  Phyllis had made sandwiches, cut up some fruit, and put out a plate of crackers and cheese for dinner. It was basic but good, and they ate in silence as the first of the rain hit the roof of the cabin. It quickly grew heavier, and Garrett kept checking out the windows for any sort of activity.

  “Do you see anything?” Jules asked, and Garrett backed away.

  “Have a look, if you like,” he offered, and let Jules peer out into the rain.

  “I don’t see anything.” He continued around to each small window and then sat down once again. “It’s strange being inside like this all the time. Even when it rained, we’d stay outside in the shelters or in the caves. When the weather was really bad, we were in the house, but this seems so small.” Jules pulled at the collar of his shirt. “And it’s like there’s no fresh air.”

  Garrett opened the underside of the hatch, which let in some fresh air but kept the rain out of the interior. Jules grabbed his plate and sat nearest the opening, peering out into the rain.

  Garrett wished he had things to pass the time. Searching the cabinets, he found a deck of cards, and they played for a while, until the last of the light faded. Jules insisted on sleeping on the bench by the door, and Nigel handed him a blanket. Phyllis made up the table and went to bed, which left him and Nigel with the forward cabin.

  Nigel cleaned up in the small bathroom and then Garrett used it himself before climbing onto the bed and pulling the curtains in the darkness. Nigel snuggled close, and a few times Garrett felt his leg shaking. Both of them were ner
vous and on edge.

  Garrett lay quietly, looking up at the top of the cabin just above his head, listening to the rain, feeling every centimeter where Nigel touched him. His mind raced with the desire to roll over, take Nigel in his arms, press him into the bedding, and strip him naked just so he could once again know the feel of Nigel’s skin on his and know the shudder as Nigel reached his completion. That cave, rustic as it was, the sand hard under his back as he slept, seemed cozier and more inviting than just about anything he could imagine right now.

  Garrett clutched the bedding with one hand as he wrapped the other around Nigel. Under normal circumstances, the rocking of the boat would easily lull him to sleep, but not tonight. He lay awake, listening to Nigel’s gentle breathing and Jules thrashing around on the bench. Realizing he wasn’t going to sleep, he quietly extricated himself from Nigel and slipped out of the bed. Not that he really wanted to leave, but temptation lying right next to him was more than his willpower would allow.

  Jules finally settled. Garrett passed Phyllis as he grabbed an umbrella and left the cabin, then stood on the deck, watching the lights of the harbor as the rain pelted the water and decking all around him. The wind had come up, blowing around them steadily. Garrett checked the radar on his phone again and then shut it down to conserve the last of his battery. He went back into the cabin, grabbed his small bag, hoisted it under the umbrella, and left once again.

  “Where are you going?” Nigel whispered from the bottom of the cabin stairs.

  “Stay here. I need to go into town. I want to see if I can hear of anything strange going on.”

  “I want to come,” Nigel said, climbing the stairs.

  “Please stay here and watch over your brother and Phyllis. I won’t be gone too long, I promise.”

  Nigel nodded, and Garrett jumped onto the dock, hoisting the umbrella, and hurried down the bouncing boards toward light and the sound of people.

  Chapter 8