Wild Shores

Chapter Four

“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive for a while?” Gem asked as she buckled into her seat and Austin got behind the wheel. She’d almost hated leaving the warm cocoon of the diner, where she’d felt a little removed from her ordinary life and a little bit out of control. She wasn’t quite herself, and the unexpected freedom was exhilarating. Austin continued to fascinate, by turns charming and amusing and then, suddenly, quiet and reflective—as if she were struggling with some larger question and finding the answers elusive. Gem loved puzzles, although her interest didn’t usually extend to people. She’d learned a painful lesson when it came to people—she was terrible at reading them and vowed never to be in a position where her flawed ability to discern another’s true intentions would matter. If she didn’t care, she couldn’t be hurt. Austin had already made her forget her sacred promises—from the beginning, Austin had been a mystery Gem wanted to unwrap.

“I’m good for now. But thanks.” Austin eased out onto the highway. Traffic was light, but the visibility was almost zero. The mist had turned to a steady, light rain and fog blanked the sky, making the day nearly as dark as night. They’d been on the road half the day and were still only a third of the way to their destination. “If we keep making the kind of time we have all day, I’ll take you up on it.”

“We could surrender,” Gem said. “Pull into a Motel 6–type place and ride this out. The rain may not let up, but eventually the fog will lift. We’d probably end up arriving at about the same time, and the driving would be easier. Probably safer too.”

“We might have to eventually.” Austin didn’t have any intention of quitting, but she couldn’t really come up with a plausible reason why she needed to reach Rock Hill Island ASAP. “But the fog has to break eventually, and we might get lucky sooner rather than later. You okay with being cooped up in here awhile longer?”

“I’m fine. I’ve never minded coops.” Gem smiled. “And the company is excellent.”

“Yes, it is.” Austin glanced over and smiled. “Is there someone you need to update on your situation?”

“Someone…oh, at the sanctuary, you mean?” Gem shook her head. “No, not really. Our study group is funded through a national program in association with the sanctuary’s foundation. I’m actually in charge of the research program, and I planned to arrive a few days early. I wanted a little time alone just to enjoy the place before the work got started.”

“To wake up to nothing but the sounds of the wind and birds,” Austin murmured.

Gem flushed, glad Austin’s attention was on the road. “My inner geek is showing, isn’t it.”

Austin looked her way and shook her head slightly. Her expression was solemn, unexpectedly serious. “Not at all.”

“Well,” Gem said, her throat unusually tight, “the other investigators have been here before. If anyone does show up before me, they’ll settle in fine on their own. How about you?”

“Sorry?” Austin said.

“Is this a solitary vacation, or do you have friends in the area?”

“Oh.” Austin preferred to say as little as possible about her plans—the less said, the less she had to embellish. And the less guilty she’d feel about not explaining her real purpose for the trip. “No. Just me.”

“You are serious about holing up, then.”

“Once I get into the drafting stages of a project,” Austin said, happy to retreat to safer ground where she could answer without subterfuge, “I tend to hibernate until it’s finished.”

“How about I give you my number when we get there,” Gem said, “and if you decide a change of scenery will improve your concentration, or you just need a break, you can call me. I’ll show you around the sanctuary. It’s quite beautiful this time of year.”

“I…thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Gem said quietly, a little taken aback at her offer. She could tell herself she was just being friendly, just returning Austin’s generosity in giving her a ride, and that would be true—partially. But it was more than that, if she really wanted to look at it. She liked Austin’s company. She wanted to see her again, although that didn’t seem likely given what Austin had just said. Reaching out to someone—someone who interested her in a personal way—just wasn’t something she did. More often than not, she was the one gently saying no to proposals from women to get together. She wasn’t unfriendly, and she enjoyed the company of women, but so very often, those invitations came with the unmistakable undercurrent of interest in something she had no interest in. She didn’t want a date. Not that she wanted a date with Austin, and Austin hadn’t given her any indication she was at all interested in anything like that.

She just enjoyed her company—her easy confidence, her gentle teasing, even her occasional silences that hinted at some hidden hurt. Those glimpses of internal struggle might intrigue her most of all. And if she was honest, she’d have to admit that she wanted to know those secrets. She didn’t want to say good-bye at the end of the trip and never see her again.

That desire for more was astonishing and a warning she ought to heed. She had no time and no place in her life for anything remotely resembling a personal relationship. Oh, she had a relationship with Kim, but they’d been comfortably seeing each other for almost two years and neither one of them had taken it to a truly serious level. As far as she knew, Kim didn’t see anyone else, and neither did she, but they’d never actually discussed being exclusive. She mentally examined the possibility that Kim might be seeing someone else, something she’d never given any thought to before, and didn’t feel the slightest bit of jealousy or threat. She suspected Kim would feel the same about her. They were fond of each other, compatible in their interests, both socially and professionally. Sex had never been a huge part of their relationship and was less and less so as time passed. They were comfortable—or at least she was. Safe and comfortable and unengaged. She knew for certain that the most intimate times she’d spent with Kim never stirred the bone-deep excitement of sharing a simple meal with Austin. She’d never believed in the concept of chemistry, but being around Austin was changing her mind. Her skin literally tingled when Austin’s mellow tones brushed over her. And that must spell danger. Retreat was surely the wisest course.

“I know you’re busy,” Gem said, “so, please, don’t feel obligated—”

“It’s not that. If I can escape,” Austin said quietly, “I’d love a tour. But I can’t make any promises.”

“Fair enough,” Gem said, surprised by the somberness in Austin’s voice. She almost sounded as if she had no control over what was going to happen. Maybe that was just her way of describing being caught up in her work, something Gem definitely understood, but there was a level of regret in Austin’s tone that tugged at her. Impulsively, she reached across the seat and squeezed Austin’s forearm. “I mean it, no pressure. I understand about work, about getting lost in it. About needing to finish a project.”

Without warning, Austin caught her hand and held it. Her fingers were as strong as Gem imagined, warm and smooth. Hers automatically threaded between Austin’s, and the fit was perfect. Her breath caught in her throat. No, she’d never felt anything quite like this, not even before she’d put up the barriers to guard against getting too close.

“I don’t feel pressured,” Austin said. “Not the way you think. Not by you. It’s…a little hard to explain.”

“Then don’t. Call if you can. I’d…” Gem grabbed a breath, took a chance. “I’d like that.”

A muscle jumped along the edge of Austin’s jaw, her profile in the reflected light of the dash going still and hard, as if flesh had been replaced by marble: cold and beautiful and untouchable. “So would I.”

“Well then—all we really need to do is—”

A loud bang reverberated through the vehicle.

“Hold on!” Austin grabbed the wheel as the big vehicle swerved and skidded. “Damn it.”

The SUV lurched onto the shoulder and Gem’s seat belt tightened across her chest, pinning her against her seat. Her pulse jumped and she peered out the windows into the surrounding gloom, desperately trying to see. “What is it?”

“A flat, I think,” Austin said through gritted teeth. “Something must have been in the road. I didn’t see it.” The vehicle bumped along the shoulder and finally came to a stop. “You okay?”

“Yes, fine.” Gem released her seat belt and massaged her shoulder where the strap had bitten in. She bet she’d have a bruise.

Austin punched the hazard button and lights flashed on the dash. “I hope we’ve got tools.”

Gem opened the large glove compartment and sorted through what was there. “Manual. Rental papers. No flashlight.”

“There has to be a spare and a jack,” Austin said. “I’ll go take a look.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“You might as well stay in here. There’s no point both of us getting drenched.”

“Visibility is terrible,” Gem said. “I don’t want you outside working without some way to warn other vehicles. At least I can use the light on my phone to signal that we’re out there.”

“Let me assess the damage first. Then we’ll go from there.”

“Promise you won’t try to fix it by yourself.”

Austin sighed. “Has anyone ever mentioned you tend to be pretty stubborn?”

Gem smiled. “That would not be a news flash. Now, promise?”

“Promise. Two minutes.”

“I’m counting.”

Austin slipped outside, leaving her alone in the silence with nothing but the metronomic flicker of the hazard lights and her own confounding thoughts. The fog sat against the windows, pressing in like a malevolent force. She shook away the foreboding. She’d never been afraid of the dark, never been afraid of the unknown. The only thing she truly feared was falling victim to her own desires, and being wrong again.

The rear hatch opened and when she looked back, a shadow moved in the gray mist. Austin. “All right?”

“Fine. Just be another minute.”

After what seemed like fifteen minutes rather than one, Austin tapped on the side window and Gem powered it down. Rainwater blew in, dampening her hair and face. She pushed wet strands away from her face. “How is it?”

“It’s flat all right. We’ve got a new spare and tools. We’re well enough off the road that I think I can change it safely. It’s gonna be messy and will probably take me some time. It’s a mudslide on the shoulder.”

“You think Triple A is out of the question?”

“On a day like this? They’re going to be so busy dealing with fender benders and breakdowns, we could be sitting here for hours. It’s just a flat. I’ve changed plenty.”

“I can’t say I’m an expert at it, but I take direction pretty well. I’ll help.”

Austin’s hair was soaked, lying in thick, dark slashes across her forehead. Her shirt was plastered to her chest, clinging to muscles and the curve of her breasts. Water dripped from her chin and the angles of her jaw. She was gorgeous. Gem swallowed and steadied her voice. “It’ll go faster with me helping.”

“I’m already soaked. Really, there’s no point in both of us—”

“I’m coming.” Gem grasped the handle and pushed open the door an inch. “Let’s get this done.”

“You win.” Austin stepped back and caught Gem around the waist as she jumped out. “Watch your step, okay? The shoulder slopes away right behind us and I can’t tell how far down it goes.”

The rain pelted Gem’s face, an icy blast that startled her with its ferocity. The storm was coming in harder than she’d expected. She gripped Austin’s waistband to steady herself. “I’m good now.”

“Come on.” Austin offered her hand and, for the second time in less than an hour, Gem took it. The action felt as natural as anything she’d ever done, and as rare. She couldn’t remember the last time she had touched anyone with such a feeling of rightness.

Austin led her back along the side of the vehicle. She’d left the hatch up and directed Gem in front of it. “You can duck underneath if the rain gets too bad.”

“Do you have a rain slicker?” Gem asked, zipping her windbreaker.

“In my bag, but I might as well save it at this point. I’m already drenched.”

“You’re going to freeze.”

“Don’t worry,” Austin said. “I’ve been out for a lot longer than this in plenty of worse places.”

Gem wanted to ask what she meant. But she had more important things to do. Like keep them from being hit while they were stopped. She pressed the light icon on her phone. “I only have a half charge.”

“You should save it. I’ll be okay.”

“At least let me hand you tools.”

“Only if you stay out of the road. I don’t want some jackass to come plowing along and hit you.”

Her concern, and her possessive tone, brought heat rushing to Gem’s skin and kindled a slow burn in deeper places. She brushed the damp hair from Austin’s cheek. Her face was hot, her eyes blazing. Gem had the insane urge to kiss her. She swallowed hard. “I’ll be careful.”

But she feared it was already too late for that.