Chapter Two

Nina felt the mark on her back warming and cooling in waves. The cooling made her shiver, and she knew it was trying to move her close to Kimo.

“Why don’t you give in to it?”

“Body is one thing; brain is another. Trust is difficult.”

“You are here now, so trust will come.” He placed his hand, palm up, on the table between them.

Nina slid her fingers against his and winced at the size discrepancy. From talking to others in the book club, she knew that her body would take care of the sizing issue with flex and a ton of slick. His fingers carefully wove through hers. His hand was careful and warm.

Kimo cocked his head. “You know, I thought I would have to travel to the city to find you.”

“Um. There are a few of us who were drawn to the islands. I came so that I could get a rest from the news. Folks still want to know what the geyser was, and I still don’t have an answer.” Comforting heat radiated from their connected hands.

He smiled. “I will tell you about it later.”

“You know?”

“Of course. I was there.”

Drake asked, “Are you going to finish your steak?”

“Nope. Have at it.”

He grinned as he hauled her plate over, and Reg asked, “Why do you get it?”

“Because she’s my sister. So, I can ask, and it’s cute; when you try, it is pervy.”

She started to stand, but Kimo didn’t let her go. “I have to get dessert.”

Tono held up his hand. “I will get it. What do we need?”

“The dessert, a big spoon, bowls, and spoons for eating.” She settled again and fought the urge to lean against Kimo.

Tono grinned. “And if I stay in there and eat it all?”

Drake muttered, “I will come in there and get it out of you.” He scraped his plate and sighed happily.

Kimo murmured, “So, what time to you wish to begin your certification?”

“I don’t know. What time would you like me?”

“Do you have a wetsuit?”

“I do, sort of. A boardsuit.”

“You don’t really need one to learn. Any swimsuit would be fine. Naked would be better, but I think that’s a little advanced for you. The first time you meet the ocean here, tradition indicates you should be naked.”

“Uh-huh. I am guessing that this is a rumour that the ocean has been putting around.”

Kimo chuckled. “Let’s just say I am eager to see your tattoo.”

“Oh, I get it. You still have to see it to confirm that it’s the right one.”

Tono came back with all the dessert stuff and started dividing it into massive portions.

Kimo grinned. “It’s been a while since I had a dessert.”

The mass of chopped fruit mixed with golden cake, pudding, and whipped cream was in a huge soup bowl. The spoon was huge, too, so she turned it around and ate using the handle.

She had eaten about a third of what was there before she had to put her spoon down. The table was silent aside from the clink of spoons on ceramic.

Kimo tapped her hand lightly, and she grinned and slid the dessert over to him.

Drake muttered, “Aw, really?”

“He asked first. There will be other desserts.”

Kimo murmured after swallowing, “And I will get them all.”

She raised her brows. “I thought you only came over to the station now and then.”

He smiled slowly. “My islands. I can go where I like.”

“Fine, but if you want to eat what you like, you have to bring groceries and recipes.”

He snorted. “I can cook.”

“Good, so next storm, you are hosting.” She smirked.

“Of course. There will be one later this week.” He lifted his head. “In two days. A big one. Put the shutters on the base.” He nodded and finished his second helping of dessert.

She thought about his appetite, blushed furiously, and then looked at Drake. “So, did you have a chance to look for Grandma and Grandpa?”

“Nope. Not yet, but it does explain how well we tan.”

She chuckled. “Do you mind if I poke around when I go shopping for supplies?”

“Look around all you like.”

Reg looked at her and cocked his head. “He wasn’t kidding? You really have family out here?”

“Sure, on one of the island chains. No idea which one. Now that I have a friend on the Wonder Islands, I might be able to access some of the census information to find them or even the island they came from in specific.”

Kimo asked, “Who do you know on Wonder?”

“Um, Hara, beta to Kekoa and Alohi.”

Kimo chuckled. “Good for him. Of course, knowing him, he’s going to fuck it up.”

She blinked. “Why?”

“Because Alohi is needy as hell and will worm his way in between any agreements or attraction that is happening if he isn’t the most important thing in the room. She will be all alone in the room with them. I don’t envy her.” Kimo sighed. “What is your family’s last name?”

“Kahale. Our dad changed it to Hale.”

“Nina Hale. Oh pardon, Nerina Kahale.” He pulled a slick phone out, and it did a flash search as it caught his words.

A lot of alphas used voice recognition on their phones. Not only were their voices usually a good security measure, but they had big fingers.

A pop video surged up, and she started to sing. Without thinking, Nina reached out and slapped his phone to quiet. His hand grabbed hers, and he looked her in the eyes. “So, is there a reason you are abusing my property?”

“Well, I was young, do anything for money, and figured that singing was a good way just to do something for some cash. Since the other video is up, this one is in the algorithm.”

He nodded and pried her hand away. “Excuse me. I am doing research.”

She noticed how he had gone cool and intent on the video in his palm, though he muted it.

Drake craned his neck to see the screen.

Nina hissed. “Use your own bandwidth.”

“I can’t. The society monitors all my stuff. If I start watching videos outside of the recreationally allotted time, I have to pay.”

Kimo chuckled. “Nina, you are welcome to use my Wi-Fi anytime. When you come over tomorrow, bring yourself and your swim gear. I will give you the password.”

She grimaced. “Can’t we just be friends?”

He snorted. “What is your mark telling you?”

“To steal the boat and make a run for it.”

Kimo said, “That would be a remarkably bad idea.”

She slumped her shoulders. “I know.”

He rubbed his knuckles on her cheek. “You don’t, but you will.”

She shivered, and he smiled. “See you tomorrow, Nina. Thank you for having me, gentlemen.”

He got up and left the station.

She silently watched as he walked across the ridge of the outcropping and paused to incline his head to her. She reflexively raised her hand to him, and he grinned. Even from the distance, it was easy to see. He walked the beach and disappeared between trees, heading for his home.

She heard snickers, and Drake looked concerned while the other two were gleeful.

“Nina, are you okay?”

“Are you doing the dishes?”

“Yeah. That’s the deal.”

“Then, I am fine. I am going to go hunting for our grandparents while my data plan holds out.” She got to her feet.

Drake frowned. “I thought you were going to do that when you got to the islands.”

“I was, but I kept running into people I knew, and then the ferry was leaving.”

“Shit. Well, keep the usage to a minimum. You don’t want to break the bank.”

“I know, but it costs what it costs. If it takes away from my souvenir shopping, so be it.” She stretched. “I am going to brush my teeth and go to bed, so if anyone wants to mock me, they should get it out of their systems before I wake up.”

Drake paused. “Do you want me to wake you before we head out tomorrow?”

“No. I am going to sleep until I wake up. I am exhausted and am going to pretend that Kimo wasn’t here for dinner and didn’t figure out what I was.”

“You knew?”

“Oh, yeah. That isn’t the kind of thing you ignore, and when the waves on my back felt him, they formed a tidal wave.”

Tono and Reg blinked. “Huh. Like your brother, we aren’t particularly fancy alphas.”

“They are over-hyped. Interesting dinner. Thanks for the company.”

She headed to the room she had been assigned, washed her face, brushed her teeth, then crawled into bed, and passed out.

She heard the guys moving around and sat up, cupping her head in her hands. She grabbed her swimsuit and her wetsuit. She pulled everything on with some wet shoes, got her phone off the charger, and headed up to the kitchen.

Drake grinned. “It isn’t even dawn, Nina.”

“Well, you guys have the grace of water buffalos.” She got a cup of coffee and watched them have breakfast. She flinched when a plate of eggs was slid in front of her with a wedge of pineapple on the side.

“Uh, thanks.” She started eating and was still working on it when they all bolted out, and the boat started up. Nina finished her food, washed all the dishes, and double-checked her swimsuit. It was a sports suit and fitted her snugly. Nothing was getting out of that suit.

She wiped her palms on her thighs and grabbed her cross-body bag to hold her phone for her.

The sun was making its appearance when she finished walking down the outcropping, followed the path in the sand, and walked toward the house that could barely be seen through the trees.

“Oh, boy.” The house was heavy glass and up on a hill. He would be able to see the ocean from any room.

With a deep breath and her shoulders straight, she walked up the path that led to Kimo’s home.

The lights were off in the home, and when she knocked at the door, there was no answer.

She shifted from foot to foot and knocked softly again.

She heard a voice from the security camera. “The door is unlocked, Nerina, come on in.”

She paused and then pushed the door open. She took a few steps in, and Kimo called out, “Back here. In the kitchen.”

Nina walked into the kitchen and saw him leaning against the counter and drinking coffee. The thing that made Nina stop in her tracks was his swim shorts, which were all he was wearing.

She swallowed. “Uh, morning.”

He grinned. “Morning. You are up early. Eager?”

“The guys don’t walk softly.”

He nodded. “Ah. Got it. Coffee?”

“Um, sure. The guys make coffee like my grandma does, which means it was probably Drake.”

“Any luck on your search for your grandparents?”

“I did something stupid and now have to wait until I get to one of the towns for a new SIM card.”

He tutted. “That was definitely an oversight. Well, you are welcome to use my Wi-Fi. It’s the only one listed, and the password is Pearlseeker#11. For now.”

She nodded. She took out her phone and entered the password with a blush on her cheeks. It was probably an innocent reference to how he acquired his fortune. Probably.

“Thank you.” She started typing frantically with her thumbs, and he grinned as he slid the cup to the counter next to her.

“You look like a cream and sugar kind of lady.”

She sipped at the coffee and said, “Thank you.” She paused. “Seriously? It’s been that easy?”

He smirked. “Found out that there are only two families with your last name, and only one of them has elders in the right age range?”

“Uh, yeah. You looked them up?”

“Of course. They are on the third island of the Wonder chain. They are astonished that they have grandchildren and are eager to meet you... and Drake.”

She blinked. “Really?”

“Yes. Noa and Halia are eager to make amends for rejecting your mother when she and your father were courting.”

She winced. “Oh, you got the full story.”

“Yes. I told them what little I know about you and a lot about Drake. I thought they should be prepared that an alpha made it into the bloodline.”

“Oh, good thinking. That isn’t the kind of surprise you want to spring on elderly folks.”

He nodded. “Noa is very spry for his eighties. He runs one of the largest construction businesses on the islands. With his son-in-law.”

“Wait, so I have an aunt?”

“Apparently. She’s also been notified.”

She typed frantically and paused. Wow. “Iolana. Oh, I guess an alpha in the family won’t be too much of a surprise.”

Her aunt was a striking female alpha who looked a lot like her father. Not hearing about her father’s sister now made a certain amount of sense, along with his sneering at alphas. He simply wasn’t enough in his own mind. It was why she was the family favourite.

“Aw, hell. This makes so much sense.”

“Hey, don’t get wrapped up in family matters. Today is about you learning to suck... air through a regulator.” He smirked.

She exhaled and put her phone down. “Right. Focus on today’s task.”

“I like your suit. How long before you let me see the mark on your back?”

“No clue.” She chuckled. “Maybe I have to overheat.”

He grinned. “Challenge accepted. Finish your coffee, drink some water, and let’s go through the equipment.”

She followed orders and washed out her coffee cup. At that point, she only saw one, and it struck her that she had been drinking out of his mug. She licked her lips and caught a hint of something that wasn’t coffee.

He walked with her to a distant part of his house where equipment had been laid out. She had to identify every part of the equipment, what it did, and how long it was in operation under ideal circumstances.

He ran through how to clear her ears, clear her mask, and hold her mask to her face as she entered the water.

Everything was businesslike until he showed her how to use the regulator and demonstrated it on himself first. Putting the mouthpiece in tasting like him was severely distracting. She closed her eyes and focused on ignoring the small bloom of arousal that threatened to roar to life if she let it.

Nina focused and went through the valves and practiced sucking air in through the mouthpiece, knowing that when the water was pressing on her, it wouldn’t come easily. She was going to have to suck hard.

She gave him a dark look when he said that, and he laughed. She checked the gauges and practiced again.

Kimo nodded. “Right. Let’s go practice in actual water.”

She got to her feet and went to pick up the tanks. Kimo moved ahead of her and snagged the tanks, leaving her nothing to carry but the flippers and masks.

“Where are we going?”

“A sheltered pool. I was going to take you to one of the freshwater lakes, but buoyancy is different.”

They walked to a jeep and tossed the equipment in. She had to pull herself up because the vehicle was lifted.

She buckled in, and he grinned. “Ready to go play?”

“I am probably going to get in the water and then have to crawl out from exhaustion.”

“I am counting on you having a bit more stamina.”

“Time will tell.” She shrugged as he drove fast through back trails, and some of the most breathtaking views flew past the open doors of the vehicle.

When they moved down a path, she saw rock walls, and the open water was ahead of them. “Oh. Wow.”

He smiled at the admiration. He parked above the high-tide mark and looked at her. She turned her head toward him and blinked when he gave her a quick kiss.

She touched her lips, and he was already out of the vehicle and getting the equipment, even the flippers.

She unbuckled slowly and walked down the path after him, and the sun was beating on her shoulders.

Kimo helped her fit the tank rigging to her, showed her how to check her tank and adjust her buoyancy, and then geared up and led her into the water.

Nina hung upside down a few times but eventually got the hang of propulsion with her flippers. When she managed to get a few feet below the surface, the world around her changed. Kimo signalled to dive deeper, and she made adjustments and went further down. He was at her side the whole way, and when they were near the floor, he straightened and floated leisurely.

Nina was busy trying to remember to breathe, accept the pressure, and keep track of her computer and gauges. He tapped her arm and gestured for her to look. She glanced up and paused, exhaling hard. They were in a hoard. Treasure, cascades of pearls, and thick chains of gold were on the walls.

She pointed at him and then gestured with her fingers in a swirl that took in the walls around them.

He nodded and inclined his head.

She gave him a thumbs-up. It was very pretty.

He swam to the side and stopped by a shelf covered with pearls. He waved at them and picked up a strand of heavy pink ones.

She carefully moved over and shook her hand negatively. She gestured to the strand of black pearls, and he nodded and took them off the shelf to stow in the mesh bag at his hip.

To her astonishment, he plucked more of the black and iridescent pearl strands from the wall.

Nina reached out and stopped him from continuing his collection. He looked at her and cocked his head.

Her hand was on his bicep, and his skin was warm even under the water. She pulled her hand back and casually tried to swim around the confines of the deep tidal pool.

He shadowed her, and when she checked her oxygen, she signalled that she was going to start rising. He nodded, and together, they slowly cruised upward until they broke the surface, and she lifted her mask and removed her regulator.

She swam toward the spot where they had entered the water and scooted backward when she got to the stone shelf. Nina pulled off her fins and tossed them to the dry rock, and then her numb hands worked to unzip the vest attached to the tank. All buckles holding it onto her were released as well.

The tank was lifted away from her, and she pulled her mask off her head.

The sun was hot, and her wetsuit was clammy. She groaned as she knew what she was about to do. She wasn’t going to dry with her suit on.

She struggled to her feet and glared at him as she unzipped her suit and pulled it down and off.

Kimo froze in his tracks as she wrestled her suit off and walked over to the jeep to toss the soggy mess in the back of the vehicle.

She felt careful fingers moving the wet strands of her hair aside. Her swimsuit didn’t cover much.

“It’s moving!” His tone was amazed.

She smiled. “The ocean is always moving, isn’t it?”

He turned her to face him and kissed her. She touched his chest, and when he lifted his head, she whispered, “If you tell my brother about anything, I am going to find a sinkhole and dump you into it.”

He chuckled, lifted her, and pressed her against the jeep to kiss her again. When she opened her mouth to him, she tasted the pineapple that he had for breakfast before she arrived. It was just nice to know he ate breakfast.

Nina didn’t know where to put her hands. His torso was very naked and very warm. She put her hands on his shoulders, and her fingers stroked the soft waves of his hair.

Kimo stopped tasting her and slowly leaned back. “This is a delightful turn of events.”

“Yeah, I can see why you would think so.” She sighed.

He laughed. “You don’t? I am an excellent catch.”

“You aren’t the one dangling nearly two feet above the ground.”

He grinned. “You are small.”

“I am above-average height for a beta.”

“Not by much.”

“Shut up.” She growled. “I am also getting itchy, so can I go back to the base for a shower?”

“I have something better. Get in.”

“Put me down.”

“Oh, right.” He chuckled and set her on her feet.

She walked around the jeep and buckled up. He got in, and they were off. She had no idea where they were going, but he was grinning the whole way.