Noah raised his eyebrows. “Interesting. But they don't exactly scream 'beautiful tourist destination,' do they?”
“No, they are kind of strange-looking.” I put my own goggles on my head and managed to keep the snorkel from smacking me in the face in the process. “But I'm glad they don't scream ‘tourist’. Tourists tend to think that since they're just here for a short amount of time, nothing they do is going to matter. But there are hundreds of them with that same idea. They take pieces of the reef home as souvenirs; they leave litter and trash; they fish without restraint.”
“Tell me how you really feel... don't hold back.” Noah held up his hands like he was defending blows from me.
“Sorry.” I smiled apologetically. I stopped myself from telling him all about how my fellow researchers and I wanted to purchase the land and turn it into a nature preserve. He didn't need to worry about it, and it wasn't all that interesting. “It's one of my soap box triggers. This is supposed to be fun. This is probably my favorite spot in the whole world.”
Noah's blue eyes sparkled like the ocean. He sat on the back of the boat with his feet in the water, getting ready to jump in. “Then I'm honored that you're showing it to me.”
“You should be,” I teased, pushing him in. He splashed as he hit the water and I followed him into the ocean. It was warm and calm. I took his hand in mine, and together we swam away from the boat and over to the reef.
Coral in the shape of giant fans reflected purple in the sun below us while orange fronds waved smoothly in gentle sway of the water. Colorful fish darted through the rising coral and swaying sea fronds like dancers. Parrotfish with their bright scales moseyed along the reef, watching us with curious eyes. A stingray swam below us in graceful flight before disappearing into the dark of the water. Blue tang, angelfish, trumpet-fish, and myriads of shiny, tiny minnows moved through the reef with amazing ease, filling the ocean floor with color and movement.
Noah pointed excitedly to a hole in a rock where a spotted eel slithered out and went into another section of the reef to find something to eat. Even despite the snorkel in his mouth, he couldn't contain the grin on his face. I dove down to the bottom, picking up a conch shell. It was still very much alive, and Noah held it reverently in his hands. Light pink flesh peeked out of the shell as Noah examined it, and he nearly dropped the living creature. I could hear him laugh under the water as he realized that it wasn't just a shell.
With strong strokes, Noah dove down to the bottom and gently placed the creature on the sand. I smiled at his careful gesture as he made sure the conch was safely settled before returning to the surface. I was glad I had brought him here.
My heart was full of a mixture of sorrow and happiness as I watched him point to a bright blue parrotfish. Noah had said he was only going to be on the island for a couple of days, and I knew he would be leaving any day now. I knew I was falling for him despite my best efforts. Watching him interact with the reef with respect and excitement wasn't helping. It was only making him more attractive to me. I tried to convince myself that just the experience of bringing him here was enough, and that I would be okay not repeating it. Unfortunately, I knew I would want to show him all my favorite places again and again.
Noah came to the surface and pulled his mask from his face, grinning from ear to ear. Together we floated on the water, our hands and feet moving in constant rhythm to keep us steady above the water. His hair gleamed in the sunlight, and his eyes were alive with excitement and enjoyment.
“It's so beautiful down there!” he exclaimed, wiping water from his eyes.
“I thought you would like it,” I said with a grin, pulling my own mask up onto my forehead. “Did you see the eel?”
“Yes!” Noah frowned slightly. “You are not getting me to touch it, though.”
I laughed. “Good, because I don't think he wants to be touched.”
“Unlike some other eels...” Noah gave me a naughty wink. I couldn't stop the blush as I laughed at his dirty joke. He swam closer, his powerful arms easily cutting through the water until he was close enough that we could kiss. “Thank you for showing me this today.”
“My pleasure,” I said softly as he pulled me into a kiss. The tang of saltwater filled my mouth, his body warm against the cool of the ocean. A heat began to fill my core, surprising me with just how ready I was to have him again.
“I have something I need to tell you,” Noah said, pulling away from me. He licked his lips, his blue eyes darkening like deep water. His brows came together, serious and strong. I swallowed hard. He was going to tell me what he did for a living because he was leaving.
“What?” I asked. My heart clenched, not wanting this encounter to be over. I wished I could just stop breathing for a moment and let the ocean swallow me up before he said he had to go. I was far more attached to him than I had planned on becoming. Being attached sucked.
“I'm staying longer on the island.”
Hope blossomed, letting my heart beat again. “Really?”
“Yes, really.” He smiled, knowing that he had panicked me for a moment. His eyes lightened, and I felt the sun shine again. “It does mean that my assistant is coming out to join me, though. I do have to get some work done.”
“Okay,” I replied, happiness lifting my voice. He was staying. “For how long?”
“Indefinitely. My job is pretty mobile,” he answered with a nonchalant shrug, behaving as if moving to a remote Caribbean island was something people did all the time. “Owen has given me run of the villa for as long as I want.”
I squeaked with joy and he laughed. I kissed him and then frowned slightly. “You have an assistant?”
“Yes.” He smiled again. “And I wanted to tell you about her beforehand. She's rather attractive.”
I raised my eyebrows. “And you're telling me this because...”
“Because I didn't want you to get the wrong idea when you see her. We aren't a couple,” he explained.
“Okay...” I wasn't quite sure what was going on. I was glad he was telling me, but at the same time, the idea of a sexy assistant was rather intimidating. Someone who knew him and would be with him all the time. The boss leaving with the secretary was a popular trope for a reason. “So you have no interest in your attractive assistant?”
“No. And really, I should be more worried about her stealing you away. Not her stealing me away from you.” He bobbed gently in the water as I digested his words.