Chapter 19

Grace awoke early after a sound sleep. Her thoughts turned to Alec—and the previous night—and her body reminded her of every delicious thing he had done to her. On the heels of that thought, anxiety began to chew around the edges of her bliss.

Two weeks remained in the expedition. Had she just made an awkward mistake? Would sleeping with Alec make their work easier or harder? How would she keep her cool around him? Would spirals of lust shoot out her eyes every time she looked at him?

She buried her face in her pillow to stifle a groan. It smelled of him. She inhaled deeply, just as he’d done with her hair. It reminded her of want and need and yearning.

Alec Galloway was the perfect male storm: physically appealing, mentally equal, and an impassioned soul. It was that last point that drew her while, at the same time, setting off alarm bells—no man in her life had ever met that criterion, except perhaps her dad. Certainly not the boys in high school, and not Brad, although she couldn’t deny that his work with sharks had given her false hope that he shared the same connection to the deep places, to the ancient pathways that the sharks embodied.

She rose from bed and started to get dressed, reaching for her one-piece to take it to the bathroom with her. She’d be freediving again today.

“Wrong choice.” Missy’s sleepy voice drifted from her perch.

Grace turned to her bunkmate who was visible in the gray light filtering in through the small window.

“You just rocked Alec’s world,” Missy said, propping her head up with her hand. “Well, I’m assuming you did.”

“Of course,” Grace retorted with mock sarcasm. “I used all my tricks.”

“Then don’t wear your one-piece today. Break out the bikini, Gracie.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really,” Missy admonished her. “It will give you leverage.”

Grace’s mind went blank. “Why do I need leverage?”

Missy yawned and rolled onto her back. “I don’t know, but it doesn’t hurt to stock up.”

Grace considered her options. “But he’s already seen me in my two-piece.”

“Oh, right. The one you’d wear if you were swimming the English Channel.”

“It’s not that bad.” Grace frowned, affronted by Missy’s assessment.

“Look in that top drawer.” Missy pointed across the cabin. “I’ve got a purply one that’s clean. You can borrow it.”

Grace rustled through Missy’s belongings until she found a pretty, mauve-colored top that didn’t have much fabric to it. She hesitated.

“At least try it on,” Missy murmured.

Oh, hell. Grace grabbed the top and the matching bottoms and headed to the bathroom.

Alec made his way to the galley on the lookout for Grace, but she was absent. She might still be sleeping. Yesterday had no doubt been a long day for her, but on the heels of that thought, he pondered how he might get her alone again.

Brad and Tony were eating eggs and toast and discussing politics. Alec had no desire to enter that conversation, so he grabbed coffee and a plain bagel and headed out on deck. In the morning sunshine, he saw two dorsal fins cutting along the surface of the glassy water. He climbed up to the observation deck. At the railing stood Double D, Eric, and Pete, but they weren’t looking at the sharks. Alec shifted his gaze to where they stared, about to bring the bagel to his mouth, but stopped the action mid-air.

Grace and Missy were one level below at the fore of the boat, faced away from them and watching the water, clad in fairly revealing swimwear.

No wonder the guys weren’t watching the sharks.

Double D caught sight of him. “A lot of sharks out this morning.”

“You’re all acting like you’ve never seen one before,” Alec said, trying to clamp down his irritation over them ogling Grace.

But, damn, she had a nice ass, and he’d had his hands all over it the night before. He took a bite of bagel and indulged the view along with the others.

“It’s about time they broke out the bikinis,” Pete said.

His comment broke the spell that even Alec had succumbed to.

These little shits were enjoying it too much. What was Grace thinking?

“It’s a little cold out, isn’t it?” he muttered under his breath and headed down the steps to the lower deck.

Grace saw him approach, and her smile boosted his ego several notches. The front of the suit revealed the nice curve of her breasts and an enticing amount of cleavage. He resisted the impulse to pull off his fleece and drape it over her. Double D and the boys would wonder what the hell was wrong with him, and they’d probably revolt over him covering the merchandise.

“Morning,” he said.

Missy beamed. “Good morning, Alec.” She wore a rather skimpy fatigue-green string bikini, but his eyes immediately homed in on Grace’s curves, which both piqued his jealousy and made him want to drag her back to the head.

He stepped around them both and stood to Grace’s left side. “There seems to be a lot of action out there.” He nodded toward the water.

“We should probably get in,” Grace said.

That was fine by him. The sooner she covered up all that skin, the better.

He took a swallow of his coffee. “I can be ready in ten minutes.” Or now, if she wants a quickie.

“Did you sleep all right?” she asked.

He faced forward, aware he was being watched from behind as well as from the side by Missy. “Yep. You girls realize you’ve got an audience, right?”

Grace looked over her shoulder and waved, but when she turned back to the water, a frown pinched her face. “It was all Missy’s idea,” she grumbled.

“Not that I’m complaining,” Alec said.

“Gracie needs to let loose,” Missy said.

“She did. Last night,” he added quietly.

Missy raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Touché.” She pushed back from the rail. “All right, Dr. Mann, cover yourself. It’s kinda chilly anyway. And you’re welcome, Galloway.” She walked away.

“She thought you’d like to see me in something less frumpy.” Grace’s frown deepened. “I don’t usually parade around in skimpy bathing attire. It’s so unprofessional.”

Her nipples puckered in response, and Alec forgot to breathe.

“Just so we’re clear,” he said in a rush, trying to keep his voice low, “I’ve never thought of you as frumpy.” He swallowed against the dryness in his throat, allowing his eyes to skim her breasts then drop lower to her flat belly and long legs. “And I like the bikini. I like it a lot.”

“Really?” She smiled. “I’d kiss you right now, but…well…you know that wouldn’t be a good idea.” She bit her lip, as if she were considering it anyway. “I’ll go get my wetsuit. I’m eager to get in the water.”

I’m eager to get inside you.

She turned on her heel and left, her bare feet padding along quietly. Alec looked out at the water, afraid that Donovan and the boys would see his tongue hanging out and know that he was good and whipped. If Grace snapped her fingers right now, he’d follow her in a heartbeat.

Staying away from her was going to be hell.

“Why’d you scare ’em off, Galloway?” Double D grumbled from above.

“Gear up. We’re going in the water in ten.”

Alec bit into the bagel.

He’d need the energy to keep up with Dr. Mann.

Grace sank into the water and began a steady descent, undulating her body like a mermaid, the extra-long flippers on her feet making her feel like a dolphin. Through her face mask, she spied Alec atop the starboard submersible with a camera pointed at her, while Stephie floated in the cage below, snapping photos. Double D was once again in the portside cage. Three sharks swam in the periphery, moving farther away as Grace, Mackenzie, and Tony entered their domain.

She went deeper, adjusting the pressure in her ears. The first thirty feet were always a struggle, requiring constant paddling, and then, as if some magical line had been crossed, with her lungs half their normal size, the ocean would suck her in, drawing her into its watery bosom. At this point, she no longer needed to use her fins.

This response of the human body in the water was known as the Master Switch of Life, and it was a nod to the connection humans had to the creatures of the sea. It never failed to give Grace a sense of belonging to her marine brethren. Humans evolved from the sea, and this Master Switch was the proof.

Two females and a male surrounded them. Grace hovered in place, watching them, but they kept their distance.

Mackenzie and Tony had already ascended for air, and Grace looked back at Alec. He gave her a thumbs-up, and she ascended.

On the third descent, the sharks came closer. The first female was Mary Ann, and Grace was glad to see that she’d managed to remove everything from the big girl. The male was probably new, about twelve feet in length. He swam lower than the females, since he clearly wasn’t dominant, and they appeared to tolerate him. He seemed inquisitive, but the females’ presence kept him from approaching Grace or Mackenzie or Tony.

Suddenly the three sharks disappeared. Visibility was good, but they still slipped away in the blink of an eye. Grace ascended and met Tony and Mackenzie at the surface.

“Why’d they leave so fast?” Tony asked.

“Bigger shark,” Grace said. She had a feeling....

She dove again since talking would waste energy. Plus, she didn’t want to miss whatever had caused those other sharks to flee.

As she came close to Alec’s depth, his eyes bulged, and he pointed behind him. Grace looked past his shoulder and a shadow began to materialize, growing with each passing second.

Alec had pivoted and was aiming the camera in the direction of an approaching shark. Grace could see it head-on, the Mona Lisa-smiling face of a great white becoming clearer. The tail swished slightly back and forth, and Grace’s heart started to pound in her chest. The shark’s mouth was slightly agape, revealing a range of sharp teeth, an endless collection of savage mountain peaks.

Alec craned his neck back to film the massive female as she moved over him, headed straight for Grace.

Easily eight feet across, she was a submarine in the water, and Grace felt the shockwave of the water she displaced.

Grace hung suspended in the watery dimension, wafting like a jellyfish on the currents the shark generated, and tried to find identifying markers.

It has to be Bonnie. It would be surprising if there was a multitude of giant females around the island.

The shark angled slightly, preparing to pass by with only a few feet separating them. Calm and confident, the female’s blue eye watched Grace.

The great white’s conical snout glided past, the pectoral fin almost touching Grace, before the shark’s displaced water pushed Grace backward. The enormous gill slits worked in a steady rhythm, extracting oxygen from the water that flowed constantly into the shark’s mouth and out the openings.

Grace finally caught sight of the countershading pattern, where the dark dorsal side met the white ventral underside. Bonnie’s unique markings stood out.

She’s my Bonnie-lass. Her father’s voice echoed in her head.

This was his shark. His baby. His favorite.

Time slowed as Grace waited for the lunar tail of the shark to glide by. If Bonnie decided to make a meal of Grace, she could do it easily in one giant inhalation.

Bonnie moved away and then circled around for another pass, this time bringing a friend. Unbelievably, a large yellowtail amberjack dashed in and out of Bonnie’s mouth, likely performing this suicide behavior to gain bits of food that might still linger. Bonnie tolerated it, probably because it was the best way to get a tooth cleaning.

Mesmerized, Grace drank in the sight of the most perfect predator she had ever seen. Although Bonnie’s girth was so thick as to be almost comical, as if she’d been unable to stop eating ho-ho’s, Grace had a strong feeling that the majestic female was pregnant.

And then out of nowhere, a Guadalupe fur seal joined them, swimming an elegant underwater ballet. Bonnie moved her head back and forth like a sprinkler, but made no other indication that the seal had caught her attention.

The adorable pinniped approached Grace, its wide eyes soulful, its behavior playful. It advanced toward Tony and Mackenzie, then dashed away, but Grace noticed that it always kept its eye on Bonnie.

Bonnie continued her cruising, sliding along as if she hadn’t a care in the world, and Grace sensed the shark’s curiosity about them, her demeanor calm, almost serene.

For a moment harmony reigned, a flawless convergence of human and shark and seal, all sharing one world.

And then Grace was forced to surface before she blacked out.

“We should get a biopsy,” Grace said, leaning against one of the desks in the office, her arms crossed. “And then we should tag her.”

Everyone was crowded into the room. Missy, Stephie, and Tony sat at the table looking at Double D’s computer as he loaded footage from his and Alec’s cameras, as well as the chest cameras each of the divers wore.

From across the room, Alec watched her with laser intensity. He ignored the chatter and said, “Please don’t tell me you want to be in the water when that happens.”

Grace drew her brows together. “Probably.”

“Who knows how she’ll react.”

“I doubt she’d even feel it. Did you see how big she is?”

“We all did, Grace. And we all just about shit our pants.”

“Except Gracie,” Missy said, staring at the computer screen. “Are you missing the fear gene?” Missy glanced up at her. “I think you missed your calling. You should be a Marine in one of those elite forces. You’re like some steely-eyed robotic warrior, afraid of nothing.” Her eyes shifted back to the footage that Double D was screening.

Grace wanted to view it, too, but she’d wait until the others had had a chance. “Tony and Mackenzie were there, too.” She nodded at the two grad students like a proud mother. “You both did well.”

Mackenzie sat on a stool near Alec. After last night’s escapades, Grace no longer felt as threatened by the young woman, but it would be nice if Grace could inform her that Alec was off the market. Unfortunately, she’d have to tell everyone else as well and couldn’t see any good reason to for now.

“She was scary,” Mackenzie said, “but she was way more interested in Grace than either of us.”

“And then that seal showed up.” Tony shook his head. “I’ve never seen one play with a shark like that before.”

Brad shifted from his stance near Grace, leaning down to grab a bottle of water from the fridge. “Maybe I’ll get her from the outboard.”

“How many sharks did you tag today?” Grace asked. Brad and Fowler had been gone all morning around the north side of the island, chumming in an effort to attract sharks.

He took a long swallow from the bottle. “None.”

“We’ve seen her twice now in this area,” Grace said. “Maybe she’ll continue to hang out here. I want to have a spear with a tag ready from now on.”

“How big would you say she is?” Fowler asked, positioned in the corner beside Alec.

“Well, looking at the footage,” Double D murmured, continuing to watch his computer screen, “I’d say twenty-two feet, based on comparisons against Grace and Mackenzie, but the angle was never that great.”

“That would put her as the largest female sighted at Guadalupe,” Brad said.

A chill ran like wildfire along Grace’s spine. She rubbed her hands along her upper arms, enjoying the warmth from her fleece jacket and the pants she now wore. She had freedived all afternoon, but Bonnie hadn’t returned. Grace was feeling the usual fatigue and lowered body temperature she always did after hours in the water.

“I think she’s pregnant,” Grace added. “And if I were to guess her age, I’d say she’s pushing 80 years old.”

A look of disbelief crossed Frank’s face, the creases around his blue-gray eyes more prominent due to expedition fatigue. “Do sharks really get that old?”

Grace nodded. “We can’t know for sure. To determine her exact age, she’d need to be dead and dissected.”

“Interesting thought,” Frank replied.

Grace didn’t bother to hide her scowl. “It’s a disgusting thought, Fowler. Imagine what Bonnie has seen in her life. Think of all the pups she’s given birth to. How many eighty-year-olds do you know that are still having children?”

“Can we try to get the biopsy and tag her from the outboard?” Alec asked.

“But then we’d need to chum,” she said, “and I’m not entirely convinced it would work on a shark like Bonnie. The big females often stay deep. Besides, I’d like to keep it clean.”

She meant that in regard to both the handling of the shark as well as literally. When chum was in the water—ground up fish and tuna heads and blood—the divers were covered in it. It usually took weeks to get the aroma of fish guts and entrails from her hair.

“Let me try,” Grace said quietly, looking only at Alec. “And you’ll film it.”

He didn’t answer, instead gifting her with more of the brooding countenance that had been gathering steam the longer they talked about Bonnie. If they had been alone, she liked to think she could have kissed away those rough edges.

But maybe she was overestimating her effect on Galloway. Best to stick with what she knew—sharks.