Jo glanced through the windows of the bridge to where Harper stood with his foot braced on the rail of the bow, his face turned into the salt spray. He looked at home, like he belonged on the deck of a ship. Almost as if he felt her gaze, he turned around for a moment with a soft smile that touched her through the tinted glass window. Her abdominal muscles twitched and warmth flooded her thighs.
They hadn't been gone an hour and already Jack's face was reddened to a rosy hue from the salty sea breeze. His thick, tawny-gold hair was ruffled by the light wind and the skintight jeans he wore molded to him in all the right places. He looked good for a geek. Damn good.
She gave her head a shake. Jeezus where did that come from? Her hormones must still be out of whack from her near encounter with Hunter this morning. He always had a way of putting her off balance. She chewed the inside of her lip and eyed Jack's firm derriere. Yes that had to be it. She hadn't slept with anyone since Hunter and that was before the break up. That had to be the reason why she was looking at the geek. There was no way in hell she could be even remotely interested in that nice looking backside, nor wonder what those muscles might feel like beneath her fingers. Her eyes slid reluctantly to the chart she was reviewing. She unclenched her thighs. Nope, geek butt did nothing for her.
Jackson had done a marvelous job of creating a clear overlay of the waters, showing the coral paths and areas to avoid. It didn't really get tricky until they got near the islands, but she was confident that Jack could manage the boat through those areas. Well, almost confident. He was costing enough, he had better be worth it.
"Finished ogling me, Sweet Cheeks?"
Jo quickly raised her head and looked into the amused green eyes of her coral reef expert. "What?"
"I saw you looking at me," he said.
She felt her face heat. What the hell? "I was not ogling you. I was merely observing how comfortable you appeared out there."
His eyes twinkled and in that instant, she realized that he wasn't wearing his glasses. "You were giving my backside a rather thorough appraisal. At least that's the way I saw it. Kelly?"
Kelly grunted from where he stood at the helm. There was no way in hell he was going to get in the middle of this one.
"Where are your glasses?" Jo asked abruptly.
"I never wear glasses at sea," Jack explained. "I like clean, dry lenses and I'm forever wiping the spray off them. I wear contacts when I'm out here."
"You should wear them more often," Jo remarked. "You have nice eyes."
"Why Jo, are you coming on to me?"
She took a quick, sharp breath and then snapped her mouth shut. She forced a sigh, rolled her eyes and spoke. "In your dreams, Harper. I don't get excited over computer nerds."
He grinned and couldn't resist taunting his pretty partner. "I've moved a step up from geek status at least. I'm making progress."
"Isn't there something you should be doing?" Her eyes swept the fading Florida coastline, its shores bathed in sunshine. She couldn't shake the idea that Hunter was out there, somewhere.
"Nope." His smile widened. "I'm just enjoying the salt in my face, the sun on my skin and the attentions of my feisty business partner until we get to the islands."
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