by Anna Hackett
Morgan flicked open a sleek, black phone and tapped something in.
“Everyone, I’d like to introduce Morgan Kincaid from Treasure Hunter Security,” Zach said. “Morgan, this is Dr. Alice Still and Dr. Taye Duncan.” He gestured to each of his team members.
Alice was a fit Australian woman in her forties, with auburn hair pulled tightly back in a braid. She was an experienced field archeologist and diver. Taye was a slender man with dark skin and a shaved head. He had a knack for restoring artifacts, and he and Zach had been friends for years.
“And this is our third grad student, Max.” The young man looked a little awe-struck as he shook Morgan’s hand.
She nodded her head at them. “We’re all looking forward to this expedition, and the Storm Nymph is waiting for us at Port d’Ehoala. It’s about five miles out of Tolagnaro.”
Just then, three silver SUVs pulled up. Zach watched Ronin Cooper slide out of the lead vehicle. A good-looking, broad-shouldered, African-American man got out of the second. He went back and tipped a Malagasy man who’d been driving the third.
“This is our ride,” Morgan said, hefting up two of the cases. “Everyone meet Ronin Cooper and Hale Carter.”
Zach felt an unfamiliar and very uncharacteristic stab of jealousy. Morgan worked daily with these tough men. Was she attached to any of them?
As his team moved forward to help load the bags into the SUVs, Zach grabbed Morgan’s arm. “Back at the museum, that story you told about your ex, that wasn’t true, was it?”
“No.”
“So, there isn’t really a boyfriend?”
An arched brow. “None of your business, Dr. James.”
He stared at her face for a second, then let her go. Satisfaction flooded him. “If there was, you would have thrown it in my face.” He smiled. “Good.”
She rolled her eyes. “Dr. James—”
“Zach.”
Her jaw tightened. “Dr.—”
He leaned in close. “We’re going to be spending a lot of time together, Morgan. You may as well use my name.”
“Dr. James, we’re here to work. That’s it. I don’t get involved with clients, and I have a job to do.”
Zach leaned closer. He’d learned from a young age to fight for what he wanted. If you gave up at the first sign of trouble, you got nowhere.
“I like adventure, Morgan, and I like a challenge. I’ve made it my motto to pack as much of it as possible into life.” He winked at her, sliding into the passenger seat of her SUV. “I think I’ll grow on you.”
She shook her head. “Like an annoying rash?” She slammed the door shut, and Zach laughed.
***
“Welcome to Port d’Ehoala,” Morgan said, as she turned the SUV into the port.
In contrast to Tolagnaro, the tiny port was quite new. Arching gracefully out through the water, an artificial breakwater wall protected the port. There was one quay with three berths for ships, two smaller and one large.
She knew that most of the infrastructure had been built by a large mining company that had an ilmenite mine in the area, but the port also serviced container ships and cruise liners. There were a few large warehouses, and a fenced area containing some stacked shipping containers.
Morgan glanced at Zach and saw his gaze had zeroed in on the Storm Nymph, where she sat beside the quay. In the backseat, the two female students were pressed up against the windows, staring with interest at their surroundings.
Zach looked comfortable in his outdoor gear and his scuffed boots. She always looked at people’s shoes to get their measure. He didn’t sit behind a desk all day. He looked just as handsome in the sunshine as he did at night. And maybe she liked him better in cargo pants than she did in his slick suit. The sun turned the light strands in his hair gold, and he radiated an energy that she could almost feel on her skin.
“She’s a beauty,” Zach said.
Diego’s research vessel wasn’t the largest, but she had everything a good science and salvage ship needed: high-tech communications, research labs, staging spaces, cranes, and submersible ROVs.
She spotted Dec leaning against the railing at the top of the ramp. She pulled the SUV to a stop behind Hale’s.
Soon, she was striding up the ramp to the ship, Zach a step behind her.
“Nice to see you again, Declan.” Zach held out a hand.
“You too, Dr. James.”
“Please, call me Zach. Morgan refuses to.”
A faint smile crossed Dec’s face. “She’s stubborn.”
“And standing right here,” she grumbled.
A man appeared above, on the balcony surrounding the bridge. He came down the stairs in smooth, easy movements that said he’d done it a hundred times before.
His dark hair was even shaggier than Zach’s, his skin tanned a deep brown, and he had scruff on his face. If there was ever a man who looked more like a sexy, salty man of the sea, she’d never seen him.
“And here comes our captain now.” Morgan grinned at Diego. He still had the hard body of a SEAL, but ragged cutoff shorts and a dark T-shirt were now his uniform. Tattoos peeked out from under one sleeve, and terrible scars graced the other arm. “Everyone, this is Captain Diego Torres.”
“Dr. Zach James.” With confident ease, Zach brushed by her to shake Diego’s hand.
“Welcome aboard. Looking forward to this expedition.” Diego’s voice was deep, with a slight southern twang. “I’m excited to help you find the Soleil d’Orient. I’ve heard stories about that wreck over the years. No one’s had any luck finding her.”
“I’m a pretty lucky guy,” Zach said.
Diego inclined his head. “Yeah, I heard about when you found the Verelst.”
“You have a great ship. She’s perfect for the job.”
Diego’s dark gaze swept over his ship affectionately. “The Nymph is the only woman I need.” The man’s face turned serious. “Should we expect any trouble?”
“When there’s treasure involved, I always expect trouble,” Zach said. “That’s why we have Dec and his team with us. We have agreements in place with the government, and I’ve been communicating with a local Madagascan archeologist for several months now. He’s an expert on local history, and he’s briefed me on everything he knows.”
Morgan saw Zach’s team coming up the ramp, carrying all their bags. “Let’s get your guys settled.”
“After that, I’d like a tour,” Zach said.
“Sure.” Great. Just what she wanted to do. Be stuck in tight confines with him.
“Keep an eye out for my crew,” Diego said. “Marc and Turner. Father and son.”
As Zach’s team boarded, introductions were made, then Morgan led the archeologists and students down into the main cabin area. “Bridge is up top, then the level beneath that is the galley. On this level, you’ll find the wet and dry labs, and the computer room.” She wrinkled her nose. “Although room is probably stretching it. It’s more like a cupboard filled with computers. Below the main deck level are the cabins. Of course, the sleeping areas are nice and cozy.”
“I assume that means tiny,” Charity called out.
“My guys are used to roughing it,” Zach said. “This’ll still feel like luxury.”
“The students will be sharing the larger cabin,” Morgan said. “There are bunk beds in there. Archeologists each have their own cabins.”
“Let me guess,” Zach said. “The cabins are cozy.”
She flashed him a smile. “You are a perceptive man, Dr. James.”
She showed everyone to their assigned cabins, until it was just her and Zach in the tight corridor.
“This is you.” She swung the narrow door open.
He leaned in close, his body brushing hers. “Thanks.”
Sparks skittered along her arms, and Morgan gritted her teeth. When had the simple brush of a man’s body ever affected her like this?
Inside, the small cabin
was neat, with a bunk on one side, and a small desk and cupboard on the other. Zach dumped his duffel bag on the bunk.
“Where’s your cabin?” he asked.
She raised a brow. “Staff cabins are a bit farther along.”
He gestured toward the hallway. “Shall we take that tour now?”
“You’re the boss.”
They moved back through the hall, and Zach bellowed at his team that they’d meet upstairs in the galley in an hour. She watched him move up the steps ahead of her, her gaze level with his tight ass. It was a work of art.
Morgan huffed out a breath. Jeez, she really needed to get a grip. So the guy was attractive? She’d seen plenty of attractive guys before.
There was no way in hell she was going to tangle with Mr. Charming Adventurer Zachariah James, no matter how delicious every single part of him turned out to be.
Chapter Five
Morgan bypassed the galley, guessing that Zach would want to see the research parts of the ship more than where they were going to eat. They moved into the wet lab.
“This is perfect.” He looked at the benches, and the neat storage compartments lining the wall. There were large sinks for washing down artifacts. “This is just what we need to study and store any artifacts that we bring up.”
With a nod, she led him through an adjoining door into the dry lab. They did a quick tour, before she led him into the neat-and-tidy galley and dining room.
“Wow.” Zach’s gaze locked on the large framed painting on the wall.
“It’s called The Cave of the Storm Nymphs,” Morgan told him. “Diego named the ship after it.”
The oil painting showed three naked nymphs in a treasure-filled cave, the stormy sea and a foundering ship beyond. The beautiful sirens were caressing the treasure and waiting to lure more sailors to their deaths.
“It’s stunning,” Zach said.
“Only Diego would name his ship after women who kill sailors.”
Next, Morgan led him back out and down onto the main working deck at the back of the ship. It was filled with various bits of equipment.
“The main crane is for lifting the ROVs in and out of the water. It has a twelve-ton capacity.” She pointed at the large yellow crane that was currently tucked into the side of the ship. “ROVs. Large, medium and small depending on the job.” The remotely operated underwater vehicles were all tucked securely into racks and locked down. No one wanted expensive equipment flying overboard in rough weather. There was a large ROV, with several attachments at the front for salvage. The smaller units were for relaying camera feed.
Zach stroked a hand over one of the ROVs, and looked like he was staring at treasure. Much like the nymphs in the painting had looked.
Morgan shook her head. Archeologists were the strangest lot. She led him to the very back of the ship. “Here’s the A-frame for lifting up anything really heavy.” It was actually shaped more like a U and the arm could be lowered down into the water at the back of the ship. Right now, the arm was upright.
She turned to look back at the Storm Nymph. The deck was scrubbed clean, and everything stored neatly in its proper place. Diego wouldn’t stand for anything else.
“And of course, this is our dive gear.” She led Zach over to several SCUBA tanks stacked on a rack. Beside them, compartments were filled with wet suits, buoyancy control device jackets, masks, and fins.
“Top of the line, as promised,” Zach said.
“Well, this is pretty standard dive gear. There is some pretty fancy stuff out there nowadays.”
“Stuff archeological dig budgets don’t cover.”
“Right. Or the military keep to themselves.”
The two of them ended up at the railing, looking back toward the port. She watched as he drew a deep breath, and then shifted his gaze to look out across the water to the northeast. “She’s out there.”
She felt the excitement throbbing off him. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say this was your first dive.”
He smiled at her, his grin making his handsome face look young, playful. “I’ve dived loads of wrecks, but I’ve wanted this particular ship for a long time.”
She pegged him as an adventurer, always looking for the next shiny thing. “This means a lot to you.”
“I’ve spent years scouring for every bit of information about the Soleil d’Orient. Yes, I want her more than anything. I want to bring her history up into the light and share it with the world. Nothing should stay buried and lost in the dark.”
Morgan leaned against the railing, a frown tugging at her lips. There was something buried in his voice she couldn’t quite place. But the one thing she could easily glean from him was his passion for his work. She loved her job, but she didn’t think it left her with the glint she saw in Zach’s green eyes.
Suddenly, she felt a touch at her hip, and glanced down to see Zach looking at the knife sheath she had attached to her belt.
“Hey.” She slapped his hand away.
He grinned at her. “How many other weapons do you have hidden on you?”
She scowled at him. He looked intrigued. Most guys were intimidated by her love of sharp objects and projectile weapons. “A lot. You keep touching me without permission, and you’ll find out.”
His smile widened but he held his palms up, like he was under arrest.
She shook her head. He was incorrigible. She looked back toward the port, and then she frowned. A small group was watching the ship. The people all looked like locals, and she chalked it up to normal curiosity when there was a strange ship in port.
Her gaze moved along the shore, and she spotted another man. He was leaning against some shipping containers, and didn’t appear to be paying the ship any extra attention, but Morgan’s instincts flared.
“What is it?” Zach started to turn.
“No.” She grabbed him, yanking him in close to her body, like they were sharing an intimate moment. She wrapped her arms around Zach’s shoulders, turning him a little, so she could look over his shoulder. To the onlookers on the shore, they would appear to be a couple sharing an embrace.
“Morgan, if you wanted to get your arms around me, you just had to ask.”
She flicked her gaze back to his. “You can shelve the charm, Dr. James. It’s wasted on me.”
He tilted his head, his intense green gaze moving over her face. Morgan fought the urge to fidget.
“Really?” he murmured. “Is that because you don’t enjoy being charmed, or no one’s ever bothered to get past your prickly exterior and try?”
His words made her heart knock against her ribs. How the hell did this man keep getting to her with just a few words? She cleared her throat. “There’s a man watching from the shore.”
Zach knew instantly what she was doing, and wrapped his arms around her, his lips tickling her ear. “There is a whole crowd of people watching.”
God, he was so close. She could feel every inch of his hard body, and it was making it hard for her to concentrate. She arched her neck back to look at him. “I’m not concerned about the crowd. I am concerned about the guy standing off to the side, next to the shipping containers. He doesn’t look like an ordinary local. My guess is, he’s a pro.” She looked Zach straight in the eye. “Why would someone be extra-interested in this dive, Dr. James?”
He let out a large sigh. “I’ll get you to call me Zach if it kills me. You’re thinking word of the wreck and the treasure’s gotten out?”
Maybe that was all it was, but Morgan’s gut was warning her that there was something else going on here, and she’d learned long ago to pay attention to her instincts. She needed to run it past Dec. “Maybe. Any other reason someone would be interested in the Soleil d’Orient?”
There was the briefest flicker of something in his eyes, then it was gone. A charming smile crossed his face. “Not that I can think of.”
Her gaze narrowed. “You aren’t keeping secrets, are you, Doc?�
��
“You’re welcome to strip me bare and check.”
She glanced back to the shore and saw the man was gone. She stepped back from the very tempting Zach. “It seems you have a harem of pretty students who would be more than happy to do that.”
His face turned serious in a blink. “I’ve never messed around with my students. Ever. I’m in a position of trust, and I’m here to help them learn.”
She nodded. “Right. Sorry. And I never mess around with my clients.” She turned to head back to the bridge.
“There’s one big difference,” Zach said.
Morgan paused and glanced over her shoulder. “Oh?”
“We are two consenting adults.” He shot her his trademark smile, sexy dimples flashing. “And you want me.”
Infuriating man. Morgan turned and stomped away.
***
The next morning, Morgan stood on the bridge of the Storm Nymph, surrounded by the ship’s high-tech controls. The bridge was on the top level, with windows all around that allowed for an excellent view in all directions. The main controls were at the front, and in the center of the space was a large table bolted to the floor. Its top was actually a computer screen, and right now the screen was covered in electronic maps.
Dec, Diego, Zach, Dr. Still, and Morgan all stood around it.
“This is the location I’ve pinpointed from the description listed in Jean’s letters.” As a glowing dot appeared on the map, off the coast northeast of Tolagnaro, Zach leaned forward, pressing his muscled arms against the edge of the table. As he moved, Morgan watched the flex of his forearms. They were dusted with a light sprinkle of golden hair.
Morgan, get a grip. She purposely focused on the table.
“It’s not too deep there,” Diego noted. “Around twenty meters.”
“Easy diving,” Alice Still commented.
Diego nodded. “But this point here, Itapere, has a few reefs, so we’ll have to steer clear of those.”
“A few ships have floundered at Itapere,” Zach said.
“Luckily your ship wasn’t farther offshore,” Diego added. “Go a few kilometers out, and the sea floor drops sharply. Over a thousand meters, and keeps on going.”
