Depths of Salvation (Love on the Edge) (6 page)

Connell parted his lips, but the waitress took that moment to set our plates of food down. My mouth watered with the sweet smells of fish, spice, and lime. Nemo and Ryan hurried back the table, engulfing two tacos before I could even unwrap the paper napkin rolled around my fork.

I was conscious of Connell watching me eat, but that didn’t make me delicate about it. I returned his unflinching gaze, trying my best to match the man’s silent method of communication.

How the hell was I going to win him over if I couldn’t get him open enough to connect? And if I couldn’t I wondered how fast the chances of saving my site would go from hopeful to Nil.

Connell

I WALKED INTO
Sadie’s lab, which resided inside a large brick building that hugged the ocean. It had its own docking station, which currently housed two huge sport yachts. I hovered in the doorway, resisting the urge to whistle. The crisp, filtered air was scented with hints of chemicals used to test plant life, and it was all very . . . deja vu. Not that I’d say that out loud.

Sadie hadn’t noticed my arrival—on time for once in my life because something about showing up late to a meeting with this woman scared the shit out of me. I was content to watch her as she hurried from station to station, delegating tasks to her team of seven, and double-checking each stage of progress. Her long hair was tied up in a knot, and the tan skin that had haunted my dreams last night peeked out of a pair of black shorts and red tank top.

The set up was sharp and clean, with several stations sporting tanks the size of average aquariums containing green, red, and purple sea plants. Two other stations consisted of long tables capable of holding water. Inside each was a new sea plant, or coral, or other pieces taken from Sadie’s site, I assumed. The final station on the farthest side of the room held a variety of microscopes and cell slides. It was clear Sadie never left a detail behind when running her lab because there wasn’t an item out of place, including her crew.

“Whoa,” a woman with short blond hair said as she came to a halt in front of me, a thick white binder clutched to her chest. “Are you lost?”

I shook my head.

“Connell.” Sadie was slightly breathless as she approached, and I couldn’t tell if it was because she was afraid of me or excited to see me.

Why do you care?

This woman . . . first I was offering to spy on her, the next I was offering myself as a source of authentication for her site’s future. It’s like I hadn’t seen a pretty thing in years, which was absolutely not true. It hadn’t even been three months since my last lay, which I always preceded by assuring the girl of the week it would never amount to anything beyond sex. I just didn’t operate that way, not since we lost Conner. Then again, I wasn’t known for helping beautiful strangers, either.

“You’re on time,” she said, drawing my attention back to her eyes.

I pushed off the doorway that had been holding me up. “You sound surprised.”

She smiled but tried to hide it by biting her lip. I was grinning like an idiot before I could stop it.

“I don’t know you, but you seem like someone who operates on his own schedule.”

“Like I said last night, the only thing you need to know about me is that I’m the best at what I do. That includes showing up when I’m called.”

The blond woman who still stood next to me darted her eyes between Sadie and myself. She tilted her head at Sadie and mouthed
last night
before waggling her eyebrows. I swallowed hard, unable to stop the image of her suggestion from fleshing out in my head.
No.
Sadie wasn’t a girl you fucked; she was a girl you worshiped.
And you’re not capable of the effort it would take to really know her.

I nodded to myself, thankful for the reminder.

Sadie’s cheeks flushed bright red, and the blond woman chuckled before quickly making herself busy on the opposite side of the room.

I opened my mouth to apologize, but Sadie’s laugh cut off my words.

She held her stomach, she laughed so hard. It was beautiful. Infectious.

I joined in, and it loosened a knot I didn’t realize had tightened in my chest.

“You are . . .” she finally said, sucking in a sharp breath to reel in her laughter. “I haven’t a clue what you are, Connell. But I’m honestly looking forward to trying to figure it out.”

The reality of her words—and how they warmed my blood—sent up about sixteen different red flags. I kept people away for a reason. I didn’t deserve anyone’s attention, let alone companionship. The only thing I deserved was a long, cold life underwater.

“Hey,” she said, taking a step closer to me and placing her hand on my forearm. I didn’t jerk away from her touch. I should’ve. “That wasn’t a threat.”

I shrugged. “I know.”

She squinted, like she was trying to see past the hair I’d let fall in front of my eyes. “Then why do you look like I just challenged you to a cage fight?”

I chuckled. Damn. How did she manage to wrench this shit from me? When I worked
so
hard to keep people away? Ordinary people took my standoffish vibe and elected to give me my space, but Sadie? She acted like it was a damn welcome sign—come in and pull back the curtains.

Maybe it’s because you hold the future of her site in your hands. Don’t be a girl, dick.

“You’ve got quite the setup here.” I motioned to the action behind Sadie where most of her team conducted all manor of tests of the beautiful plant life before them.

“I’m lucky to have a team this dedicated and a space this stocked.” She smiled before it fell to a more serious look. “Though, the tests we’ve ran on the cell regeneration of the new-strain of algae aren’t going as quickly as I’d like. As much funding as I have here, I still have equipment and capabilities that will only take the tests so far.”

“You’re hitting snags?” I asked, wondering what Mom could do with five minutes inside this place. I quickly shot the thought down as the familiar pain ripped through me every time I thought about her.

“Yes. We have been able to study the strains enough to know it is capable of accelerating cell growth in its own species and even some sub-species of separate sea plants . . .” she chewed on the corner of her lip and I nearly forgot every word she was saying. “But it looks like it could have the same affect human cells as well. Proving that takes much more time and FDA approval. I’ve sent them a proposal with our research but I’m still waiting on their call.” Her shoulders dropped. “They may not get back to me in time. Getting to human testing can sometimes take a year or more, and I’m expected to approval in less than two months.”

“You think that extreme is what it’ll take to placate Henrick?” I asked, shifting my weight.

She glanced around her lab before bringing her eyes back to me. “I don’t know what else will. I’ve already given him
so
much value from this ecosystem and even more potential—I just need time. Time I thought I had before Slade decided to change his mind about the route.”

I flinched from her hard look despite knowing I had nothing to do with that decision.
But you are actively helping him see it to the end.

Shit. The more she spoke about her site the more I felt like an asshole.

“That wasn’t a dig,” Sadie said and sighed. “It only means I’ll have to find something more down there or pray the FDA comes through, speaking of.” She turned until she spotted Nemo. “You call them today, Nemo?”

“Twice. Same answer. Our research approval is pending. You want me to try again?” He answered quickly.

“Just the usual call before they close for the evening. Thanks.” She licked her lips, which I noticed more than I liked, and turned back to me. “Ready to get wet?”

I cocked an eyebrow at her as she clenched her eyes shut.

“I mean,” she huffed, “ready to see the ship? We can embark whenever you want.”

“Yeah,” I nodded, swallowing another laugh.

“Liz?”

“Yes?” The blond woman was back at Sadie’s side in a millisecond. She’d obviously been eavesdropping.

“Gather the troops. We’re ready.”

“Copy that,” Liz said and turned around. “All who have to be on the boat, do so in ten minutes. Those staying behind, don’t break my shit!”

Sadie grinned and motioned her head toward the door in which I still hovered. She led the way outside, to the closest of the yachts docked next to her lab. I grabbed the bag stuffed with my gear I’d left outside and followed her silently as she climbed on board, trying unsuccessfully not to stare at her ass. It was perfect. Of course. The woman couldn’t only have a mouth on her,
and
a brain, but had to have a rocking body, too. What were the odds? I glanced at the sky, wondering if Conner was looking down on the scene and cracking up at his brother getting paid to betray the first woman to get under my skin in . . . well, years.

Once we were on board, she turned around and eyed the large black bag in my hand. “You didn’t trust me to have proper gear?”

“I don’t leave that sort of thing up to chance.”

“Fair enough,” she said, taking a seat on one of the cushioned benches that hugged the railing on the ship.

Liz and the kid—Nemo—came on board next, followed by two more men I didn’t bother asking names of. All but Nemo followed Liz to the pilothouse. He, not surprisingly, came to sit next to Sadie. The boy wasn’t smitten in the sexual sense, but he had that loyal puppy vibe about him. It was equally annoying and endearing. Having a reliable team was essential when taking the risks her line—
our
line—of work held. Though I preferred to work alone.

Twenty minutes later and I was breathing easier as the ship cut through the blue waves of the ocean, the sea air cool against my face. It never got old, the feeling of losing connection with the land, and how freeing it was. Second best to actually diving beneath the surface for a good length of time.

I sat next to Sadie and stared outward. She watched me but didn’t know I noticed because of the sunglasses I donned. I wondered what made her forehead pinch together in the center as she looked me up and down, but I guessed if she wanted me to know she’d tell me. I’d only known her for a day, but she was really good about speaking her mind. I liked that, seeing how most girls made you guess for days at what they really wanted. I bet she’d be vocal in bed, which would be a fucking turn on—

“How much is he paying you?” Sadie’s voice stopped my thoughts right in their tracks.

“What?”

“Slade. How much is he paying you to do this?”

I scrunched my eyebrows together. “To do my job? He pays me well. I’ve earned it from my experience in the field.” I shifted in my seat.

She raised her hands in defense. “Sorry, seems like he’d be the type to make you an offer. You know, to do whatever it took to get my site demolished. Get me out of the way.”

Damn. She was sharper than I’d given her credit for.

“If he didn’t,” she continued, scooting closer when it was evident I wouldn’t add anything to the conversation, “then why’d you do it?”

“I didn’t do anything.” I swallowed hard. She was so close I could smell her. Salt, ocean, and sun. Good god, the woman smelled like a dream.

“Yeah you did. You bought me time. And somehow became the deciding factor, the all authority . . . I need to know why.”

“You know, I’ve told you all you
need to know
.”

She leaned back against the silver railing, crossing her arms over her chest and staring out to sea. “We’ve got two months to spend together, Connell. You might want to entertain the idea of actually talking to me.”

“Why would I want to do that?”

Her eyes returned to mine and pierced me even through my shades. “Because you might lose whatever weight is crushing you in the process.”

I huffed and shook my head. She had no idea, but the fact that she hit so close to home rattled me, so I leaned closer to her. “You’ve got no idea what you’re asking. Trust me, you’re better off keeping your distance.”

She licked her lips again and a flare sparked behind her eyes.

I’d said the wrong thing.

What should’ve scared her off clearly only made her more intrigued.