Page 14 of Whispering Waves

“Like a thrashing fish on a spear.”

He caressed her and held her. “How long did it take you to recover?”

“Over a month. Lots of lung infections. That water was nasty.” Her voice was hoarse. “Well, all that thrashing got the salt off.”

“I will grab you a towel. You are shaking.”

“It will stop eventually.”

He grunted and carried her to the jeep, set her in, and buckled her in.

The air was warm as he drove them back to his place, but she couldn’t feel it. She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. They were at his home in five minutes.

Nina was physically miserable. When they arrived, she got her wet shoes and suit and started the slow trudge to the front of his house.

“Oh, no. You are not going home looking like this. It looks like I tried to drown you. Or that I yelled at you. Neither being true, you are going to stay here until you look like you did when you arrived.” He lifted her and carried her into the house, to his bedroom, and into his shower. “Here. Hot shower and warmed towels; get warm and dry, and I will have coffee and lunch ready for you. Then, we are going to chat.”

Nina blinked. “Oh. Okay.”

She gripped the front zip of her tankini and then looked at him. “A shower alone, right?”

He sighed. “Yes, unfortunately.”

She smiled, and when he turned to leave, she started to unzip her suit. She held it together when she saw him looking at her in the mirror. “Not today, Kimo.”

He chuckled. “Can’t blame me for trying.”

“I can, but considering the situation, you have been acting with restraint. Now, shoo. The thought of the hot water is tempting.”

He nodded, and she backed up and closed the door gently.

She peeled her suit off and hung it up. Nina figured out the very elaborate taps and stood there as the water hit her from all sides. She gradually turned the heat up until it made her skin prickle.

She groaned and pulled her hair loose from the ponytail. She ran her fingers through her hair and dropped the weight of it down on her back.

Nina groaned and faced into the hot water, then just water washed herself from head to toe. Her skin was warm, and the steam helped her throat.

She sighed happily and turned off the water. It was rejuvenating.

She felt so much better as she wrapped herself in a huge towel. Nina wrapped her suit in a hand towel and made sure the bath towel was snugly around her before she went to ask Kimo where she could hang her suit up.

She smelled coffee and walked into the kitchen. “Where can I dry my suit off?”

He glanced at her, froze for a moment, and sighed. “Did you rinse it out?”

“No. I just took it off. We were in freshwater.”

He held his hand out. “Drink your coffee, and give me your suit.”

She handed her suit over, and he took it while handing her a warm mug of coffee. Nina sipped at the coffee, and it was less sweet than in the morning, and Kimo wasn’t on the cup.

Nina wandered around the kitchen and saw that the oven was on. She peeped in and blinked, then closed the door as something warm and sweet and aromatic struck her in a scent cloud.

She held her towel to her while she looked around the large kitchen and at how pristine it was. He came in wearing an open and loose shirt and cotton trousers.

He shrugged. “I figured I should hang my suit up as well.”

“Where are they?”

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