Page 37 of Stranded with a SEAL

“We need a sat phone.”

“A what?” she asked, glancing over at him.

“Satellite phone. There’s no cell service out here in the middle of the ocean, sunshine. But on missions, we bring sat phones with us to stay in communication with each other and our CO.”

“Wow. Well you’d know better than me, I’m sure. How about I wish we were back on the boat, relaxing with Mason and Taylor, and none of this ever happened?”

He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I wish like hell I could make that true for you.”

***

Bailey gasped in surprise as Noah pushed away some branches, and they stepped into a clearing in the trees. A waterfall from a rocky cliff poured into a small pond, the sound filling the area. The trees and wooded foliage completely surrounded them, and it didn’t even feel like they were on the island anymore. The beach was completely out of sight.

“How’d you find this yesterday?” she asked, looking around. Tall palm trees swayed in the slight breeze, a bird swooped through the air, and sunlight danced through the leaves.

“I heard the water. It took me a hell of a long time to get here through the brush, but then I spotted those smooth stones that form a path of sorts. It was easier today coming around that way.”

“It’d be easier to get around if we had shoes,” she said ruefully.

“That it would, sunshine. Just be careful where you step.”

Noah took her hand, and they edged down toward the small pond. “Is it safe to go in?” she asked. “What if there are alligators or something?”

“It’s too small for an alligator to hide in,” he assured her, tightening his grip on her hand.

“Well what if there’s a baby alligator in it?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.

“I’ll toss something in to check. It’s shallow though and pretty clear. There’s probably not a waterfall here all the time—it might be flowing down this way from the heavy rain yesterday.”

Noah dropped his backpack to the ground, grabbing a fallen branch from nearby. He tossed it into the pond, watching as the water rippled. Bailey’s gaze was drawn to his tall, muscular form. He hadn’t questioned her, just immediately taken charge, tossing in a branch to ensure they’d be safe.

She liked that he reassured her. Not that she needed a man around back in Virginia Beach to take care of her, but here?

She was out of her element. Noah knew more survival skills than she ever would, but he didn’t fault her for it. He explained things when she had questions, was patient when she was upset or frightened.

As much of a flirt as he was, he seemed to genuinely care about her. He would’ve rescued anyone from the water, that she knew. But would he have been as careful and attentive to anyone else?

They were attracted to one another, certainly, but there was something more than that, too.

“Looks like it’s just us, sunshine,” he said, gazing over at her with those smoldering green eyes of his. “No alligators in sight. We can rinse off and fill up our water bottles. Don’t drink it right away though, just in case.”

“How long do the water purification tablets need to work?”

“About thirty minutes. This water is clear, so it’s just to be on the safe side. They release chlorine into the water, just like water purification plants.”

“That’s kind of amazing,” she said.

“Yep. Always carry them with me,” he said. He grabbed his empty canteen from his backpack, filling it with water and dropping in a tablet. Bailey grabbed the empty water bottles and crouched down beside him, filling them both to the top.

“Too bad we don’t have more empty bottles,” she said. “We’ll have to keep coming back here.”

“I hope not,” he said with a chuckle. “They’ll be looking for us today. Mason and Taylor, too, because you know there’s no way in hell that Mason will just sit silently waiting for word from the Coast Guard.”

Bailey watched as Noah dropped the water purification tablets into the bottles they’d filled. She pulled off her tee shirt and shimmied out of her shorts, smiling as Noah’s heated gaze landed on her. “Hell, you’re beautiful. Far too tempting,” he said with a chuckle.

She dropped her clothes by his backpack, leaving him standing there watching her as she stepped into the water. It was warmer than she expected, but fresh and clear. The small pool of water barely came up to her knees, but she crossed over to the waterfall, eagerly letting it wash the salt and sand off of her. She ran her hands through her hair, wishing she had shampoo or something to really wash it with.

Fresh water would have to do.

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