Page 42 of Royal Agenda

“But?” Ryker asked as they stopped and stared out over the water. The ocean had some green in it today. Much better than gray, in his opinion. Gray was dismal and sad–not at all what he felt, and if he could not stare at blue and think of Grace, then he could stare at green and remember the soft puff of air against his neck when she sighed with happiness.

Sean released his shoulder and grinned. “But we need to know that you’re being careful with that one.”

“That one?”

“She’s almost too perceptive.” He signaled over his shoulder toward Mack and Liam. “Those two told me everything she figured out about them in less than five minutes. You can’t tell her anything. And you’re going to have to throw her off your royal scent.”

Ryker bristled at his use of “royal” and “scent” together in a sentence like that–as if they were some breed of animal. Sean met his gaze, something twitching behind his eye. His intensity did not make sense. Sean was the fun one. The man who would put itching powder in your underwear drawer.

Also, the SEALs had pressured him for months to start dating, to settle in and “get a life” as they liked to say.

This talk wasn’t about Grace. Not really. Grace was an icebreaker for what was to come next.

“This is not about one date.” One incredibile, sorprendente, perfecto date. “What are you not telling me?”

Sean chuckled.. “Sometimes I forget you were more than just a royal highness.”

Ryker shrugged. “I cannot help it if my training takes over any more than you can.”

Sean jutted his chin in agreement. The tension in his forehead released. “I underbid another company for a job, and they are ticked off. They’re determined to make my life miserable.”

“What company?” Ryker asked.

“Titan Marine Salvage.” He glared at the water. “That guy is as pleasant as a jellyfish and not even close to as pretty.

Ryker followed his gaze to where two boats bobbed in the surf. They were black, with chrome trim, and flew a nondescript flag with a picture of a beer on it. He snorted.

“Why are they out there?” He worried for the treasure that he hoped they would find today.

“They want to follow me. If I come up with anything interesting, they’ll try and take it.” Sean shrugged.

He gritted his teeth. “Pirates.”

Sean laughed. “They wish they were as cool as pirates. No. He’s just going to trail us and then watch. Which wouldn’t be a problem if this was any other day and any other dive. But–.”

“It is not.” Ryker tapped his fingers against his thumb–an old habit that surfaced when he was nervous.

“No. It’s not. But we changed our dive plans. We’ll settle a ways away from the target and swim to it. They won’t be able to trace us.”

“Anyway, I thought you should know.” He turned abruptly. “Also, if you’re planning on seeing this girl again tonight, we’d better get going. You can’t be late, or Nancy will have your hide.”

Ryker glared at the boats and then spat on the dock—an old curse his grandmother used to do whenever. It made him feel moderately better.

They headed out to the dive site, anchoring away from it. If this was the site of the Re Del Mare, King of the Sea, wreckage, things could change in a blink. The SEALs’ official assignment was to protect him; they’d only taken on looking for the crown jewels as a personal favor. If anyone else came along and found them first, well, according to maritime law, they could keep them.

Time was of the essence.

The local fishermen were the ones who had found the mysterious mass, so it was not like it was a secret that there was something down there.

Sean and Mack went down while Liam worked the radar on the surface of the water. Ryker stood at the helm, the lookout and captain for the time being. If there was an emergency, Liam would be the rescue diver. By Naval decree, Ryker was forbidden from participating in the dives—a fact that raked across his pride like coral on bare feet.

The black boats were visible through his binoculars, and he kept a weather eye on their opponents while the men were submerged.

“So—you going to tell me about your date?” asked Liam as he adjusted a knob on the radar, then his man bun. “It’s your first one since we got here.”

It was his first date in longer than that, but Liam did not need all the details. “It was a wonderful night. We talked under the stars and watched the tide go out. She is an enchantress who charmed me with her stories and excitement for life.”

Liam stared at him. Then he snorted—derisively. “Sometimes I forget that your people are a sappy lot.”

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