Read Riptide [Kismet Cove] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) for Free Online Page A

wave to drench him from the waist down. The last thing they needed was for her to do the math and figure out her rescue party was short a seal and up a human. Not that she’d likely remember any of this after what she’d just been through, but secrecy was paramount to the safety of Rory’s family and the whole colony.
    “Come on, sweetheart, let’s get you inside the cabin where it’s warmer.”
    “Y-yes puh-puh-please.”
    Rory waited until the deck was quiet before he hopped back onboard and wrapped himself in the thermal blanket Evan had left for him. From inside the cabin he could hear Evan calmly chatting to their unexpected guest, and he felt an urgent need to get dressed and join them. Ever since Rory had detected her scent in the water he’d been feeling odd, and now the idea of her being out of his sight had him fighting to get his jeans back on over still wet skin. He needed to get in there and see for himself that she was going to be okay. He didn’t even bother with shoes, and his shirt was still in his hand as he started to head for the cabin. He made it halfway there before he stopped dead and swore as Evan’s voice sounded in his head again.
    “You need to drive the boat. I’ll take care of her.”
    No matter how much he wanted to join them, there was no way he could. Someone had to stay and get them back to a safe harbor, or they were all going to be swimming again.
    “Bastard.” He sent the blistering thought back to Evan before turning his attention to the wheel. He dragged his sweater back over his wet hair one-handed and started the engine, swinging the Storm Lord around in a wide turn so that they were heading back to the colony’s private dock.
    He glanced down into the cabin and bit back a growl as he realized Evan had taken their passenger past the kitchenette and into the cramped space that passed as onboard sleeping quarters. His fingers tightened on the wheel and he found himself increasing the speed of the engines, despite the risk of damage. What the hell is wrong with me?

Chapter 4
     
    Evan took one look at the woman’s pale face and knew she was in shock. Worse still, her lips were almost blue with cold and her teeth chattered so hard she could barely speak. She leaned against him as the boat pitched and rolled, and he found himself wrapping his arms around her as he bundled her in layers of blankets and bedding. He heard Rory curse at the cold and knew he’d reverted back to human form, but only a small part of Evan was thinking about his blood-brother. Most of his thoughts were taken up by the curvy bundle of shivering woman that was currently clinging to him. A bolt of pure lust thrummed through him as he caught a hint of her scent beneath the smell of wet wool and seawater.
    He drew her tighter against him and then turned them both, pointing the way to the cabin as he distracted her from the fact there was a naked man cursing and crouched just out of sight on the swim platform. Evan got her into the narrow galley and was about to sit her down at the table when Rory’s mental snarl of frustration hit him. So he was grumpy about driving the boat, was he? Then Evan was going to give him something to be grumpy about.
    He half walked and half carried the shivering blonde down to the sleeping area and helped her get seated at the edge of the bed. Then he crouched down in front of her and unwrapped the blankets from around her shoulders with gentle hands.
    “My name’s Evan Sinclair and you’re aboard our boat, the Storm Lord . Want to tell me your name, sweetheart?”
    “J-J-Jessica,” she stammered and tried to smile. “But every-y-one c-calls muh-me J-Jess.”
    “We saw that wave hit you and drag you into the water, Jess. This time of year, rogue waves happen. You were lucky we were around to pull you out.”
    “W-was going to die.” Tears welled up in Jess’s ice-blue eyes and she shivered again.
    “Not today you’re not.” Evan felt a wave of protectiveness wash