Drake Sisters 03 - Oceans of Fire

might. She started the flames. More than likely Inez Nelson, Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    who owns the grocery store in Sea Haven and pretty much runs the town, will box the boys in the ears when she sees them.”
    “I like your aunt.” He was silent a moment. “And your sister Joley, too.”
    She didn’t want him liking anyone in her family. “Come on, let’s get around the next point. There are rocks there and we can get closer to shore.”
    Abigail took the lead, rowing strongly to get them away from the beach. Carol would know they were out on the ocean, watching her just as the snoopy teenage boys were. She didn’t want Carol to think she was spying on her.
    Around the point several rocks rose out of the water. Aleksandr and Abigial powered the kayaks over the larger swells, timing their move to get closer to land. The small inlet looked promising. Occasionally a large wave would break over the boulders, but the water was much calmer as they made their way toward the shoreline.
    Stony cliffs rose up from the ocean. Green and brown vegetation grew in every possible crevice, but the terrain looked bleak, worn and carved through the centuries by the water. One long finger of stone reached out into the ocean as if beckoning to them and as the first set of boulders yielded no caves, they paddled to the larger rock formation.
    “There’s one here, Sasha,” Abigail said, inching her way to the darker entrance. “It’s small, more a grotto than an actual cave. I don’t think anyone could successfully hide here.” White water capped and foamed along the base of the rock and some sprayed into the air.
    He struggled to find something genuine between them, a bridge to her. Something to ease the tension and give them a starting point. “It’s wild here. Beautiful and wild, Abbey. No wonder you love this place.”
    “Yes, it is. I’ve always felt lucky growing up here.” It was much easier paddling in the calmer water and Abbey pointed to the shore where the beach sparkled and glittered everywhere he looked. “That’s Glass Beach, right in the middle of Fort Bragg. It’s very unique and quite beautiful in its own way. It has tons of polished glass and people come to find the right colors they want.“
    “How can there be a beach of glass?”
    “It was originally a dump site. For years, the ocean has pounded the glass, shaping and polishing it until the pieces look like beautiful glass stones.” Abigail gestured toward the huge rock formations jutting up along the shore. “I doubt if we’re going to find anything here, and in any case it’s too close to a popular, well-frequented beach. They’d want a place far more secluded.”
    They rowed through the hundreds of rock formations strewn along the beach, paddling until their arms were weary. There were shallow channels and several caves, but nothing that would work to hide a boat.
    The kayaks wouldn’t fit into the few small openings and Abigail was certain they were still too close to shore and the smugglers would never risk being seen. They went around the next point where the cove was. The entire beach was private property.
    Abigail immediately began maneuvering around the rocks to make certain there was nowhere a boat could be hidden. “I don’t think there are any caves here, Sasha. At least I’ve never noticed any and I have gone kayaking along this shore many times.”

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    “You’re getting tired.”
    Abigail could feel his voice caress her skin. It seemed to sink through her skin and wind itself around her heart. Not for the first time she wondered if Aleksandr had magic of his own because she couldn’t help reacting to him, every single time she heard him. “A little. I haven’t done this in a while and I’m out of shape. What about you?” He didn’t look tired. He looked as if he were enjoying himself. The spray skirt covered his legs, but she could see the powerful muscles of his back and arms working as he drove the kayak through the water.
    “You said you had a code, Abbey. Do you?” The question seemed to come out of the blue and she struggled to find his motive for asking. He knew very well she lived by her honor as best she could.
    Whatever his reasons, she didn’t want to be drawn in.
    A touch of wind found them, slipped over her and brushed her cheek so that she almost didn’t hear him.
    It