The Reef

heartbeats. He wasn’t fully aware that he tugged her lips apart with his teeth, slipped his tongue into her mouth to taste, that he changed the kiss from innocent to hungry.
    He felt her breath hitch, and her lips soften. Then heard her low, catchy sigh.
    Mistake. The word flashed like neon in his brain. But she was pouring herself into the kiss now, in a surrender as irresistible as it was unexpected.
    She tasted salt and sea and man, and wondered if anyone had ever sampled such potent flavors all at once. Sun-showered golden light, diamonds of it dancing on the water; the water cool and soft and seductive. She thought her heart had stopped, but it didn’t seem to matter. Nothing mattered in this strange and lovely world but the taste and feel of his mouth.
    Then she was cut loose and floundering, the door to that fascinating world slamming shut in her face. She kicked instinctively to keep her head above water and blinked at Matthew with huge, dreamy eyes.
    “We’re wasting time.” He snapped it at her and cursed himself. When she pressed her lips together as if to recapture the kiss, he bit back a groan and cursed her.
    “What?”
    “Snap out of it. Somebody your age has been kissed before.”
    The hard edge of his voice and the insult beneath it cut away the mists. “Of course I have. It was just a gesture of congratulations.” That shouldn’t have left this hollow sensation in the pit of her stomach.
    “Well, save it. We’ve got to tell the others and put out markers.”
    “Fine.” She headed toward the boat with a quick, efficient crawl. “I don’t see what you’re so mad about.”
    “You wouldn’t,” Matthew muttered and started after her.
    Determined not to let him spoil the most exciting day of her life, Tate clambered onto the boat.
    Marla was sitting under the awning giving herself a manicure. One hand was already tipped with bright-salmon pink. She looked over with a smile. “You’re early, honey. We didn’t expect you up for another hour or so.”
    “Where are Dad and Buck?”
    “In the pilothouse, studying that old map again.” Marla’s smile began to crumble at the edges. “Something’s wrong. Matthew.” She scrambled out of her chair, panic darting out of her eyes. Her secret, never-voiced fear of sharks clawed at her throat. “Is he hurt? What happened?”
    “He’s fine.” Tate unhooked her weight belt. “He’sright behind me.” She heard his flippers hit the deck, but didn’t turn to offer him a hand up. Instead she took a deep breath. “Nothing’s wrong, Mom. Nothing at all. Everything’s great. We found it.”
    Marla had hurried over to the rail to make certain of Matthew’s safety. Her heartbeat began to level again when she saw him whole and unharmed. “Found what, honey?”
    “The wreck.” Tate passed a hand over her face, stunned to see her fingers were trembling. There was a roaring in her ears, a flutter in her chest. “One of them. We found it.”
    “Christ Jesus.” Buck stood at the door to the deckhouse. His normally ruddy face was pale, the eyes behind his lenses stunned. “Which one?” he said in a strained voice. “Which one did you find, boy?”
    “Can’t say.” Matthew shrugged off his tanks. His pulse was scrambling fast, but he knew it had as much to do with the fact he’d nearly devoured Tate as it did with the possibilities of treasure. “But she’s down there, Buck. We found ballast, galleon ballast, and cannon.” He looked beyond Buck to where Ray stood, goggling. “The other spot was a bounce site, like I figured. But this site has real possibilities.”
    “What—” Ray had to clear his throat. “What was the position, Tate?”
    She opened her mouth, closed it again when she realized she’d been too enthralled to mark it. A flush bloomed on her cheeks.
    Matthew glanced at her, offered a thin, superior smile before giving Ray the coordinates. “We’ll need to put out marker buoys. You guys want to suit up, I’ll show you what we have.” Then he grinned. “I’d say we’re going to put that nice new airlift of yours to use, Ray.”
    “Yeah.” Ray looked at Buck. His dazed expression began to clear. “I’d say you’re right.” With a whoop he grabbed Buck. The two men hugged, rocking like drunks.
     
    They needed a plan. It was Tate who, after the noisy celebration that night, offered the voice of reason. A system was required in order to salvage the wreck, and preserveit. Their claim had to be staked