He tightened his grip, and I looked into the depth of his brown eyes, surprised. “Ready to go?”

“Uh,” I stammered, my gaze flicking behind him to Debbie. She was glaring, adjusting her fins with sharp motions before she fell over the back of the boat. It was just me, Marshal, Jenks, and the guy at the front of the boat hunched over his game in the sun. Yesterday’s fiasco at the pool was making a whole lot more sense. “Ah, Marshal? About the dive…”

The witch’s lips turned up into a smile. “It’s okay, Ms. Morgan,” he said solicitously. “We’ll take it step by step. I know the straits look daunting, but you did well at the pool.”

Pooal, I thought, liking his mild accent. “Uh, it’s not that,” I said as he selected a tank and beckoned me closer. But when I met his eyes, I was shocked to find him grinning at me, more than a hint of attraction in his dark gaze. “Captain Marshal, I’m very sorry,” I said flatly. “I should have brought this up earlier. I didn’t come out here to dive on the wreck.”

“Sit,” he said. “Right there so I can get your tank hooked up.”

“Captain.” He took my shoulders and sat me down, reaching to adjust my gear. “I meant to ask you before we got all the way out here…” I looked at Jenks for help, but he was laughing at me. “Damn it,” I swore. “I’m sorry, Marshal. I’m out here on false pretenses.”

“I’m flattered, Ms. Morgan,” Marshal said, glancing up under his hairless eyebrows. “But you paid for a dive on my wreck, and I feel obligated to do my best to fulfill it. If you’re going to be in town a few more days, maybe we can have dinner.”

My jaw dropped, and I realized why he had been watching me. Oh God. Debbie wasn’t the only one who thought I was interested in him. Suddenly I saw my stammering attempts at trying to talk to him in an entirely new way. Jenks snickered, and I felt myself blush.

“Captain Marshal,” I said firmly. “I’m not looking for a date.”

The man’s face slowly lost its expression, his faint smile wrinkles easing to a smooth nothing as he straightened. “I, uh…You’re not? I thought you two were brother and sister.”

“He’s my partner,” I said, adding a quick, “business partner.”

“You like women?” Marshal stammered, backing up a step and looking like he was going to die of embarrassment. “Shit, I hate it when I misread people. God, I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s not that either.” I said, wincing as I pulled the hair out of my mouth, which the wind had tugged from my braid. “You’re an attractive man, and any other time I would be salivating at the idea of a private lesson at your pool…pooal…but I need your help.”

Marshal zipped his coat up, looking uneasy. I glanced at Jenks and took a breath. “My old boyfriend is on that island, and I need to rescue him without anyone knowing about it.”