Kaegan believed they were soul mates. What other reason could there be for them coming full circle? Hopefully, in time she would accept they could never be just friends. They had ticked that box and moved beyond that when she’d turned sixteen.

Although today hadn’t turned out quite like he would have liked, he believed them going to Eagle Bend Inlet had been something that was needed. There was nothing wrong with returning to the place it all started. The place where they’d first made love and where he’d told her he loved her and committed his life to her.

That was how it was and that was how it would always be.

* * *

THAT NIGHT BRYCE closed her books, stood and stretched. In the far reaches of her mind she could hear Kaegan saying the words “take a shower and drink a glass of wine before going to bed.” She intended to do just that. At least she was thinking of something else and not that kiss, which still had parts of her body tingling with sensations.

If there had been any doubts in her mind that Kaegan could still rock her world, they had been obliterated today. He was even better than she’d remembered. He had kissed her like the grown man that he was and she’d responded like the woman she’d become.

So much for wanting closure...

Her mouth had known him the moment he’d touched it. The same thing with her tongue. He had wrapped his around hers and sucked gently as he’d always been prone to do. But now there was a hunger within him that she detected. A hunger that had aroused her just as much as it had him.

Bryce knew that she and Kaegan were at odds again for now. During the ride back to the dock from Eagle Bend Inlet they hadn’t spoken one word. He had definitely been quick to let her know making love to her had meant more than sex. She appreciated that, although at the time she hadn’t because she’d been angry with herself for returning the kiss. Instead of blaming herself, she had blamed him.

Standing, Bryce was about to go into the bedroom to shower when her phone rang. She recognized the ringtone as Vashti calling. It was then that she recalled her last parting words to Vashti were that they would talk later. Now was later.

“Hello, Vash.”

“Well, well, well, would you like to tell me how you and Kaegan happened to get lost at sea for two hours after you left the ship?”

Bryce rolled her eyes. “We were not missing for two hours. We took a detour that only took thirty minutes.”

“That’s not the way I heard it. I got sleepy again and caught a ride back to the dock with Elton after lunch and that’s what I heard.”

“Well, you heard it wrong.” There was no need asking Vashti where she’d heard it from. It didn’t matter since it could be from a number of people. Unfortunately, news traveled fast in Catalina Cove even when the news was not factual.