Page 1 of Whispering Waves
Chapter One
Nerina watched the beating of the waves against the hull of the ferry. She watched the dock approaching and smiled at the familiar figure on the structure.
She raised her hand and waved. He waved and bowed low, which made her laugh. Drake wore his standard uniform of shorts and a tank top with sandals.
When the ferry docked, she walked off and laughed as she was spun around several times before she was set on her feet. He grabbed the loop on her pack and lifted her up. “Off your feet, Nina.”
She kicked her legs, and other alphas leaving the ferry laughed at her. “Knock it off. You are ruining my street cred.”
“There really aren’t streets in the Blackridge Islands.” He let her down, and she slipped free of her backpack. He started walking, and she stretched her legs to keep up.
They walked away from the ferry dock and down the shoreline toward a smaller vessel. “Come on, this will get us to the station.”
“Great. How many guys are out there right now?”
“Just two. They both know that it’s hands off.” He boosted her onto the ladder, and when she was up, he pushed the boat deeper into the water and pulled himself up. They floated free for a moment. He fired the engines, and they headed across the crystal blue water with azure highlights.
She stood next to him near the wheel. “So, how are things?”
“This is great. I wish I had come out here five years ago.”
“Five years ago, you were finishing high school.”
He laughed. “And yet, you graduated before me, and you are still stubby.”
“Shut it.”
He snorted and giggled. “How’s Mom?”
“Good. Dad, too.”
“Didn’t ask.”
“I know, but I know you were curious.”
He snorted. “True. Thanks for that. Now, it’s out of the way. So, what has spurred this visit?”
“Well, I went out on the lake with some friends, someone knocked me into the water, and uh... held me there. And then I got this mark on my back, and I just wanted people to stop staring and poking at me, so I contacted you, and here I am.”
“What kind of mark?”
“Oh, it looks like a tattoo but isn’t. You don’t need to worry. I am going to keep my shirt on.”
“What does it look like?”
“It looks like nunya.”
“Nunya?”
“Nun ya business.” She chuckled.
“Well, you are going to be in the water with us, so you might want just to flash it and get it over with.”
She made a fist and punched his shoulder. “No.”
Drake winced. “You’ve gotten stronger.”
“I work out now. I can even snorkel now.”