Page 15 of Hearts on the Line (The Maverick Key #1)

Maddie

My bare feet brush against the smooth deck of the Adeline .

The lightweight sweater I threw over my sundress flutters in the wind.

Scott stands at the helm, steady and confident, his hand resting on the throttle.

His sunglasses mask his expression, but the ease in his posture says it all.

This is his world—he fits into it effortlessly.

The sea and the boat are extensions of him.

“This spot should work,” he calls out, stopping the engine. The low rumble fades.

I squint against the sunlight, turning to him. “Do you keep all the good fishing spots to yourself? Or do you share them with others?”

The corner of his mouth tilts up. “Well, I don’t like to share, but with you, I’ll make an exception. Been here in the Key a long time. Stick with me, and there’s a lot I can teach you.”

He pulls out the tackle box and sits down next to me on the bench. Tying a lure—his strong hands move with practiced ease, deft and efficient. He motions for me to try, and when I mimic him, my fingers fumble over the line.

“Here, let me help you.” He slides closer. His hands brush against mine, rough and steady, as he guides me through the knot. “Like this.”

His warm breath tickles the back of my ear. A nervous giggle escapes me and I can’t hide my shiver. Pleasant heat flows from my neck to my core.

I glance up, catching his gaze before refocusing on my task. “Thanks. Not sure why I’m a mess. It’s not like I haven’t fished before.” My voice comes out thick.

“You’re doing fine.”

Once we cast our lines, we sit in silence for a while, enjoying each other’s company and the beauty of the day.

Tension I didn’t know I was holding dissolves with the gentle rocking of the boat and the warmth of the afternoon sun.

I take off my sweater, relishing the rays on my shoulders.

Scott catches and releases a snook, and I almost catch a grouper.

A couple of hours go by before the bites slow down, and we unpack our lunch.

“This is nice.” We’ve finished eating and are just enjoying the sky and the water now.

Scott leans back against the bench, sliding his sunglasses up to rest on his head. “It is. There’s so much out here to see. It’s nice to just sit and breathe.”

We watch the lush cropping of the mangroves on the distant shore and the terns diving into the water to catch their lunch. We lay out on the boat deck for a little while, then Scott stands and pulls me up.

“Let’s get in.” He nods toward the ladder.

I hesitate, but the water sparkles like an invitation, and the afternoon sun has me longing for a cool plunge. “Okay. But I didn’t bring a swimsuit, so… undies?”

“I don’t mind…”

Smiling, I turn away, peeling off my sundress, the sun warming my bare back. Thankfully, I’m wearing modest white underwear, which provides a whole lot more coverage than my blue bikini did, anyway. Well, at least they will while they’re dry. Oh well.

When I turn around, Scott’s already stripped down to his black boxers, descending the ladder. I follow him in. Soon we’re neck deep in the water.

“Want to fool—” he grins, “I mean, swim around?”

I laugh and splash at him playfully.

We swim, tease, and drift like we’re the only two people in the world. It feels like a secret—just us, the water, and the sun. We’re both excellent swimmers. The deeper we go, the more competitive we get, sprinting underwater, racing to imaginary finish lines.

After what must be over an hour—me in the lead this time—Scott grabs my ankle and tugs me backward.

“No fair, you’re a cheater,” I call, laughing at the innocent look he shoots me in return.

The water’s getting colder, sinking into our bones, and we know it’s time to get out. At the ladder, Scott pulls me toward him, steadying me as I climb. I feel his hands linger low on my waist.

Back on the deck, I’m a wet rat—dripping and chilled. When I turn, I catch him staring. His expression is unreadable at first, but his gaze becomes fixed, intense. I realize my nipples are visible and hard through the soaked see-through fabric. I grab a towel from the bench, wrapping it around me.

“That was fun.”

“Oh yeah,” he replies, slinging a towel around his neck. His gaze is still on my towel covered body.

We quench our thirst and settle back on the bench. Side by side, we let the sun dry us off the rest of the way.

“So,” I begin, looking up at him. “How did you end up here, in Maverick Key? Why this place?”

His expression softens as he looks out over the water.

“After the SEALs, I needed a fresh start and a place to settle down.” He rubs his hands over his face.

“Adeline and I wanted to live somewhere untouched. The island felt right. Close to the water, away from the noise of a busy town. Her family moved here with us.”

I tilt my head, intrigued. “What made you choose to join the SEALs?”

His hands flex against the edge of the boat bench.

“I chose the military for financial security and opportunities. I had a new wife, and the service was a sure way to protect our futures. The SEALs, because I wanted a challenge. Something to push me, to make me better. And it did. But we wanted more, something of our own. Adeline and I were both lovers of the sea. Maverick Key was perfect for that dream.”

“How did you get into cave diving?”

“I’d always loved diving, and did it professionally with the SEALs, but cave diving came later.

Adeline got me into it.” His expression turns somber.

“She was a dive instructor and when she got to Maverick Key, she started to cave. Long before Carter’s Drop was a blip on anyone’s radar, we’d take weekend trips to the Caribbean to dive blue holes.

We were living life.” He pauses and blinks.

“Adeline was fearless. Maybe reckless. But she had this way of making you believe she could do anything.”

“You named your boat after her.”

He nods, a bittersweet smile tugging at his lips. “She loved the ocean. Being out here was her favorite thing in the world.”

I hesitate. “Can I ask what happened?”

His jaw tightens, and his free hand grips the edge of the bench.

“We were diving a cavern system in the Bahamas. She wanted to push deeper than we’d planned.

It was risky, but she was stubborn and thought she could handle anything.

” His voice quiets. “The current shifted, and she got caught in a tight passage. I went after her. Managed to get her free and get us to the surface, but…” His voice breaks on the last word.

“There wasn’t time to stop on the way up.

She took on too much nitrogen. Decompression sickness.

She made it to the hospital alive, but it was too late… ” Scott stops and swallows.

“We never got to say goodbye while she was conscious.” He closes his eyes tightly. “I…”

My heart clenches at the raw grief in his voice. I reach for his shaking hand. “Scott, I’m sorry.”

His gaze is distant. “I keep thinking about what I could’ve done differently. If I’d called the dive sooner, insisted we stick to the plan, or not gone in the first place…” His voice is heavy.

“You went for her. You did everything you could.”

“It wasn’t enough.” Anger flashes across his face. “She was everything to me, and I didn’t save her.”

I squeeze his hand. “From just the little you’ve shared about her, Adeline wouldn’t have wanted you to carry any guilt. She’d want you to keep living, to keep diving. You honor her every time you go out there.”

His eyes meet mine—raw, vulnerable. “Sometimes it feels like the ocean took her from me. Other times… it feels like the only place I can still feel close to her.”

I reach up and gently cup his face—my thumb brushes along the rough line of his jaw. “You’re a good man, Scott. Adeline knew that. And I can see it too.”

The air between us is charged, thick with yearning. He lets out a soft gasp. His gaze flicks to my lips before returning to my eyes. His breath is warm against my hand, which he has pulled to his face like a blanket.

“Maddie,” he whispers, his voice barely audible.

My heart pounds as he leans in. The world narrows to just the two of us, his closeness, the scent of salt and his cologne, the way his breath feathers across my skin.

Then he pulls back, his expression torn. “This means something to me.” His face is flushed and his voice hoarse. “You mean something to me. I just… I need to be sure.”

His words hit me harder than they should. “I understand.”

He exhales slowly, his gaze lingering on my face before returning to the ocean.