That's where Jo found her quarter of an hour later.

The three Seawolf's crew members, Rosa, and Tony, who had pulled up to the house just as they were about to leave, were piled into Tony's truck. Jo had seen Larissa first, the tall brunette stumbling around just off one of the resort's more dimly lit paths. They pulled over and while Jenny and Rosa went to reel in her and the retching Kelli, Paul and Tony put their heads together to figure out how to move the comatose senator.

Jo walked slowly around the patch of gra.s.s until she spotted Cadie, a small and silent ball of misery sitting on the edge of the path. She crouched down in front of the crying blonde and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey there," she said softly.

Cadie lifted her head off her hands and looked up into smiling azure eyes. "Hi," she said weakly, sniffling slightly.

"You look like you could use a lift back to a cup of coffee and a good night's sleep," Jo said.

"G.o.d, that sounds wonderful," Cadie replied, managing the smallest of smiles.

Jo stood and reached down with a hand. Cadie grabbed it and pulled herself up, keeping a firm grip on the skipper's fingers. She found herself hard-pressed to look the taller woman in the eye.

"I'm sorry, Jo," she said awkwardly.

"Hey." Jo lifted the American's chin with a gentle finger, meeting and holding her gaze. "You have nothing to apologize for, okay? I don't see you out cold or puking in the petunias. And somehow I don't think you're the type to be doing whichever brand of dope they were doing tonight."

Cadie shook her head slowly. "No. The really sad thing is," she nodded her head in the general direction of Naomi, by now slung over Tony's shoulder, "she used to be as against drugs as I am." She felt her resolve slipping again and her chin started to wobble. "I...I don't really know when that changed."

Suddenly Jo had her arms full of sobbing woman as the tension of the last couple of days caught up with Cadie. She threw her arms around Jo's neck and burrowed her face into her shoulder. Gently Jo wrapped her arms around her, the feel of the compact body against hers a revelation. I want to hold you like this forever, Cadie Jones, she thought as a wave of protectiveness washed through her. She held the blonde tightly, looking over her shoulder at the sympathetic glances from her crewmates.

Cadie let the tears flow, feeling overwhelmed by all that had happened since they'd arrived in the Whitsundays, but also aware of the comforting presence of the tall woman wrapped around her. I feel safe, she realized. Safe and so familiar. Like she's held me all our lives. And she smells so...

She smells so good, Jo thought, closing her eyes for a brief moment, savoring the feel of Cadie in her arms one last time. She felt the blonde pull away finally and she reluctantly let her go, smiling down at her. "Ready to go?"

"Oh yeah."

They walked back to the truck where Naomi, Larissa, and Kelli, all three now blissfully unaware, were safely installed in the tray. Tony, Paul, and Jenny climbed in with them to keep them company. Tony tossed the keys to Jo with a smile. She patted him on the arm as she pa.s.sed him and opened the pa.s.senger side door for Cadie to clamber in.

Rosa followed the blonde into the truck as Jo walked around and climbed into the driver's seat.

Well, this isn't quite how I pictured these two meeting, Jo thought to herself. But it will have to do. "Cadie, I'd like you to meet Rosa Palmieri. Rosa, this is Cadie Jones." She watched as the two women smiled and shook hands with each other. "Rosa is kind of the Seawolf's figurehead. Whenever we're close enough she feeds us and mothers us and tucks us into bed."

"Teh, Jossandra, such lies you are telling. You should be ashamed," Rosa said with a smile. She looked at the small blonde sitting between them and nodded her head slowly. "I am very glad to meet you Miss Cadie. Already I have heard much about you from this... how do you say... la bevanda lunga di acqua... long drink of water, here."

Cadie laughed, albeit a little shakily. "My G.o.d, that's a scary thought, Rosa, given we've only known each other five days."

"It's been a h.e.l.l of a five days though, hasn't it?" Jo asked softly, keeping her eyes on the road ahead.

"Oh yeah," Cadie said equally softly. She was very aware of Jo's thigh pressed against hers, the warmth of the skipper's long limb seeping through both their clothes. It was both comforting and deeply s.e.xy. G.o.d, she makes me feel so much, so often, all at once, thought the blonde.

Jo groaned inwardly. Cadie's mostly bare thigh was leaving a hot brand on her own leg and she never wanted it to end. Jesus, Madison, the things you get yourself into, she admonished herself. A gorgeous woman I find myself so drawn to I can't believe it, her drugged-up partner unconscious in the back of the truck, and Rosa with that match-making glint in her eye. Can this get any more complicated?

Rosa smiled quietly to herself. It didn't take any special second sight or magic to see the chemistry between the two women beside her. Part of her was very happy, seeing two soulmates finding each other. And another part of her was sad, knowing both women had difficult journeys to take before they could be together. She patted Cadie gently on the knee. "Everything, it is going to be all right, Miss Cadie," Rosa said. "You ask Jo-Jo here, she will tell you, I do not lie. And I am telling you that everything will work out exactly as it should."

Cadie sighed. "Right now, I'd settle for a cup of coffee and a good night's sleep."

Jo chuckled and pointed the truck towards the marina.

They managed to get the groggy trio on board the Seawolf and into their respective berths without too much difficulty. Toby, Jason, Sarah, and Therese were already back and in their cabins, thankfully.

Jo and Cadie lowered Naomi onto the bed where the senator rolled over of her own accord into a curled up position in the middle of the bed. Cadie stood looking down at her, slowly rubbing her temple with a weary hand.

Jo gently took her elbow and gestured toward the main cabin. "C'mon, we need to talk," she said softly.

The American nodded and followed slowly, slumping into a corner of the sofa. She looked up as Jo took a seat opposite. Rosa and Jenny moved around the galley quietly, making coffee for everyone.

"Do you have to report them to the police, Jo?" Cadie asked anxiously.

Jo shook her head and smiled rea.s.suringly. "No. Bottom line is, unless Paul and Jenny found any drugs on them," she looked enquiringly over her shoulder at the Seawolf's hostess, who shook her head, "then we don't have any proof that they weren't anything but drunk. It would be good if you could give Tony a description of the waiter, though. At least we can get his a.r.s.e kicked off the island."

"Okay, I can do that. Jo, I'm really sorry."

"Cadie, like I said before, you don't have anything to apologize for." Jo squirmed a little, making herself more comfortable. "But we do have a bit of a problem," she said. Cadie looked at her steadily and Jo felt warmed by her gaze. "Every now and then the Australian Customs Service makes random inspections of tourist boats. For example, we've been checked three times since August." She decided not to mention that she suspected her own supposedly expunged record had something to do with the frequency of the ACS' visits to the Seawolf. "If they find any illegal substances on board, it's big trouble for whoever owns the dope, for me, and for Cheswick Marine."

Rosa handed them both a cup of hot, steaming coffee and Cadie gratefully took a sip. "I'm pretty sure they don't have anything on board, Jo," she said. "We had to go through customs in Sydney and we were all searched."

"Okay, good enough." She smiled softly at Cadie, who looked totally worn out. "You think Naomi's involved, don't you?"

Cadie nodded forlornly. "I don't see how she can't be. Kelli and Larissa get a handful of dope, she disappears with them, and an hour later she's unconscious. What else can I think? And," she hesitated, lifting her eyes to meet Jo's again, "I've had my suspicions for a while."

"I'm sorry," Jo said softly.

Cadie nodded. "Me too."

Jo clambered out of the forepeak hatch around 8 o'clock the next morning. She felt rested for the first time in days after taking Paul's berth for the night. Fresh from a cool shower, she bent over, letting her long hair fall down, then she flicked it back, sending a shower of water over the deck. As she pulled it back into a ponytail, she glanced aft, where Paul was talking with Toby and Jason.

"You guys ready to go fishing?" she asked with a smile.

"You bet," Toby said.

"Okay. The Sun Aura leaves at 9am. Paul, can you run them over?"

"Sure thing, Skipper."

"Have fun, guys."

She watched as the three men piled into the golf cart a.s.signed to the Seawolf's berth. Ah well, she thought. At least I know those two are going to have a good day.

Sarah and Therese were also on deck, sitting in the c.o.c.kpit eating a light breakfast of fruit and cereal. They were dressed for golf so it wasn't brain surgery to figure out where they planned on spending their day. Jo sat down opposite them and smiled. "Did you have a good night, ladies?"

"Oh yeah. You weren't kidding about La Scala, Jo. The food was amazing," Therese said. "Thanks for organizing it for us."

"No problem." Jo smiled. "What time's tee-off?"

"Not till 9.15 am," Sarah said.

"Cool. That'll give Paul a chance to get back. He can run you over to the clubhouse."

"No need," Therese said, taking another juicy bite of mango. "We're going to walk over, do a little exploring, a little shopping, on the way." She took Sarah's hand and pulled her up. "Come on, babe. Let's go."

Jo looked up to see Cadie walking across the gangplank from the marina. I thought she'd still be sleeping, thought Jo. She still looks exhausted. Gorgeous, she pondered, taking in Cadie's figure-hugging mid-thigh shorts and tank top, but exhausted.

"Good morning," she drawled.

"Hi," Cadie replied as she sat down next to the skipper.

"How'd you sleep?"

"I ended up on the sofa in the galley," she said. "Naomi was an immovable object." She ached in places she didn't realize she had muscles.

"Did you pull out the sofa bed?" Jo asked.

"There's a sofa bed? Are you telling me I spent the night squashed onto that narrow sofa when I could've been stretched out?" Cadie slapped her gently across the shoulder.

Jo grinned. "Yup."

"Why don't the crew use it, instead of sleeping out on the deck?" the blonde asked.

Jo shrugged. "Because it's a bit of a pain in the a.r.s.e, frankly," she replied. "You have to take the table apart and then figure out how to unfold the bed and blah, blah, blah." She grinned.

"Show me." Cadie stood and started down the companion-way.

Jo grabbed a grape from the platter on the table before she followed, running straight into Cadie's back halfway down the steps.

"What's wrong?" she asked, falling silent at the look on Cadie's face. The blonde had her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide. "Cadie, what is it?"

Cadie backed into Jo, shushing her with a finger against her own lips.

Jo listened and finally heard what had brought the American to a standstill. Naomi, Larissa, and Kelli were in Cadie's cabin and they were talking rather loudly.

"I told you back in December that it was time to do something about her, Nay." Jo was pretty sure that was Larissa. "She's been a f.u.c.king liability to you for years."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. To be honest I almost kicked her out after that New Year's Eve debacle," came the deeper tones of the senator. "She just walked out in the middle of a G.o.dd.a.m.n c.o.c.ktail party we were supposed to be hosting together."

"You've got to do something about her."

Jo felt Cadie cringing back against her, and for the second time in 12 hours Jo wrapped her arms protectively around the smaller woman. "C'mon," she tried to pull her back up on deck, "you don't need to be hearing this."

Cadie resisted. "Yes. Yes I do, Jo," she whispered.

"Okay, hon." Jo stopped pulling her and just held tight. Cadie pressed back against her, making the most of the feeling of safety as the awful conversation continued inside the cabin.

"So why didn't you kick her out then?" came the whiney tones of Kelli.

"I don't know really," Naomi replied. "It's not like she's good for anything anymore. Not even in bed." She laughed derisively. "G.o.dd.a.m.n frigid b.i.t.c.h."

Cadie buried her face in her hands, shrinking back even further into the warm embrace of the skipper pressed against her back. G.o.d, I can't believe this is happening, her mind said. This is a nightmare.

Jo felt an overwhelming rage building inside her. I don't care if these b.i.t.c.hes are paying customers, I'm going to kick their a.r.s.es any second now.

"Well, regardless, she's out when we get back home," the senator said. "This vacation is it. Payment for services rendered, and then she's gone."

Jo growled softly and made to move past Cadie. The blonde turned quickly in her arms and restrained the angry woman by holding her face in her hands. "Stop, Jo," she whispered. "You'll only make it worse-for me and for you. Just let it go. Please." She pleaded with her eyes, holding the skipper's rage-darkened blue eyes for long seconds. "Please."

I'd do anything for you, Jo realized with a start. She nodded slowly, trying to relax the tension she felt through every muscle.

"Thank you," whispered Cadie, suddenly very aware of the arms wrapped tightly around her. "Come on. Let's go find somewhere else to be. I've got some decisions to make."

Chapter Six.

The blue and red-striped float bobbed up and down hypnotically with the movement of the water. Jo watched it with half-closed eyes, trying to ward off the worst of the glare off the gla.s.sy sea. She shifted slightly, making herself more comfortable, even wedged as she was in the curve of the bowsprit rail, her left foot pressed against the vertical strut, her right dangling over the water. From her position she was looking out to sea. If she turned her head to the left she could see down the length of the Seawolf back towards the helm.

A heat haze shimmered all around the boat as it floated in the wide expanse of blue. The atmosphere was still and muggy, the sun relentless out of the cloudless sky. There was no need to move to work up a sweat. Perspiration just oozed out of the body, the humidity sucking the moisture out.

The float bobbed again and Jo reached for the rod, feeling for the nibble she hoped wasn't too far away. Nope. Not this time. She let her eyes drift down the fishing line again, tilting her head back and absorbing the sunshine on her skin.

It was three days since they'd left Hayman Island. The Sea-wolf had cruised south to Whitehaven Beach, on the reef side of Whitsunday Island, the largest of the group. It was a long, curving stretch of pristine white beach, lapped by clean, calm water. It truly was paradise. On the beach, the crew had set up a camp that served as a great base from which to explore the jungle behind the beach, as well as somewhere different to eat meals and sleep if the pa.s.sengers were so inclined.

Cadie felt like she was in heaven. She stretched out on her back on the deck of the Seawolf, her rolled-up shirt and shorts acting as her pillow. The sun was viciously hot, but the blonde American was covered in sunscreen, her newly browned skin glistening. She felt remarkably sanguine, lulled into a half-dozing state by the heat and the gentle swaying of the boat.

The three days since the disastrous night at Hernando's had been bizarre, not so much for what had happened, but for what hadn't. After the initial shock of the overheard conversation had pa.s.sed, a sense of calm had settled over Cadie. The dynamics between her and Naomi had definitely changed, almost as if the senator had realized that she was being listened to that morning below decks. She and Cadie had barely exchanged more than half a dozen words, and though the blonde had gone back to sleeping in their a.s.signed cabin, the contact between the two had been minimal. Cadie no longer felt the need to make a particular effort to stay away from Jossandra, and so far, the senator hadn't commented or made an issue of it. Cadie knew it was only a matter of time before there was a confrontation-she knew her own temper well enough to admit that-but for now, she was content to keep her own counsel and make the most of her vacation.

Payment for services rendered, huh? You'll pay, Naomi, that's for d.a.m.n sure, Cadie thought for the hundredth time since she'd heard the senator dismiss their 12-year marriage in a five-minute conversation. You've certainly helped me make my decision. I used to think there was a chance you might want to save our marriage. Now I know that's the last thing on your mind. Now I can stop wasting my time and energy on it, too. Cadie felt a wave of sadness wash through her, followed by a shot of trepidation. How is this going to pan out? It was a measure of how far along her thinking was that she now spent most of her time running through an inventory of her belongings back in Chicago.

She shifted slightly, moving with the position of the sun.

The ironic thing is I pretty much have all I need with me right here. My laptop, my diary, and contact books. I was running the business from home anyway, so that's not going to be affected. She thought about the closets full of expensive clothes, and dismissed them. I don't need any of them. That just leaves my books and CD's, and a few pieces of bric-a-brac. Cadie shook her head in wonder. I'm going to leave her. Amazing. And what's really mind-blowing is I have no hesitation about it anymore. I know it's the right thing to do. I'm looking forward to it. She laughed out loud with relief. Thank you, Naomi, for that, at least.

Jo turned in the direction of the soft laugh. She gazed at the American sprawled on the deck and felt a flood of warmth, some of it affection, some of it out and out chemical reaction.

She seems to be so much more relaxed now, Jo thought with a smile. She was right. She did need to hear that conversation. It's helped her make whatever decisions she was fighting with. The tall skipper couldn't help but feel somewhat melancholy, however.

It really changes nothing for you, Jo-Jo, she told herself. Leaving Naomi is one thing. Being with you is another thing altogether. We barely know each other and when she finds out the truth she won't want, to know me. Her eyes drifted slowly along the American's compact, athletic body. G.o.d, she is beautiful.

Jo allowed her head to rest back against the rail, and she half-closed her eyes, keeping Cadie in her field of view. She imagined herself leaning over the reclining woman. Applying some sunscreen for her maybe, she thought, with a tiny smile. Her skin would be so soft. Jo's fingers tingled from the memory of the brief touches she had stolen while helping Cadie with her zip a few nights earlier.

Oh yes, so soft. In her mind, her hands drifted down Cadie's body, barely touching her, palms sparking from the light contact. As she watched, the American shifted again, arching her back slightly as she repositioned herself. Jo groaned quietly, imagining how that would have felt if she'd been holding herself just above the smaller woman. I want to feel her pressed against me, she realized. Cadie turned her head slightly, away from the skipper. And I want to kiss her just there, Jo thought, pinpointing what she was sure was a sensitive area of Cadie's neck, just below her ear.

She continued to watch as Cadie reached for her bottle of sunscreen, mesmerized as she followed the movements of the American's fingers removing the cap and squeezing an amount of the creamy fluid onto the fingertips of her left hand.

Oh G.o.d, thought Jo. What is she going to do with that?