It hadn't been love at first sight. Tessa had immediately disliked Jake, thinking him a rude, arrogant know-it-all. He'd treated the divers like flunkies, insisting they go into the water again and again to get the information he wanted-even if it meant taking some big risks.

She'd been the only one who could satisfy his insatiable quest for knowledge, easily penetrating wreckage other divers refused to venture into. Of course, she had an unfair advantage. A mermaid never had to worry about a tank running out of air or getting snagged in a small s.p.a.ce.

Tessa suppressed her frown. We were two people who never should have been attracted to each other, but were.

As compatible as gasoline and a lit match, they'd despised each other. Until they bickered.

At such times, the sparks flew. Somehow the chemistry simmering between them boiled over. Before they knew it, angry words had turned into deep, fierce kisses. Eager hands had ripped away confining clothing. s.e.x between them was fierce, bordering on brutal.

Remembering the aftermath, Tessa shivered. Oh man. The climax was addicting, pure heaven on earth. Jake liked women. And more than anything else, he liked f.u.c.king them.

Feeling heat rise to her cheeks, Tessa pulled in a quick breath to cool herself off. Just thinking about the nasty, frenetic s.e.x they'd had was enough to set her off. She couldn't erase the past, nor could she entirely forget it. She did the next best thing by simply tolerating it, something not as hard to achieve as she'd first believed. Through the six weeks it had taken to get the expedition into gear, she and Jake had become something she'd believed impossible: friends.

Her hand traveled to the crystal hanging around her neck. "I never thought Ishaldi would be found. Ever."

Jake laughed. "I will admit you were my inspiration to go looking for it. All I needed was a little time and luck."

Tessa suppressed a frown. "We all thought you were taking advantage."

He shook his head. "That is one point you badly misjudged me on. I'll cop to being a b.a.s.t.a.r.d, but I'm absolutely serious about my work. Learning about the Mer was something I couldn't toss aside and ignore just because we broke up."

Tessa nibbled her lower lip. "It's hard to keep a secret like that. Though a lot of Port Rock's local lore is built around mermaids living in the bay, people believe that's just to bring in the tourists."

"Where there's lore, there's usually a little bit of fact involved," Jake said. "Somehow I don't think people would have a problem with the Mer coming out of the closet, so to speak. Your family has lived on the island for quite a long time. Those who do know you are Mer have accepted it just fine." He looked out over the water. "And I think once we begin bringing up the relics from Ishaldi, the rest of the world will, too. Once word is out, more Mer may come out of hiding."

Thinking about her aunt Gail and the cousins she didn't even know anymore, Tessa sighed. "One would hope."

Jake c.o.c.ked an eyebrow. "That's why it's important to let the world know about the Mer. The race is bordering on extinct, as far as we know. Why not do everything you can to save your people? If our positions were reversed, and Mer were the majority and humans the minority, I know I'd be shouting from the rooftops."

His words made sense. Did she really want to be one of the last of her kind? Belong to a species with no hope of future survival?

The thought sent a chill through her veins. Since revealing the cache of crystals to her sisters, she'd begun to work harder on her craft, attempting to master the various elements behind her innate abilities. The pieces she'd always felt were missing from her life were beginning to fall into place. It wasn't just that she was an outsider always doomed to look in, but in closing herself off from the mystical side of her nature, she also closed the door on her senses.

For years she'd walked around half blind and half deaf, only partially aware of her potential. In learning to work with the crystals and the symbiote that was a part of her very soul, she'd begun to blossom. She was alive and ready to embrace the potential of what a Mer could really be: a strong, powerful woman in control of her own destiny.

Tessa turned around, leaning back against the rail. "Though I never thought it would be possible, I think I agree with you. The Mer obviously had a place in this world at one time. Why shouldn't we have it again?"

Jake grinned. "That's exactly what I've been trying to tell you for years."

She shook her head. "I hate to say it, but I think you were right."

"Told you so." Acting like a know-it-all p.r.i.c.k had always given Jake a perverse charm women found irresistible.

She laughed. "a.s.s."

Leaning a hip against the railing, he eyed her. "Adventure suits you, Tess. You look alive for the first time since you quit working search and recovery."

Smiling, Tessa pulled her fingers through her long hair, enjoying the feel of the cool breeze on her skin. The last bit of daylight faded away, changing the sea from bruised blue to deep purple. Stars were beginning to appear in the velvety fabric of the night sky, glinting like the crystals she coaxed secrets from.

Before she knew what was happening, Jake swung around in front of her. His hands gripped the railing on either side of her hips, penning her in. "I was a fool to walk away."

Tessa lifted her hands, intending to push him away. Her palms settled on his chest, strong and broad under her touch. She felt his heart beating hard beneath his rib cage, belying the calm of his manner. It took only a second for her to read his intent.

He wants me back, came her wild thought.

She pressed forward, trying to push him away. "Come on, Jake-quit kidding around."

Instead of letting her go, Jake maneuvered closer. "I'm not kidding around." His mouth came down on hers with a deliberate, calculated slowness, his searching lips mastering hers.

His hand lifted, curling around her neck even as he worked his knee between her legs to press his thigh between hers. The pressure against her s.e.x was instant and electrifying. She gasped, but had no time to protest.

Tessa broke away, breathless, tingling to her toes. G.o.ddess above. If there was one thing Jake knew, it was how to make all the right moves on a woman's body. Her insides quivered with arousal, an all-consuming ache suddenly pulsing through her veins.

"Don't." She swiped a hand across her mouth. "I'm with someone else."

Jake snorted a laugh. "Yeah, I know. Kenneth." His hand crept to the top of her blouse, fingers expertly undoing her b.u.t.tons. "Here's what I think about that." He undid a second b.u.t.ton, then a third. "I don't think you're really into him."

Tessa slapped his hand away. "You don't know what you're talking about. Kenneth and I are-"

Jake persisted, undoing a fourth b.u.t.ton. "Not sleeping together-I know." He increased the pressure of his thigh against her most sensitive place, increasing the friction.

Tessa's breath locked in her throat. "How do you know?" The sensations of his thigh rubbing between her legs sent shivers up her spine.

Treating her to a slow grin, Jake tugged open her blouse and tweaked her left nipple through her sports bra. His touch burned through the thin material. "It's a small boat, honey, and the walls are thin. When someone's getting their brains f.u.c.ked out, you know it."

"Maybe we're just considerate of the crew," she shot back. The lame excuse fell flat. The truth was, she and Kenneth shared the same quarters but were sleeping in separate bunks.

Tessa inwardly grimaced. She hadn't been treating Kenneth especially well lately. Her mind was on her magic. And while her skills were blossoming at a rapid pace, the relationship with the new man in her life was dying on the vine. The hours she put into practice disappeared, leaving little time for personal pursuits. Or pleasure.

Jake rolled his eyes. "Spare me your consideration, please. Besides, if you two were tight as thieves, you'd have already slapped me silly and stormed off." He clicked his tongue and undid the last b.u.t.ton. "Methinks there is trouble in paradise."

Tessa squirmed. Big mistake. The pressure of his thigh coupled with the chafe of her jeans against her crotch doubled the thrilling sensations between her legs. "Thinking with your d.i.c.k doesn't count."

He studied her through an enigmatic blue gaze. The luminous shimmer dancing on the water reflected in the depths of his eyes. "Oh, but I have been thinking. About you and how good we were together."

Trying to wrestle her mind away from all the good feelings he stimulated, Tessa gritted her teeth. "If we were so good, why did you leave?"

Tracing his fingers along the lines of her plain sports bra, Jake slid his fingers under the material. "As I recall, your feet got cold before mine. You wanted to wait."

"I didn't say no. Just that I needed more time."

Tugging up her bra, Jake bared her left breast. Her exposed nipple puckered, then rose under the caress of the cool sea air. "We were together long enough for you to be sure." He flicked the tip with his finger. "You weren't then, but I think you are now." Easing her back against the rail, he lowered his head. His eager mouth captured the hard little bead.

Tessa whimpered, automatically tangling her fingers in his long blond locks. The sensations swamping her body were exquisite. She gasped in dismay as he painted soft circles around the hard tip. "Jake, please . . . This is so wrong . . ."

A voice from behind broke the illicit spell. "So am I to take this to mean you two are back together?"

Tessa immediately froze. Alarm shot through her. Oh s.h.i.t. Kenneth. Though his voice was calm, she sensed currents of disappointment and hurt in his tone.

She shoved Jake, something she should have done in the first place. "Get away from me, you big lug."

Jake laughed, taking his own sweet time. Giving himself a quick check to make sure everything was in place, he turned around. "Oh, goodness," he said, very much tongue in cheek. "Looks like you caught us red-handed."

Kenneth eyed the pair. "And very exposed."

Tessa glanced down. Heat immediately scorched her cheeks. Her shirt was unb.u.t.toned and one breast totally hung out.

A slow groan seeped past her lips. "It's not what it looks like." She tugged her bra back into place. Numb fingers fumbled with her b.u.t.tons. She couldn't seem to make them work.

Jake snorted and threw an arm around her. "Oh, drop the pretense," he said, throwing her a wink. "It's exactly what it looks like."

Kenneth arched an eyebrow. "Which is?"

Jake tossed his head. "I'm keeping my word to you, Kenneth," he said.

Refusing to be baited, Kenneth shrugged. "Tessa is a free woman, fully capable of choosing what she wants. I'm not going to try to tell her what to do with her life."

Jake snorted. "Oh, man. What a p.u.s.s.y." He rolled his eyes and snickered. "You let her take your money and f.u.c.k another man. I don't know what to call you. It's not n.o.ble, so it must be plain stupid."

Awkwardly clutching the front of her shirt together, Tessa broke in. "Shut up, Jake!" Heart slamming against her ribs, she shoved past him. "Don't listen to him."

Kenneth c.o.c.ked his head. "What he says doesn't bother me." His eyes narrowed. "What I saw does. You weren't exactly fighting him off."

"Of course she wasn't fighting me," Jake interrupted. "She still wants me. Bad."

Kenneth stabbed a finger at the archaeologist. "I'm not interested in what you have to say. Being an a.s.shole seems to be a part of your nature. With you, I know what I'm dealing with."

Jake spread his hands. "Leopards don't change their spots, man."

Kenneth's gaze raked over the archaeologist, scathing but distant. His right hand curled into a fist. "More like hyenas never lose their stink."

"Don't you just hate being right?" Jake sneered back. "It's like I warned you. Mer are slippery women." Flashing a contemptuous smile, he flexed his fingers in an obscene manner. "But they're oh, so d.a.m.n hot when you get your hands on one."

Kenneth took a step forward. "There's only so much s.h.i.t I'm going to take from you, Jake."

Heart pumping ninety to nothing, Tessa threw herself between the antagonists. "Just stop it, both of you," she said, fearing the two men might come to blows. "This is getting out of control."

Kenneth's face took on a guarded expression. His preternatural calm disturbed her. "You're the one who's out of control." His tone was low and steady, noncommittal.

Giving her no chance to respond, he simply turned on his heel and walked away.

He didn't glance back. Not once.

Staring in his wake, Tessa felt her stomach twist. Guilt flayed at her heart.

I'm such an idiot! How is it I screw up everything I touch?

Jake's warm fingers curled around her arm. "If he really wanted you, he'd fight." He grinned, pulling her back into his embrace. "Now that he's gone, I think we can finish what we started."

Disgusted and ashamed by her momentary lapse in judgment, Tessa yanked away from his grip. "Oh, go to h.e.l.l."

Stalking to the quarters he shared with Tessa, Kenneth slammed the door behind him. The image of Tessa locked in Jake's embrace played over and over in his mind, taunting him.

Blinking hard to banish the hateful images, he rubbed his hands across his face. Jealousy slithered through him, coiling into a tight knot in his stomach. He had to hand it to her. She'd definitely gotten under his skin.

Pulling in a deep breath to cool his anger, he glanced around the room. The luxury quarters were crammed with the general clutter of two people living in limited s.p.a.ce. Away from home, Tessa let her housekeeping skills lapse. Her idea of unpacking seemed to consist of dumping her suitcase on the bed and digging through the pile. What she didn't need, she tossed on the floor. Ironing something and hanging it up seemed to be a knack she'd never mastered. Even the crystals she used to enhance her craft were scattered around.

Walking to his desk, Kenneth picked up one of the stray gemstones. Since taking the stash out of hiding, Tessa had revealed the surprising power of telekinesis, or the ability to manipulate matter with her mind. Since he'd witnessed her ability to shift, it hadn't really surprised him that she possessed other unique powers. He simply accepted them as a part of her Mer ident.i.ty.

The stone he held was familiar. Tessa had explained that red garnet helped to release anger. He definitely needed that right now. But there were other meanings, as well. It was a balance stone, bringing what the bearer needed, be it pa.s.sion or serenity. Garnets were also said to bring success in business.

Fingers closing around the carmine-shaded stone, Kenneth closed his eyes. If he concentrated hard enough, he fancied he could feel vibrations emanating from the stone's cold heart.

His mouth drew down. A heart Tessa seems to share.

He always seemed to choose strong, difficult women-perhaps because these types were the only kind he understood. From an early age he'd watched his own mother grab the wheel and do the driving. Not that she'd really had the luxury of choice. She took control out of necessity. With two young boys to raise, she'd had to make sure they didn't swerve off the road.

Jennifer, too, was a strong woman with a mind of her own. Her career was first. Her husband second.

Kenneth didn't like being number two. Second place was s.h.i.t. He'd hoped he'd found the perfect balance with Tessa. She needed a mate, but was willful enough not to fold up like a wet paper sack when challenged. He liked feisty. It made things interesting.

The trouble was that nothing between him and Tessa had been the slightest bit enticing lately. And even though he'd always been good at holding his temper when frustration set in, he was getting a little tired of being put on a shelf and ignored.

He sighed, shifting restlessly. They were not sharing a bed and that irritated him. Even though each maintained a separate bed, they'd always managed to begin a night together, when they would indulge in the delights of each other's body. Usually he was the one to slip away when she fell into the grip of sleep.

But as her mastery of Mercraft increased, Tessa grew more restless, avoiding his touch. Having turned her attention to magic, she'd stepped onto a different plane of existence.

She isn't human, he thought. She belonged to a race much more advanced than plain old h.o.m.o sapiens. Compared to the Mer, human males were still knuckle-dragging apes.

A sigh winnowed past his lips. When one door closes, another one opens. By now he believed that. It had happened too many times in his life not to be true. There had been a time when he'd wanted to shut that door, forever. But something had spared his life, giving him a second chance to make things work.

The only thing he wasn't sure of was whether or not Tessa would continue to be a part of his second chance. Unfortunately, the garnet didn't seem to be helping pa.s.sion out one little bit.

The sound of footsteps outside alerted him to the approach of another person. The door unlatched, easing open slowly.

Half a woman's face peeked around the door, a single green eye under a shock of red hair. "Can I come in?"

Tossing the garnet on his desk, Kenneth shrugged. "The room's half yours."

Tessa stepped in, shutting the door behind her. Her clothes were back in place, shirt b.u.t.toned to the chin. She cleared her throat. "I guess you're p.i.s.sed."

Muscles in Kenneth's neck and shoulders tensed. "Of course I'm p.i.s.sed. If there's one thing I won't tolerate, it's a cheat."

Her gaze was filled with guilt. "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. One minute we were talking and the next minute Jake was putting the moves on me." She pressed a hand to her forehead. "It just happened so fast, I got caught in the moment."

"Remembering when things were good?" Self-aware enough to recognize his jealousy, he tried not to let it bait his temper. Turning into an a.s.shole wouldn't help his case one bit. He'd only manage to come off as pathetic, a needy loser.

Control, he reminded himself. Keep a cool head. Tessa was a wild card. She might jump into Jake's bed, but that was no reason to let her destroy the partnership he'd formed with the archaeologist.