The Professor and the Siren

9. Mariana

Mariana

I rushed through my reports of yesterdays data so I could drop them on Hybach's desk and then get out of here. Still I couldn't resist taking a gander at Orly's qualifications on the internet in between. Delighted to note he had more than half a dozen well received papers on various subjects. Though labeled as a recluse among the few colleagues I emailed to get a reference on him, they all said he was a good man to work with and trustworthy at that.

My friend in marine archaeology had mentioned meeting him once when they did some shipwreck dives and finding him rather off-putting as he seemed unable to make small talk. That had just made me laugh, of course a social, vibrant person like Garth would find that strange but I got Orly's brand of weird. Once I'd gotten to know him, talking wasn't hard at all.

In my cabin I riffled through my selection of bathing suits before picking out a dark blue one piece. I'd pack my wet suit and other gear of course but maybe we'd only do some shallow diving and a bathing suit was more flattering than a wet suit. It was sunny out and the water would be warm enough, I probably didn't need the wet suit.

Putting my bathing suit on underneath another cheerful sundress I picked up the strappy sandals again, they were my only pair of pretty shoes I'd packed for this trip. I was adding my flippers and snorkel stuff to my tote when Hybach appeared from behind me, arms crossed over his chest and a smelly cigar hanging from his lips.

"Going out again?" he demanded, eyeing the tote with my gear and the windbreaker I had next to it, ready to give it back. In the daylight you could clearly see the lettering on the back, labeling it an Undaunted Crew jacket. The disapproval was clear to see and, strengthened a little by being out on the open deck, I straightened my back and raised my chin.

"I left the reports you wanted on your desk, it's my day off so if you don't mind, I have somewhere to be." I stuffed my wet suit on top of the other stuff in my overflowing tote and picked up the windbreaker. With a final nod his way I started for the side of the boat and the gangplank. Happy to notice Anita, followed by Ted and Neil, just arriving as I was leaving.

Anita waved and urged me on and behind me I heard her explain to the other two guys how I was going on a date with the hot guy from last night. I felt their eyes on me the entire way over to the Undaunted, and now I was suddenly super worried Orly wasn't going to take kindly to me just showing up.

I shouldn't have worried, the moment I called out for him from the bottom of their gangplank his head popped up from over the railing somewhere. "Mariana!" he greeted me and a moment later he was jogging toward me, wearing nothing but a pair of khaki shorts. The moment he reached the bottom of the plank he picked me up in his arms and pressed a kiss to my mouth.

Instantly I forgot the audience watching us from a little ways down, were Anita and the guys were still standing so they had the best view. Orly didn't taste of the sea this time, instead having clearly just brushed his teeth. He smelled like good coffee too, something I could desperately use.

"Happy to see me huh?" I asked, when he finally lowered me to the ground, taking his time by sliding me past every delicious inch of his body. "Very," he told me with a grin, then he eyed the trio behind me and possibly Hybach leaning over the railing of the Yerseke. "We've got an audience..."

"It seems that way," I told him, with a little heat crawling up my cheeks. I wondered what Hybach was going to do now, I'd clearly snubbed him by going to Orly. Was this the end of my career or was associating with Orly actually going to be good? It didn't sound like a bad idea at all to do some research with him together.

Then I spotted the older version of Orly leaning over the Undaunted's railing behind Orly's shoulder. With dark hair and brows just like Orly and the same fit swimmer's physique, the only concession to his age was a little bit of gray at the temples. When he saw me look he smiled and waved, "Orly, why don't you invite your girlfriend aboard first?"

Woah, wasn't it awfully quick to label us a couple? Or was that just a dad thing to do? Then again, hadn't I just been the one thinking screw Hybach, let's work with Orly instead? My head was a mess of confusion but the moment Orly took my bag from me and started guiding me aboard his ship with a warm hand on the small of my back, all of that fell away.

I liked Orly far too much, I would have liked him far too much even if he didn't grow a tail in the water. Though the truth had to be mentioned, at least to myself, that certainly held great appeal. I was going to see exactly where this was going, I wasn't about to let an opportunity like an amazing guy like this, slip through my fingers because I was too chickenshit to grab hold of it with both hands.