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We quickly move out once more, drawing ever nearer to the ultimate hidden treasure and sweet victory. The rocky tidal pools simmer beneath the sun, rippled by ocean currents. Kat scours the area relentlessly until finally discovering the next waterlogged bottle clue wedged beneath a wave-smoothed stone. Not that we were of any help. We are too busy ogling the delightful little spitfire in her little red sundress flapping teasingly in the breeze.
"We must be getting close now," Wyatt notes with satisfaction. I grunt in agreement.
Kat frowns adorably at the slightly wet paper. "Where Nephele's urns overflow, Sirens' songs hint treasures below."
I scan the rocks and foaming surf, stymied. Then movement catches my eye. A school of tiny silver fish dance through the shallow water, weaving an intricate path before disappearing into a dark crevice beneath a rocky outcropping and disappearing.
"There!" I point out the odd formation. Kat's eyes light up.
"Good eye, Em!" Her delight spurs me on.
We pick our way across the slippery rocks until reaching the hidden grotto, the occasional gentle, rogue wave lapping at our ankles. Tiny silver fish dart through the shallow waters around us before fleeing swiftly out to the open ocean. Up ahead, the mouth of the hidden grotto beckons.
As we step inside, the bright tropical sunlight fades, replaced by the grotto's cool emerald glow. The change in temperature raises goosebumps across my skin, made ultra-sensitive by the salty air. Kathryn presses closer to my side instinctively seeking warmth as we pause to take in the ethereal beauty surrounding us.
The cerulean waters of the grotto ripple and dance, casting wavering glows across the cave walls. The smooth stone surfaces shine as if polished by loving hands, though only the elements have caressed this haven. Pristine sandy patches dot the rocky floor, sloping gently deeper into the grotto's heart.
Above our heads, jagged stones drip with mineral deposits built up over centuries of shifting tides. Each spike and ridge glimmers with otherworldly beauty. The outside world feels impossibly far away in this sanctuary that time and sea have carved together.
As all four of us move slowly inward, tiny silver fish dart around our legs before disappearing into shadowy crevices along the waterline. Our hushed breaths echo strangely in the enclosed space, mingling with the lapping tides. The very air feels heavy with mystery and anticipation, as if we’re treading through a sacred place not meant for mortal eyes.
Farther in, the rocky floor of the grotto rises up to form a central mound. As we approach through the chest-high waters, soaked clothes not bothering a single one of us, our prize finally comes into view atop the smooth stone peak.
The polished wooden box, etched with intricate ocean scenes, gleams as if lit from within by an otherworldly light. The water has granted us passage and now beckons us to claim our reward.
Kat's sharp intake of breath echoes off the sloped walls as she breaks away from me and wades eagerly towards the mound. Her movements send ripples skittering outward through the lagoon. Wilder and Wyatt trail close behind, eyes fixed ahead.
As one, we clamber up the slick rock to circle the etched box. A reverent hush descends upon us, the lapping tides and occasional drip of mineral water the only sounds.
After a weighted pause, Kat extends one delicate hand, gaze fixed upon the treasure that was our quest's sole purpose. Yet it no longer feels like the true prize.
Kat's fingertips graze the wooden surface. When she lifts the lid, a simple note proclaiming our victory and an urging to take it back to the meeting place sits among a bed of chocolates, nuts, and a rather expensive looking bottle of champagne.
Kat's answering smile outshines any treasure as she lifts the note high. "We did it!" Her voice rings clear as a bell in the stillness. “We’re a great team!”
But when she glances around, she notices none of us are focused on the victory, instead we’re all gazing adoringly at the woman herself. Her turquoise eyes appear almost ethereal in the emerald light of the cave, her silky skin glowing, and her wavy hair hanging temptingly down her back.
Her throat moves as she swallows thickly beneath our attention, her arm falling to her side as she gazes at each of us in turn. “Uh, guys? What’s going on?”
Chapter 41
My eyes dart between the three men surrounding me, their intense gazes setting my skin aflame. The air is charged with anticipation, emotions laid bare in the glow of the grotto.
Wyatt steps forward first and takes my hand in his, his calloused thumb sweeping over my knuckles in a way that sends pleasant shivers through me.
“Kathryn, this arrangement may have started as a simple business transaction, but what I feel for you now goes far deeper than I could have imagined,” he begins, his stormy eyes piercing mine with sincerity, glimpsing straight into my soul.
“You captivate me. With you, I’ve found a connection beyond anything I believed possible. You make me feel alive.”
He lifts my palm to his lips, brushing a fervent kiss across the sensitive skin that leaves me trembling. “I’m asking you to give this a real chance between us all. I know it sounds ridiculous, unorthodox and…well, so many other things. We’ve even been grappling with the idea between us. But we want to try and see where this takes us. If you’ll have me that is.”
My breath catches at the vulnerable longing laid bare in his voice. Wyatt, always so reserved and proper, now stands before me with his heart on his sleeve, yearning shining clear in those slate gray eyes.
Before I can gather my scattered thoughts to respond, Wilder saunters closer, his azure gaze fixed unwaveringly upon me.
“The man’s got a point, darlin’,” he drawls, grin flickering. “Ain’t none of us willing to lose you. We all want to keep you.”
He reaches out to tuck back a windswept lock of my hair, rough fingertips grazing my cheek, eliciting pleasant shivers.
