Free Swept Away 2 by J. Haymore

softness of his hair, and give him a wet kiss, knowing he can taste his own release on my lips. And right now, that is the most erotic thing imaginable.
    God. I want him. I want to wrap myself all around him, hold him close, and let him take every single bit of me into his care and keeping.
    These are wild thoughts. Crazy thoughts. Unsafe ones. Stupid ones, since he has absolutely guaranteed me that he cannot be held responsible for the care and keeping of any part of me.
    I try to push it all away. I want to enjoy this moment and not think of anything deeper, anything beyond. But I can’t help it. It’s unstoppable, this desire for more.
    The kiss slows, becomes sensual, then languid, and we finally pull apart, both of us sighing in satisfaction. Then, Ethan tugs me against him. I entwine my body with his.
    Moments later, with my leg draped over him, my arm wrapped around his torso, and my head safely resting in the crook of his arm, I drift off, rocking along with the Temptation in a warm sea of contentment.
    * * * * *
    “Ethan! Ethan!”
    The screech rips me out of slumber, and for a moment, I have no idea where I am or who’s lying beside me or who’s screaming.
    A figure sits up beside me, and I realize it’s Ethan, still wearing his black T-shirt, his dark hair sexily rumpled…maybe from sleep, maybe from all the illicit things we did to each other earlier.
    Ethan directs a frown at the closed door. “What is it?” he calls out roughly.
    “There’s a problem.” Nalani’s panicked voice comes from beyond the door. “A serious problem.”
    Ethan glances at me in alarm, and we both scramble to pull on some clothes. “Okay, we’ll be out in a minute.”
    A few moments later, Ethan and I come out into the main cabin, him in his T-shirt and sweatpants, and me in my pajamas. Kyle is there, shirtless, his hair in haphazard spikes. His expression is one of complete bewilderment. Nalani is standing in the doorway that leads down to the two cabins on the opposite side of the boat from Ethan’s and mine.
    “What’s going on?” Ethan asks.
    Kyle swallows hard and turns to Nalani, who’s visibly trembling. She stands there, looking first at Ethan, then at me, and finally at Kyle. Then her gaze moves to the front window and unfocuses, as if she’s gazing at a vague outline of an island miles in the distance. “It’s Mick,” she says in a reedy voice. “He… He’s gone .”
    “Gone?” I repeat. “Gone where?”
    She shakes her head. “He’s just…disappeared.”
    “Are you sure?” Ethan asks her.
    “I just checked the bunks again.” Nalani’s dark eyes are wide with shock as she finally turns back to Ethan, as if imploring him to tell her what needs to be done next. “No trace.”
    “Did he fall overboard? He must have fallen overboard.” Kyle’s words are flat. Emotionless. As if he’s in shock.
    We all stare at one another in silence for a moment. I turn to Kyle and Nalani. “You two were on watch after Ethan came down, right?”
    “Right,” Kyle says. “And nothing strange happened, until…” His voice drops off. Nalani sinks onto the sofa as if her legs can no longer support her. Her café latte complexion drains until her skin is the color of curdled buttermilk.
    “Oh God,” she whispers.
    “What?” Ethan asks sharply.
    Nalani swallows hard and gestures roughly at Kyle. “He came down to go to bed, but he went into my cabin. I went down to tell him to get the hell out of my bunk, that he has the couch until we get to Hawaii, and after that, I never want to see his—” She breaks off, not making eye contact with Kyle or anyone.
    “We were arguing,” Kyle explains, as if that weren’t already obvious.
    “How long were you down there?” Ethan’s hand slips into mine, and he squeezes tight.
    Kyle shrugs. “Maybe half an hour. Maybe longer.”
    Nalani groans and presses her forehead into her palms. “Oh my God. Oh my God.”
    “We need to see if we can find him,” Ethan