Shifting Gears by Jayne Rylon Page A

fell behind as she examined the contents, picking out animals she’d only seen on National Geographic before. Cuttlefish, octopi, shellfish—they had them all.
    Mark waited for her at the end of the walkway. He leaned one hip against a pylon with his arms crossed over his chest. God, he made her drool.
    “You okay?” He cupped her face in one hand then kissed her.
    “Mmm.” She hugged him tight then took his hand in hers and started walking toward the shops where she spotted Lynn’s bright sarong. “Yeah, hoping none of that goes to waste.”
    “I thought the same thing. Lynn told me they release the live fish that don’t sell. But she might have said that to make me feel better.” He shrugged. “She knows that kind of stuff bothers me.”
    Sloan beamed up at him. The more she learned about Mark, the more she felt she could be completely honest around him.
    They wandered through the open-air market, past the stalls of salted fish and souvenirs. Lynn darted into the spaces, returning with dozens of bags for Sebastian to carry, not that he seemed to mind. Nothing quite motivated Sloan to buy until they happened across a young woman. Quiet, she sat on a stool behind her wares, concentrating on her craft instead of shouting about bargains to anyone who wandered too close.
    “See something you like?” Mark slowed to match her pace. They scanned the beautiful shell jewelry together.
    When her gaze landed on a set of coordinating necklaces, one long and feminine, the other short and masculine, she didn’t hesitate. “Excuse me?”
    She hoped the woman would compensate for her ignorance. With the tourists flooding the island on a regular basis, she might know at least a little English.
    When the girl looked up from her work, Sloan smiled.
    “How much?” She raised the set in front of her then pointed to the calculator on the table beside a simple metal money box.
    The jeweler looked between her and Mark then grinned. “Good for you.”
    Sloan and Mark turned to face each other, their gazes locked. Whether she was talking about the necklaces or their new relationship didn’t matter.
    The woman was right.
    She punched a number in the four-operation calculator then spun it around. Three Hong Kong dollars.
    Before Sloan could dig out her wallet, Mark beat her to it. He handed the woman a twenty then pointed to a pair of matching earrings and a bracelet. “Those too please.”
    When the merchant attempted to give him change, he refused.
    “Thank you.” He waved to the vendor before she could insist.
    Beneath the spotty shade provided by a banyan tree, he gestured for Sloan to turn around. When she complied, he swept her hair from her neck then fastened the shell clasp. She spun in his arms, loving the appreciative flare in his eyes.
    “Your turn.” She stood on tiptoes then reached up to secure the strand around his thick neck. What should have been simple knotted twine and strung shells looked gorgeous on him. Rugged, natural and unassuming.
    “Perfect,” they said at the same time.
    “Jinx.” He silenced her laugh with a scorching kiss.
    Sloan couldn’t say how long they indulged but it seemed like mere seconds before Sebastian’s call cut through the haze of longing surrounding her. “There you two are. We’ve been searching up and down the market. Figures, you’re more interested in making out than hunting trinkets.”
    “Sorry.” Mark had to clear his throat a few times before he could say more. “What’s next on the agenda?”
    “I want to research the boatbuilding yard and the pirate’s cave but that probably means there’s no time for Pak Tai temple if we’re going to grab dinner on the beach before heading back.” Lynn scratched the attraction off her list.
    “We could split up,” Mark suggested. “Not that I don’t want to hang out with you guys, but if it would help for the book, Sloan and I could check it out. You know, take some pictures and make notes for you to