Riley and Gray worked together for the first hour of the day, marking down data and comparing notes to ensure they missed nothing.The quiet companionship and steady work were a relaxing start to their mornings.A stark contrast to the chaotic energy that often came later in the day once the tourists started arriving.
As Riley was tallying up the breath rates she'd recorded for Phoenix, Gray noticed there was a faint mark on her knuckles between her second and third knuckles.Without thinking, he reached forward and rubbed his finger over it.The intimate touch startled him, but he composed himself."What is this?"
Riley looked at her right hand and appeared to be thinking.As she looked at Gray, she felt her heart skip a beat faster.He directed his gaze toward her, a potent mixture of intensity coupled with an underlying heat she couldn't manage.
"I'm honestly not sure; I think it's always been there.It's not from writing because I'm left-handed.A mystery, I guess."She didn't pull her hand away as Gray rubbed over the spot one more time.As he let go of her hand, Riley realized she didn't mind the intimacy.It had been a long time since anyone had looked at her like Gray was, but he was only here for his project, and she didn't want it to be awkward with him, so she jumped up.
"Come on, let's go have some second breakfast; we've got a big day."And with that, she went to walk down the ramp, Gray quickly following behind her, not sure what he had just started, but he knew something was there.She hadn't pulled away from him at the beach, and she hadn't pulled away from him now.
In the afternoons, Cici, Daniel, and Declan would join Gray to record data with one of the adult dolphins.Declan had been right; Cici had devised an ingenious underwater system of weights, ropes, and small buoys to measure distances on the sandy ocean floor.In just a few days, they had logged five hours of footage.Gray reminded himself that he would need to make copies of the tapes before heading back to California; he knew other researchers would be eager to see them.
Gray was already seeing patterns in the data.The dolphins' breathing rates when they were swimming lazily in the morning compared to the underwater recordings were vastly different.And, the most surprising and exciting piece of data they had accidentally discovered was that when the dolphins were wearing the time depth recorders and the heart rate monitors, even if they were not diving but just rolled upside-down at the surface of the water, they'd slow their heart rates down like they were diving and needed to conserve energy.When they realized this, everyone was amazed, and Gray knew he had made a discovery; his research paper would be very popular when he started publishing the results.
That afternoon promised to be exciting.Gray and Cam had been working on a new cuff for the time-depth recorders.The suction cups they had been using were unreliable; as the dolphins swam, the cups often popped off, leaving the recorder dangling.More than once, Gray had dived into the enclosure to retrieve the expensive equipment.After a week he noticed that his clothes all had salt stains on them, making them almost keep their shape even when he wasn't wearing them.
"What do you think, Riley?"Cam and Gray looked at her expectantly as she examined the new cuff, made of Velcro with the recorder securely mounted.
"I think it's an enormous improvement over the suction cups," Riley turned it over in her hands."But I'm not sure it'll adjust small enough for the younger dolphins.We might need a few different sizes.It's a good start, though!"
Gray and Cam exchanged smiles."Let's test it out on Shiloh first.I'll grab Cici and get Shiloh's food."She headed toward the fish kitchen.
Gray's gaze followed her as she walked away, and Cam noticed.
"So, Riley's pretty amazing, wouldn't you agree?"Cam said casually, not looking at Gray, whose head snapped around in alarm.
"She's an incredible trainer."
Cam smirked."Listen, Gray, can I give you some advice?"
Gray hesitated but nodded.
"Riley is the best head trainer I've ever worked with, and she's on the career path to director.She's dedicated, hardworking, and this island has embraced her as if she were born here.She's got a life outside of work, but I know she's only had one serious relationship since she got here, and no, I'm not talking about Bear."Cam chuckled at the thought of the crazy dog.
"That one relationship was...a disaster," Cam continued, his tone softening."Since then, she's been careful.Maybe too careful.I think you're a great guy, but unless you're ready to uproot your life and move here, don't let this go too far.I'd hate to see her get attached only for you to leave.This work, this life it's not for everyone.It's demanding, and it requires sacrifices.Think about that before you let anything happen."
Cam's eyes met Gray's, his words hanging heavy in the air.Then, as Riley and Cici returned with Shiloh's food, he clapped Gray on the shoulder and shifted back into his usual easygoing demeanour.
Gray barely had time to process Cam's words before they were back to work.But the weight of the conversation lingered, a quiet tug at the edges of his mind.He set it aside for now, because he knew he would have time to think later, when he was alone and far enough away to resist the temptation to reach for Riley.
Chapter 28
Velcro scare
RileyglancedatGray,her brows knitting in a silent question.He smiled and nodded, but something in his expression made her wonder what had happened while she was gone.She filed it away to ask later.
"All right, team, what have we got here?"Cici reached for the cuff Cam was holding.She examined it, tugging at the Velcro straps to test their strength while Cam set Shiloh's fish cooler down on the dock.Right on cue, Shiloh surfaced, her sleek head popping out of the water, and she chirped a greeting.
Cici grinned at the dolphin."Hey, girlie.Got something new for you to try."
Shiloh, ever the cooperative superstar, wagged her head in what looked like eager agreement.She had always been the most reliable in equipment trials.Where Abaco and Anejo turned every test into a game of "How fast can we break it?"Shiloh had a knack for understanding the assignment.
Cici adjusted the cuff one last time and settled on the floating dock while Cam, Riley, and Gray stayed on the stable dock above, watching.Cici extended a hand toward Shiloh."Pec, please," she said with a teasing lilt, wiggling her fingers.
Shiloh obliged, presenting her pectoral fin with a splash of flair.Cici couldn't resist a quick tickle under her pec-pit.Shiloh squawked indignantly, spitting a small stream of water at her trainer.
"Okay, okay, back to business."Cici took the fin again, carefully slipping the cuff into place where the fin met Shiloh's body.She double-checked that it wasn't too tight before giving a sharp blow on her whistle to signal success.Shiloh's reward came immediately—a fish tossed expertly into her waiting mouth.
"Looks like a perfect fit for my perfect girl."
