by Nina Singh
“A quick photo, Mr. Jordan.” She hadn’t even noticed the photographer approach them, holding a large camera to his face and wearing a colorful shirt with the resort logo.
Cabe held his hand up to hold off any further picture taking. “Maybe later.” Gently taking Jenna by the elbow, he led her away from the cabana.
Jenna had to remind herself to breathe as they walked away.
“Damn it,” Cabe bit out, sparing a glance behind him.
“You don’t like your picture taken?”
“Not particularly.”
“He’s just doing his job.”
“Let’s hope so,” Cabe bit out.
“What do you mean? Isn’t he just one of the resort photographers?”
Cabe kept walking, apparently trying to gain as much distance between them and the camera. “Yes, but sometimes my photo doesn’t merely end up in a souvenir frame for me to purchase.”
“Where does it end up?”
“Too often it ends up in a tabloid or some tawdry website.”
It took a moment but his meaning slowly dawned on her. He wasn’t merely upset that his picture had been taken. Cabe was upset that it had been taken with her.
“Will Carmen be cross with you?” she blurted out without thinking.
Cabe paused then, just long enough to give her a confused look. “Carmen? No. I mean, I guess not. I honestly don’t know.”
She merely nodded as they resumed walking.
“You’re not worried about her potential reaction to the photo, then?”
“The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind.”
That was interesting. Then again, Carmen was probably one of those women so secure with her beauty and attractiveness she probably wouldn’t have cared if Cabe had taken a hundred pictures with someone like her. The likes of Jenna Townsend were certainly not enough to elicit any kind of jealous reaction from an international supermodel.
“I thought maybe that’s why you wanted to avoid the camera.”
His answer was notably matter-of-fact. “Carmen and I broke up. Just before I left Boston.”
Jenna nearly stumbled before she recovered her step. She had no business feeling giddy at that bit of news. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
Cabe shrugged. “Don’t be. It was bound to happen.”
“I see.”
“Carmen’s been pursuing a movie career for as long as I’ve known her. She finally got her big break this past month. She’ll be filming a horror piece. In the Amazon. She asked me to visit her. I said I didn’t have that kind of time.”
“Oh.” Jenna took a deep breath. If Cabe was shaken over the breakup, he certainly had shown no signs of heartbreak. Not that she’d ever expect a man like Cabe Jordan to wear his heart on his sleeve when it came to women. Still, Jenna didn’t detect any sense of loss or regret. Well, she had no business speculating on that. Or hoping the notion to be true. “Then, if you don’t mind my asking...”
Cabe finally stopped, took her by the arm and gently turned her to face him. “Spit it out, Jenna.”
“Why are you so agitated about the photographer, then?”
She knew she shouldn’t have asked. And wanted to kick herself when he answered.
“I really don’t want a picture of the two of us plastered all over the gossip sites.”
Jenna felt the lump form in her throat and made herself swallow it down. She understood, she really did. She knew whatever was happening between them right now on this resort wasn’t reality. Once they were back in the States, they would go back to living their regular lives. She’d return to her boring, repetitive existence back in Boston. And Cabe would return to his exciting life in Manhattan. Why would he want to answer anyone’s questions about public photos with his project manager?
* * *
He took a different way through the center of the island in order to ensure they’d ditched the photographer. And besides, this route held something Cabe wanted Jenna to see.
He had to catch her as she stepped on the wooden hanging bridge. Or else Jenna was headed for a dramatic face-plant. Cabe didn’t realize how fast he’d been walking or how Jenna had made sure to keep up with him. Unfortunately, she’d miscalculated the steadiness of the wobbly bridge and was about to fall over. “Here. I’ve got you,” Cabe said, taking her by the arm and gently pulling her up.
She gave him a look of surprise and gratitude, and then her gaze fell to the hand that held her arm. Her skin felt smooth and warm under his touch.
She gently pulled her arm free and took hold of the thick rope railing.
“Thanks. Guess I’m still breaking into these new sandals.”
“You can always take them off. Feel free to go barefoot, now that our business day is over.”
She gave him a small smile that didn’t really reach her eyes. “Can we slow down now? I think we lost our tail.”
“Sorry. I didn’t realize how fast I was walking. Not like the photographer was actually following us.”
“Well, we couldn’t have risked that now, could we?” Her voice held a hint of annoyance.
He didn’t want to be the reason Jenna’s picture was pasted all over the internet. He’d grown used to the lack of privacy over the years. But for someone as inexperienced with it as Jenna was, the intrusion could be daunting and upsetting. She’d done nothing to deserve that. Not to mention what his parents would say.
“Like I said, I’d rather not give the tabloids any fodder.”
“Got it,” Jenna replied. “I am clearly not an ideal photo op.”
Her tone was sharp. “Something wrong?” he asked.
She let out a deep sigh. “No. Nothing at all.”
He waited a beat but she didn’t go on. “Doesn’t sound like it’s nothing. Is there something you’d like to say?”
Her cheeks suddenly turned pink with annoyance. Maybe even anger.
Which made no sense. All he’d done was try to spare her the unwanted scrutiny an international photograph would garner. But Jenna remained frustratingly silent.
“You have no idea what kind of attention one lousy picture can elicit,” he told her. “I was trying to protect you.”
She blinked and her expression softened. “Is that the only reason? That was all for me?”
What in the devil’s name was she talking about? Of course it was. “You are clearly a very private person, Jenna. I didn’t think you’d appreciate such an intrusion.”
He waited as she let that sink in.
“I guess you’re right,” she said, looking up and finally noticing their surroundings. They had reached the majestic waterfalls at the center of the resort. Surrounded by lush greenery and gray rocks, three high waterfalls dropped close to a hundred feet into a crystal-blue river. A series of rustic wooden bridges like the one they currently stood on webbed throughout the area.
Jenna’s expression held wonder and awe, as he knew it would. Their swift jaunt just now had brought a rosy hue to her cheeks, and her lips remained parted. “Wow, this is beautiful.”
Breathtaking, Cabe thought. But he wasn’t thinking of the scenery. Jenna’s skin glistened with the thin sheen of mist that drifted in the air. She looked like a heavenly angel ascended from paradise.
“Why did it bother you so much, Jenna? That I had us run from the photographer?” he prompted. The situation had triggered something in her, something he wanted to get to the bottom of. This was a perfect spot to do it.
Her eyes narrowed on his face. “You were saying how clearly guarded I am.”
“Yes?”
She blew out a deep breath, went back to studying the scenery. “I didn’t exactly have an ideal upbringing, Cabe. As you very well know.”
“I know you didn’t have it easy. And I know how much you�
��ve overcome to get to where you are.”
She sniffed. “I’m Amanda Townsend’s daughter. The town drunk, the desperate single mom who flirted with everyone’s husband.”
“None of that was your fault, Jenna.”
“I know. But it was certainly my responsibility. It fell on me to take care of her when she drank so much she was sick for days. It fell on me to find a way to feed and care for my brother when there was no food or money to be found.”
He ached to hold her, to erase her past and pain somehow. She deserved so much better than what she’d been handed in life. Unlike himself. “You were the caregiver, even though your brother was older.”
She smiled, with genuine affection clear on her face. “We split responsibilities. He’s protected me in myriad ways, too, over the years. A girl tends to get picked on when she’s known as the trashy daughter of the town’s trashy drunk.”
“You and Sam are lucky to have each other.”
He heard her inhale deeply, slowly let the breath out. He’d do anything to bear some of the weight on her shoulders, if only he could.
“I suppose we are. I can’t imagine dealing with Amanda over the years without him. Though sometimes I wish he didn’t have to deal with it at all. That I was a single child, for his sake.” A small laugh escaped her lips. “I used to daydream that someone rich would show up one day and adopt—” She stopped suddenly and cupped her hand over her mouth, as if she could pull back the half-spoken word that hung in the air.
“It’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” he said.
“I’m so sorry,” Jenna whispered. “I should have known better than to say something like that.”
“It’s okay, Jenna. It’s a common fantasy among children. Funny thing is, I had the opposite daydream.”
“What do you mean?”
“After I found out, I kept having these visions of my real parents appearing at the door one day. To tell me how sorry they were that they ever gave me up. Then they would beg me to forgive them, ask if they could take me back.” He grew somber as the memory further surfaced. “Then I would feel terrible. Guilty for hoping to leave James and Tricia when they were so sad.” What a silly kid he’d been. Worrying himself sick over a fantasy that had no basis in reality.
“You’ve been trying to prove yourself for as long as you can remember, haven’t you?” she asked in a soft voice.
“I guess I have. It’s hard to live up to a ghost.”
“A ghost?”
“James and Tricia adopted me after losing their biological son. Unlike you, I may not have had an actual living, breathing sibling. But his presence was always there. Right down to the room my parents never altered after he died.” A room he was never allowed to so much as enter.
“They never emptied his room?” Jenna asked, her voice breaking.
“No, never.”
“Cabe, there was no way you could have reached them. Nothing you could have done. They were broken and shattered over their loss.”
“It’s tough for a child to see through all that.”
She leaned closer. “You never stopped trying, did you? To make them happy?” She was close enough that he could read her eyes even in the dim light. They held no pity. If anything, she appeared to be looking at him with something resembling admiration. “Cabe, you deserve to be happy.”
Her words hammered into his soul. In one simple sentence she’d cut to the very core of him, through to all his childhood insecurities and disappointments.
“Jenna, you amaze me,” he told her. He’d never made a truer statement. He thought back to that first day in Boston. It horrified him how insensitive he’d been. He should have realized someone like Jenna, who’d had a lifetime of trying to escape the shadow of her mother’s reputation, would take questions about the theft personally.
And just now, with the photographer. She’d thought he was ashamed to be seen with her for the very same reason. Jenna’s whole life had been about others judging her based on the actions of her mother. He could be such a careless, thoughtless lout at times.
“This conversation is getting pretty deep,” Jenna said quietly in a tone that broke his heart. “Too deep to be having with my boss.” She let out a small laugh, clearly forced.
If only she could really see him, not just as a boss, but as a man. A man who wanted to unearth the many layers that were Jenna Townsend. “Do me a favor,” Cabe began. “Take a good look around this place. A really good look.”
She did as he asked, although not before giving him a confused frown. “It’s wondrous. I didn’t realize places like this actually existed.” Jenna ducked her head shyly, as if embarrassed by what she’d just revealed.
“It’s all an illusion.”
“What do you mean?”
“That large waterfall in the middle, that was in the original landscape. The other two smaller ones on either side, those were formed by manipulating the cliff side. Just like everything else in this place, it’s been painstakingly planned and created. None of it is genuine or the real thing. Just like me,” he added, meeting her eyes.
The lines on her forehead deepened. “Cabe, why would you think that?” Maybe she did see the real him after all.
Before he could answer, a strong gust of wind shook the bridge they stood on. Without giving it a thought, Cabe reached to grab her around her middle and pulled her closer, both feeling and hearing her sharp intake of breath. “Sorry, these bridges aren’t really meant to stand around on for extended periods of time.” He spoke low against her ear.
“Right. They’re more for appearances as well.”
“It would seem.” It was safe to let go now, but he continued to hold her anyway. For some reason, he couldn’t seem to stop touching Jenna. He would enjoy it while he could. For now, he was simply happy that she made no attempt to step out of his embrace.
“Why was it me?” he blurted out. Her eyes searched his even as her touch soothed him, comforted him. So he went on. “I wonder about it every day. The mere randomness of it.”
“Oh, Cabe.” She reached for him then and he felt as if time had stopped. Her soft, delicate fingers found his face then ran gently along his jaw. He reflexively dipped his head into her touch.
“I’m also a made product, Jenna. As artificial and fake as these waterfalls. I’m not an original. I’m not any kind of rarity. I was merely randomly selected, treated and polished to transform into someone else entirely. A lie. A falsehood I’ve lived every day of my life. It’s hard not to feel like a fraud. My parents lost their real son. Their one and only precious child. And somehow I was chosen by some mysterious twist of fate to step in and take the life he was meant to lead.”
To his shock, she stepped farther into his embrace. A shiver ran through him at her closeness. He knew one of them should pull away. But, heaven help him, it wasn’t going to be him.
Her eyes glistened and it tore at his heart. She remained silent, giving him time to continue if he desired. Apparently, he did. “I have everything. And he’s gone. How can my mother and father not resent me for that? They tried so hard not to show it. But I could tell by their indifference. I could see. How in the world would I blame them?”
“You worked hard for all that you have, Cabe,” she said. “Everyone knows how much you’ve done for Jordan’s Fine Jewelry. The way it grew once you took over.”
“Maybe so. But so much of it was handed to me.”
She gave her head a small shake. “You aren’t giving yourself any credit. I can’t even imagine the company being run by anyone else. You’re really good.”
“I had to be good.” He tightened his grip around her waist, pulled her closer. And she felt so right up against him. “Don’t you see?”
“See what?”
“The reality is, I can’t squander it. It has to mea
n something that it was me.” He took a deep breath, inhaled the scent of her shampoo. “After all, I’m the Jordan Golden Boy.”
She shook her head slowly. “I know who you are. You’re Cabe Jordan. A talented and accomplished CEO. You’ve done so much for your employees. And you’re a credit to your parents. Just today you changed the life of a young girl you just happened to see selling cheap jewelry on the beach. You’re the kind of man any woman with a pulse would fall head over heels—”
The roaring in his ears kept him from hearing any more. He didn’t need to. What he needed was to taste her, to feel her up against him. Inside his very soul. Pulling her even closer, he took her mouth and plunged in. She tasted like heaven, like redemption, like everything he could have hoped for.
He’d never be able to let her go.
* * *
This was a fairy tale. She was convinced now. Or it was a sweet, unimaginable dream. Jenna hoped never to wake up. Cabe held her tight against him, his mouth devouring hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and shifted her hips closer against his, felt the strength of his desire for her. The knowledge made her skin burn. This dazzling, enigmatic man wanted her. She’d seen the longing on his face, and now could feel it in the power of his kiss and in the reaction of his body.
“Jenna,” he whispered against her mouth, his voice full of longing. A heady shiver of need ran up her spine. “Tell me. I have to know.”
She couldn’t think, couldn’t seem to breathe. What was he asking for? She’d give him anything. Her soul, her heart. Anything. So she simply answered yes.
His hands moved down her rib cage, down farther along her hips. Then she felt herself suddenly hoisted off the ground. He lifted her completely off her feet and started to carry her, steady and balanced despite the crooked and wobbly bridge. She couldn’t tear her gaze off Cabe’s face. His eyes reminded her of the ocean during a violent storm—dark and shadowed. The sound of the crashing water grew fainter and fainter behind them. She couldn’t guess where they were going, but would let him take her anywhere. As long as he never stopped holding her.
She wanted so much more. She wanted all of him.