Irene gathered up her toiletries and headed back to the cabin. Back inside, she grabbed the kettle. She sloshed around the water. Alex had obviously filled it up again, too. Since they couldn’t light a fire, she set up the propane burner she’d found yesterday. Just as it boiled, she turned off the burner to save fuel, then poured two cups of hot water, adding a packet of instant coffee to each.
She carried a cup over to the nightstand next to Alex, then made herself comfortable in one of the recliners.
It took only a few seconds and Alex stirred. He sniffed, then sniffed again. “Did you make flapjacks too?”
Irene laughed. “Flapjacks? No … I’m afraid I don’t have a clue how to make those. Gotta settle for a coconut-almond protein bar.”
Alex moved to a seated position, then reached for the cup. “This’ll work.” He took a sip, then groaned. “So, what do you want to do today?”
She smiled. “Not sure. Didn’t know that your trip offered guided excursions.”
“Sure! Let’s see … We have several tours available. A seal- and whale-watch outing. An adventure back in time, following the same steps the early settlers took when they panned for gold. A walking tour of old shipwrecks. And the highlight of Middleton Island, the bird-watching expedition.”
“You know … If we were staying at a resort or on a cruise liner, they’d charge a fortune for those trips. When do we start?”
Alex grinned, seemingly happy to make her smile. “Well, we do need to make a trip, the longest one first. At the end of the island, there’s an unmanned weather station. I’d like to see if we can get inside, hoping there might be a radio. But, worse case, there’s a weather cam. If we can write a sign and date it, who knows? Someone might be watching.”
Chapter 10
~ Irene ~
Irene stuffed another protein bar into her jacket pocket and then filled up a bottle she’d found with the remaining water from the kettle.
She turned away to give Alex some privacy while he dressed. Not that he wanted it, but since he’d turned her down this morning, she hadn’t wanted to put herself out there again.
“Ready,” he called.
“About time!” She turned to see him dressed in jeans again and a different sweatshirt. This one had a handstitched logo in the upper-left corner. She walked toward him to view it better. “Oh … it’s the Midnight Sons logo. I like it. All your rescue teams are represented.”
“More like, types of rescues …” He pointed to each image. “Air, water, land, and rock.” One was of a helicopter, the next a wave, the third a silhouette of a person with hiking sticks, and the last was a rock face with another silhouette holding on. “But we specialize in different areas. For example, for water, we do several things. My youngest brother, Daire, is the kayak king. Even though he’s only twenty-one, if we have a rescue involving white water, Daire usually heads up the mission. But if we need to send out the jet rafts, Sam’s still in charge, and then … for open water, Vince takes the lead. Even though Vince and Erik can both man a chopper, I usually take the lead on anything in the air. Erik’s our mountaineer man. If you saw him at the wedding, he’s the wiry one. That man can literally crawl over rock faces. Sam’s our tracker. With his dogs, he can track down anyone, anywhere. He’s also the boss. No matter the rescue, even if one of us takes lead, he ultimately calls the shots.”
“Does that bother you?”
Alex dropped his head, shaking it, but he came up smiling. “What are you, a shrink? No, Sam calling the shots and being my boss doesn’t bother me.”
“No, I’m not a shrink; I’m a journalist. People interest me.”
“Hmm …”
She planted her hands on her hips. “What does hmm mean?”
He shrugged. “It’s just … you’re always digging. I say something simple, and you assume there’s more there,” he said matter-of-fact like. Not as if he were upset, but more like he didn’t understand why she would bother.
“Hmm …” she said in response.
“What does hmm mean?”
“You tell me. You said there was nothing there, so I believe you. It’s just … I know how families are. Sam’s older, takes the lead. That has to play on you.”
“It doesn’t.” Alex gathered up his personal items mindlessly, then pulled a sweater over his sweatshirt. “Sam is older, and he’s more mature. He deserves everything he gets.”
“And you don’t, Alex?”
He flashed his gaze upward from the table where he was choosing one of the protein bars she’d set out. “On the contrary, Irene, I deserve everything that’s come my way.” He stuffed the bar in his jacket pocket, snatched up the piece of paper he’d written the SOS on, and then headed toward the door. “Let’s go.”
Again, Alex didn’t seem angry, but rather, resigned … as if even being stuck on the island was something he’d had coming.
She pulled on her knit cap and a shawl she found and scurried out the door behind him. “Alex …” She waited while he secured the door, checking the latch to make sure it held tight. Something had been bothering her about how he’d ended up on the island. Yes, he’d saved her, but she didn’t understand everything he’d said the previous day. She’d wait to ask, though, since he’d already accused her of digging. She’d wait until it came up in conversation again.
He stopped and stared at her. “Yes?”
“Never mind.” She waved her hands as if it was nothing. “Let’s go. I’m looking forward to our excursion.”
Instead of arguing with her, demanding she finish her thought, he strolled off. His long legs had him yards away within seconds.
She rushed to catch up, then looped her hands around his arm. “So, tell me more about Middleton Island …”
The walk to the tip of the island took about forty-five minutes, but at least it was easier than crossing the dunes. While the air was crisp — about fifty degrees and humid, which meant the cold seeped right through to your bones — it was clear and sunny. She never minded the cold when it was sunny.
From the other side of the dune that lined the airstrip, waves crashed, seals barked, and seagulls squawked … all in a rhythm that reminded her of the ambient sounds app she listened to back home. It seemed the moment the surf died down, the seals would cry out. And then the moment the seals settled, the kittiwakes belted out their song. At least from the distance where they walked, she only caught an occasional whiff of bird poop. Mostly, the air just hinted of brine and fish, as if she were walking along Old Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey.
If she didn’t think about their situation, she could imagine walking arm-and-arm with Alex, showing him Cannery Row and dining at one of the oceanside restaurants she loved. There, they’d sip something potent and fruity, and then they’d return to the B&B she always rented in Carmel.
While she daydreamed, Alex spoke of the gold rush, foxes, rabbits, and the multitude of ships that had beached. “Oddly enough,” he broke into his story about the German man who’d lived on Middleton for about a year, panning for gold, “I just remembered … the family who raised the blue foxes on the island was named Crusoe.” She looked at him with one raised eyebrow, and he lifted his hand. “I swear I’m not making that up.”
“Who’d think this deserted island would have such history when we didn’t have all the battery and fuel-operated items we have today, but now … it’s just us.”
“I know.” He shrugged and went back to talking about the air force base that had closed in the early sixties.
After a while, he stopped acting as a tour guide and just walked.
“Alex?”
He peered down at her. “Yes.”
“You said the best thing that happened to you in the last year was Nora … So I was just wondering … Did you mean … your brother and her marrying, or her coming into your life? How long have she and Sam known each other?”
“Dig, dig, dig …” he said through a laugh.
“I guess so … Like I said, people
and their situations interest me.”
“We met Nora last May … She came to Alaska to hike Denali, and let’s just say … her situation was interesting, to say the least.” He stopped talking and walking and turned to her. “I think … as bad as what she had going on, it actually pulled the family closer together. And hey, she and Sam found each other.”
“What do you mean? What happened?”
“I think … maybe … you being a journalist and all, you should ask her. Hers is a story worth hearing, and I’d just butcher it. But … I’m curious, don’t you recognize her?”
Irene leaned back and looked up at his eyes, which were sparkling gold in the sunlight. “What do you mean? Why would I know her?”
“Nora is Nora Molina. UFC Champion K.O. Molina. She’s played in several action thrillers, too, so I just figured with you being from California …”
“Oh, my God! The bad-ass blonde! Of course, I know her! Hell, when I was —” She shook her head, realizing she’d almost said, When I was lying in bed, puking my guts out … “I wanted to be her. What woman doesn’t?”
“That’s Nora,” Alex said. “And I don’t blame you. If I were a woman … Hell, I think most men wish they were as bad-ass as Nora is.”
It dawned on Irene. She had heard something. She’d been so sick, she hadn’t been paying much attention, but there was something big on the news … something about her manager. Alex was right. She would love to interview Nora. From what she could remember, no one got an exclusive; the news channels just had to go with whatever they could dig up.
“You’re right, Alex, I would like to hear the story from Nora,” Irene said. “So … they’ve only known each other about seven or eight months, and they tied the knot, huh? And that makes you happy. That’s nice.”
Irene was prepared to throw some more non-threatening questions at Alex, but a building came into view. A very nice building, at that. Not a wooden shack. Why hadn’t they been sleeping in it instead of the drafty cabin?
Alex trotted up to the door. “I doubt it’s open, but … you never know.” He twisted the handle. Nothing. He pulled and jiggled and pushed, then shoved with his shoulder. Nothing. “It’s solid.”
Irene stepped up behind him. “Looks like a steel door.”
He rubbed his shoulder. “Feels like it, too.”
She burst out, realizing he’d hidden the fact that he’d hurt himself. Macho-itis. “I’m surprised you didn’t try to kick it in like one of those cop shows.”
“Nah.” He laughed. “I need my foot, thanks.”
Alex stepped around the side and Irene followed. Solid. Solid. Solid. No windows. No other doors. No way to get in. Definitely a government station, not a cabin erected for birdwatchers. Since it was sitting at the uppermost tip of the island, she imagined it had to be, though. The cabin they slept in was protected by massive sand dunes on either side; the radar station stood high on a cliff, where it would receive blunt force winds.
While Alex pulled out the sign he’d made, Irene walked to the edge of the island. The cliff face was steep, carved by wind and waves. At the far tip, the wind whipped her face, reminding her of a scene from Titanic. The island was even shaped like a massive ship sailing in the open ocean. Below her, waves crashed the exposed rocky beach. If she took one step —
Alex grabbed her from behind. “What are you doing?”
“Just playing.”
“That’s no place to play,” he barked. “One rogue gust of wind, and it’d be bye-bye Irene.”
She folded his arms around her midriff, hoping the action would soothe his tone. “I wasn’t that close, but thank you for your concern. It’s beautiful here, Alex.”
He nuzzled her neck, his warm breath heating her in more ways than one. “It is … And with you in my view, it’s even more amazing.”
She turned in his arms. “Maybe no one will come. We’ll have to make do as castaways. Could we do it?”
He smoothed back one of her loose curls from her face, tucking it under the edge of her cap. “You’d want to be stuck on a deserted island with me, Irene?”
“Who else would I want to be stuck with? You’re like having my own personal Survivor Man, only cuter.”
He laughed. “Yeah, we could survive. If nothing else, we always have eggs. We’d probably never eat another egg in our lifetime once we made it back to civilization, but the fat and protein in eggs would be enough to sustain us.”
She moved her hands to his chest. “See what I mean … You’re like a walking and talking survival guide. It’s like you’ve already figured this out.”
He moved his mouth to hers, making her forget about questions and survival and drug runners. Yes, she definitely wouldn’t mind being a castaway if Alex was with her.
After a few seconds, Alex’s lips stilled.
She’d shut her eyes the moment their mouths had met, too caught up in the kiss to think about anything. The loss of his warmth made her open her eyes. He was just staring at her.
“What?” she asked, her fingertips touching her wet lips.
“You’re beautiful.”
“I am?”
He laughed. “Yes.”
“Not too skinny? Too short of hair?”
He shrugged and smiled. “Well, you could stand to gain a few pounds. I feel like I’m going to crush you every time I pull you near me.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’m not that fragile, Alex.”
His hands moved up her arms, stalling on her shoulders. His calloused palm cupped her face and she moved into it. “Are you sure about that, Irene? I’m not the gentlest when it comes to women, as I’m sure you can already attest.”
Obviously, he was speaking about more than just physical strength, and he had been a bit curt with her the previous day. But she’d never liked a pansy man. “I’m sure, Alex. I’m not delicate inside or out, I assure you.”
He wrapped his hand around her back and neck and pulled her tighter against him. His mouth captured hers again, and she was instantly lost in the heat. His mouth was hot, and the sensation of his tongue exploring her mouth made that heat travel down the center of her body, heating her insides up as if it were eighty outside, not fifty.
Just as quickly as he’d taken her, he pulled away again.
She stumbled forward, grateful when he steadied her.
He chuckled as he pulled her to his side. “See, that’s why we don’t play on cliffs. Come on, time for shipwreck scavenging and whale watching. From the east side, there’s a great spot for viewing, the highest spot on the island.”
She blinked, trying to clear her head. Why had she lost balance over a simple kiss? Probably just the lack of food, she told herself. No man had ever made her dizzy from a kiss.
Dammit, Irene! she chastised herself. You can’t fall for Alex. You can’t fall for any man. You don’t have a future, remember?
~ Alex ~
Alex blew out a long breath, attempting to stop the tingling sensation. If it was just his future, he could handle it; he was good at denying a future. He would take what he wanted and be gone before a woman had a chance to fall for him.
It was clear, though, that as much as he wanted Irene, she seemed to want him just as much. And not just physically. Physical wants diminished. The thrill of being with a new woman only lasted a few days, then he was fine with saying goodbye.
But not Irene, he’d wanted her the moment he woke up in his hotel room alone. Wanted her yesterday, all day. Not just sex. He wanted to hold her, to tell her everything. Even as he deflected her questions, he found himself wanting to answer her. He wanted to confess all and have her want him anyway.
He needed to clear his head of these thoughts. Get back to the day.
“Oh, my!” Irene said, her hand over her mouth. “Is that …?”
“Where the plane crashed? Yes.”
“Alex, there’s no beach!”
He touched her shoulder as she stared over the nearly hundred-foot cliff. �
�I know.”
“I would have … drowned … if it weren’t for you … I wouldn’t have made it.”
“Irene —”
“No, Alex. I wouldn’t have made it around the island without your plane.”
“I know … That’s why I was so adamant that we get to the other side.” He tucked her against him again and started walking along the edge, far enough away that if she stumbled, they wouldn’t go over the cliff.
A few hundred yards into their stroll, Irene stopped and pointed. “There!”
Alex waited. Sure enough, a couple seconds later, he saw the black fringed flukes.
“Oh my! Is that a gray whale?”
He squeezed her hand. “No … you won’t see very many gray whales or humpbacks until the water warms up. That’s an orca.”
Irene turned to him, her eyes wide. “A killer whale? Right here?”
“It’s an orca.”
“We were in that water.”
Alex shook his head. “Did you know that other than in captivity, orcas have never killed a human being? Never. Not one. There have been four deaths while in human captivity, though, three of which were from the same whale. I’ve had orcas come right up to my kayak. They’ll look me over, and then be on their way. They’re very smart.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “So … if you saw him in the water yesterday, you would have been fine?”
Alex laughed. “I probably would have grabbed a fin and asked for a ride.”
“Hmm …” Irene mused. “Speaking of rides … I have a question. You had said that there might be fuel here. Other than a few tins of propane, I didn’t see anything resembling airplane fuel.”
Alex nodded, wondering where she was going with this line of questioning. From the short time he’d known her, Irene didn’t seem to ask a question without a reason. “I was hoping. But since I don’t have a plane, it doesn’t matter, does it?”
“I was wondering about that.” She stopped staring out at the water and turned her scrutiny back on him. “You said you didn’t have enough fuel to take off, and obviously you didn’t because Kevin had to bring down the plane, too.”
Alex's Atonement (Midnight Sons Book 2) Page 11