by Nic Saint
Not that he cared what she thought of him, of course. Or did he?
Chapter 5
“Watch your step.”
They’d finished breakfast—just a cup of coffee and a bagel for her—and then she’d quickly followed Steve as he seemed to be in quite a hurry. They’d walked back to where Marco had dropped her off yesterday, and were now picking their way down the steep incline to the beach below.
“I’m afraid you’re in for a disappointment,” Steve had grumbled when she’d pointed to the small strip of beach and asked him if he ever went there to swim.
She had to be careful not to trip over the plant roots or the sharp rocks that littered the narrow path, but then finally they reached the bottom, and she sighed in relief. She wasn’t used to clambering from crag to crag like a mountain goat, and for a moment was scared she might slip and tumble into the abyss.
Steve didn’t seem to suffer the same presentiment, as he deftly picked his way down with practiced ease. She hurried after him, glad she’d brought her hiking boots and a fleece jacket. Even though it was only September, the weather was overcast, with temperatures in the low sixties. Not exactly beach weather!
They arrived on the small strip below, and she saw to her disappointment that it didn’t consist of sand but rocks, and rather big ones at that. Not really the kind of beach to put down a towel and soak up the rays. She ventured no beach umbrellas had ever been set up here, nor families sat down for a picnic.
She gazed out across the water, Steve motionless beside her, and saw it was fairly choppy and not at all inviting for a swim. The beach was located in a small bay, rock faces ominously rising up on three sides, the waves crashing violently on the rocky beach. And judging from their white crests, and the erratic way they rolled in, the bottom was probably uneven and rocky as well.
“I wouldn’t recommend going out there for a swim,” Steve confirmed, as if reading her mind. His hands were loosely shoved into the pockets of his cargo pants, a black T-shirt stretched taut across his wide chest and massive shoulders.
“You mean it’s… dangerous?”
He glanced over, that same scowl firmly in place. It seemed to be his default expression, and she wondered if he ever smiled, and what he would look like if he did.
“It’s pretty dicey the first couple of feet,” he admitted. “There’re some very sharp rocks just beneath the surface. And then there’re the riptides. They can be pretty treacherous. Once you manage to get past those unscathed, you can have a more or less decent swim. Though you have to watch out for the tide. If it pulls you out to deeper waters and you’re not a powerful swimmer, you’re a goner.” He grimaced. “No lifeguards around here, I’m afraid.”
She shivered, her arms clasped around her body. She hadn’t thought the island would be this inhospitable. “What made you pick this place?” she asked.
For a moment he didn’t respond, and she thought he was simply going to ignore her, but then finally he spoke in that deep voice of his, terse and bluff. “I needed a place to lay low for a while. This island has been in the family for decades, so it was a no-brainer, really. Besides, it’s not as if I was in the mood for a holiday at St Barts. I needed some alone time. Some time to think and be all by myself. This place is perfect for that. Unspoiled and undisturbed.”
She nodded. He was right. Tyler Island was indeed perfect for that. Solitude was all you got here, and plenty of it. No one in their right mind would come to this island and disturb its single inhabitant. Nobody but her, anyway, and for the first time she felt that her original opinion of Steve was in need of an adjustment. The more time she spent with him, the more she was forced to admit she’d been wrong to label him an arrogant, entitled, self-absorbed and pampered billionaire. He hadn’t built himself a Club Med here, and he definitely wasn’t living in luxury. And what was more, he genuinely wanted and needed his alone time, to heal from the terrible wounds he’d sustained in the line of duty.
Not only didn’t he want her here, but she could understand why. He needed his space. He was in no frame of mind to be sociable, and being out here by himself was probably doing him a world of good. More so than the hapless nurse who’d been induced to invade his space.
“Let’s head back,” he rumbled. “Unless you want to go for a swim?”
Was he joking? Surely not, for his expression was deadly serious, as usual.
“I don’t think so,” she responded, suppressing a shiver.
“Yeah, not exactly the perfect holiday spot, huh?” he remarked wryly.
She was about to follow him when something caught her eye. It was a male deer, a hart, perched high on top of the rocky incline that towered over them, and it stood watching them intently, its impressive antlers piercing the air.
“Steve!” she hissed, grabbing his arm. “Up there—look!”
He glanced over to where she was pointing, but didn’t seem overly impressed. “The island is full of them,” he confirmed. “Tyler Island is their habitat, actually. We’re the intruders. Come on. The water is rising and soon this beach will be flooded, and then we’re trapped.” Under his breath, he added, “Another reason not to venture out here by yourself.”
His warning came across loud and clear. Not only didn’t he want her here, but he wasn’t about to be her babysitter either. He’d pointed out the dangers of this particular part of the island, and now it was up to her to decide whether she heeded his warning or not. He wasn’t going to come and save her, she knew.
The moment her hand touched his arm, there was a brief thrill that traveled through her body, the warm feel of his muscled flesh permeating her and sending a thrill of heat flooding her system. But he shrugged off her hand, and the sensations quickly died down, the connection abruptly broken.
She followed in his footsteps, making certain she put her feet exactly where he did, and her hands just so. She didn’t feel like tumbling down and breaking her neck. And when she glanced down she saw that the water had already reached the place where they’d just been standing, and was now covering half the beach. Soon, like Steve said, the entire strip would be flooded.
She looked around for the deer, wondering where it had gone, but couldn’t see it. They’d arrived back where they started, with Steve watching her panting and groaning as she managed to reach the summit with considerable effort.
“Tough climb,” she managed between two labored breaths.
He didn’t respond, but merely turned on his heel and led the way back.
As they approached the house that one of the Knight forefathers had built, she now saw that it fit in quite perfectly with the harsh environment. This was no island for holidaying, but one for reflection and for battling the elements that pounded it mercilessly. And as an eagle seemed to hover in the air far overhead, she realized that she wasn’t merely in danger of falling prey to the elements that lurked everywhere, but to the kind of loneliness she’d experienced ever since her family had died. Instead of being here with another human being, it was obvious that Steve wasn’t going to be much company, as he consistently refused to acknowledge her presence, making it absolutely clear that she was a mere nuisance, and far from the succor she’d hoped she would be to him. This man didn’t need her. Didn’t need her and didn’t want her.
She was already tiring of her stay on the island as Steve led her past the house and to the right of it, where a narrow path disappeared into the brush.
She followed him for what seemed like an hour, beneath trees that rose majestically all around them, the forest floor spongy with moss and strewn with decaying leaves. This was an entirely different world from the one down at the beach. Her sense of direction wasn’t very well honed, but it seemed to her they were walking due South, to the part of the island that was uninhabited and covered with trees.
She was a tough cookie, Steve thought. In spite of the vigorous climb and now the hike through the woods on uneven terrain, she hadn’t complained even once. He’d had her pegged for a whiner, but
she’d proved far more resilient than he’d given her credit for. And now he found he actually enjoyed her company.
When she arrived here he’d feared she would be an incessant gabber, talking a mile a minute and getting on his nerves. But as they walked on in silence he found himself relaxing, and getting into his natural rhythm—the peace which he’d found here. Being one with nature and at peace with himself. He’d found an equilibrium that was hard to explain to anyone. In living in sync with nature and the rhythm of the island he’d discovered a simple lifestyle that suited him well.
There were no wars to be fought out here, no business competitors to suck up to, no conflicts, no trouble and no strife except for the daily grind. But since he was in the luxury position of having his food choppered out to him, he didn’t even need to worry about that. And as he found his worldly worries slowly fading away, he’d discovered a rare peace within himself. The nightmares hadn’t abated, but they’d become bearable, and he felt he could breathe again.
His brothers didn’t understand, even though Stuart had also stomached two tours of duty. Stu had survived the ordeal relatively unscathed, however, whereas he’d been pretty banged up. He found it hard to talk to anyone about his experience, and had feared that Molly would destroy the delicate balance he’d found within himself. Now, though, as she was silently trudging behind him, the only sound that could be heard, her labored breathing as they traversed the difficult terrain, he was starting to feel at peace with her being here.
He turned abruptly and told her, “Get down!”
She crouched instantly, her movements mimicking his, and then he pointed to a clearing about thirty yards out. She emitted a soft cry of surprise, and a small smile played about his lips. He’d known she’d like this. A herd of deer was flocked together in the clearing up ahead, grazing peacefully, unaware of the humans approaching them, as they were downwind from the graceful animals.
“This forest is their domain,” he rumbled softly. “Much more than it is mine, in fact, but we’ve learned to coexist.”
She gazed out at the deer and thought she’d never seen a more beautiful sight. The sun broke through the foliage up ahead, to light up the clearing, and painted the animals’ tawny coats in shimmering hues of fawn, the proud males sporting impressive antlers, like the one she’d seen before.
And as she and Steve sat crouched side by side, she glanced over at his profile, harsh and forbidding, and was surprised at the softness around his eyes now as he gazed at the deer. He was a soldier, she knew, used to hunting and being hunted, but right now he was just a man, at peace with his surroundings, and she was floored by the sheer strength that emanated from him. He was so powerfully male as he crouched there, his eyes focused on the graceful animals, his features noble and pure, and she was struck for the first time by the thought that he was beautiful, if the word could be used to describe a male.
Then he glanced over, his eyes crashing with hers, and she saw in the deep gray of his eyes his humanity and his compassion for the life around them. There was no need for her to be here, she realized as she locked eyes with him, but then why was she suddenly so glad that she was? To partake in all of this?
And then the most outrageous thing happened. He took her hand and curled his fingers in hers, then whispered, “Come!” and started to lead her away from the small pack of animals.
The touch of his fingers sent shivers up her spine, the sensation curiously intimate, and as she mimicked his movements as he lithely advanced through the undergrowth, ducking branches and vaulting over fallen trees, she was glad of the reprieve from his intense gaze that had briefly captured hers. She could remain locked in those silver eyes forever, no matter how unreasonable that sounded. He had the strength of character to make or break her, she realized on a note of panic, and she was suddenly powered by a strong desire to be her own woman again, and not be dependent on this very male man. Worryingly, it might already be too late for that, his presence affecting her powerfully.
They’d reached the edge of the forest and she was glad to be out into the open. Standing in the shadows of the huge trees, she found herself gazing out at a part of the island she’d only seen from the sky. It stretched out into the valley beneath them, the trees darker and the thick forest more ominous. More sinister.
“You don’t want to go down there,” Steve explained.
“What’s there?” she asked, curious.
“Wild animals,” he growled, and for a moment she thought he was the wild animal.
“You mean…”
“Wild boar, wild goats…” He shook his head. “Best to stay away.”
“Have you… gone down there?” she wanted to know.
He glanced up, and she thought she saw something flicker in his eyes that might have been surprise, but then it died away again.
She was asking him the most curious questions, he thought, and he found that he was fascinated with the way she looked at him, those sparkling green eyes of hers the most amazing sight. It was as if they shifted with every emotion. They could shimmer with fury or fear or surprise… or pleasure? His eyes dropped to her mobile mouth, and he suddenly felt a powerful and all-consuming urge to explore the contours of her lips with the tip of his tongue.
“No, I haven’t,” he told her gruffly. “And I suggest you don’t either.”
“So what do you actually do around here?” she asked, suddenly curious.
He shrugged. “I take it one day at a time, basically. I chop wood, do some chores around the house, prepare my meals… do some yoga… meditation.”
Her jaw dropped. “Yoga and meditation?” Was he kidding her? He definitely didn’t look like the yoga type.
He eyed her intently. “You don’t think a soldier can be into yoga? I find it helps me find peace—a peace I sorely missed when I was fighting a war.”
She nodded. She hadn’t wanted to sound so… astonished, but then he really didn’t strike her as the kind of person who would be into that kind of stuff. He really was defying her expectations. Or should she say her preconceived ideas?
“Let’s start back,” he told her, when the silence stretched out for minutes.
She wasn’t disappointed. Far from being attracted to the dark forest below, she was glad they were moving away from it. Though she had to admit the sheer ruggedness of the area and its untamed aspect were awe-inspiring. This was where man hadn’t messed with nature. Where everything was still as it was at the beginning of time, at the start of creation. And suddenly she was reminded that she and Steve were like the Adam and Eve of Tyler Island. The only people in a sea of primeval forest, the only humans inhabiting this uninhabitable place.
Once again she felt a tremor of awareness travel through her at the notion that it was just her and Steve. She and this imposing, powerful alpha male. The thought of what could happen when a man and a woman were stranded on a deserted island together suddenly produced a stream of images that were quite unwanted and disconcerting. She and Steve on that tiny strip of beach, making love as the waves crashed around them. Or in each other’s arms in that clearing, surrounded by those noble animals. Traversing the island dressed in loincloth, taking every opportunity to make love, voraciously and insatiably. She gulped a little at the sheer eroticism of her fantasies, and tried to eradicate them. She hadn’t come here to make love to this man but to save him, she reminded herself, even though Steve seemed to be doing a pretty good job at saving himself.
They were walking along in silence, like before, sunlight occasionally flickering through the foliage, its bright light filtered and dappling the forest floor where they stepped. Birds fluttered high above, twittering excitedly, and as she looked up, shielding her eyes from a piercing beam of blinding light, she suddenly tripped over an exposed tree root and went down—hard.
Chapter 6
He heard her cry of distress and instantly whirled round to see her crashing down to the earth, her head on a collision course with a sharp rock. In a flash he was
by her side, holding her up and preventing her from crushing her head.
She glanced up at him, her eyes large and surprised, and licked her lips.
She felt soft in his arms, soft and pliant and delightful, he decided. He hadn’t had the luxury to pick and choose where he grasped her and inadvertently his hand had closed on her breast, his fingers molding the soft flesh. He should have replaced his hand, found a more appropriate spot, but realized that he couldn’t. She felt too damn good. And that’s when it happened. It was that look in her eyes, he later decided, and the feel of her soft warm flesh beneath his fingers. And of course the way her lips parted. Pink and wet and entirely too kissable.
So he did the only thing that seemed to make sense: he lowered his head and covered her lips with his own, brushing against all that softness. To his surprise she didn’t pucker her lips in affronted anger but opened them, inviting him to probe deeper.
And then her lips were moving against his, hot and urgent, kissing him right back, her head twisting to accommodate his touch. He cradled her in his arms, slowly and deliberately penetrating her mouth, seeking and finding her tongue in a soft stroke that invoked sensations inside him he hadn’t experienced in the longest time.
When Steve’s lips brushed against hers, first tentative, then insistent, she knew she should have turned away in annoyance and abhorrence, but she found that his kiss felt too right—too good. Too much like what she needed. So she invited him to take his kiss deeper, invited his tongue to discover, to lap softly against her own. And as she sank deeper into surprised bliss, she felt his hand on her breast, his fingers digging into her flesh, and as his thumb caressed her nipple, raising it into a yearning peak, she was ready for him to explore her body and the sudden heat that churned at her core a whole lot further than propriety allowed.