by Soraya Lane
“Come on, sweetheart, let’s go,” Tanner said, grinning like he’d never said anything in the first place.
* * *
Tanner let Lauren go first, not wanting her to see what a struggle it would be for him to go down the stairs. As sore and stiff as he’d been before the flight, he felt like an old man now, his joints so tight and sticky he could hardly make his leg do what he expected of it.
He felt the thick, humid air as he walked off the jet, and by the time his feet hit the ground he wished he’d worn flip-flops instead of boots. What kind of idiot wears boots to arrive in Fiji anyway? He pushed up his shirtsleeves a little more, then locked eyes with a big man, easily as tall as him, with the widest smile he’d ever encountered.
“Bula!” the man announced. “Bula! Welcome to Nadi!”
Tanner grinned back at him. “Bula,” he replied, bending his head to allow some sort of shell necklace to be placed around his neck as he said hello. He looked over at Lauren, waiting for him, hand raised to shield her face from the sun. She was wearing the same necklace as him, and there was a Fijian man standing beside her, too, happily chatting away like they were old friends. How the hell could she chat so easily to a stranger, yet when they talked it was either painfully hard or they ended up rubbing each other up the wrong way.
“Come, Mr. Ford. Come with me,” his man said.
Tanner waved to Lauren and she joined him. There was a golf cart waiting to take them to the terminal, and he raised his eyebrows at Lauren.
“You told them I was a cripple?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Not me. But see over there?”
He looked and noticed some more men getting around in the same type of vehicle.
“I wouldn’t take it so personally, I think it’s a popular way of transport here.”
Tanner sat back, one arm stretched out behind Lauren. She might have won that round, but the way she was all fluttery beside him the second his arm brushed her back? He definitely took points for that.
They were processed at customs and then escorted to a helicopter. The sleek, black machine was all prepped and ready to go, the rotors already whipping around.
“Enjoy your stay in Fiji!”
Tanner’s gaze passed over Lauren and settled on the man speaking to him. His smile was wide, his face glowing with perspiration as he leaned forward from the driver’s seat. As the other man was collecting their bags from the back and running them over to the chopper, Tanner realized how much he hated that someone else had to carry his luggage for him. Any other day, any other time, he’d have never let someone heft his bags.
“Do you have a family?” Tanner asked, speaking louder against the aviation noise.
“Five children,” the man said proudly. “Four girls and a son.”
Tanner took out his wallet from his back pocket, awkwardly leaning forward and trying not to put too much weight on his leg. “And your colleague over there? He has children too?”
“Oh yes. He has just had his first baby. A boy.”
Tanner took out some hundred-dollar bills and passed half over to tip him. “Something for your family. Sorry it’s American currency.”
The man’s face rose, then fell. “I can’t take so much. No sir…”
“Do something nice for your kids, it’s fine.” Tanner pushed up and got out, holding out his hand for Lauren. She didn’t take it, getting out the opposite side and walking around.
“Congratulations on your new baby,” he told the other man, holding out his hand and then pressing the rest of the bills into his palm.
“Oh, vinaka! Vinaka!” he said, thanking him in the local language.
Tanner grinned and held up his hand, taking his sunglasses from where he’d hooked them over his front pocket and pushing them on. He stood back as Lauren ducked her head low and hurried to the helicopter, then did the same and climbed aboard beside her. His thigh brushed hers and neither did anything to stop it.
“That was really kind of you,” she said, leaning in a little.
He could smell her perfume, her shampoo, the lovely scent of her that was doing its best to tease him.
“It’s nice to help out,” he said. And it was. Generous tipping was an easy way for him to help others and he did it whenever he could. “For all I know they’re probably paid a few dollars an hour in their local currency. I’m sure it’s damn hard to feed kids and keep a roof over their heads, so me giving them a few hundred dollars each means a lot to them and doesn’t dent my pocket. It’s a win-win situation.”
Her eyes were warm now, the grit from earlier nowhere to be seen. “Well, it was a nice thing to do.”
While Tanner hadn’t done it to impress her, seeing the change in the way she was looking at him wasn’t half bad. “There’s not much point being wealthy if you can’t give others a hand up.” His mother had instilled that in all of them when they were kids. They’d had a swear jar at home when he was younger, and it had been emptied and given to charity regularly. His mother had also made them take twenty percent of their pocket money as a “tax” and put it away. They were allowed to choose their own charities to be recipients of their tax money, or even give it to specific homeless people, so long as they gave it to someone in need.
He smiled to himself as he thought about that damn jar. His mom had died when he was only a teenager, but if she hadn’t passed away, she’d have a swear jar full every few days from him and Cody alone. They’d watched their language around her, but once she was gone and they’d all grown up a bit more, the swear jar had been long forgotten and their expletives had gotten a whole lot worse.
“What’s so funny?” Lauren asked.
“Nothing,” Tanner replied.
He passed Lauren her headset and put his on just as the rotors began to speed up and the pilot spoke to them.
“We’re looking at a flight time of approximately fifteen minutes from Nadi to Vomo Island,” he informed them. “So buckle up, sit back, and enjoy the sparkling blue waters of paradise.”
Tanner sat back as instructed, unbuttoning his shirt and pushing his sleeves up some more. He was sweating like he’d just run a marathon and then some.
“I don’t think I got the memo on dressing appropriately,” Tanner said. “Seriously, I’m dying here.”
“What kind of fool needs a memo on how hot a tropical island is going to be?” Lauren asked, looking amused. “And how can a Texan not be used to the heat?”
“You feel this humidity?” he asked. He looked at her jeans, flip-flops, and pretty little top. Her jumper was long gone, and he envied how cool she looked. “I don’t think anyone could be used to this.”
“Come on, cowboy, toughen up,” she said, patting him on the thigh and making him feel everything but tough and cool.
Tanner gazed out the window as they lifted off the ground, steadying for a moment before flying across the sky. It took only minutes for them to reach the ocean, and he admired the twinkling, bright blue waters and imagined how good it would feel.
“Swimming’s good for my recovery, right, doc?”
“Absolutely.”
Tanner stared at the water some more, realizing how quickly he’d warmed up to Lauren and hating how rapidly he’d betrayed himself. When Mia had first told him the physical therapist was Lauren, he’d have rather submerged himself in a pit of snakes than have to spend time with her. Maybe she was his weakness, or perhaps he was finally starting to realize that her leaving him might not have been all her fault. And even if it had been, what sensible man over thirty would still blame his high school sweetheart for screwing him up when it came to women?
His brother had always said Lauren was a good excuse. Tanner had cursed her when he’d drunk himself stupid, when he’d slept with way too many women and refused to get involved in anything more than a one-night, or few-night, stand. But seeing her seated beside him, long dark hair tucked behind one air and the sweetest goddamn smile on her face as she surveyed the island, he knew he’
d been the villain, not her. Whatever her reasons had been for ending things, she wasn’t responsible for his bad behavior over the years.
It didn’t mean he had to forgive her or even like her, but he did need to grow up and stop blaming her for ending things all those years ago.
“Welcome to Vomo Island,” the pilot said. “Enjoy your stay in paradise.”
“You okay?” he asked Lauren. He watched as she removed her headset and he did the same.
“Yeah, I’m great,” she said, and he could see the light in her eyes, the almost childlike excitement as she kept glancing out the window. “It’s been a long time since I had a vacation, so this truly does look like paradise to me.”
He had to agree. “Me too. Sometimes we spend so long working and trying to prove ourselves that we forget to just enjoy life.”
“Easy to do when you can afford to stay somewhere like this.” Lauren sighed. “And I don’t believe for a second that you haven’t been enjoying life.” He watched as she stared out at the big white letters on the grass spelling out VOMO and the tropical trees dotted all around. She’d originally booked somewhere nice but within her budget, but this place looked incredible.
Tanner shrugged as the door beside him opened. “What can I say? The ladies like their bull riders.”
* * *
Lauren was in shock. This place … it was jaw dropping. She’d stayed in plenty of beautiful hotels and always been given a nice room, but this was something else. This was the kind of luxury she looked at online and drooled over—how on earth could this be her home for the next three weeks?
“So what do you think? Is it up to scratch?”
“Put it this way: I don’t think I’ll ever want to go back to my place after vacationing here.” She tried not to laugh at the sight of him. He was every inch the cowboy—still in his boots, jeans, and plaid shirt. The only thing missing was the hat. And maybe the horse. Compared to the friendly locals in their leather sandals and breathable cotton tops and skirts, he stuck out like a sore thumb.
Their bags were brought in, and she watched as Tanner turned and passed the concierge a few bills. “Sorry, they’re American, I need to get some local currency.”
The concierge’s smile turned from big to bigger. “Vinaka, sir. Vinaka.”
Lauren walked away from Tanner to explore the place some more. They were staying in the Beach House, which was away from the other villas and faced out to the bluest stretch of ocean Lauren had ever seen. She opened the big sliding door and stepped out onto the timber deck, flanked with six outdoor loungers facing their own private pool. She slipped off her flip-flops and dipped a toe in—it felt heavenly—and when she studied the pool, she realized it was actually the perfect size for Tanner to train in. She would definitely get him swimming laps to help strengthen his body and ease him back into cardio again.
A gentle breeze brushed against her skin as she moved to the edge of the deck, looking down at the beach and admiring the white sand and the way the ocean lapped rhythmically so close to where she was standing, the waves so gentle. It was paradise here, no doubt about it. When Mia had promised her a luxury working vacation, she hadn’t been kidding—it was possibly the most beautiful, tranquil place she’d ever been to, and they hadn’t even explored the island yet.
“What do you think?” Tanner asked.
Lauren turned, looking Tanner up and down and trying not to laugh. Why was the man still dressed like he was about to attend a rodeo? She would have changed the minute she’d arrived if she was dressed like him. “I think it’s time you got your pants off, put that shirt away for good, and changed into something more appropriate.”
Tanner raised one brow, looking mightily unimpressed. “You don’t think I’m dressed appropriately?”
She put her hands on her hips and studied him. He sure was doing a good poker face. “Please tell me you didn’t pack that bag of yours with more plaid shirts and jeans? You do realize we’re on an island, not a ranch, right? Or were you not kidding about getting the how-to-dress memo.”
The slow smile that spread across his lips was sinfully seductive. She was pleased she wasn’t standing any closer to him, because the way he was looking at her—like she was a mouse caught under his paw—was sending shivers through her that even the Fiji sun couldn’t halt.
“I got the memo, darlin’. I’m still capable of wearing summer clothes.”
She didn’t recall seeing him in anything other than jeans and a shirt or T-shirt, other than when he’d been naked. Lauren frantically pushed the thoughts away, not wanting to remember being between the sheets with him, or out in a field, under a tree … stop!
She stood still, watching Tanner as he gave her one last look then limped away. Limped, she reminded herself. There was a reason she was here, and it was to stop him from moving like that. From now on, there was to be no more imagining her patient naked or thinking about how incredible his body had felt against hers. She was here to do a job and that was all.
Once Tanner had disappeared back into the house, she went in and collected her bag. It had been left in the main living space, and as much as she wanted to flop down on the big sofa and sleep off her jet lag, she didn’t. Instead she went to explore the bedrooms, peering into the first one and deciding to claim it. The big king-sized bed was made up with white linen strewn with tropical petals, and the windows faced out to the beach—the perfect place for her to hide away from Tanner. She set her case down, opened up the sliding door that led out to the deck, and then took a look in the en suite bathroom tucked away behind the bed. She returned to the bed, quickly stripped off her clothes, and pulled out a pretty summer dress. They’d arrived just in time for dinner and she wasn’t about to miss whatever gourmet feast was on offer at a resort she’d never, ever have the kind of funds to visit again.
Chapter 6
TANNER grunted as he sat down on the bed. Damn, he hurt. Every part of him was sore, achy, or thumping with a deep pain. It had been only seven weeks since the accident, but he was struggling to remember what it was like to be pain free. The doctors had given him a huge supply of pain medication, but other than when he was struggling to get comfortable enough to get to sleep at night, he wasn’t taking them. The last thing he wanted was to be popping pills—he wanted to make his body strong again, not mask the pain and pretend like he was okay when he wasn’t.
“You coming for dinner?”
Lauren’s voice was muffled as she called out from the other side of his door. He was sitting in his boxers, on the perfectly made white bed, with barely enough energy or strength to change into a fresh set of clothes.
“Just give me a minute,” he called back, pushing his palms down into the bed and rising. His wrist screamed out at him to stop, but it was better than putting all his weight onto his bad leg.
He unzipped his bag, grabbed a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, and leaned against the wall to get the shorts on. Thank god he didn’t need to wear shoes—his boots had just about killed him. Instead he slowly bent to collect a pair of flip-flops he hoped weren’t going to be too hard to wear, deciding to walk barefoot and put them on just before they arrived at the restaurant.
Tanner found Lauren sitting outside on one of the loungers, legs stretched out in front of her as she stared out at the water. The sun was slowly disappearing and he wondered how early it got dark in Fiji. He’d never been before, usually vacationing closer to home whenever he got away.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked.
“It certainly is. I feel like I’ve spent my entire working career rushing, and I can’t remember the last time I even sat on a beach.”
“Remember Hawaii?” Tanner asked, moving to sit beside her.
Her eyes met his, just for the briefest of seconds, before she turned her gaze back to the ocean or whatever else she was staring at.
“Yeah, I remember.”
Tanner turned when movement caught his eye and he watched as two men ran down the sand, lig
hting the big torches that dotted the beach. Once night fell, the effect would be beautiful, just like everything else about the island so far.
Lauren touched his arm and he smiled down at her, his thoughts still on Hawaii. They’d gone on a family vacation there, and his father had let him bring someone, since his older brother was taking his girlfriend. It was only a short time after that they’d parted ways, but it had been a magical vacation and he’d often wondered if he’d done something wrong while they were away, if something had happened that he hadn’t realized, because it was when they got home that things had slowly started to change between them.
“We’d better go. Are you staying barefoot?” Lauren asked.
He nodded. “Yes, ma’am. Unless you think I’ve breached the dress code again?”
Her laugh caught him by surprise. “You look great, Tan. And I want you barefoot as much as possible here. It’ll be good for you.”
He saluted at her as she walked away, following her out and then securing the door. He couldn’t decide if he was starting to enjoy her company, or whether it was just the balmy island air that was making him forget just how badly she’d hurt him in the past.
“Bula!” A resort worker waved out as he walked past.
“Bula,” Tanner called back. “Hey, we could have gotten a ride down. Didn’t they say something about coming to get you if—”
“Out of the question,” she said. “I knew you’d be sore and stiff after the flight, but a slow barefoot walk is just what you need to loosen your joints up. Tomorrow we start getting you back in shape.”
Tomorrow? “I thought I’d have a few days relaxing on the beach first.” There was no way his body was ready for anything other than some sun and relaxation yet. He’d only just had his cast taken off.
Lauren looked effortless in her short dress, her shoulders bare and her arms surprisingly golden. Maybe she’d been for a spray tan, because he bet she didn’t get much time sitting out in the sun, and it wasn’t exactly balmy weather this time of year back home.