I took the water and gulped it down, choking as it caught in my throat. I started hacking as tears blurred my vision. I thrust the water away from me and Duke took it as my body continued to make a fool of itself.
Nash’s hand cupped the back of my neck and he brought his face close to mine, holding it still as coughs still wracked my chest. “Easy, bella,” he whispered. He was so close that his lips practically brushed mine.
My breath caught.
The coughing stopped.
He kneaded the muscles in my neck lightly, easing some of the tension coiled in my body. “There you go,” he murmured when I was breathing calmly.
“Do you think they saw us?” I worried and then glanced at Duke. “Or heard us?”
He shook his head. “They’d be chasing us.”
I bit my lip, still worrying. “I thought pirates were only made up for movies and TV.”
“I’ve hear the rumors of modern-day pirates,” Nash said grimly. “First time I’ve seen one.”
“What do they do?” I wondered out loud. My knowledge of pirates was limited to Captain Hook from Peter Pan and Johnny Depp from Pirates of the Caribbean. Something told me that these “modern-day” pirates weren’t the same.
I noticed that neither man was rushing to explain. Well, that couldn’t be good.
I glanced at Duke. “What do they do?”
He seemed sad to have to tell me about such things. “Oceans don’t usually fall under regular jurisdiction laws of our government. Meaning it’s basically a free-for-all out there. Pirates sail the seas, take over boats, rob people, and take hostages.”
“Hostages!” I cried. “What on Earth for?”
Neither one of them answered.
I made a frustrated sound. “I’m not a two-year-old!” I snapped.
“They also murder people,” Duke said grimly.
“Murder?” I echoed.
“Yes, bella, money is a very powerful motive to kill.”
“They live on this island—on that side—because it’s unchartered. Because no one would look for them there. They literally commit their crimes and then come back here to hide,” Duke told us.
“It’s the perfect setup,” I whispered, totally appalled.
“We need to get off this island,” Nash said.
“If only one of those boats had been salvageable, we could sail away.”
We fell into silence, but it wasn’t particularly comfortable. It was more ominous. I kind of wished we didn’t know what was over there. Then I wouldn’t be so scared.
I sat down by the water’s edge and plunged my feet into the cool liquid. It felt so good against my flushed skin. All that running had made my legs shaky and my body overheated. I stared out at the water, thinking about going for a swim to cool off.
Then I thought about this morning when I was in the water… with Nash.
I shook my head, disgusted with myself. How could I think about sex when murdering pirates were on the loose? Clearly my priorities were not what they should be. I glanced over my shoulder at Nash. He looked back, spearing me with a heated look.
Clearly his priorities weren’t that great either.
But, in our defense, thinking about sex was a lot better than thinking about most everything else.
Nash looked away. “Can you stay with her?” he asked Duke.
“Of course.”
I was about to argue about not needing a babysitter, but I stopped. I didn’t want to be left alone now. Even if I happened upon a Johnny Depp/Captain Jack Sparrow lookalike, I would run away screaming (and we already know how horrible I am at running; I might as well be a turtle trying to run in a puddle of peanut butter).
“Where are you going?” I asked nervously.
“I’m going to check the plane, make sure no one found it.”
“You shouldn’t go alone,” I said, starting to rise.
“You’re not coming,” he said, his voice hard and unforgiving.
Geesh, rude much?
Duke sat down beside me, his feet joining mine in the water, as Nash disappeared. I sighed. “Hey, there aren’t any man-eating piranha’s in here, are there?”
“If we see one, I’ll catch it for dinner,” he said and then winked.
I laughed.
“What’s the best thing about being here?” I asked.
“Meeting you.”
I actually blushed. “I am the prettiest girl on the island,” I said confidently. Never mind I was likely the only girl on the island.
“Most definitely.”
“What’s the worst thing about being here?”
“Wanting to go home.”
“Hey,” I said softly, reaching out to place my hand over his. “We will get home.”
He smiled sadly. I guess for a guy who’s been trapped here for so long, hope didn’t come as easy to him as it did to me.
He didn’t say anything else. Instead, he flipped my hand over and studied my palm, moving his finger in slow circles over my skin. Little butterflies fluttered softly in my belly, and the water gently swooshed against my ankles as I moved my feet back and forth.
“Want to go swimming?” I asked, trying to lighten the mood. It bothered me to see him this way. I wanted to see him smile. I wanted him to be happy.
The corner of his lip pulled up. “Sure.”
I stood and tossed my yellow dress onto the shore, then jumped into the water and paddled around. “Come on!” I called.
Seconds later, Duke jumped in—fully clothed—and met me in the center in just a few graceful strokes. He swam so skillfully he barely made any ripples in the surface of the water. “You’re a good swimmer.”
“I’ve always loved the water.”
“Is that why you became a sailor?”
“Yeah.”
He ducked under the water and then popped back up, shaking his head like a dog and spraying me with water droplets. I laughed and splashed him back. He growled and I squealed, lunging away, farther into the water.
He gave chase, but I knew that he was letting me get away. Because he was such a strong swimmer, he would have caught me easily if he wanted to.
It didn’t take long for me to get tired (clearly, athletics are not my strong suit), and I slowed down, treading water near the tumbling waterfall. From this angle, it looked like it fell right from the sky and plunged into the water, creating bubbles and a thin layer of white foam over the surface.
“You ever been on the inside of a waterfall?” Duke whispered from right behind me.
“No.”
“Come on,” he said and pushed away, swimming right through the curtain of water.
I followed, a little surprised that the water falling down was colder than the water we were swimming in. Behind the falls was almost like a secret cove. The lighting was much dimmer here, the ripples in the surface reflecting off the smooth rock walls inside. Moss grew over some of the surfaces here, softening the rock and giving everything the feel of a secret garden.
The sound of the falling water wasn’t as loud back here as I thought it would be. It was like this little cove muffled the sound, kept too much from coming in so it could be a perfect spot for resting.
Duke was sitting on a rock, staring at the curtain of water. I swam over and he held out a hand, hoisting me up onto the slippery rock. “It’s pretty back here.”
“Yeah,” he said. “I come here a lot to think.”
“I can see why.”
“I used to wish I had someone sitting here to share it with.” He looked over at me, his eyes like a chocolate molten cake, warm from the oven. “And here you are.”
“Here I am,” I declared, unable to look away.
His gaze was hungry, like he might devour me in two bites, but those two bites would be worth it because I would be the absolute best thing he ever tasted.
A drop of water rolled over my forehead, into the corner of my eye, and fell, like a single tear down my cheek. Duke captured it with his thumb and pul
led it away, placing the same thumb into his mouth.
My eyes zeroed in on that thumb and the way his tongue caressed it, the way his lips sucked it. He pulled the thumb out and ran it over my lower lip; it was slightly moist from his saliva.
My heart thudded as he closed the distance between us.
His lips brushed over mine, a brief and gentle stroke. Then he pulled back and looked at me. His eyes were swimming with desire, swimming with all kinds of longing and wonder.
He moved to kiss me again; this time I knew it would be deeper. This time I knew he would want to kiss me until our lungs seized and the need for oxygen pulled us apart.
I couldn’t.
“Ava!” someone yelled from the other side of the falls.
I jerked away from Duke as I heard a muffled curse, and then he yelled again. “Ava!”
It was Nash. And he was worried.
I scrambled up, nearly slipping, and rushed to the side of the waterfall. I leaned out, balancing against the rock. “Nash!” I called.
He turned swiftly when I called, his entire body sagging with relief. He ran a hand through his hair, and his chest heaved. Then he dove way out into the water, swimming toward the waterfall with great purpose.
I sat back down beside Duke just as Nash popped up, giving his head a toss and wiping the water out of his eyes. “Cool place,” he said, looking around.
Duke cleared his throat. “I should probably go, make sure my camp is still okay.”
“You should stay with us,” I told him again. I’d offered many times, but he never agreed. “It would be safer if we all stayed together.”
“I’ll be fine.”
I caught his arm. “Think about it,” I implored.
His eyes softened. “I will.”
“See you in the morning?”
He smiled. “I’ll bring you a coconut.”
“Yum.”
He walked to the edge of the rock and lifted his arms over his head, preparing to dive. His wet shirt rode up, exposing a small portion of his lower back.
And the end of a thick scar.
I stared at it, wondering if the reason he didn’t walk around shirtless like Nash was because he was trying to keep something covered. As I pondered that, he jumped into the water and swam away.
Nash climbed onto the rock, taking Duke’s spot. “He kissed you, didn’t he?”
If there was any question that could pull my thoughts away from what I was thinking, it was that. I made a sound. “Why would you think that?”
“Because if I was him, I would have brought you back here to kiss you.”
I snorted but otherwise didn’t reply.
“Did you kiss him back?” he asked, all trace of arrogance and playfulness gone.
“No,” I whispered. “You interrupted.”
He grinned. “I’ve got damn good timing.”
He jumped into the water, swimming toward the falling water. Then he turned back. “You’re welcome, by the way.”
“And what do you think I need to thank you for?”
“It would have been all kinds of awkward for him when you didn’t kiss him back.”
“Who says I wouldn’t have kissed him back?” I countered, lifting an eyebrow.
A few strokes and he was beside the rock. He reached up and wrapped his hand around my ankle and slowly towed me forward. I slid right into the water, but before I could plunge into its depths, he pinned me with his body. My back arched against the rock and he leaned in close.
“Because he isn’t me.”
A shiver started at my feet and worked its way all the way up. He looked smug.
“I’m cold.” I lied.
“Are you?” he whispered, coming close—so close that I could feel his warm breath fan across my lips. My tongue jetted out, moistening them, waiting for his kiss.
He didn’t kiss me.
He swam away. “We better go, then.”
I stared daggers at the back of his head and his laughter echoed around the cove. He was standing on the shore when I swam up, and he helped me up, reaching down and scooping up my dress.
“I want to show you something,” he said, taking my hand.
He led us onto the darkened beach, walking across the sand, past the place where we had a bonfire. I didn’t pay attention to how far we walked because I was completely distracted by the moon.
It was perfectly round, huge, and the color of a russet sunset. It was absolutely stunning. The kind of sight that made me wish I had a camera because I knew I would never see it quite this beautiful again.
It was still rising, sitting just above the water, and it was so large and produced so much light I finally understood the term “a moonlit night.” I never really got it at home. Yes, the moon came out, but it was never really bright enough to light the dark. Until now.
“I’ve never seen a more beautiful moon,” I told him as we walked.
“Me either.”
I could stare at it all night. I wanted to commit it to memory, to never forget just how incredible it was.
A little while later, he pulled me closer to the trees and I looked at him, puzzled.
“I have something for you,” he said, pulling me around so the only place I could look was his beautiful moonlit face.
“What is it?”
“I thought you deserved something special after the day we had.”
I melted a little at his words, though it wasn’t really his words. It was the consideration behind them. The fact that he thought of me enough to want to make a craptastic day just a little bit better.
Curiosity pulled at me and I smiled.
“Ready?” he asked softly, grasping me by the shoulders.
I nodded, squeezing my eyes shut with anticipation. He spun me around.
I opened my eyes and looked.
16
It was swaying lightly in the breeze and was big enough for two.
I smiled. “Where in the world did you find a hammock?”
“The other side of the island.”
I bit my lip. “Do you think they will notice it’s gone?”
He shook his head. “It was in that boat with all the rope and the tarps. It was buried at the bottom.”
“I love it.” Now we really could stare at the moon all night. “When did you do this?”
“When you were in the cove, kissing Duke.” He teased.
But it wasn’t a joke, not to me. “Nash,” I whispered, touching his cheek. Trying to find the words. I wasn’t even sure what I wanted to say.
“I was only kidding, bella,” he soothed, pulling me closer. Both of us were still slightly damp from the water. “I know he’s interested. I can see it every time he looks at you.”
“Are you jealous?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“No?”
“He’s jealous of me.”
“And why is that?” I murmured, looping my hands around his neck and playing with the ends of his hair.
“Because I’m the one with you right now. I’m the one who’s going to steal away your heart.”
“Confident,” I replied, trying to play it cool, even though deep down inside I was sweltering. My heart was definitely considering a leap into his hands.
“Not confident,” he murmured, finally brushing a kiss across my lips. “Certain.”
I let him have the last say. I was done bantering. I wanted his lips upon mine. He gave me a deep kiss, his tongue massaging against mine, and then he pulled me backward toward the hammock.
He was the first one in, leaving one foot firmly planted on the ground as he opened his arms up to me, inviting me into the little swing. I snuggled up along his side and he lifted his leg, wrapping it around my legs and setting the hammock to a gentle swaying motion.
I sighed as the cool ocean air flirted with my skin, the sound of the surf lulled my body into a boneless position, and the moon stood watch over the night.
Nash played with my hair, pulling his finge
rs through it all the way until they cleared the long strands, and then he would start all over again. I curled my fingers into his chest, snuggling as close as I could against him. If I could have found a way inside him, I would already be there.
Eventually his hands drifted away from my hair and traveled down my body, grazing the side of my breast. I was already wound tight, still worked up from the night before, and I groaned, arching into his hand farther.
“You like that?” he murmured, stroking me again.
“Mmmm.”
The next thing I knew, my top was gone and I was lying flat against the hammock as he stared down at me with passion-laden eyes. He kissed me deeply, his tongue taking over the inside of my mouth. I was completely breathless when he pulled away, his lips closing over my puckered nipple and gently sucking at it while he made tiny growling sounds that vibrated my entire breast.
I grabbed his head, holding it to me, not wanting him to stop, needing more of his lavishing attention. He moved on to the other breast, stopping in the hollow between them, licking the skin and then blowing on the wet flesh. I shuddered and began to writhe below him.
He rocked his hips forward and I felt the rock-hard length of him. Immediately, I spread my legs, wrapping them around his waist and locking him into position.
The hammock swayed as we dry-humped each other until I literally ached with need. When he pulled back, my entire body was shaking, shaking so badly that my teeth were chattering.
“Are you cold, bella?” he asked, concerned.
“No.” I reached up to the button on his shorts. “We were interrupted last night,” I said, releasing the closure.
“We were.”
“I still want to see you.”
We moved so he was lying on his back and I was lying along his side, my breasts brushing up against him. Eagerly, I slid down his zipper, guiding it past the large bulge in his shorts.
He wasn’t wearing any underwear.
The only other time I ever looked at a man’s privates was the one time I had sex—but that time had been in the dark, it had been very quick, and I certainly hadn’t been presented with it the way I was now, and even though it was dark, the oversized moon shed just enough light for my hungry, curious eyes to explore.
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