He groaned. “I thought you were being difficult.”
A smile almost escaped. “Who me? Difficult?” I used my sweet little post-throw up voice because what else could I do?
Chapter Seven
“Seriously, are you okay?” Brack probed.
I really didn’t like when he sounded concerned. “I’ve been through this many times. I get about ten minutes reprieve before I start feeling sick again. Then it will take another ten before I toss my guts. I’m surprised my father didn’t warn you.”
“Your father has no idea where I’m taking you or that we’re flying, so it never came up.”
“The senator must have a great deal of faith in you. He never gives over absolute control. Believe me, I fight with him constantly.”
“You appeared to hold your own.”
Was that respect in his voice? “Everything with my father is a battle. I pick my fights. Sometimes I even manage to wrap him around my finger. With a U.S. senator for a father, being daddy’s little girl has an advantage or two.”
Brack took his eyes from the dark sky and looked at me. “Or three or four.”
I gave a low sigh. Plenty of people thought the same thing and maybe they were right. “Don’t get too worked up about it. I try very hard to keep him out of my business. As you saw, he wiggles back in when things like kidnapping and concussions occur. I am curious how you got this job, though. You handled my father very well and I don’t see that often.”
“I’m the best at what I do,” he replied arrogantly, then went back to staring straight ahead.
I changed the subject. “I’m not sure if you noticed, but its dark outside. Do you ever take those glasses off?”
“Rarely.”
A slight feeling of nausea whirled around my stomach. I closed my eyes and began counting.
Brack reached his hand over and rubbed my leg beneath the soiled blanket, which was still on my lap. “What are you doing?” he asked.
The touch of his hand didn’t stop the nausea, though it felt comforting. “Counting.” I replied.
“Counting what?”
I breathed in slowly. “Counting numbers.” Slow breath out. “To take my mind off what’s about… to happen.”
Brack thrust a bag into my hands. “Use this.”
“Thank…” it happened again. The second time was always worse because there was nothing left in my stomach except bile. We were old friends.
Brack pushed the hair away from my face and tucked it behind my ear. After his first astonished tirade, he was now gentle. That surprised me more than his assholeness. I gave a small sigh when the retching stopped and rested my head back against the seat.
“Any chance you can sleep through the airsickness?”
“Not normally, but I’m so exhausted. If I do fall asleep, don’t wake me if we’re going to crash.”
His chuckle had me smiling. “That’s a deal,” he joked as he took the bag and blanket from me and tossed them into the back. Another blanket settled around my arms and chest. His warm hand found my leg again. I somehow fell asleep.
***
Instead of waking me when we landed, Brack lifted me from the seat. I noticed several things at the same time—no plane engine, the smell of the ocean, and Brack’s steady breathing. My face was snuggled into his chest and I smelled him too. I never wanted to move. I really needed sex with this man to get him out of my system.
“A short ride, princess, and we’ll be home.”
He called me princess. I smiled sleepily.
He gently placed me in the car and I curled into the seat. My mind focused on his last words. I was a strong woman, mentally and physically. I couldn’t always shut my childhood dreams away, though. Prince Charming saves the princess. They fall in love and live happily ever after.
Sadness swamped me. I lived in the real world. Mommies died of cancer. Daddies couldn’t protect their little girls forever. And men were good for a quick fuck now and then. I was only my father’s princess. Years ago I figured out I probably would never be another man’s princess. I would survive. I had tennis. Live in the moment was my motto. I breathed in contentedly, letting the musky scent of a man fill my lungs. A man I found sexually attractive. He wasn’t a pushover and I knew this was something else he had going for him. Oh, and muscle. The man had lots of muscle. I grimaced knowing he smelled the remnants of my barfing binge. Getting him into bed might be a little easier if I cleaned up first.
What else did a man and woman have to do alone on an island?
Even with my seat belt securely fastened, I flopped around when we hit a few bumps on the road. My head pounded. And though I’d actually slept on the plane, my eyelids were incredibly heavy. I still couldn’t believe I’d only puked twice. A first for me. Usually I sat alone in misery because no one else wanted to be anywhere close to my seat.
“Here we are. Do you need me to carry you?”
Brack’s voice startled me from my quazi-dreams. I wish he hadn’t asked. I would love if he carried me. My stubborn independence won out. “No,” I grunted as I opened my eyes fully for the first time in… I had no idea how long it had been since we took off from the airport. There was a hint of light in the east. Brack must be exhausted. I looked around and noticed a small bungalow. Well, that was an exaggeration. It looked more like a shack with palm fronds for a roof. I stumbled slightly as I stood from the Jeep. Brack took my elbow and guided me up the steps to the front door. The entire hut was on stilts. I could hear the surf close by, which explained the height. I wearily climbed the stairs and stood back as Brack pushed the door open. I hadn’t realized he had a flashlight in his hand until it flashed into the room. One room. One bed. A table. A shelf that had a few kitchen items on it. Umm… I looked deeper inside, which wasn’t very far, and saw a door. Hopefully it was a bathroom. I didn’t think I could live in this small hut without a bathroom.
“Let me get the generator going and I’ll bring our things inside. There won’t be hot water for a while, but it’s warm enough that you should enjoy a cold shower.”
It was the end of March, and wherever we were was warmer than Houston which was still on the chilly side.
Brack walked away with the flashlight. A slight orange glow came from the far windows giving me just enough light to make my way to the bathroom. I washed my face and rinsed out my mouth at the sink. It was a good thing I couldn’t see more than a shadow in the mirror. I knew I’d have nightmares if my reflection stared back at me. My head ached and I shouldn’t care how I looked. It had never been a priority of mine. But there was something about Brack. He’d only seen me at my worst. I wanted him to see me as more than a security job. And, I was completely off my rocker.
The loud rumble of a generator assured me we would have some luxuries shortly—a light or two and slightly warmer water would help. The front door slammed, so I walked back into the main room. Brack turned on an overhead light and sat our bags down. I noticed a large box on the counter.
Brack cocked his chin that way. “Supplies are in the box. I asked for some waterproof tape for your stitches so you could take a shower.”
Forget my headache, his irritating sunglasses, surly disposition, and arrogance; I fell in love with Brack for making it possible for me to take my first full shower in days. I walked over to the box and began unloading it. I pulled out assorted canned food, a first aid kit, sunscreen, eggs, two boxes of cereal, coffee, a package of shelled walnuts, and a bag of pretzels. I opened the first aid kit and found waterproof bandages on the bottom. Brack carried my bag into the bathroom and then returned with his hand held out.
“I’ll put that on and then doctor it once you’re out of the shower. You’re supposed to keep it dry, but if you’re anything like my mom, you need a full shower to put you in a better mood.”
He actually had a mother. So maybe he didn’t crawl out from under a large rock. I wondered how she put up with him and his irritating comments. “What makes you think I’m in a bad mood?
”
He gave me a tight smile. “Honey, your disposition has been poor since the moment I laid eyes on you.”
Immediately, my poor disposition spiked into a worse one. “Does it make you feel superior to call me anything but my name? If this is how you treat women, I wouldn’t be surprised if your mom is the only female in your life.” I slapped the bandage into his hand and turned sideways. I received his deep chuckle in response to my snide comment.
“You said to call you Miss Stradmore. That’s not gonna happen, baby. We’ll be together for some time and titles won’t cut it. If you’d like me to call you something besides honey, sweetheart, princess, or bitch let me know.”
I hated him. “You know you’re insufferable, right?”
I received a grunt as he applied the bandage.
“Call me Olivia… please.” The wound was tender and I winced a little as he ran his fingers along the outer edge of the bandage to secure it.
“How about Olly?” the smartass shot back.
I turned when his arms dropped. “How about you call me Olivia.”
“Sure, Oll. Now take a shower, you stink.”
Before I could second-guess myself, I reached up to rip his intolerable aviators from his face. His large hand caught mine inches from my target. I knew if I could see his eyes they’d burn.
“You won’t win a slap fight and I hit back.” His grip tightened. “Shower. I need to catch some shut eye and I can’t do that until you’re finished.” He curled his arm down and twirled me around so I was facing the bathroom. He released my hand and gave a slight push to my back.
The ignorant ass thought I was trying to slap him. I should turn around and deck him with my fist; well, probably not. Or, I could take a shower. The pull of cleanliness won. With a loud huff and his infuriating chuckle behind me, I slammed the bathroom door. Who needed a psychopathic stalker on the loose? Chances were good that we would kill each other within twenty-four hours.
Chapter Eight
The shower was small and the water cool. It was heaven. I scrubbed with an old bar of soap and a clean washcloth I’d removed from a small basket on the only shelf in the bathroom. I washed until my skin was raw. I used soap to massage my scalp around the bandage and felt halfway human again. The only downside of being free of the grime was a lack of a razor. For some reason having a clean body made the stubbles on my body more irritating. Within another day or two I’d have monkey armpits to go with my hairy legs. The small personal grooming kit in my bag at least had shampoo, comb¸ lotion, toothbrush, and toothpaste. I brushed the fur from my teeth.
Combing my hair was a little harder. If I had something to pull my hair back with, the bald spot most likely wouldn’t show. No such luck and it would probably cause a more severe headache than I already suffered. My sudden sense of vanity needed to take a flying leap into the cold dark pit it had come from. I pulled an old familiar t-shirt from the bag and gently brought it over my head. Panties and shorts next. This was the best I could do. There was a bra in the bag but I needed more sleep and hated wearing a bra to bed. Concussions weren’t for sissies. I opened the door and found Brack sitting at the table with his head propped on his hand.
“You awake?”
He jumped and I smiled. He stood quickly. “I need to put antibiotic ointment on your stitches.”
I stood still while he doctored my head. He didn’t smell fresh, but his scent wasn’t unpleasant. Locker rooms and sweat were part of my life. If I wasn’t so tired, I would have moved my ass back against his crotch. I really wanted to know if being this close to a clean me excited him. I didn’t do it though. I knew I was in no shape to take the next step.
“I’m taking a quick shower and then we’re hitting the sack,” he dictated after finishing up with his nursing skills.
Why did I continue to bait him? “Too bad, I’m not tired.”
He made a small grunting noise. “I’ll tie you to the bed if I need to. I don’t want you outside unless I’m with you. We’re playing by my rules now and I don’t threaten anything I’m not willing to do.”
I should have argued, but fatigue won out. I walked over to the bed, pulled the covers back, and crawled in. He left the bathroom door open and I heard him pee. He flushed the toilet and turned on the water to the shower. The curtain snapped open, but didn’t shut. I tossed a pillow and the quilted coverlet on the floor for him to sleep on. In my current mood it was extremely generous. If I wasn’t feeling so rotten, I’d sneak out and run away just for the hell of it. I fell asleep thinking about his soapy fingers running across large slick muscles.
***
I had no idea where Brack slept that night. I noticed the coverlet and pillow piled beside me on the bed when I woke up. That entire first day on the island was nothing but a blur. I slept almost around the clock. Brack fed me and made me drink water, but other than that, he left me alone. That night I felt better and still managed to fall asleep without trouble. I pulled the sheet up to my chin and closed my eyes. Then nothing.
I woke up to the sound of the waves outside and Brack’s warm body and steady breathing beside me. The jerk had no qualms about joining me in bed. I let it go because having him in bed fit my plans. I stared at his face and for once, he wasn’t wearing those horrid sunglasses. I took some time and studied his features. Sexy stubble sprinkled his square jaw. My fingers itched to run across the prickly nubs. He had a half-inch scar just off center on his lower lip. I would enjoy licking the uneven pucker. His nose wasn’t perfectly straight and I wondered if it had been previously broken. Funny what his glasses hid. Even with all these imperfections the man’s body was lustable sin. My eyes feasted on his bare chest. No imperfections there. Even asleep, his muscles bulged in all the right places causing an aching pulse to throb between my legs. The temptation to lick and bite was almost irresistible. God, I wanted to fuck him. But first, I needed to take care of another problem.
With a soft unfulfilled sigh, I slowly rolled over and inched my way off the bed. Even though I tiptoed, the wooden floorboards squeaked. I watched his face closely. His relaxed features stayed the same. When I was on his side of the bed, I grabbed the sunglasses and made it a few feet away before he startled me.
“Going somewhere with my glasses?”
I jumped and gave a nervous giggle. “Nope.” Executing an exaggerated stumble, I dropped the glasses and stepped on them. It pinched my bare foot, but the satisfying sound of breaking plastic made up for it.
“You did not just fucking do that.” He sounded incredulous.
“It was an accident,” I said in the whiniest voice I could muster without laughing.
“Accident my ass,” he grumbled as he rose from the bed. He was only wearing a pair of boxer shorts. “Do you have any idea how much those cost?”
“Hmm, sorry, I’ll buy you another pair once we’re off the island.”
He stalked closer.
I backed up.
“You know there are consequences for your spoiled brat actions.” His beautiful gorgeous eyes narrowed.
I didn’t back up again as he took a step closer. His chest was an inch from mine. I inhaled deeply sucking luscious, warm man smell into my lungs. “Will you spank me?” I asked in a throaty voice using my sexiest smile.
He reached up and took a lock of my hair between his fingers. “You’d like that wouldn’t you?” he asked huskily.
“Probably.”
He scooped me into his arms, bypassed the bed, and walked toward the door. A long piece of wood braced the door keeping it securely shut. He tightened his arm beneath me, lifted the wood with his other hand, and tossed it aside. His strength did nasty things to the ache between my thighs. He carried me outside. I wasn’t sure what he had in mind until his feet hit the surf and he waded toward deeper water.
“You wouldn’t,” was all I had time to say. The water went over my head before I could get my feet under me. I came up sputtering. Wiping the water and hair from my eyes, I saw him walking ba
ck to the hut. And it was a hut. The damn thing wouldn’t survive if a slight ocean breeze picked up. Brack walked inside leaving the door open. I couldn’t help myself and started laughing. The water actually felt good. I gave a quick thought to the non-waterproof bandage on my head and figured the salt water would probably help the stitches.
The ass had actually thrown me in the water. I was in love again. I’d found a man who wasn’t intimidated by me or my father. I shouldn’t have broken his glasses, but the damn things drove me crazy. I also realized I felt so much better than I had since the attack. My head didn’t ache and my hip felt better. I swam about fifty feet before turning back. The water was glorious.
As I continued swimming laps in the ocean, my mind went to the training I was behind on. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out there was no practice court here. There was nothing but the hut, sand, and water as far as I could see. It killed me, but I would make do with jogging, push-ups, and sit ups. I knew it wasn’t enough, though, and my good mood soured. I had a Grand Slam to win, records to break, and fans to keep happy. Somehow I had to convince Brack to get me out of here.
First things first. I peeled off my clothes and walked naked into my new home sweet home. I hoped the man’s cock was made of steel because I was about to test its resistance.
Chapter Nine
“What the fuck are you doing?” Brack’s sharp green eye and blue eye almost popped out of his head.
“Sorry, honey, I didn’t want to drip on the floor,” I turned to the bathroom where I left my bag. I gave an exaggerated sway to my hips and peeked over my shoulder. Brack Jacobs was an ass man. He didn’t so much as glance up as his eyes stayed glued to my butt cheeks. Score fifteen for me for breaking his shades. With one last hip sway, I closed the door behind me.
There, take that you irritating sex god. I’d spent so much time in locker rooms that I wasn’t particularly shy about my body. Having a stranger see my naked ass sticking out the back of a hospital gown was one thing. Seducing the man I wanted to fuck—entirely another.
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