“Knock ’em dead at Berkeley,” Ella said.
“I will.”
They watched Brooke stride toward the cab, all suntanned legs and slender grace, her blond ponytail bouncing. Ella couldn’t blame Abby for being overprotective. The girl was a heartbreaker.
Abby’s car was parked in the nearby lot. They got in and headed to Ella’s apartment in Northridge, first grabbing grabbed some healthy takeout for lunch.
“So what happened?” her sister asked, sucking iced green tea through a straw.
“A lot of things.”
“Start at the beginning.”
“Were you really seasick?”
“You thought I was faking?”
“I wondered if you were matchmaking.”
Abby shook her head. “No. I’m not sure if it was mental or physical, but crossing that open water made me feel like I was dying.”
Ella studied her sister with concern. She didn’t advise her to see a doctor because Abby was touchy about her anxiety issues. After the divorce, she’d been afraid that seeking treatment would put her custody of Brooke at risk.
It might have. Ray could be an asshole.
Pushing that sore subject aside, she recounted everything from the sea cave exploration to the terrifying moments at Prince Island. She fibbed a bit about the shooting, claiming the smugglers had sunk the kayaks after Ella and Paul had bailed out.
Abby looked stunned, but she took the news fairly well.
“There’s more.”
“You’re killing me.”
They’d arrived at her apartment, so they exited the car. Ella unlocked the front door and finished her story inside. She was more honest about their steamy encounter than the dangers they’d faced.
“I can’t believe you got down with a guy you just met,” Abby said.
“I can’t either.”
Abby held up her palm, grinning with approval.
Ella gave her sister a high five. She wasn’t ashamed of her behavior, but she didn’t make a habit of casual sex. What if he thought badly of her?
“Dish all the details,” Abby said.
“I already said too much.”
“Was he good?”
Ella’s lips twitched with amusement.
“Giggle if he was big.”
She couldn’t help laughing, which encouraged Abby to tease her with increasingly dirty, outrageous claims. They both giggled until they were red-faced and out of breath, half-delirious from the stressful weekend.
“What if he doesn’t call?” Ella asked, sobering.
“Then he doesn’t deserve you.”
“I forgot to give him my number.”
“He’s a big boy,” Abby said, tongue in cheek. “He’ll figure it out.”
A few hours later, her sister left. Ella took a long shower, washing off the island grime. Then she climbed into bed and daydreamed about Paul. When her cell phone vibrated on her nightstand, she reached out to pick it up.
Unknown caller.
She pressed the talk button, her heart racing. “Hello?”
“Ella. This is Paul.”
“Paul who?”
“Paul...Dawson.”
“I know. I’m kidding.”
“Oh.”
The awkward silence that followed made her regret the joke. God, she was a dork. “How did you get my number?”
“I emailed your sister and asked for it. Is that okay?”
“Of course.”
“What are you doing?”
She scrambled out of bed and checked her reflection in the mirror, trying to untangle her hair with her fingers. “Nothing.”
“Can I see you?”
Her attention shifted from her disheveled hair to her untidy bedroom. “Right now?”
“Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t sleep at all last night. I should probably call back when I’m coherent.”
“You’re coherent.”
He laughed, as if he didn’t believe her. “Are you working tomorrow?”
“No, I’m off until Tuesday.”
“We could just wait.”
“Or you could come over.”
“What’s your address?”
She gave it to him, feeling giddy.
After the call ended, she raced around her house, hiding dirty laundry and stray dishes. Then she realized she didn’t have enough time to make herself presentable. She brushed her hair and teeth, wondering if she should change her outfit. The Adventure Time pajama bottoms and tank top were only appropriate for sleeping.
Before she could decide, the doorbell rang. She went to answer it, barefoot.
He was wearing jeans, a T-shirt and canvas tennis shoes. He looked clean and casual, his jaw freshly shaved. The shadows under his eyes didn’t detract from his appeal. If anything, she wanted to take him straight to bed.
She gave him a brief tour of her place. It was small with no distinct style. “I’ve been meaning to redecorate.”
He seemed more interested in her appearance than her apartment. “I like your pants.”
“Thanks,” she said, flushing. “Do you rent a place in Oxnard?”
“I own a house.”
“Already?”
“My parents left me some money. I blew half of it traveling.”
“Money spent traveling is always worth it.”
“I guess it depends if you’re running away from something or finding yourself,” he said, meeting her gaze.
“Which were you doing?”
“A little of both.”
When she asked about his afternoon, he said the officers had taken pictures and collected evidence in one of the smaller sea caves. The real news was that LAPD had searched the suspects’ stash house on the mainland and found a thousand pounds of marijuana.
Ella was relieved by the news. It sounded as if the smugglers would be going away for a long time.
“Are you hungry?” he asked. “I’ll take you out to dinner.”
“I’d rather stay in,” she said, offering him a seat on the couch.
“So would I.”
“Let’s order pizza.”
“Perfect,” he said, rubbing his hands on his thighs. “I’ll buy.”
They discussed toppings and called her favorite local chain to make their request. It wouldn’t arrive for at least an hour, so she consulted her DVD collection. “You want to watch a movie?”
“Sure.”
She had a Star Wars box set with all six films. “I haven’t seen this one,” she said, selecting the original.
His brow furrowed. “You said you preferred the new trilogy.”
“I do. The old ones look outdated.”
He made a scoffing noise. “You can’t judge how bad the new ones are until you’ve seen the originals.”
Smiling, she put the movie on. He didn’t watch it; he watched her face. It was difficult to concentrate on the film’s merits, which continued to elude her.
After about ten minutes, they forgot about the movie altogether. He tugged her into his lap and kissed her feverishly. His hands were greedy, his tongue hot. She moaned into his mouth, threading her fingers through his hair.
He stopped before it went too far. “I know we moved kind of fast last night, but I didn’t come over here with any expectations.”
“You didn’t?”
His throat worked as he swallowed. “I really like you, Ella.”
“I like you too.”
“I don’t mind going slow.”
It was sweet of him to say that. So sweet she started tugging his shirt off, her pulse racing with anticipation.
“Or we could go slow tomorrow.”
“Good idea
,” she said, touching his bare chest.
“I’m glad I thought of it.”
She laughed against his mouth, her tension slipping away. Yes, they were moving fast, but it felt so right. Spending twenty-four straight hours with him was equivalent to a handful of dates. They’d bonded on San Miguel, and those feelings had carried over to the mainland.
She knew what she wanted.
Life was short, and time was too precious to waste. So she kissed him again, rushing headlong into happiness.
* * * * *
Don’t miss
BACKWOODS,
the next Aftershock novel
from Jill Sorenson!
The more you trust, the more you risk...
Earthquake survivor Abby Hammond knows how treacherous Mother Nature can be. But when plans for a family wilderness retreat go awry, she reluctantly pairs up with Nathan Strom for the weeklong trek. The only thing Abby has in common with the bad-boy former baseball player is that their exes cheated on them with each other. That...and a visceral attraction that’s growing more complicated with every step.
Nathan’s wild-card reputation lost him his career and his family. After years of regret, he’s ready to fight for what truly matters—and that includes Abby’s hard-won trust. When her teenage daughter goes missing, Nathan is her best and only hope of rescue. But the deeper into the rugged mountains they go, the more dangerous the territory will prove to be—to their safety and their hearts...
Available June 2014!
Also available from
Jill Sorenson
and Harlequin HQN
Aftershock
Freefall
Badlands
“Sorenson fuels this fast-paced romantic thriller with nonstop adrenaline....This twisty rollercoaster ride keeps the pages turning.”
—Publishers Weekly on Aftershock (Starred Review)
If you loved Island Peril by acclaimed author Jill Sorenson, be sure to also catch the thrilling follow-up, Backwoods (June 2014), available now in ebook format.
Order your copy today!
Don’t miss these other fast-paced tales in Jill’s Aftershock series, all available in ebook format:
Aftershock
Freefall
Badlands
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ISBN-13: 9781459256040
ISLAND PERIL
Copyright © 2014 by Jill Sorenson
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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