But he knew how much she wouldn’t welcome that, not with all the onlookers.
“I’m fine, thank you for asking.” Purposefully she stepped away from him and turned to Reggie. “I’m sorry. I, um, I guess I lost it for a minute there. You can start the cameras rolling again.”
Reggie and Paul looked uncertainly at Ty.
“You better do what she says,” Konrad interjected, a trifle gleefully. “It’s cool the way she bosses you camera guys around like she’s Clark Garrett herself.”
For the first time Ty considered the implications of Konrad being part of their unfilmed interaction in the ocean the other day. Would Konrad use it to somehow discredit Shannen? And if so, would Shannen blame Ty for it all? He frowned.
“What do you think, Ty?” asked Reggie, rousing him from his troubling reverie.
“Go ahead.” Ty nodded to the two other cameramen, and they all resumed shooting.
There was an awkward silence before Rico’s acting experience came to the fore, picking up the scene where they’d left off.
“So, you were sick last night, but you didn’t wake up your sister for help?” Rico cued Shannen. Her outburst could be seamlessly edited out if The Powers That Be so decided.
“I was accosted by a germ last night.” Shannen spit out the words as if she had contempt for them, glaring directly at Ty, whose camera, of course, was on her. “But that’s over with—I got it all out of my system. No need to drag anybody else into it.”
Shannen met his eyes, sending him a not-so-subtle message. That he was the “germ” she’d gotten out of her system. She looked, she sounded, like she meant every word.
But Cortnee had said she’d heard Shannen crying last night. And by the looks of her this morning, by her uncharacteristically late awakening, Ty guessed that Shannen had spent a hellish, sleepless night, similar to his own. The notion pleased him. He was still very much in her system.
He smiled at her.
She stiffened. “I found this.” She tossed the tube of antibiotic ointment to Cortnee. “You and Lauren should put it on your blisters.”
“Can I use it?” Rico piped up. “I have blisters, too.”
Blister-free Konrad cast him a scornful glance, then turned to Shannen. “Where did you find it?” he asked suspiciously.
“At the spring. Somebody must’ve dropped it. My guess is a member of the crew.” Shannen’s tone was challenging, as if daring someone to come up with another explanation. “I used it last night and it did help.” She held up her hands to Ty’s camera to show the partially healed blisters. “See?”
Did anybody detect the taunting note in her voice? Ty wondered. On the other hand, how could anyone miss it? He saw the production assistants exchange inquiring glances.
Reggie and Paul dutifully shot the others rubbing the ointment on their painfully blistered hands. Shannen went to the spring to wash up, followed by Ty and his camera.
And Heidi. Her presence prevented any private conversation between Ty and Shannen.
It was frustrating, it was maddening. Shannen followed the rules of the game, ignoring the crew as if they were invisible. As if they weren’t human beings. She washed her face and brushed her teeth and braided her hair into one thick plait, all at an interminably slow pace.
Ty felt Heidi shifting restlessly beside him and knew she was bursting to ask Shannen something about Lauren’s crush on Jed. He shook his head forbiddingly at her.
Shannen intercepted the look.
“It looks like he’s trying to incinerate you with that glare of his. What did you do to make him mad?” Shannen asked Heidi. “Or is he one of those bad-tempered bosses who gets ticked off for no reason at all?”
Ty noted that her friendly tone was at odds with the demonic glint in her eyes.
Heidi was dumbstruck at being addressed by a contestant. “I…I can’t talk to you!” she gasped. “I could lose my job.”
“You’d fire her?” Shannen addressed Ty this time. “Or rat her out to somebody else who would?”
“Don’t worry, Heidi, I’ve turned off my camera,” said Ty, but his eyes were holding Shannen’s. “You aren’t going to be fired.”
“Thanks, Ty.” Heidi gulped.
“You’re a real prince, Ty,” said Shannen. “So thoughtful, so concerned.”
“I think I’d better go back to the camp and see if anybody needs me,” Heidi said nervously. “Bobby should be arriving at any time now, and if it’s okay with you, Ty, I’ll just—”
“Sure. Go on back, Heidi.” Ty was magnanimous. “I’ll hold down the fort here.”
Heidi left, giving him a look of gratitude mixed with sympathy, presumably for having to stay behind.
Shannen noticed. “Seems like your lackey feels sorry for you being stuck here with the Wicked Witch of the Island.”
“You’ve terrified the poor girl,” Ty said dryly. He set his camera down on the flat rock, giving up even the pretense of filming. “No fair dragging innocent bystanders into our own private war, Shannen.”
“We’re not at war,” she snapped. “We’re not anything.”
“I’m merely the ‘germ’ you’ve gotten out of your system?” Ty laughed softly. “Liar.”
Shannen clenched her fists at her sides. “You’d better pick up that camera and turn it on, or I’ll get you fired.”
“A smooth liar, too. Look how you handled the questions about the tube of ointment. You were so believable that the PAs will be in a frenzy wondering which one of them dropped it and if they’ll be in trouble for it.”
“I’m not a liar. Lying doesn’t come naturally to me,” she retorted.
“I see. Unlike the Howes, who have an inborn talent for lying, you’ve had to work to acquire the skill. But from your flawless impersonation of an over-twenty-one grad student to your ointment tale nine years later, it’s obvious that you’ve mastered the art.”
Shannen stalked off, only to return as if she were attached to some invisible string that Ty could pull as he pleased. It was almost too true; she’d wanted to get away from him, yet here she was, right back at his side. Making excuses as to why.
“After I deliberately didn’t say anything about the Howes and their multitude of lies, you—”
“I understand. Howes and lying…too easy a target. Why bother?”
In spite of herself, she laughed. And quickly caught herself. “It’s not funny, Ty. You don’t always have to make the first joke about your family to fend off—”
“—the inevitable joke to be made by someone else? It’s become a defensive habit, I guess.”
“And it’s not fair to keep referring to…what I did nine years ago. I was young and immature back then. I shouldn’t have lied about my age and all, I know that.”
“Then do you forgive me for doing the only thing I could back then, given those circumstances, Shannen?” he pressed, his dark gaze intense.
She averted her eyes. “Yes, but it doesn’t matter anymore. We can’t go back to the past. It’s been too long, and we’re different people now. I meant what I said last night, Tynan. We can’t—”
“Cortnee said she heard you crying last night,” Ty interrupted her again. “Were you?”
“No! And even if I was crying, it doesn’t mean that it would have anything to do with you!” Shannen countered crossly. “Don’t flatter yourself into thinking otherwise.”
Ty stared at her. “I just had a thought.”
She opened her mouth to speak, then shook her head. “Too easy a target. Why bother?”
They both grinned spontaneously.
Then Ty became intent. “Shannen, was it you Cortnee heard crying last night? She never mentioned you by name, and she can’t tell you and Lauren apart. Did she actually hear Lauren crying? Is that why you’re so upset this morning, Shannen?”
His face softened, and this time he gave in to the need to touch her. He laid his hand on her forearm, his fingers stroking lightly.
“Did you get back to ca
mp last night, still hungry after staving off temptation, only to find Lauren crying her eyes out over Jed? That’s more than enough to cause a sleepless night and to make you wake up in a ferocious mood.”
“What?” Shannen’s voice rose to a squeak. “What are you talking about? Why would Lauren cry over Jed? That jerk? Please!”
“Oh.”
It occurred to Shannen that he was still stroking her arm. And that she was enjoying it way too much. She swatted his hand away. “What do you mean ‘Oh’?” she demanded.
“Nothing.” He shrugged. “Just ‘Oh.’”
“You stand there looking totally clueless after making accusations about my sister and that narcissistic creep Jed but you—”
“I wasn’t making an accusation. The production assistants all claim Lauren has a crush on Jed and that she looked devastated when Cortnee said he’d slept with those two other girls. I didn’t see any devastation, so I thought I’d missed the crush, as well.” His eyes narrowed perceptively. “Did you miss it all, too, Shannen?”
“Lauren wouldn’t like a preening, self-absorbed twit like Jed,” she insisted.
But a note of doubt had crept into her voice.
“Lauren could’ve been the one to cast the vote against Cortnee,” said Ty. “In fact, she must have been the one. There was no reason for Rico or Konrad to vote against her, and you said that you didn’t.”
“Maybe Jed voted against Cortnee. She’s been really bitchy toward him lately.”
“But then who voted against Konrad?” countered Ty. “It had to be Jed. He was convinced Konrad did something to make the boat sink. I agree, but there’s no proof—”
“It’s irrelevant who voted against Cortnee, Ty.” It was Shannen’s turn to interrupt. “All that matters is that Jed was voted off. But I’ll prove you’re wrong about Lauren’s supposed crush. I’ll ask her about it. When we’re alone and the cameras aren’t around,” she added pointedly.
“I wouldn’t expect it to be any other way, especially given your penchant for secrecy—I mean, privacy.”
“By the snarky way you said ‘privacy,’ I know you really did mean secrecy. In a negative way,” she added tersely.
“Not negative. Curious. You and Lauren never share any personal information about yourselves. We can recite Cortnee’s musical triumphs from grade school on, we’ve heard all about Konrad’s prison adventures and Jed’s wilderness adventures and Rico’s—”
“Is that how the crew spends their off time?” Shannen interrupted. “Gossiping about the contestants?”
“Pretty much,” he admitted. “But I didn’t listen until they mentioned you and your sister. You’re the only one on this island I’m interested in, Shannen. Now go ahead and throw it back in my face.” Ty laughed ruefully. “I’ve set it up for you.”
“When you put it that way, any retaliatory zinger I might make loses its—” Shannen paused, grimacing “—zing.”
“With that kind of encouragement, I may as well bare my soul,” Ty said wryly. “Well, why not? At this point I have nothing to lose.”
Shannen felt her stomach do a Flying Wallenda-type somersault. And then Ty reached for her hand and gently tugged her toward him. She went, unresisting, squinting against the sun. Trying to stay immune to the urgency, the desire in his eyes.
“I know we can’t go back to the past and that we’re different people now, but that’s a good thing, Shannen. I want to move ahead, not backward.” Ty’s voice was deep and low.
“I was actually glad to hear Cortnee say you were crying last night, because maybe it meant that you didn’t really mean what you said when you left me. That you didn’t want it to be over between us—to be over before anything had really begun,” he added, as if expecting her to jump in to correct him.
He slipped behind her, brushing her body with his, in slow, sensual motion.
Shannen knew she was incapable of any kind of verbal gymnastics at this point. He was hypnotizing her with his tone, with his big hand that had begun to caress the bare skin of her back, between the end of her halter and the low waistband of her shorts.
“I hoped that what you really meant was that we should call some kind of moratorium until the game is over.” The heels of his palms massaged her shoulder blades, and she tried to stifle a small moan of sheer pleasure.
Tried and failed. Her eyelids fluttered shut.
“We’ll make plans to see each other after the game, to continue what we’ve begun. To be together.” He lowered his mouth to her neck, flicked his tongue against her skin. “I want us to be together, Shannen. I want you to want that, too.”
She didn’t reply. Talking required too much thought, too much effort, and she didn’t want to break the spell. Instead she inclined her neck to give him better access, shivering in pleasure at the feel of his lips, his breath against her hair. Didn’t actions speak louder than words, anyway?
He whispered her name again and glided his hands around to the front of her, cupping her breasts with sensual care. He teased her nipples through the cotton of her halter, and she felt them tighten almost immediately. She pressed against his palms, encouraging, demanding.
This was what she wanted, what she needed. Ty, his touch, his voice murmuring what he wanted to do, what they would do together. Her defenses, already weak against him, crumbled. And she didn’t care.
Suddenly, being caressed wasn’t enough—she had to touch him, too. To kiss him the way she’d been dying to. Shannen turned quickly and grasped his shirt, pulling him even closer, lifting her head as he lowered his to hers.
Their kiss was explosive, devouring. He held her head, burying his fingers in her hair as she clutched him, their tongues caressing, mating in erotic simulation.
They kissed long and hard, their bodies locked together, passion running hot and unrestrained. Shannen felt her knees buckle and she let Ty fully support her, knowing if he were to let her go, she’d fall. She was heady with sensual weakness and gave in to it, savoring it.
When Ty began to slowly, carefully lower them both to the ground, she clung to him, trembling with anticipation.
“Is there a hidden camera filming all this?” The voice, sounding exactly like Shannen’s, filled the air. “Because the only camera I see is on a rock, and it’s definitely not being used.”
The sweet illusion of intimacy surrounding the lovers abruptly shattered.
Shannen pulled away first, and for a moment Ty stood there befuddled. He swore he’d heard Shannen’s voice, but that couldn’t be. His lips had been covering hers, his tongue deep in her mouth.
“Lauren.” Shannen inhaled a breathless gulp of air.
Ty’s head cleared and he opened his eyes. “Busted,” he muttered.
“And then some,” agreed Lauren. Ty blinked. She didn’t sound as sweet as she usually did; her tone had an edge that was definitely Shannen-esque.
“What the hell is going on here, Shannen?” Lauren demanded, an auditory dead ringer for Shannen, as well as a visual one.
Shannen cast a covert glance at Ty. He nodded his head, giving her the go-ahead to tell all. In fact, he wanted Shannen’s twin sister, the person closest to her, to know the whole truth about their relationship. Past, present and future.
Shannen bit her lip and looked down at the sand, seemingly disinclined to say anything. She needed time to regain her composure, Ty thought tenderly. Well, she could count on him to step in and explain everything.
“Shannen and I know each other,” he began, giving Lauren his warmest we’re-going-to-be-friends smile.
“Duh!” Lauren snapped. “I figured that out in the ocean yesterday, but I didn’t know just how well you two ‘know each other.’” She turned to her twin. “He gave you that ointment, didn’t he, Shannen?”
Shannen nodded. “It’s not truly cheating, I shared it with everybody,” she said in a plaintive tone Ty had never before heard her use. “And he hasn’t given me anything else, honest!”
“Not for lack of
trying, obviously.” Lauren was sarcastic.
“Look, let me—” Ty interjected, but both sisters ignored him.
“Shannen, we’ve come this far, we’re almost down to the Final Four. One of us could actually win the whole game,” cried Lauren. “We could win the million dollars! Why would you risk screwing things up like this?”
Shannen heaved a sigh. “I wasn’t thinking, Lauren.”
“Tell me something I don’t know, Shannen,” Lauren retorted acidly.
“You could plead not guilty by reason of malnutrition, Shannen,” suggested Ty in an attempt to lighten the tension.
A mistake, he realized as the twins both glowered at him.
“Stay out of this, Tynan.” Shannen’s tone was sharp, dismissive.
“Sweetie, I’m in as deep as you are.” He meant to sound cajoling and was surprised to hear the mockery in his tone.
Well, not too surprised. He was getting impatient, not to mention all that raging sexual frustration surging through him. Why wouldn’t Shannen simply tell her sister the truth? They hadn’t committed a crime; they were two people in love….
That rogue flash of insight struck him with the precision of a stun gun. He knew he wanted Shannen, that she intrigued and attracted him as much as she had nine years ago. More. But he hadn’t thought of himself as in love with her. When was the last time he’d been in love?
For that matter, when was the first time?
Howes didn’t fall in love; they had relationships that invariably soured, whether those involved were married or not.
This time Ty felt as if he’d been hit over the head with a shovel. He’d followed the standard Howe emotional blueprint by lying to Shannen about his financial status because he didn’t fully trust her not to want him for his money.
And yet he thought he was in love?
Ty remembered that long-ago “coming of age” talk his father had given him and Trent.
“You’ll be hearing all sorts of nonsense about love from girls.” Dear old Dad had snickered, not bothering even to try to keep a straight face. “Don’t be chumps and fall for it. The only kind of genuine love that can exist between opposite sexes is the mother and son and father and daughter kind. Possibly sister and brother. But so-called romantic love is pure fiction and don’t forget it. Men and women get together for either sex or convenience, and don’t be duped into thinking otherwise.”
All in the Game Page 8