Who Needs Mistletoe?

4

THE CLOUDS HAD BROKEN and sunlight filtered through the grove of coconut palms, illuminating the remains of the old resort. Trey stood at the edge of the beach, staring at the rotting fares, an odd expression on his face. He seemed almost perplexed by the ruins of the village, the scene putting a damper on his good mood.

Was he having doubts about his plan? Sophie wondered. The person who had tried to develop Suaneva thirty years ago had had big dreams, but this was all that was left of them. “Maybe he just didn’t know what he was getting himself into.”

“Maybe,” Trey said. He shook his head. “At least he tried.”

“Just because he failed doesn’t mean you will. With enough money, you can do almost anything.”

“My father is the one with money,” Trey said. “I was thinking if he doesn’t approve of my plan, then I might strike out on my own. You know, build the resort anyway. I could find investors or take out a loan against my trust-fund money.” He drew a deep breath. “Then again, maybe I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.”

She reached out and grabbed his hand. It seemed to help, for as soon as she touched him, he glanced over at her and smiled. “I think it’s a great idea,” Sophie said. She pulled him along toward the cottage. “Come on. Let’s go find something for dinner.”

They walked past the fares into the grove of trees and she led him up the steps of the weather-beaten cottage. The flowers on the vines created a thick scent in the air. Trey stopped to pick one and tucked it behind her left ear.

“There,” he murmured. “I like that. It’s perfect.”

She reached up and plucked it out, then drew a deep breath of the scent. “You have to learn the meaning of the flower,” she said softly as she ran it along his bottom lip. “When you wear it behind your left ear, it means you’re taken. When it’s behind your right ear, you’re available.”

He reached to take it from her, but she shook her head and held it back. “There’s more. If you wear flowers behind both ears, it means you’re taken, but available for the right person. And when you wear the flower backward, it means follow me and you’ll have a good time.”

With a playful smile, Sophie turned the flower around and put it behind her right ear, the bloom facing backward. Then Trey pulled another flower off the vine and did the same. “Now we know where we stand,” he said with a rakish grin.

Sophie opened the door to the cottage and stepped inside and he followed her into the dark interior. Light filtered through the slats of the shutters, creating an odd pattern on the floors and walls. Trey pulled her into his arms and kissed her, his hands running freely over her body. “Alone in a dark room. Is this what you mean by a good time?”

They’d gone past the point of denying themselves pleasure, Sophie mused. Now, it was possible to act on their urges without a second thought. If she wanted to touch him, she could. If he wanted to kiss her, he’d do just that.

The kiss was slow and delicious, his hands making her body come alive with wonderful sensations. He cupped her bare backside and pulled her against him, the evidence of his arousal growing hot and hard between them. Sophie sighed, desire aching deep inside her. Though they were still new to this passion, it didn’t make it any less powerful. Instinctively, she reached down and ran her fingertips along the length of his shaft, the thin fabric of the pareu providing little protection from her touch.

Slowly, they explored each other, using touch instead of sight to guide them. Sophie wondered if she should be playing harder to get. But why deny themselves the pleasures? They were both consenting adults and they only had a limited time on the island. Besides, she had every intention of keeping her emotions in check. This was about sexual gratification and nothing more.

If she had learned anything from her parents’ relationship, it was that love couldn’t be trusted to last. As a small child, Sophie had looked at her mother and father as a fairy-tale king and queen. But her innocence was slowly stripped away by her father’s infidelities and her mother’s abandonment.

She’d never be able to trust a man with her heart and soul. But she could give him temporary custody of her body. Passion and desire didn’t need to transform into an emotional connection.

“Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?” Trey whispered.

“You can’t even see me,” she said, his touch sending a rush of sensation through her body.

“But I can feel you. And you feel beautiful.”

He kissed her again, Sophie melting into his arms. She’d grown so familiar with this, the way his tongue invaded her mouth, the way he tasted. It felt good to know a man again. But then, she didn’t really want to know him. Sex with a stranger was so much less complicated.

Sophie drew back. “This is kind of silly, don’t you think?”

“Kissing you?”

“No, hiding in a dark room while you kiss me. There’s no one here to see us. We don’t have to sneak around.”

He chuckled softly. “You’re right. Old habits, I guess.”

Sophie wanted to ask what he’d meant by that, but she bit her tongue and stepped out of his embrace. Light poured into the room as she threw open a set of shutters. When Sophie turned back around, she found Trey surveying the interior of the cottage with a look of amazement.

“What the hell is this?” he asked. Crossing to stand next to one of the windows, he frowned as he read. “This is really weird. Who wrote all of this?”

“Passing sailors,” Sophie said. “From all over the world. It’s like a diary of this island. Thirty years’ worth of visits. And look what they left.” She crossed the room to the small counter and picked through the assortment of canned goods. “Spam,” she said, holding up a square tin. “It’s some kind of canned meat, I think.”

“Ah, no thanks.”

“Artichoke hearts?”

Trey shook his head, wrinkling his nose. “Only in a nice parmesan sauce over pasta.”

“Baked beans. Men always love baked beans.” She grabbed another tin. “And smoked oysters.”

“I’ve heard those are an aphrodisiac,” Trey said, sending her a playful leer. “I don’t think we need any more help in that area, do you?”

“Probably not,” Sophie said, pleased that he found no fault with their sex life. She bent down and opened the cabinet beneath the counter, curious to see what there was in the way of cooking utensils. She gasped in surprise. “Oh, my! Look at this. I think I’ve found something we can both agree on.” She grabbed one of the bottles lying on the shelf and held it up. “Wine.”

“Really?” Trey strode across the room and knelt down beside her. There were five or six bottles lying inside the cabinet including a couple of French vintages and a Merlot from the Napa Valley. “Nice. Although in this heat, the bottles might have gone bad. We’ll need a corkscrew.”

“I think there might be one in the pocketknife you were using from the plane,” Sophie said.

Trey sat back on his heels. “Instead of carting this stuff over to the other side of the lagoon, maybe we should just move camp, like you suggested. This cottage seems pretty weather tight. And the food and water are here.”

“But what about your shelter?”

“I think my ego will give way to comfort,” Trey admitted. “It did the trick for a while, but this seems to be a much better place to spend the night, don’t you agree?” He slowly stood and glanced around the room. “So this isn’t really a deserted tropical island. And we could have company at any minute.”

“I suppose we could,” Sophie said. “But it’s not likely. There aren’t many sailors who’d brave the typhoon season in the South Pacific. It would make for miserable sailing.”

“Good,” he murmured. “I don’t want any company. I’m enjoying the relaxed dress code.”

Sophie rearranged the cans on the counter. “After we move over here, I’ll make us a Christmas dinner and we’ll settle in and wait to get rescued.”

Just the word rescue brought a flood of regret. As much as Sophie wanted it to last, this time on the island would come to a very quick end. It would be over before she knew it, and all she’d be left with was memories. She let her gaze drift slowly down Trey’s body, then back up again. She had grown so used to having him near, and in such a short time.

They’d tossed aside the last of their inhibitions when they’d discarded their clothes. Now, there was nothing but a bit of fabric between her touch and his body, between his hands and her bare skin. If she wanted him, all she had to do was reach out and untie the knot in the pareu.

Temptation was always there, just within her reach. She could be naked in a matter of seconds and so could he. Both of them knew they wouldn’t be able to keep their hands off each other for very long. But it was an arousing game to try.

Sophie stepped toward him, tempted to pick up where they’d left off. But she twisted her fingers together in front of her. They had a lot of work to do and the sooner they got it done, the sooner they could relax. “If you could go gather our things from the other camp, I’ll get wood for the fire,” she said.

“I can help you with the wood,” he countered, grabbing her hand and placing it on his chest.

Just a simple touch sent a shiver of desire through her, strong enough for Sophie to realize that, from now on, working together was impossible. No doubt they’d find some excuse to touch each other again and then work would be forgotten in favor of sex.

“I’ll be fine,” she said. “The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can…relax.”

He gave her a look, as if he knew exactly what she implied with the word relax. “All right,” he said.

They strolled out of the cottage and stood on the porch. “Go on,” she said. “I’ll be here when you get back.”

He took her hand and pressed a kiss to the middle of her palm, drawing his tongue along her index finger, before putting her fingertip in his mouth. It was a provocative gesture and one that made her heart skip a beat. “You promise?”

“Where am I going to go?” Sophie teased. “It’s an island.”

Trey nodded reluctantly. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He kissed her hand again, then stepped off the porch. “So, I’ll see you in a little while.”

“Yes, you will.”

They made a good team, Sophie mused as she watched Trey walk away. He was so even-tempered, so unselfish, that she couldn’t imagine them ever disagreeing. And even though they didn’t know each other at all, she couldn’t imagine having a better companion on a deserted tropical island.

Maybe working for him wouldn’t be such a crazy idea. If he really was going to build his resort, then she could be a valuable help to him. And it would add a lot more excitement to her life. Plus, there was the benefit of spending more time with Trey once they got off this island. And more time meant…well, more sex, didn’t it?

Still, Sophie had already decided her future wasn’t here on the islands, but in some exciting city. Was she willing to give up on that dream for good sex? A tiny smile quirked at the corners of her mouth. Maybe. If the sex was really good.

As for a real relationship, one that included love and commitment, Trey had a life of his own back in the States. And she wasn’t about to follow him around, begging for his attention whenever he might want to give it. This was a twenty-four-hour fling, nothing more. Once the twenty-four hours were over, they would be, too. And then, she’d find a way to start her new life away from these islands-on her own.

IT DIDN’T TAKE VERY LONG for Trey to gather their meager belongings. He put everything he could carry onto the canvas tarp and then tied it up with the ropes. He thought it might be easy to drag it along the sand, but in the end, he waded out into knee-deep water and floated the bundle as he walked.

The plane and his attempt at a campfire were the only things he left behind in their first camp. In truth, he was a bit sad to leave, even though they’d only lived at the location for the morning. They’d made love on the sand there and she’d pleasured him beneath the small clump of coconut palms. Once they moved, would things suddenly change?

When they’d first tumbled onto the beach, wrapped in each other’s arms, he hadn’t even thought about the consequences of what they were about to do. He’d been so glad to be alive, he hadn’t thought of anything else.

But with each touch, each kiss, his feelings for Sophie were growing. Was it simply because they were here alone, without anyone to interfere? In the past ten years, the press had hounded him unmercifully. Every relationship he’d gone into had been splashed across the pages of some magazine. He hadn’t been able to enjoy anything close to a normal romance with a woman.

Being here with Sophie was the nearest he’d come. And to his surprise, he was falling fast. He could barely stand to be away from her, so addicted was he to her presence. He had to fight to keep from touching her and kissing her. And there were times when he honestly felt he could be content simply listening to her voice for the next fifty years.

Was this what it was like to fall in love? Trey shook his head, pushing the thought from his brain. He’d met Sophie seven hours ago! Besides, he didn’t have a clue about what it was like to be in love. Lust, now that was another thing. But love wasn’t something Trey had ever experienced for himself.

As he approached the ruins of the old village, Trey called for Sophie. When she didn’t respond, he dragged their belongings onto the shore and went in search of her. After ten minutes, he came to the conclusion that she was either too far away to hear him or something was wrong.

Raking his fingers through his hair, Trey tried to calm the fear that coursed through his body. If something had happened, there was nothing he could do. They were alone on this island with no help available. Drawing a deep breath, he tried to think of where she might have gone.

He would have seen her had she walked along the shoreline. “Wood,” he muttered, spinning around to find a small pile of palm fronds near the front steps of the cottage. She’d probably walked across to the ocean side to search for wood.

He ran back through the grove of palms, past the water tanks, toward the ocean side of the motu. Sophie wouldn’t have been stupid enough to go swimming on her own. Hell, even he knew better than that.

Trey ran until his lungs burned, weaving through the tangled underbrush and dodging palm trees. When he burst out of the trees onto the beach, he bent over and gulped a deep breath of the humid ocean air. Sweat dripped down his chest and his legs were cut and bleeding from the sharp edges of old palm fronds.

He scanned the beach, then caught sight of her sitting on the sand a hundred yards away. Cursing softly, Trey kicked off his shoes and jogged toward her. She didn’t see him approach and when he called her name, Sophie jumped as if startled. Shading her eyes from the sun, she stared up at him.

“Jesus, Sophie, didn’t you hear me calling you?” He squatted down in front of her and peered into her face. “When I got back to camp and couldn’t find you, I was worried.”

“Where am I going to go?” Sophie asked.

“I don’t know. I thought you might have taken a swim in the lagoon and drowned. Or been bitten by some poisonous spider and were now lying under a tree, dying. Don’t scare me like that.”

“There are no poisonous spiders on this island,” she said. “Or in all of French Polynesia. I told you, the only thing that might kill me would be a centipede bite. Or a shark attack.”

“Well, there you go. I did have good reason to be worried.”

“There’s more chance I’d be killed by a falling coconut than a shark,” she said with a shrug.

He plopped down in front of her. “Really?”

Sophie nodded. “There are a lot of people killed by coconuts,” she said.

Trey reached out and grabbed her hands. “What are you doing out here?”

“Just sitting. I was curious what the beach was like on this side of the motu. This is nicer than the lagoon side, don’t you think? I mean for your resort.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Was that really what she was thinking about? He tried to calm his anger at her, knowing that he ought to be happy she was fine. But as he stared at her beautiful face, Trey realized he wasn’t really angry at her at all. She was a grown woman and could take responsibility for her own safety. He was angry at himself, for caring so much, for being frightened at the possibility of losing her.

“We’re going to get some bad weather,” she murmured. “There’s a squall coming in.”

Trey glanced back over his shoulder to see a wall of slate-gray clouds building on the southern horizon. “How long?”

“A few hours at least. We may have to secure the plane.”

“Why?”

“If the wind is high it will pick it up and flip it over. I saw some old pilings on the west side of the lagoon. We can pull it over to that spot and tie it down properly.”

“How high would the wind need to get to flip it over?”

“High. At Faaa, we just put it in the hangar.” She looked at him, a frown wrinkling her brow. “If the plane gets wrecked on this island, Madigan Air is out of business.”

Trey reached out and took her hand. “If it gets wrecked on this island, I’ll buy you a new plane,” he promised. He straightened, then pulled Sophie to her feet. She bent down and picked up her sandals and then wandered over to the water’s edge. Trey watched her, wondering at her subdued mood. Was she having regrets about what had happened between them? Just an hour ago, he’d never felt closer to a woman, but now, she seemed a million miles away.

“Come on, let’s go,” he said, holding out his hand.

She turned to face him, and took a step. An instant later, he saw a look of pain cross her face. “Oww!” she cried, as she hopped on one foot.

“What is it?”

Sophie looked down at the sand, then groaned. “Jellyfish.”

“They can be poisonous, can’t they?” he asked, a current of fear shooting through him.

“Just box jellyfish,” she replied, wincing as she hopped on one foot.

Trey stepped to her side and she wrapped her arm around his for balance. “How do we know what kind that is?” He pointed to the nearly transparent corpse lying in the sand.

“Help me rinse off my foot,” she said.

He scooped her up and carried her into deeper water, wading in up to his thighs so she could dip her foot in. “How do you know if it was a box jellyfish?”

She sighed impatiently. “Well, if I die, then we’ll know,” Sophie said in a wry tone.

“Don’t kid about that,” Trey warned.

She winced. “I think I can stand. You can put me down.”

“I’m going to carry you back to camp.” He set her on her feet and then turned his back to her. “Hop up.”

“You don’t have to do this,” she said.

“Don’t argue, Sophie. Just do as I say.”

He waited. He didn’t want to care so much, but Trey couldn’t help himself. What if something went wrong? What if the jellyfish was poisonous and there was nothing he could do to help her? They were stuck in the middle of nowhere, helpless and completely vulnerable. What had seemed like a fun time could turn deadly serious in a heartbeat.

She barely weighed more than the backpack he’d carried during his Outward Bound trip. Driven by adrenaline, they made it back to the cottage in less than fifteen minutes. He set Sophie down on the front steps, then bent to examine her foot. An angry red welt ran the length of it, from her ankle to her little toe.

“What should we do?” he asked.

“There’s not much you can do,” Sophie replied. “There’s a gel that I have at home that stops the sting…but that’s at home.” She leaned back, bracing her hands behind her. “You could always pee on it,” she suggested. “That’s supposed to work when you don’t have anything to relieve the sting.”

“You want me to pee on your foot?” Trey shook his head. “No, I’m not going to do that. I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“There’s a limit to how kinky I go and that’s beyond my limit. There has to be something else.”

“This isn’t sexual,” Sophie said. “It’s medical. I need something acidic and that’s all we have.”

“No, it isn’t,” Trey said. He took the steps two at a time and returned a few moments later with a bottle of red wine. “We have this.”

Trey made quick work of the cork, then dumped the wine over her foot, the liquid running down the steps and into the sandy ground. He took a quick swig for himself, then handed her the bottle and she did the same. “Is it feeling better?”

Sophie wrinkled her nose. “I think so.”

“How about you? Do you feel all right?”

She nodded. “I don’t think it was poisonous. Really, you don’t have to worry.”

He sat down on the steps and stared at her foot, trying to control his frustration. Why was she taking this so lightly? Didn’t she realize how serious it could have been? It would kill him if anything had happened to her and he wasn’t able to help. Trey took another gulp of the wine, hoping that it would calm his nerves. “From now on, we stick together. You don’t go anywhere without me. Understand?”

“I’m not a child. You don’t have to talk to me like I am.” Her chin was set at a stubborn angle and she looked at him through narrowed eyes. The sweet, funny Sophie he’d known was suddenly replaced by a obstinate, dismissive, fiercely independent woman.

He wanted to lash out at her, to scold her for her part in this all. She’d made him care about her, made him want to protect her. And now he’d been forced to face the fact that he did care-more than he wanted to.

He leaned closer and pressed a kiss to the soft skin above her knee. “You have to be more careful,” he murmured, hoping to defuse the situation.

Sophie ran her fingers through his hair, brushing it away from his eyes, her lips pressed into a pout. “Don’t order me around. You have no right.”

“I’m sorry. So, what can I do to make you feel better?”

“Can I have more wine?” she asked.

He held the bottle out over her foot, but she grabbed it before he could pour and took a long swig. Sophie pointed to her sole. “Can you see any stingers? If you take the blade of the knife, you should be able to scrape them off.”

Trey held her foot up to the light and shook his head. “I don’t think so. But you probably shouldn’t walk on it for a while. I’m going to get a fire going and then we’ll figure out what to do about the plane.”

THE RAIN BEGAN SHORTLY AFTER they returned from the beach. Within seconds, a few droplets had turned into a deluge, with water running off the tin roof in sheets. Trey had jogged to the other side of the lagoon and pulled the plane over to the submerged pilings. Relieved, Sophie had thought her worries were over.

But when Trey returned to the cottage, he’d informed her that the wood pilings were so rotted, it was impossible to tie it down securely. In the end, he had done what he could, but wasn’t confident that the plane would stay where it was.

Sophie rested her back against the weather wall of the cottage, freshly picked flowers from the vines scattered around her as she wove them into a wreath. They’d finished the first bottle of wine and Trey had opened a second. He occupied himself with tearing the canvas tarp into strips, intent on fashioning a hammock by weaving and knotting the canvas together.

She watched him surreptitiously, wondering at the argument they’d had earlier. She thought she knew him, enough to assume that he didn’t have a quick temper. But his anger over her trip to the beach and the jellyfish seemed completely out of character. After all, what right did he have to chastise her like that? She wasn’t a child. And it wasn’t her fault the jellyfish had picked that place to die.

Perhaps this was a character flaw coming to the surface, she mused. Though Trey might appear to be easygoing, he showed a possessive streak that she didn’t care for at all. Had she even been considering him as boyfriend material, that characteristic alone would have disqualified him in an instant.

Sophie grabbed the wine bottle and took another sip. Either she was getting drunk or her foot was feeling much better. Or maybe it was both. A tiny hiccup slipped out and she covered her mouth with her fingertips.

She glanced over at Trey. His back was braced against the porch railing, his long legs crossed in front of him. The pareu barely hid his assets and Sophie allowed her gaze to drift.

She wondered what he was thinking. Was he only pretending to concentrate on the hammock? Or was his mind caught up in some sexual fantasy? If he was thinking about sex, then he was doing a pretty good job of hiding it. Perhaps she’d have to give him a little nudge. Sophie stood and stretched her arms over her head, then began to unknot the shirt.

“Where are you going?” he asked, his attention suddenly sparked.

“To take a shower,” she said, letting the shirt fall to the floor of the porch. She skimmed out of her thong and dropped it on top of his shirt. “The rain will wash off the salt on my skin.”

She wandered down the stairs, then stopped and tipped her face up, letting the downpour soak her thoroughly. The rain was warm, the water fresh, and Sophie closed her eyes and opened her mouth, letting the drops fall on her tongue.

She didn’t want to look to see if he had followed her. But a few seconds later, she felt his hands on her shoulders, the heat of his body against her back. Trey’s palms smoothed over her skin, but she didn’t turn around. Instead, she sighed softly and arched back against him, an invitation for him to go further.

His fingers tangled in her hair as he held it out, letting the rain fall through it. Everywhere he touched, Sophie’s nerves tingled, her body came alive, her senses aware. His path wasn’t deliberate, moving from her breasts to her feet and then back up to the nape of her neck, as if he couldn’t decide which spot he liked best.

When she turned in his arms and looked up into his eyes, she saw the desire there. In a heartbeat, he captured her face with his hands and pulled her into a deep, mind-numbing kiss. He seemed desperate to possess her mouth, demanding that she meet his need. But there was something else there-a need to set things right between them again.

Sophie opened beneath the assault and let the kiss consume her. Nothing in her life had prepared her for the power of his touch over her body. In the past, men had come and gone from her life without a sense of loss. But already, Sophie had to wonder how she’d deal without this chaos he’d created in her body. Every cell of her being seemed to surrender to him, to ache for what they shared. She thought nothing of resisting his charms the first time, but now Sophie knew she’d completely lost that capacity.

Breathless and dizzy with desire, Sophie pressed her hands against his chest. He pulled back and smiled, the droplets of rain clinging to his dark lashes. She smoothed her fingertips along his torso, then untied the knot in the pareu.

She slowly circled around him, washing the salt off his body with the damp fabric, running it over his muscled back and arms. It felt good to be clean again, to be able to press her lips to his flesh without tasting the ocean.

Sophie pushed up on her tiptoes and kissed the nape of his neck, then trailed her lips and tongue down to the small of his back. She heard him moan softly, pleased that he wasn’t immune to her touch, either.

They stood in the rain for a long time, letting the water wash over them, exploring the curves and angles of each other’s bodies. Though it was a practical choice, Sophie had no doubt about where their “shower” was leading.

He took the lead as he ran his hand down her belly to find the warm spot between her legs. His caress was soft and slow, but almost immediately, she felt an overwhelming surge of desire building inside her.

Determined to share the exquisite pleasure that raced through her body, Sophie wrapped her fingers around his erection and began to stroke him, the warm rain causing him to be slick and smooth.

She drew a deep breath as she nuzzled her face into the curve of Trey’s neck. He smelled like the rain and the last traces of the monoi left on his skin. Sophie didn’t hesitate to tantalize him, to touch him in a way that was meant to make him ache for release.

There were no walls between them that hadn’t already been breached, no part of his body that she wasn’t allowed to touch. Here, on this island, they were free to explore their desire without any outside interference. For now, time stood still, no one else existed, the real world was just a clouded memory.

Her fingers slid over the tip of his shaft and then back down again. This man who had such control over her desires was completely at her mercy. She looked up at his handsome face, his eyes closed and his lips parted.

She continued to watch him as she placed a kiss in the center of his chest. When she moved to his nipple, Trey sucked in a sharp breath and when she delved lower, he tangled his fingers in her wet hair and groaned. But this time, he wouldn’t allow her to go further.

He pulled her back up along his chest and then took her hand and led her over to the front steps of the cottage. Gently, Trey sat her down on the top step, while he knelt below her. His hand slid down her belly and his fingers found the soft folds between her legs, now slick with her desire.

Sophie had been with enough men to know exactly what he wanted. She leaned back, turning her face up into the rain that poured off the porch roof onto them both. And when his tongue continued what his fingers had begun, Sophie moaned out loud.

She knew he was watching her, knew that everything he did to her was designed to end in absolute pleasure and shattering release. He teased and tempted her, learning by her reactions what she liked best. And when she seemed to move close to the edge, he slowed his seduction.

Minute by minute, he brought her ever nearer before dragging her back, until her eyes were hazy with desire and her breath was quick and shallow.

“Oh God, what are you doing to me?” she whispered. She tangled her fingers in his wet hair, pulling him along her body until their mouths met. He was still hard and his shaft teased at the spot between her legs, rubbing back and forth until she was desperate to have him inside her.

Sophie was stunned at how quickly it came upon her. One moment, she was running her hands over his back, and the next, she was writhing beneath him. The spasm came hard and fast and she pulled his hips against hers as she dissolved into her orgasm. A moment later, he joined her, his essence warm and sticky between them both.

When they’d both floated back down to reality, Sophie reached between their bodies and touched him again. Trey sucked in a sharp breath. “Stop,” he begged. “Sophie, stop.”

She did as he asked, tossing her hair back from her face to look up at him. She waited for a long moment, watching him regain control over his senses. He shifted his weight and sat down beside her on the steps, stretching his arms over his head and moaning softly.

The rain had begun to subside and the air was fresh and cool for the moment. His fingers ran through her hair and Trey pulled her into a deep kiss, his mouth possessing hers, leaving her breathless. The kiss spun out into one long, delicious ending. A few moments later, Trey opened his eyes. A grin curled the corners of his mouth. “That was…incredible.”

Sophie reached down to touch him again. “It was?”

He moaned, grabbing her hand to stop her teasing. “You know those questions they ask, about the three things you’d want on a deserted island?”

“Yes,” Sophie replied.

“I could never decide what I’d take. There were too many things that I thought were necessary. But now that I’m here, I know exactly what I’d need.”

“Food and water?”

He shook his head. “We have that here.”

“What then?”

“You. You’d be on the top of my list.”

“Any woman? Or me specifically?”

“I’m pretty sure it would have to be you.”

“What else?” she asked, now curious about his answers.

“Condoms,” he said. “An unlimited supply. So we’d never have to keep ourselves from doing anything.”

“What, are you going to have them air-dropped? How many would you need?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe three a day. About a thousand a year. Taking into account the average life span, I’d say we’d need fifty thousand, just to be safe.”

“And what else?” Sophie asked. “Besides a warehouse to store them in?”

“A good fishing pole,” he said after a few moments of thought. “With all that sex, I think I’d need some protein every now and then.” Trey reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear. “And what would you take?”

“I don’t know. I never thought about it. Probably an airplane, so I could get off the island when I wanted.”

Trey frowned. “But that’s not following the rules.”

“I’ve lived on a little island, not much different than this one, for my entire life,” Sophie said. “Sooner or later, it will make you crazy.”

Trey sat up and raked his hands through his damp hair, a frown wrinkling his brow. “It can’t be that bad.”

“It’s easy for you to romanticize all of this,” she said, pushing up beside him. “The warm breezes and the blue ocean, the white sand and the beautiful flowers. The naked women. And it will be interesting for a week or two. But then, like all the tourists, you’ll grow bored and go home. I can’t go home. This is my home. I’m stuck here.”

“Is it that bad?” Trey asked.

She shrugged. “I just wish I had a choice, to stay or go.”

“I’ll help you, Sophie,” he offered. “When we get off this island, I’ll buy you a ticket. You can go anywhere you want, just name it.”

Sophie shook her head. “My father won’t leave. And I can’t leave him alone, with his eyesight so bad. He doesn’t have anyone else to take care of him or the business.”

“Then we’ll make sure he can take care of himself. I’ll find him a good doctor. I don’t care how much it costs. I owe you something for this mess I’ve put you in. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be here.”

“Maybe. But the plane might have gone down somewhere else, somewhere a lot less fortunate than this place. Somewhere without a nice big lagoon to land in.” Sophie smiled at him then dropped a grateful kiss on his lips. “It’s a nice fantasy,” she said. “But fantasies don’t always come true.”

Sophie pushed to her feet and walked out toward the lagoon. She picked up the discarded pareu, shook it out and wrapped it around her body, knotting it beneath her arm. Funny how every time they were intimate, it left her feeling more vulnerable.

Though it was just a silly answer to a silly question, Sophie couldn’t help but wonder if island life might be tolerable with Trey at her side. Was she really looking for an adventure of her own? She’d always believed the empty spot inside her would be filled by an exciting career in a glamorous city. She’d never even considered it might be filled by a man.

“Now that the rain has stopped, we should try to get the fire started,” she suggested, turning back to him.

Trey watched her, his expression inscrutable. “Just give me a few minutes to recover.”

Sophie turned and wandered to the edge of the lagoon. She stared into the water, watching a small school of fish dart back and forth. She pressed her palm to her heart, feeling the ache of emotion there.

After her mother had left, Sophie’s dreams about love and happiness had been put aside. How could she possibly let a man into her heart if there was a chance he might break it into a thousand pieces? She had a big empty spot that love could have filled. But if she wasn’t willing to allow herself that emotion, she’d have to fill that spot with something else. But what?