“Grace…”
“Oh, it’s all right, Aidan. I understand why you would want to play a trick on me! If I had a twin sister, I would want to test her boyfriends, too. In fact, I’m sort of thrilled that the two of you would take the time to plan this out. Makes me feel sort of special, you know?”
“You’re not mad?”
“Oh, no, this is fun.”
“It was my idea,” he muttered.
“Of course it was.” She grinned up at him. “I’m just so pleased to meet you. Logan speaks very highly of you, you know.”
“He does?”
“Oh, yes.”
His eyes narrowed. “Seriously, how do you know I’m not Logan?”
“What a silly question,” she said, smiling. “Walk with me, Aidan.”
They continued walking companionably and she gazed sideways at his powerfully built chest and muscular shoulders so clearly outlined by his T-shirt. With a sigh, Grace noted that Aidan and Logan Sutherland were simply magnificent-looking men. Staring up at Aidan’s handsome face, she smiled again. It was remarkable that he was so identical to his brother, yet, somehow, so very different.
Logan had never called her “babe” before. And despite their first confrontation shortly after she’d broken all those glasses and Logan had appeared so cynical and grim, Grace could see that Aidan had an even more sardonic wit than his brother.
There was more, of course. Though their features were identical, Logan held his head differently. And it might be her imagination, but his mouth quirked a bit higher on one side when he gave her that devastating half smile. And his eyes seemed to shine more brightly. His hair, she thought, looked thicker to her. More…touchable.
And yet, none of that took away from the fact that they were both ridiculously stunning specimens of masculinity.
But Aidan continued to stare at her and his mouth twisted in puzzlement. He stopped walking finally and turned to gaze out at the water as he let go of a heavy sigh.
“Are you all right, Aidan?” she asked, clutching his arm. “You look a little flushed. It might be the heat. You should probably be wearing a hat.”
“I’m…fine,” he mumbled, pushing his hand through his closely cropped hair. Even their haircuts were identical. “Look, Grace, it’s been great meeting you, but I’ve gotta get back to…you know.” He waved his hand in the general direction of the hotel.
“It was so nice meeting you, too, Aidan.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “I hope we can talk again soon.”
“Yeah. Soon.” And he walked away, still shaking his head.
“Damn it, it’s not funny.”
But Logan threw his head back and laughed anyway. “She’s priceless. She took it down to the zygotes? You gotta love that.”
“It’s not funny,” Aidan repeated emphatically as he paced in front of Logan’s wide desk. “Nobody but Dad has ever been able to tell us apart before. I don’t know what it means, but it’s a cause for concern.”
“Grace is just more observant than most people. Cut her some slack.” Logan sat back in his office chair and asked the question he’d been stupidly worrying about all morning. “So, did you like her?”
Aidan thought for a moment, then shrugged. “Yeah. She was kind of sweet. And gorgeous, of course, but you knew that already. Damn, those eyes of hers. And that hair color is amazing. Do you think it’s real? Wait, I guess you would know the truth.”
“That’s enough.”
Aidan rolled his eyes. “Dude, you’re pitiful.”
“I’m pitiful? You’re the one making rude comments.”
“Sorry. But you know, when she first turned around and saw me, she looked at me like she wanted to eat me alive-in the best possible way, just so you know.” Aidan scraped his knuckles across his jaw in contemplation. “Of course, she thought I was you at the time. But within seconds she’d busted me. And after that, it was just weird to see her staring at me like I was something she might find under her microscope.”
“Hey, it’s your own damn fault for trying to trick her. At least she didn’t smack you, even though you kind of deserved it.”
“Huh,” Aidan said, as he studied him. “You’re taking her side. What’s up with that?”
Logan chuckled. “Anyone who can cause you to flip out this much? I’m on their side.”
Aidan’s eyes narrowed in thought and he began to pace again. “What if she couldn’t really tell us apart, but she’s been watching us? You know, like maybe she stalked you this morning. You keep your window wide-open half the time. Maybe she saw you in the business suit and knew as soon as I showed up in khakis that I wasn’t you.”
“You know what? You’re losing it.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Aidan sighed. “But what can I say? It was weird.”
Logan laughed again. “You’re an idiot.”
“No, you’re an idiot,” Aidan said. “Because you really like her.”
“I do like the way she took you down a notch.”
“Yeah. I guess it was probably funny from a strictly objective point of view.” Aidan stopped in midpace and turned. “But what are we going to do about her?”
“
“I’m only thinking of you, bro,” Aidan said. “She could still be a stalker.”
“The fact that Grace was too perceptive to fall for the Switch doesn’t make her a stalker.” Logan laughed at that ludicrous thought. “Just let it go, man.”
“Okay.” Aidan slumped down into the visitor’s chair. “But I never thought I’d see the day when the Switch would fail me.”
“It’s a sad day, all right.” Logan shook his head, pulled a file out of the credenza and spread it open on his desk. “We need to get this meeting started. I’ll buzz Ellie to let her know we’re ready to go.”
“You promise there are no snakes?”
“Cross my heart.” Logan grabbed her hand as the path widened and they were able to walk hand in hand. “We don’t have poisonous snakes on Alleria. Yes, we have little green-and-brown snakes that eat bugs and stuff, but that’s it. We have a very nonconfrontational ecosystem here on the island.”
Grace’s eyes widened and she laughed. “Really? Nonconfrontational ecosystem? That’s so impressive.”
“I sound like a science geek, don’t I?”
“Yes.” Grace sniffled. “I’m so proud.”
They both laughed as Logan grabbed her and swung her into his arms. “Come on.”
Clouds flitted across the blue sky as they followed the narrowing path that switched back and forth around the hills through the forested area. They found the hot springs twenty minutes later, after cutting their way through the thick fronds and giant leaves of the banana trees that grew close to the source of the thermal heat.
They stopped at the edge of a small pool that had been carved over the centuries into the base of the rock- covered hill. Hot bubbles rose to the surface from the thermal pockets while cool water cascaded down over smooth boulders and splashed into the clear water.
Thick vegetation grew in abundance under the canopy of the rain forest, assuring them of utter privacy.
“It’s like our own private paradise,” she said, and gazed at him. “Can we go in?”
“Absolutely.” Logan stripped off his T-shirt, then pointed up at the waterfall. “Just so you know, the water coming from the hill is much cooler than the springs itself, so don’t be shocked to find pockets of cold mixed in with the hot once you step in.”
“So the cold spots aren’t from the alligators swishing their tails underwater?”
He bit back a grin. “No alligators.”
“I’m trusting you,” she said, shaking her finger at him. “I have a deep-seated fear of alligators.”
