but the rakish swirl of his windblown hair left him looking softer, less intimidating than he had in NewYork.
She was suddenly aware that they’d be spending the day on a deserted beach, far away from the problems and constraints of their real lives. She’d sworn up and down, to herself and to Alex, that they were never, ever making love again. Now she found herself questioning that promise, exploring the rationale and trying to remember exactly why it was so important that she keep her hands off him.
“I thought we’d decorate before the party,” he said.
She shook herself out of the fantasy. “Huh?”
“I thought a Garrison-McKinley company party might be a nice idea. Ryan is always after me to soften my image.”
She gave her head a shake. “You want another party? After yesterday? Or was it the day before?”
“Actually, I think this might be our wedding day.”
“Don’t mess with me.”
“I’m not messing with you. The International Date Line takes a funny jog around Kiribati.”
She refused to be impressed by his knowledge. “Well, it’s only noon,” she retorted. “That means we’re not married yet.”
He squinted. “Hmmm. That means there’s time for one last fling.”
Emma made a show of glancing around the empty ocean. “With who?”
Alex waggled his eyebrows.
“In your dreams.” Or in her dreams, depending on how you looked at it.
“Look,” he said. “There’s the point and the bent palm tree.” He abruptly turned the tiller, sending the blue-and- red sail swinging crossways over the catamaran.
Emma shaded her eyes as a sparkling white, crescent-shaped beach came into view. Cliffs towered over it on both sides, and a white, frothy waterfall spilled into the little cove.
“Wow.” She let out a long breath of appreciation. “I don’t think we’re in Manhattan anymore.”
“Screw the cell phones,” said Alex. “The world can live without us for a day.”
Emma laughed and shook off the remaining vestiges of her guilt, while the sail caught a gust of wind, pushing the front of the floats onto the soft sand.
She quickly hopped off the net platform, sinking calf-deep in the warm water, and grabbing the rope as the floats bobbed free again.
Alex joined her and tugged the boat onto the sand and removed their supply sack.
She pulled her messy hair free of the elastic and raked it into a new ponytail. Without the breeze from the moving sailboat, the sun was burning hot. And the water was more than inviting.
“Swim first or snorkel?” asked Alex, reading her thoughts.
“Anything that gets me wet.”
They swam in the cove and snorkeled around the reef for hours. With the swim fins for propulsion, Emma easily maneuvered through the salt water, seeing thousands of fish in every color imaginable, crabs, sea urchins and sea stars, plants and shells, and what seemed like mile upon mile of vibrant coral.
Thirst and hunger finally brought them to the surface. The sun had moved far enough in the sky that they could find shade from one of the cliffs. They spread their blanket out near the waterfall, where the fine spray brought the air temperature down a few degrees.
Emma leaned back and inhaled the scent of the tropical flowers, then she closed her eyes to concentrate on the calls of birds and the low hum of the insects. A sigh slipped out. “Do we really have to go back?”
Alex’s sexy voice was full of promise. “No, we don’t.”
She opened one eye, squinting at him through her sunglasses as he lay down on the blanket, propping himself up on one elbow.
She matched his pose so that she was facing him. “Eventually, we’d starve.”
He pushed his sunglasses up on his forehead, shifting almost imperceptibly forward. “We’d survive on fish and coconuts.”
“You’re going to fish.”
“I’m a versatile guy.”
“How are you going to cook them?”
He moved her sunglasses up on her forehead. “I’ll gather firewood from the forest.”
The mere whisper of his touch spiked her pulse. “And rub two sticks together?”
“If I have to. I didn’t become a billionaire by giving up.”
“I thought you became a billionaire by inheriting lots of money.”
He moved closer. “Yeah. There was that. But it doesn’t mean I’m not a resourceful guy.” His gaze dipped to her cleavage, and a buzz of sexual awareness ran through her.
“Alex.”
“It’s okay.” He reached for the spaghetti strap on her bikini top, running his index finger beneath it, then trailing it down her arm. The fabric peeled away, exposing the barest millimeter of her nipple.
His eyes darkened, and she could feel the sensuality radiating from his very pores. Next, he leaned forward and kissed the tip of her shoulder, his cool lips gentle on her sun-warmed skin.
She knew she should fight it, but the last thing in the world she wanted to do was interrupt a sexy man on a tropical beach, making her feel like she was the most desirable woman in the world.
He left her shoulder to kiss the mound of her breast, trailing his fingertips along the curve of her waist.
She gasped in a breath, and his arm went solidly around her, turning her onto her back, his dark head blocking out the bright sunshine.
“I want you,” he said.
And she wanted him, too. So much that it hurt to breathe. Her chest was tight. Her skin was tingling. And her thigh muscles pulsated with the need for his touch.
“Oh, Alex.”
He bent his head close to hers, kissing the corner of her mouth.
“It’s okay,” he muttered. “It’s after three. We’re married now.”
Before she could smile, he kissed her full on the lips, his broad hand swooping beneath her bottom to pull her against him.
She opened her mouth, tangling with his tongue. And her hands framed his face, pulling herself closer and deeper, trying desperately to fuse her body to his.
The waterfall roared in her ears, and the breeze off the ocean sensitized her skin. She kissed his cheek, his shoulder, the bulge of his bicep, tasting the sea salt, reveling in the flavor of his arousal.
He flicked the clasp of her bikini top, and the purple fabric fell away, exposing her breasts to the heat of the sun and Alex’s avid gaze.
“The pretty one,” he muttered. “The beautiful, sexy, charming sister. I am so glad you stormed into my office that day.”
Emma tried to comprehend his meaning, but the words didn’t make sense. And then he drew her nipple into his mouth, and the entire world stopped making sense. It was Alex. And they were married. And she was falling fast and hard and unconditionally for him.
The rake of his teeth and the swirl of his tongue sent pulses of delight streaking down her body. She arched her spine, tipping her head back, closing her eyes against the rainbow of light taking over her brain.
She had to feel him. She had to touch him. She had to make sure he was experiencing
She ran her hands up his arms, resisting the urge to linger, exploring his biceps and strong shoulders. Then she tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him tight against her breast, releasing a pent-up moan of desire.
He moved to the other breast, and she trailed her fingertips down his back, shifting her knees and pressing his arousal into the cradle of her thighs.
He drew back. “Whoa. You sure?”
“Yes,” she blurted. “I’m sure. I
He chuckled as he kissed her mouth. “I meant are you sure you want it this fast.”
“Yes. Now. Right now.” She didn’t think she could wait another second.
He sobered, his thumb hooking her bikini bottom and sliding it off over her sweat-slicked skin. Then he made
