The Trouble With Paradise

riddled sky. For a brief moment he actually considered letting her go on by herself, letting her walk away and go back to the beach on her own, all to maintain that distance he needed.

Another round of rustling, and a soft cry of distress.

Ah, hell. Of course he had to go after her. If by any chance at all she was right about Bobby being pushed off the boat then they were all still in possible danger, and even he wasn’t coldhearted enough to not care. He headed after her, through the clearing, skidding to a stop at the sight of her at the top of the cliff, standing so still he’d have wondered if she was breathing if it wasn’t for the single tear making its way down her cheek.

His heart, the one which only a moment ago had turned over and exposed its underbelly, cracked right down the center. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing.” She swiped at the tear. “Nothing at all.”

“Don’t.” He’d froze at the sight of her and that single tear on her face. “Don’t cry.”

“I’m not.” She sniffed and hugged herself. “I’m not doing anything, I’m just standing here.”

The pit of his stomach contracting into a knot, he took a step toward her, but was surprised when she jerked away.

“Look, I’m not crying over you, all right? So stop looking at me like that, all pitying and worried that you broke the poor stupid passenger’s heart. You probably break all their hearts, but you didn’t break mine. I’m crying because my ankle hurts, and because my hair is frizzy, because I look like something the cat dragged in, and because we’re trapped here without M &M’s, and damn it, because my splinter hurts!” She slid a hand over her ass and gingerly rubbed. “But I am not crying over you! I would never cry over you.”

Okay, that was good. “Um…”

“That’s my word, remember?”

He found himself wanting to smile. Only a moment ago he’d wanted to cut off his own stupid dick, but now he wanted to smile. No doubt, she was slowly but surely driving him over the edge. “We need to ice the ankle if it’s still aching.”

“Okay, I’ll just call room service.”

“I have instant ice packs in my gear. And as for your hair… it isn’t that bad-”

She glared at him.

Christ, had he learned nothing about women at all? “Actually,” he said very quickly, “it looks just fine, I swear.”

She didn’t move a single muscle but he’d have sworn her ear cocked outward slightly.

She was listening.

He raced on. “And for the rest of your problems, well, I think I just proved I can’t keep my hands-or my mouth-off of you, so you can cross the worries about your looks off your list. You’re sexy as hell, Dorie, and so goddamn beautiful I had to talk myself out of having you again.”

There. Her eyes met his. Definitely listening.

“And I should tell you,” he said softly, moving a little closer. “I have a secret stash of M &M’s in my bag, though they’re the peanut ones. Do those work for you?”

Her eyes practically shimmered, full of so much emotion it almost hurt to look at her.

“If you’re lying about the M &M’s,” she finally said shakily, “I’ll hurt you.”

He lifted a hand to his heart. “I promise. They’re yours, if-”

Her face creased into disbelief. “There’s an if?”

“If you let me help you get that splinter out.”

Both hands went to her ass now. “No.”

“There’s no need for this…” He waved a hand toward her splinter. “Savoir- faire.”

“What?”

“False modesty. Look, I just got an up-front and personal view of every inch of you, remember?”

“It’s not modesty.” She bit her lower lip. “Okay, it is. But…”

“But?”

“I just had a quickie, and I don’t do quickies. Worse, I did it with a guy who prefers to pretend it didn’t happen. I really need to be alone with the M &M’s.”

“I can’t leave you alone.”

“Then don’t. I’ll leave you alone.” And with that, she walked away. Luckily, she walked the right way, so he didn’t have to do anything but follow at a respectful distance.

But as he did, he wondered at the odd sense of regret he felt, and the certainty he’d just blown the best thing that had ever happened to him.

SEVENTEEN

Dorie made it back to camp, passing the fire pit to go directly to the makeshift shelter.

Cadence and Brandy sat on two pads, with a third between them, made up like a bed at a luxury hotel.

“Here, for you.” Brandy patted the empty pad. “Ethan set us up. Four-hundred-thread-count Egyptian silk, can you imagine?”

There was even a chocolate on her pillow.

“Also Ethan,” Cadence said. “Are you going to eat yours?”

“Knock yourself out.” Dorie plopped down on the pad, and feeling Brandy’s steady gaze on her, shifted uncomfortably. “What?”

“You gave up chocolate. Willingly.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Now, see, that right there is a sign.” Brandy looked her over some more. “Plus your hair is a little wilder than usual, and your skirt seems slightly twisted off to the side. Interesting.”

Dorie tried to adjust her skirt.

“But most telling? Your camisoles were layered white over the pink when you left, and now the pink is on top.”

Crap.

“Find what you need out there in the rain forest, hon?”

“Oh, you know…” Dorie lifted a shoulder and tried to be cool. “What are you guys doing?”

“Having a slumber party,” Cadence said. “Which would be better with chips, drinks, and gossip.”

“I’ve got the rest of the chips in my purse,” Dorie said.

Brandy pulled out her flask. “And I’ve got the other two covered.” She took a healthy swig and passed the flask to Dorie. “So. You got laid.”

Dorie choked.

Brandy looked across the fire. Dorie followed her gaze to Christian, who’d reappeared from the forest and stood at the bonfire, staring into the flames. He still had the whole edgy, brooding thing going on, but there was something else, too. A definite lessening of the tension in his body.

Dorie knew what that came from, and felt her face heat.

Cadence blinked. “You had sex with Christian?”

“Okay, I need chips for this.” Dorie opened her purse and the box of condoms fell out.

“Huh.” Brandy fingered the opened box. “Look at that. Wonder how many are missing?”

Dorie snatched the box back and shoved it low in her purse. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Was he yummy?” Brandy asked.

Cadence was still gaping. “You. And the doctor. Holy smokes.”

Dorie found the chips and started shoving them in her mouth even though she wasn’t hungry. “I’m going to need that chocolate back, Cadence.”