“Hurts. Hard to tell what hurts the most though.” He issued a dry crack of a smile. “It’s nothing a good night of sleep won’t cure.”
Good that he could joke under the circumstances.
He gestured toward the rocks. “Find anything we can use?”
“Not much. It’s pretty barren,” she admitted, tamping down the hopeless feeling trying to engulf her. They were stranded in the ocean on a bed of rocks in a storm.
“See real land anywhere?” he asked.
“Thought I saw something over there.” Jaden’s gaze followed where she pointed.
He glanced up at the sky. “Doesn’t look good for us to stick around here any longer than we have to.”
“The rain comes and goes. I’m more worried about you, though,” she said honestly.
“I’ll live.” He stretched out his leg and laid his head back on a rock before closing his eyes. He brought his hand up to touch her arm, rippling volts of electricity through her. Before her body could launch a full-on assault she blinked and scooted back, refusing to be taken in by those perfect blue eyes.
“What is it you do when you’re not saving women from scary men and dangers in the water?” She’d almost died today. That would get anyone’s blood pumping
“I told you.”
Right. Secret security agency. That would explain those muscles.
“Doing what exactly?” she pressed.
“Things I can’t talk about.”
“Don’t want to, or can’t?” She tilted her head to one side, her curiosity was starting to run wild.
He didn’t respond.
“Why are you really looking for me? I have no secrets, and the government can’t possibly care about my life. You think I’m involved with my brother?” she said incredulously.
He seemed to contemplate that for a moment. “You were a glorified babysitting job until you took out that loan and bought a ticket to the Caribbean.”
It was high time she knew exactly where she stood. They were stranded out to sea. He was her only hope of survival. “You do think I’m involved.”
“Not anymore.”
“I hate those scumbags worse than you do.” She raged against the tears threatening. A few tumbled and rolled down her cheeks anyway, salty as the cursed seas. She told herself she was angry at her brother for not being stronger, for not leaving that horrible childhood they’d had behind, for not doing as she had and refusing to let it ruin his life. All of this had nothing to do with Jaden’s accusations.
“Not possible.” A flash of darkness moved behind his eyes. “Then tell me more about Max. What’s your involvement with him?”
She heaved a sigh. “I should know about my own brother. But I don’t. I didn’t know about his illegal activities until you told me.”
“You had no idea before now?”
“I knew he was using drugs and had gotten himself into trouble before. We haven’t spoken in years.” Her voice cracked at the end of her sentence.
“Why’s that?” he asked.
She glared at him. “Isn’t it obvious?”
“Look, I got a dead man back on the beach who should be alive right now.” His voice was laced with anger and guilt.
“Which is an interesting point,” she said.
“Meaning?” he asked.
“Where’s your cavalry?” She glanced up at the sky when he didn’t respond. “Your job teach you anything about weather?”
“I’ve seen a lot of storms.” He nodded.
“Any chance this’ll pass?”
“I’d hoped.” His voice was filled with dread. “See those large, rounded puffs of clouds covering the sky with a grayish veil? Always comes before the weather gets worse.”
“Great.” Things could actually get worse?
“You’re cold.” His hand closed on Lauren’s arm, sending shivers up it, and she felt herself being drawn toward him.
She pulled back immediately.
Clutching at her wetsuit, she hopped to her feet.
He grabbed her ankle, stopping her from taking a step while the pain of movement caused his face to crinkle. “Look. I’m outta line.”
She should’ve felt anger, and she did, but she also felt her pulse rise and sensual tingles skitter across her skin. She cleared her throat like that might get rid of them.
He pulled her closer. “Our body heat will warm us both.”
His touch caused her nerve endings to quiver and her senses to kick on high alert. Her gaze dropped to his broad chest, and she watched as it rose and fell in rhythm with hers.
“I shouldn’t—”
“Hold on, sweetheart. You’re shivering. It’s the best I can do.”
Looking out onto the surf, she was utterly dumbstruck. Because angry as she might be, she couldn’t ignore the fact that she’d felt none of those pounding feelings inside when other men had touched her. She’d never reacted to anyone’s touch the way she did with this man’s.
Numb from such an overload of emotions descending on her, she didn’t fake a smile. Instead, Lauren clamped her lips and held back the urge to kiss him. She forced her thoughts to her brother. “I didn’t ask for any of this. I hope you know that.”
“Innocent people rarely ever do.” A grimace took hold of his expression. Jaden’s arm went around her shoulders. “You’re shivering.”
She ignored the spark of fire from his touch and scanned the skies. Blackness everywhere. No hope for a break in sight. “If you’re feeling better, shouldn’t we get going?”
“As soon as I stop bleeding.”
“Where?” She’d been so focused on keeping her emotions in check she’d momentarily forgotten about his injuries.
“Here.” He pointed toward his shoulder. “And there.” He motioned toward multiple cuts on his right shin.
Thunder clapped in the sky directly overhead. A fierce reminder there wasn’t much time to regroup.
“Let me see what I can do for your cut.” Quickly, she moved to the pile of supplies she’d gathered and then back. “I can make a bandage with this.”
She couldn’t steady her hands being so near to Jaden, unsure if it was anger or something else entirely. And she nearly dropped the torn piece of clothing she was holding. “Close
