UP In Flames: Body Heat / Caught in the Act

“Another kiss, that’s all.” He could still taste her, and he wanted more.

“Bargaining away your goods? A real gentleman would just share.”

“But we both know there’s no real gentlemen on this island, don’t we?” Provoking her seemed his only defense. If she was mad, she wouldn’t talk about owing him. “Now what’ll it be? You want the soap or not?”

Indignation made her eyes bright. “Oh, all right.” Taking him by surprise, she leaned forward, grabbed his face in both hands and gave him a hard, dry smooch. He didn’t even have time to pucker. “There. Now where’s the soap?”

“That’s it?” He had to fight to keep from laughing. Her averted gaze told him what that impromptu kiss had cost her in the way of nerve.

“That’s it.” She tried to look smug, but she avoided his gaze so the effect was minimal. “You didn’t say what kind of kiss.”

“I see I’ll have to word myself more carefully in the future.” Still smiling, Adam dug through his bag and pulled out the scented bar of green soap. It smelled like Brut cologne.

Melanie stared at it. “Is that all you have?”

“Sorry, but I didn’t take into account feminine bathing preferences when packing it. It’ll do the job. And you better hurry up before all the water either evaporates or sinks into the ground.”

She took the soap and moved only a few feet away to where a shallow puddle had formed in the sand between some scrub grass and a young mangrove tree. On her knees, she bent forward and splashed her face. The position put her shapely rump up in the air, and Adam had to choke back several comments that tripped to the tip of his tongue.

Worse than that, he had to sit on his hands to keep from touching that sweet little bottom. He’d felt its softness when they were swimming to shore, had twice rested his head against her delicious buttocks. He’d had to fight the inclination to explore that area further while the opportunity presented itself. He’d even considered taking a few small nibbles, he’d always had a certain fondness for feminine posteriors, and everything about Melanie Tucker had always been a source of fascination.

She’d been too frightened of the ocean to notice his interest; he doubted that was the case now. But the woman obviously had no idea of her own charms. If she did, she sure wouldn’t offer up such an irresistible temptation.

Hadn’t her fiancé ever told her what a great bottom she had?

When she lingered, splashing again and again, he finally turned away. He wasn’t into torture, and tonight his control seemed precarious, at best.

A few minutes later, face freshly scrubbed and even more appealing, Mel returned his soap to him. She sat beside him, looking more self-conscious than ever, but also a lot more determined. “Now, about the resort.”

“Do you want a comb or some lotion?”

“Does the lotion smell like the soap?”

He grinned. “Sure does.”

She stuck out her small hand, palm up.

Adam held the bottle out of reach. “You know you’ll owe me again, only this time it’ll be my choice.”

She sighed. “And what exactly would your choice be?”

After looking her over from head to toe, he locked onto her gaze. Her eyes were wide and wary, and he thought he might be content to simply look at her all night. “It’s a warm evening.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t relish sleeping on this sand.” He picked up a handful and let it sift through his fingers. “It sure as hell won’t be very comfortable.”

“We’ll be rescued before it’s a problem.”

He grunted. Damn persistent witch. “Maybe, but if we’re not, I want you to lose the skirt.”

Her back snapped straight, and she glared at him. “This time you have to be joking.”

“Nope.” He enjoyed watching the flush bloom over her face and upper chest. He imagined her breasts rosy and warm, and shifted uncomfortably. “It’s the only piece of material we have that’s big enough to serve as a sheet. We can both snuggle up on it.” When she looked furious, he asked softly, “What’s the matter, Mel? If you’re so sure we’ll get rescued, then it won’t be a problem.”

He’d caught her and he knew it. His motives were twofold. If he could keep her mind on sex and off his personal business, she’d likely forget his financial confession. At the same time, he knew he’d gladly be stranded for a month if it meant he could fulfill his fantasy of being with her. Like an obsession that wouldn’t go away, he wanted her as much now as he ever had. Maybe more, because he’d kissed her and knew how good she tasted, how perfect it had felt.

They had a staring contest going, one he knew he’d win because he enjoyed looking into her blue eyes.

“Oh, all right. But you’re being outrageous and making me dislike you immensely.”

He shrugged. “You’ve always disliked me. Not surprising. We’re from different worlds.”

Her mouth tightened. “I disliked you, Adam, not because you didn’t have as much money as me. But because you were as provoking then as you are now.”

Without a word, he handed her the lotion.

If she only knew how difficult it was for him to smell his favorite scent on her. It felt as if he’d branded her somehow, made her his by giving her his scent. It turned him on.

The entire atmosphere of the island was conducive to primal needs, reducing a man to his basic instincts. He wanted to protect her, provide for her. He wanted to claim her as his own in the most elemental way.

Damn, the coming night would be torture.

He was looking forward to it already.

CHAPTER FIVE

They had fruit for dinner, but Melanie could barely eat as she watched the island grow darker and darker. Nervousness set in whenever she thought of the night to come, of being alone with Adam on a deserted island.

After cracking a couple of coconuts open and using his knife to slice up several oranges, he’d gone back up the beach to fetch the clothes he’d left behind and the raft they’d floated in on. Adam made the decision that they should stay by the house in case it rained again, but for now, they remained outside.

The heat had settled in like a damp blanket. A slight, balmy breeze barely stirred the air, rustling the dry grasses and fringed palm leaves. She got to her feet to gather the remains of their meal and put the scraps out of the way in a tidy pile. She knew Adam watched her every move, could feel his hot gaze touching on her everywhere. Earlier, before the sun had gone, he’d entertained himself by perusing his damn Key to the Keys, where he’d found the idea for scraping the coconut shells clean and filling them with the remains of the rainwater.

She bent to rinse her hands in one of the few remaining puddles and nearly jumped out of her skin when he shifted.

“Mel.”

She slowly closed her eyes at the husky way he’d said her name. She swallowed hard, then whispered, “Yes?”

A long moment of silence had her nerves pulled taut, when he finally said, “Come here.”

With her back still to him, she sat on her heels, trying to calm her racing heart. Never had she been so conscious of another human being, but she should have suspected it would be this way. Good or bad, she’d always held a fascinated awareness of Adam that wouldn’t go away, not even with the passing of seven years.

She was a grown woman, free to do as she pleased, and though she’d never really believed in casual sex, situations like this one just didn’t happen often. And in truth, there was nothing casual in what she felt for Adam.

She turned her head to look at him. “Why?”

Lazily, his voice nearly drugged, he said, “You’re keyed up. I can feel it. Come here and I’ll comb your hair.”