Bring It On (14 page)

“I’m on the pill.”

“Oh,” he said, his voice flat. “That’s good.”

Turning on his heel, Colt silently gathered the branches they’d brought in with them. Reaching into his pack, he pulled out a box of matches. The tiny flare of light hissed through the quiet cave.

Lena shivered. Gathering her clothes, she was about to pull the damp material over her head when Colt stopped her.

“Spread them out over here to dry.” Reaching back into the pack again, he pulled out a T-shirt and handed it to her. Their fingers brushed, and the now-familiar sizzle of need flashed up her arm. Colt jerked his hand away.

And she mourned for the sense of closeness they’d shared a few minutes before.

“We also had blood tests for the marriage license, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Fire caught, stuttered and then flared between them. Colt pulled on a pair of nylon gym shorts that must have also come from the pack. Across the flames, his eyes flashed. Something quick, hard and bright, but before Lena could figure out what it was it was gone.

“It never crossed my mind, Lena. I know you better than that.”

“Maybe, but Wyn was certainly promiscuous enough for all of us.”

“Something tells me that sex wasn’t on your agenda for the past few months.”

What the heck was that supposed to mean? “How the hell do you know that?”

He stepped closer, the red-orange glow of flames washing across his bare chest. His voice took on an intimate timbre. “Let’s just say, you don’t respond like a woman who’s been well-satisfied.”

For perverse reasons she didn’t understand even as she said it, she countered, “Wyn is a great lover, thank you very much.”

Colt’s lips twitched, not with humor but something far darker. “I’m sure your cousin would agree.”

She drew in a breath, as if the barb had actually connected with her chest.

“What about you? How many lovers have you had in the last year? Ten? Twenty?”

“I like sex.”

“You may like it—and I’ll be the first to admit you’re pretty damn good at it—but that doesn’t make you a god among men. What it makes you is pathetic and lonely. When’s the last time you had a real relationship, Colt? Not some one-night stand but something meaningful? Something built on a level beyond the physical?”

Colt’s mouth thinned and he took another menacing step toward her. Instead of taking the hint and backing away, she moved closer, going toe-to-toe.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The hell I don’t. I watched you self-destruct after you lost your parents. And when that didn’t cure the pain, you shut everyone out of your life.”

“You’re still here.”

She scoffed. “Please. I get random phone calls. A long weekend here and there. That’s not a relationship, that’s convenience.”

“That’s my job!” he hollered, his voice rising with frustration that matched her own.

How had they gone so quickly from total bliss to this?

“A convenient excuse, Colt. You immersed yourself in your work, using it as a barrier to distance you from everyone and everything that matters. You insulated yourself in the hopes that it would keep you from being hurt.”

She saw pain flash across Colt’s face and immediately regretted her words. They were true, but that didn’t give her the right to throw them at him like expletives.

Reaching for him, she tried to apologize. “Colt, I’m sorry.” He shook her off.

Closing the conversation completely, Colt said, “We’d better get some sleep while we can.”

Spreading the emergency blanket out on the cave floor, he lay down, gesturing for her to join him. She was surprised when he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her tight against his chest.

Tension still clung to his muscles; she could feel the hard coil of them pressing into her back. But he was touching her. At the moment she’d take what she could get.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Lena tried to will her body and mind to sleep, but it didn’t help. After a while, she thought he must have dozed off. Until he whispered, “I was…”

“Worried.”

“Scared.”

Lena realized that sometime while they’d lain there, wrapped together, the tension had left his body. He’d relaxed behind her, his voice sounding drowsy and thick.

“Not sure I’m ready for that responsibility. Tiny little thing dependent on you for everything. Too fragile.” The steel band of his arms pressed against her lungs. She didn’t think he knew what he was doing. “Bad enough you almost got hurt.”

She wanted to argue with him, to protest that she’d come nowhere close to getting hurt. But she realized it wouldn’t do any good. Not just because he wouldn’t have listened, but also because he was already asleep.

“OH, THANK GAWD,” greeted them when they exited the jungle the next morning. Waking at dawn hadn’t been difficult since the hard stone floor hadn’t made a very comfortable bed.

Georgie, tears glistening in her eyes, broke through a group of people who’d gathered at the head of the path. Throwing her arms around Lena’s shoulders, the petite blonde squeezed her hard before pushing her away. “You scared us half to death.”

Wesley appeared behind her, gently pulling her away.

Marcy came next, two tall men Lena had never seen before quick on her heels. She wore an expression that was probably meant to intimidate, but Lena was too happy to see Marcy’s efficient face to pay attention.

“What happened?” she asked, her stern tone ruined by the tremor of relief she couldn’t hide.

The men, one with hair as dark as the jungle had been, the other bright and blond, followed her. The dark-haired one studied them both, his sharp gaze missing nothing. He didn’t speak, but there was no missing the air of authority that clung to him.

The blond, who looked as if he should have a surfboard tucked beneath his arm, put his hand on Marcy’s shoulder. Lena wasn’t sure if it was in warning or support, but either way she didn’t let it sit there long. Shaking him off, she asked, “Are you both all right?”

“We’re fine,” Colt answered.

“Tired and hungry, but no worse for wear. We…um…got distracted.”

A titter went up from the crowd that had gathered behind Marcy and her mystery men.

Colt spoke up when embarrassment made Lena’s words falter. “Before we knew it, dark was falling. We couldn’t get out so we camped in the cave behind the waterfall.”

“You two are damn lucky,” the tall blond interjected.

Colt just nodded his head.

“Well.” Turning on her heel towards the gathered group, Marcy clapped her hands and said, “It looks like we won’t be needing your help after all. Everyone can return to his or her previous schedule.”

There were several shouts of “Glad you’re back” and “Happy you’re safe” as the group broke apart and melted away.

Wesley pulled gently at Georgie’s elbow, trying to get her to follow him down the path. She reluctantly did, yelling over her shoulder, “You have to tell me everything when you’re feeling better. I was so worried.”

Left with Marcy and the men, Lena felt exhaustion envelop her. It had been a long, emotion-filled night.

The blond man stepped forward, finally introducing himself. “I’m Simon, the owner. This is Zane, our head of security.” The other man jerked his head up in silent acknowledgment of the introduction, but didn’t bother to speak.

“If you need anything, let Marcy know. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to my office. I’m glad to know you’re safe.”

Without waiting for their response, the men spun on their heels and disappeared. Marcy stared after them, a frown tugging at her mouth. Looking back at them she said, “I’m sorry for Simon’s abrupt departure.”

“No, really, it’s fine,” Colt said. “We’re actually very tired. We could probably sleep for the rest of the day.”

Marcy’s frown deepened, digging grooves between her eyebrows. “Well, we already lost all of yesterday. When I realized you’d slipped away I rescheduled several things for today. I suppose we could push most of them to tomorrow.” She studied them for several seconds. “Would you feel up to something tonight?”

Lena looked across at Colt. He shrugged.

“All right. We’ll be ready tonight,” she offered. After all, it was their fault the photo shoot was so far behind.

“Excellent. I’ll send Mikhail to get you around seven. Come hungry,” Marcy said, her eyes sparkling.

Together, Lena and Colt stumbled across the resort, pausing long enough to change out of their rumpled clothes before falling into bed. She couldn’t speak for Colt, but she was asleep almost instantly.

SEVERAL HOURS LATER, Lena stirred awake, arching her body in a stretch before she even opened her eyes. Colt watched her, as he’d been doing for the past several minutes.

Sometime yesterday Marcy had returned their bungalow to its former state, including putting the standard-issue cotton sheets back on the bed. The crisscross pattern had imprinted into Lena’s skin, marring her cheek in an endearing way that made him want to kiss her, slowly and deliberately.

Had it only been yesterday that he’d first claimed her? It seemed like days, years ago, instead of less than twenty-four hours. But thinking about their brief history made him realize they hadn’t made love in a bed. Nice, comfortable mattress, soft sheets, no bugs or birds or leaves or rocks.

The insatiable exhaustion was gone, replaced with a languid awareness. And suddenly he wanted to push her deep into that plush mattress and leave the imprint of their joined bodies there. Reaching toward her, Colt brushed his fingers gently down her spine. A smile curved her mouth, but her eyes stayed shut.

His lips feathered against her bare shoulder, the tiny strap of the gown she’d thrown on slipping down her arm. She rolled over into his arms, her bleary eyes opening to reveal the unhurried heat that smoldered there.

She hummed deep in her throat as his fingers trailed lightly over her chest. The soft material of her gown slipped across her skin beneath his touch, arousing them both. A single fingernail snagged on the telltale tent of her peaked nipple.

She pushed into him, silently asking for more.

But before he could give it to her, a loud knock sounded on the door. With a curse, Colt looked at the clock and realized it was already six. How could they have slept the entire day away?

Another knock sounded at the door. Colt yelled, “We have an hour.” A chuckle was the only response.

While he wasn’t looking, Lena had scooted off the other side of the bed. He tried to reach for her, but she twisted away. “No way, buddy. You might not care what I look like in these photographs, but I do. I haven’t showered since yesterday. I fell in a pond, slept on the ground and desperately need to condition my hair.”

“You look beautiful,” he countered.

“Said the man sporting the rather impressive erection.”

Lena’s lips twitched. Colt looked down, although it wasn’t as if he needed proof. He could feel the pulsing ache all the way to his toes. In that split second, she slipped into the bathroom, cutting off any thought of him following inside when the lock clicked loudly behind her.

Colt wanted to be upset, but couldn’t muster up the energy. The wait was worth it when she emerged a half hour later, her skin glowing beneath the warm earth tones of the dress she’d put on.

Colt would have reached for her then, but the shake of her head stopped him. Not to mention the pointed finger she leveled at the still steamy bathroom. Being surrounded by the scent of her shampoo while he showered was torture of the highest degree.

A low, steady strum took up residence deep in his blood. It was relentless, this need for her that had settled into his bones. No matter how many times he had her, he wanted her again. Immediately, as often as possible. He was beginning to fear that need could never be met.

For the first time since he’d convinced himself he could have her, he wondered what would happen when they left. He’d promised himself they’d go their separate ways, but what if he couldn’t do it? What if one week with her wasn’t enough?

“You almost ready?” she called, cutting off his line of thought before it took him someplace he didn’t want to go.