Deep Desires (4 page)

Jesus, he was sick and tired of Malik trying to get him to be a tour guide and teach guests about the woods. “I don’t track anymore.”

Malik twisted sideways. “Lauren, Abby, good morning.”

Shit. Ryan adjusted his glasses. He wasn’t prepared to see Lauren just yet. Lauren turned around. “Good morning,” she said. “I didn’t see you two there.”

“I was just asking Ryan if he’d be joining us on our cruise and exploration. But he said he had better things to do.”

Ryan listened to her shift in her chair and could feel her scrutinizing gaze on him. “You both plan on attending, don’t you?” Malik asked.

Lauren’s friend Abby spoke up. “Count me out. Lauren is the adventurous one, not me. I have a book to finish, and then I think I’ll just explore this island.”

“Abby, perhaps you’d enjoy our water activities instead. We have snorkeling lessons later this afternoon.”

“Oooh, sounds like something I just might try,” Abby replied, sounding excited.

Seemingly pleased with Abby’s enthusiasm, Malik turned his focus to Lauren. “Lauren, perhaps you can help me convince Ryan to come along to Pearl Island. I thought he’d make a great guide and could share his knowledge of the jungle with us.”

Ryan watched Lauren push her hair off her shoulder and lean forward. His mind raced to last night and how he’d tugged that long, silky hair of hers to expose her creamy neck.

Her voice pulled him back. “Honestly, Ryan, I would love for you to come. You see, I like adventure, but coming from the city, I get lost easily. So trust me, I can use all the guidance I can get.” She gave a soft chuckle and continued, “I can find my way around any department store, especially the shoe department, but put me in the woods and I’m done for.” After a short pause she sat up straighter in her chair and added, “Do you know your way around the woods, Ryan?”

She was testing him, he suspected. He rolled one shoulder. “No.”

Malik piped in. “Don’t be modest, Ryan. Few men have your exceptional tracking skills.”

“Had,” he bit out. “Past tense.”

“Had?” Lauren asked. He could hear the curiosity in her voice.

“Yeah, had,” he said, figuring she might as well know the truth. He watched her carefully under the bright light of the sun, gauging her reactions. “Ever since the explosion damaged my eyesight, I don’t do much tracking anymore.”

“I see,” she said, sinking back into her chair, disappointment apparent in her voice. As he read her body language, he scoffed inwardly, hating that for one second he’d allowed himself to think she might have been different from his ex-girlfriend.

With that sobering reality, he stood quickly, sending his chair sailing backwards. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to go.” He hastily made his way from the restaurant. It was time to put Lauren out of his mind once and for all. They’d had one night of wild sex, nothing more.

Which made him wonder why he’d taken a left on the footpath instead of a right and now found himself headed toward the sailboat.

A
s Lauren watched him go
, she couldn’t help but feel disappointed that he wouldn’t join them on the sailing excursion. Maybe he really did have better things to do. Or maybe he thought she’d be boring in the light of day.

When she thought about his damaged eyesight she had a moment of doubt. How could a visually impaired man negotiate the jungle with such ease, the way her Tarzan had? But surely she couldn’t have been mistaken about her lover’s identity.

After she finished her breakfast with Abby, the two of them took a stroll around the resort, and then Lauren made her way back to her cabana to fill a beach bag. She tossed in a swimsuit, lotion, bug spray, a change of clothes, bottled water, walking shoes, and a granola bar in case she got lost. She might be a city girl, but she was going to be a prepared city girl. Then she made her way to the wharf. She glanced around, her gaze surfing over the boat, aptly named
The Cascade
, and then perusing the intimate crowd that had gathered for the excursion. She recognized a few familiar faces from the restaurant.

Their tour guide stepped onto the wharf and summoned their attention. “Welcome, everyone. I’m Ben, your captain for the day.” Lauren turned her attention to him, taking in his sun-kissed blond hair, surfer-boy tan and easy demeanor. “Before we set sail and explore Pearl Island, I’d like to take a moment to go over the rules.” Lauren could imagine that with his playful, bad-boy grin he had women swooning at his feet. Granted he was cute, but she preferred her men tall, dark and handsome. Cliché, or no, that’s what appealed to her.

“Rule number one is to have fun,” Ben said. When chuckles originated in the crowd, he took on a serious tone and added, “Rule number two is to never venture anywhere on Pearl Island alone. We have a buddy system here, no less than two people. So if you would all take a moment to buddy up, we’ll be set to go.”

Turning her attention away from Ben, she lifted her hand to block the sun. She glanced around in search of a companion when she noticed Mr. Egotistical—muscles flexed—coming her way. His walk, his facial expression and his arrogant attitude told her exactly what the stud was interested in. And it wasn’t her personality.

He hooked his thumbs on his swimsuit, letting it ride down low on his hips, as if that would entice her. She resisted the urge to retch.

“Hey dollface, how would you like to be my
buddy
?”

Lauren had met lots of cocky, pretentious men in her life, heck, she’d dated a million of them, but this wolf made those guys look like puppies.

She stood before him, watching his slow perusal of her body. Okay, that was enough. It was time to shut this guy down. She tilted her chin and held her hands up. “I—”

“There you are, sweetheart. Sorry I took so long.”

Just then Ryan came up beside her, gathered her into his arms and pressed her to him. She swallowed, noting with equal measures of curiosity and intrigue that there was nothing impersonal in the way he was touching her.

He brushed a wayward strand of hair from her face. The intimacy of his gesture caught her off guard. His arm tightened around her waist and he held her the same way her Tarzan had last night. His touch eased any doubts she had and confirmed what she already knew.

Ryan and Tarzan were one and the same.

When she let her arm slip around him in return, the sizzle between them was instant and all consuming. She looked at his sensuous mouth and ached to feel it on her body again.

She shook her head to clear it and placed her palm on his cheek. “There you are. I was wondering if you were going to make it,” she said, playing along.

Putting on a good show, he positioned his mouth near her ear and spoke in whispered words. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world, sweetheart.”

Mr. Egotistical murmured a few unsavory expletives and stormed off.

Once he was out of earshot, Lauren dropped her hand, inched back and smiled. “Thank you.”

He grinned. “My pleasure. The guy was an asshole.”

She made a face. “That’s not the first name that came to my mind. You’re being generous.” She took note of the way his palm lingered on the small of her back. Her body warmed all over as the heat from his fingers spread under her skin. A wave of desire and need whipped through her blood. The rush of sexual energy hit her so hard that she nearly lost her balance. She dusted her hands off, needing to lighten things up before she lost all composure.

“I was just about to take care of him,” she said.

Amusement laced his voice. “I know I just thought it would be fun to mess with him.” Oh, it was fun. Fun, sexy and arousing.

She rolled her eyes. “I was just about to toss him over the wharf, but I suspected, with his bloated ego, he’d likely float anyway.”

A rich rumble of laughter sounded in Ryan’s throat and bombarded her body with erotic sensations. A shiver tingled down the length of her body, pausing at each erogenous zone along the way.

With Ryan up close and personal, she allowed herself a moment to admire his roguish good looks and wondered whether he ever took those dark glasses off.

She arched an inquisitive brow, her pulse kicking up a notch. “Have you decided to come along after all?”

His face tightened warily. “No.”

“Too bad. I really need a buddy for the excursion. Plus I’d like to check out these tracking skills you have.”

“Had,” he reminded her.

“I’m sure it’s like riding a bicycle.”

He adjusted his dark glasses. “I can’t see well enough to track anymore, Lauren.”

“I’ll tell you what. You come along and I’ll be your eyes.”

A look she didn’t understand crossed his face. “Yeah?”

“Sure.” She glanced around. It appeared everyone else had already buddied up. “Either that or I’ll be stuck with our new friend over there.” With a nod she gestured toward Mr. Ego. “I’d hate to find myself alone in the jungle with him.” She mock shivered.

He dipped his head. “I thought you said you could take care of him.”

He was playing with her, she knew, but the truth was she liked it. She liked him. A lot. “Oh, I can.” She stopped to flex her girly biceps. “But it was so much more fun watching you mess with him. Plus, if I get lost in the woods, I’d really like to have someone with enough knowledge to get me back to shore. Remember, I’m a city girl.”

He offered her a lopsided smile and shook his head. “More likely you’ll be getting me back to shore.”

Goddammit, he was cute when he grinned at her like that. She batted her lashes playfully but wasn’t sure whether he could see her or not. “I think between the two of us, we’ll manage.”

When he lowered his tone, a delicious warmth spread across her skin. “You’re very persuasive, Lauren.”

“One of my many skills.” She tucked her hand into the crook of his arm, giving him little choice in the matter. “Shall we?”

Together they made their way onto the sailboat and took their seats. When Ben proceeded to give a history lesson on Pearl Island, she leaned in to Ryan and spoke in whispered words. “You know, Ryan, I’ve never sailed before.” Then in an even lower voice she said, “I’ve only been here a couple of days and already I’ve done a few things I’ve never done before.” She watched him, looking for a reaction. When none came, she tilted her face back, letting the sun warm her skin as she gazed up at the deep blue sky. “Now, this is the life.” When the wind caught the sail and jolted her forward, her eyes sprang open and her stomach lurched.

As though sensitive to her discomfort, Ryan grabbed her and quickly engaged her in conversation, an attempt, she knew, to keep her mind off the choppy waters. She appreciated the gesture immensely.

“I hear Pearl Island received its name from pirates who used to bury their loot there,” he said.

When the boat turned, she sagged against him. Being so close to him was playing havoc with all her senses, not to mention her hormones.

“Really. Has anyone ever found anything?” she asked, intrigued. “Nope, but maybe we’ll be the first.”

She relaxed into the conversation. “Yeah, especially with your knowledge of the woods and your tracking skills.”

His mouth slanted. “I could probably track a pirate, but I can’t track a buried treasure.”

Enjoying their easy banter and interested in learning more about him, she asked, “So, tell me, have you always had great tracking skills?”

“They’re learned, but I will tell you, I kicked ass at hide-and-seek when I was a kid.”

Lauren laughed. “You sound like my older brothers. I could never hide from them.

Somehow they always had an edge on me. Then again, other times they let me hide for hours knowing full well where I was.”

He gave a soft laugh. “You sound like you were close.” She heard an ache of longing in his voice.

“If you consider daily noogies and wedgies close, then yeah.” She gestured with her head. “Since you did such a good job with stud boy over there, maybe I’ll have to bring you home with me so you can put them in their place, too.” She winked. “Payback is such a bitch.”

After they shared a chuckle, Ryan said, “It sounds like the perfect family, Lauren.”

She nodded, getting the sense that he longed for the same thing. “Yeah, I love those two boneheads despite all the hell they put me through.” After a moment she asked, “Do you have any brothers and sisters?”

His posture noticeably tensed as he answered her. “Two stepsisters. Both much older than me. We weren’t what you’d call a well-adjusted family.”

In an attempt to ease his discomfort, she said, “I’m not sure you could call daily noogies well adjusted, either, Ryan.” When he laughed, she relaxed against him. They both fell into a comfortable quiet as they stared out over the sunlit ocean.

“This place is an oasis,” she whispered. Before she knew it, the boat came to a stop and the anchor was set.

Ryan nudged her. “Come on, we have to take the zodiac to the shore.”

“Zodiac?”

He brought his hands close together. “Think smaller, rougher waves.”

She made a face. “Great.”

He reached out and squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Fortunately, the boat ride to shore was uneventful. They shared the zodiac with Kayla and Blake, a couple who had recently found love at the resort and believed the magic elixir had everything to do with it.

Once they reached the sandy beach, Lauren slipped off her sandals and squeezed the warm white sand between her toes. After luxuriating in the warmth, she pulled on her walking shoes and grabbed her bug spray. She coated every inch of her body, then turned the can on Ryan. Once he was sufficiently covered, she tossed the can back into her bag and threw it over her shoulder.

Ryan coughed and waved away the fumes. “You really are a city girl, aren’t you?”

She angled her chin and grinned. “Hey, play nice or I’ll rub my honey granola bar all over you. Then we’ll see who’s laughing after our excursion.”

When he threw his head back and laughed out loud, her insides turned to mush. She grabbed his hand and glanced around at the gorgeous foliage in search of a distraction. She inhaled, pulling the sweet scent of the landscape into her lungs. Birds took flight as the other guests moved through the jungle, invading their habitat. She wondered what kind of wildlife lived on the uninhabited island, wishing she’d paid more attention to Ben’s discussion.

“Come on, there’s a walking path just up ahead.” She tugged on his hand.

As they negotiated the footpath, Lauren turned to Ryan. Desire stirred inside her as she gazed at him. “Ryan, you never did tell me where you were from.”

His lips quirked. “That’s because you didn’t ask.”

“Are you always such a smart-ass?”

“It’s a gift,” he teased.

She feigned exasperation. “Okay, I’m asking.”

“Well, before I joined the forces I lived in Ohio.”

“Will you be going back there after you leave here?”

“I’m not interested in going back.”

Lauren swatted at a bug, noting how warm and sultry the midday air had become. “No. Why not?”

He shrugged, brushed a bead of moisture from his forehead and avoided answering her. “So, who is she?”

When he offered her one of his sexy lopsided grins, she nearly creamed in her panties. “Perceptive, aren’t you?” he asked.

She took a moment to gloat. “Very. I once thought about a career as an investigate journalist.” She crinkled her nose and added, “But that didn’t work out so well for me.”

He angled his head. “No? Too bad. I bet you would have been good at it. You’re very…nosy…I mean inquisitive.”

She swatted him. “Hey.”

Ryan moved a branch to clear the path. His actions reminded her of their Tarzan encounter. God, she still couldn’t believe that she’d had wild monkey sex with him last night. Nor could she understand what kind of game he was playing, or why he came to her under the cover of darkness. She could ask him, of course, but if he was so intent on keeping his identity a secret, he’d likely deny it, or if by some small chance it really wasn’t him, he’d think she was crazy. Or a cheap slut. Which could very well be the case.

“Seriously, I’d rather work at the boutique than as an investigator.”

As they ventured farther into the jungle, the tall trees obscured the sunshine and darkened the walkway. She noticed how Ryan’s steps slowed, becoming a little more cautious. She abandoned his hand, slid her arm through his, and pulled him to her.

“Boutique?” he asked. “Tell me more.”

“My friends and I own an interior-decorating business. Danielle and Abby are the brilliant designers, and I’m the accountant, taking care of all business matters.” He shivered. “What?” she asked

“You’re an accountant.”

“And?” she urged.

He grinned. “And…I don’t find you the least bit boring.”

She chuckled lightly. “No? Really? Not even a little?”

He laughed. “Fishing, Lauren?”

“Hell yeah.”

“Okay, I find you interesting, exciting, funny, adventurous and intelligent.” When he stopped she blinked up at him. “Shall I go on?” he asked.

She crinkled her nose in thought and then said, “No, that’s good for now.” She laughed as her insides fluttered with joy.