disappeared
from her voice. “Is that bit of humility actually coming from the great Alex
Justice?”
Irritation slipped through him. She had always seen him as
arrogant and self-centered. Apparently, that hadn’t changed. “You’re right. I
saved your ass so now you owe me. As soon as we get back, I intend to
collect.”
Fire flashed in her eyes. “You’re on the payroll. I’ll be sure
to give you a bonus.”
“Sorry, sweetheart, money isn’t what I had in mind.” Turning he
stormed off, leaving her sitting there fuming. Maybe it was better this way. He
didn’t need a pain-in-the-ass redhead in his life.
“I’m going to build a signal fire,” he called over his
shoulder. “There’s a chance they’ll send up a search plane today and if they do,
I want them to see the smoke.”
Alex stalked away.
* * *
Sabrina watched him go, wishing she could call back the
hateful words. Alex hadn’t deserved that. It was a defense mechanism she had
used against him since the day they’d first met. She’d been physically attracted
to Alex Justice from the moment Sage had introduced them.
She knew the kind of man he was, knew he wasn’t a one-woman
man. Alex dated some of the most beautiful women in the world. He was the last
man on earth she wanted to get involved with.
From the shadows beneath the ledge, she watched him head off to
work on the bonfire. It took a while, but eventually he had enough dry branches
stacked up to send a decent signal, and twigs and leaves in position to get it
started.
It was hot now, the sun beating down, sweat glistening on his
bare torso. She shoved to her feet and started hobbling toward him.
“Alex!” He turned, saw her limping in his direction and swore
something she couldn’t quite catch.
He strode toward her, stopped directly in front of her. “I
thought I told you to keep your weight off that ankle.”
“I just... I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that. I don’t know why
I said it. I’m grateful for everything you’ve done and there is no amount of
money or anything else that could ever repay you.”
Some of the tightness in his features slipped away. He reached
out and touched her cheek. “I don’t expect any payment, Sabrina.”
“I know.”
Then he smiled. “But if you’re offering, well who am I to
refuse?”
She laughed. He was teasing her, no longer angry. “Forget it,
flyboy.”
His mouth curved. “I was afraid you’d say that.”
She was still smiling as she looked past him to the pile of dry
branches and wood he had collected.
“I wish I could help you with some of this. Dammit, I hate
having to just sit there and do nothing.”
“That reminds me. I made you a present.”
“A present?” She felt a jolt of excitement. Out here where she
had nothing, anything at all was appreciated. “What kind of present?”
Alex walked over and picked up what looked like two pieces of
wood and carried them back to her. “I had to guess on the height.”
It was a makeshift pair of crutches. They were no more than
sturdy branches stripped bare and fitted into a cross piece that tucked under
her arms. Another crosspiece fit through a hole partway down the shaft to
provide a handhold. Rina reached for them, eager to try them out.
Fitting them beneath her arms, she gripped the handles, took a
couple of tentative steps and grinned. “I love them! They’re a great present.
Thank you, Alex.” She swung over a couple of steps and stopped right in front of
him, leaned up as far as she could and pressed a kiss on his lips.
A flash of heat hit her that went all the way to her toes.
Alex’s mouth opened under hers and for an instant the kiss went deeper. But when
he reached for her, Sabrina pulled away.
She stared into his handsome face, her fingers trembling as
they came up to touch her lips. “Oh, my...”
Alex’s eyes looked dark and turbulent. He seemed to be
replaying the mind-blowing kiss that hadn’t even gotten off the ground.
“I was
from her voice. “Is that bit of humility actually coming from the great Alex
Justice?”
Irritation slipped through him. She had always seen him as
arrogant and self-centered. Apparently, that hadn’t changed. “You’re right. I
saved your ass so now you owe me. As soon as we get back, I intend to
collect.”
Fire flashed in her eyes. “You’re on the payroll. I’ll be sure
to give you a bonus.”
“Sorry, sweetheart, money isn’t what I had in mind.” Turning he
stormed off, leaving her sitting there fuming. Maybe it was better this way. He
didn’t need a pain-in-the-ass redhead in his life.
“I’m going to build a signal fire,” he called over his
shoulder. “There’s a chance they’ll send up a search plane today and if they do,
I want them to see the smoke.”
Alex stalked away.
* * *
Sabrina watched him go, wishing she could call back the
hateful words. Alex hadn’t deserved that. It was a defense mechanism she had
used against him since the day they’d first met. She’d been physically attracted
to Alex Justice from the moment Sage had introduced them.
She knew the kind of man he was, knew he wasn’t a one-woman
man. Alex dated some of the most beautiful women in the world. He was the last
man on earth she wanted to get involved with.
From the shadows beneath the ledge, she watched him head off to
work on the bonfire. It took a while, but eventually he had enough dry branches
stacked up to send a decent signal, and twigs and leaves in position to get it
started.
It was hot now, the sun beating down, sweat glistening on his
bare torso. She shoved to her feet and started hobbling toward him.
“Alex!” He turned, saw her limping in his direction and swore
something she couldn’t quite catch.
He strode toward her, stopped directly in front of her. “I
thought I told you to keep your weight off that ankle.”
“I just... I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that. I don’t know why
I said it. I’m grateful for everything you’ve done and there is no amount of
money or anything else that could ever repay you.”
Some of the tightness in his features slipped away. He reached
out and touched her cheek. “I don’t expect any payment, Sabrina.”
“I know.”
Then he smiled. “But if you’re offering, well who am I to
refuse?”
She laughed. He was teasing her, no longer angry. “Forget it,
flyboy.”
His mouth curved. “I was afraid you’d say that.”
She was still smiling as she looked past him to the pile of dry
branches and wood he had collected.
“I wish I could help you with some of this. Dammit, I hate
having to just sit there and do nothing.”
“That reminds me. I made you a present.”
“A present?” She felt a jolt of excitement. Out here where she
had nothing, anything at all was appreciated. “What kind of present?”
Alex walked over and picked up what looked like two pieces of
wood and carried them back to her. “I had to guess on the height.”
It was a makeshift pair of crutches. They were no more than
sturdy branches stripped bare and fitted into a cross piece that tucked under
her arms. Another crosspiece fit through a hole partway down the shaft to
provide a handhold. Rina reached for them, eager to try them out.
Fitting them beneath her arms, she gripped the handles, took a
couple of tentative steps and grinned. “I love them! They’re a great present.
Thank you, Alex.” She swung over a couple of steps and stopped right in front of
him, leaned up as far as she could and pressed a kiss on his lips.
A flash of heat hit her that went all the way to her toes.
Alex’s mouth opened under hers and for an instant the kiss went deeper. But when
he reached for her, Sabrina pulled away.
She stared into his handsome face, her fingers trembling as
they came up to touch her lips. “Oh, my...”
Alex’s eyes looked dark and turbulent. He seemed to be
replaying the mind-blowing kiss that hadn’t even gotten off the ground.
“I was
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