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.”
She lifted one hand to her tangled curls. That’s all he wanted to do? He leaned against a palm tree, looking utterly relaxed, but she could feel his tension washing over her in waves. Her heartbeat doubled. “I...I can do it.”
“I want to do it for you.” When she started to protest, he said, “It’s the price for using the comb. Now come here.”
On legs that felt much too wobbly, she stood and walked to him until only a foot was between them. Adam took her hand, turned her around, then tugged her down between his thighs. Taking his time, he situated her just so. Melanie stared straight ahead at the silhouette of a palm tree against the
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.”
She lifted one hand to her tangled curls. That’s all he wanted to do? He leaned against a palm tree, looking utterly relaxed, but she could feel his tension washing over her in waves. Her heartbeat doubled. “I...I can do it.”
“I want to do it for you.” When she started to protest, he said, “It’s the price for using the comb. Now come here.”
On legs that felt much too wobbly, she stood and walked to him until only a foot was between them. Adam took her hand, turned her around, then tugged her down between his thighs. Taking his time, he situated her just so. Melanie stared straight ahead at the silhouette of a palm tree against the
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