“Ah, good. Good. Very good.” Mike nods toward the exit. “Just a short ride to the port and then the last stretch by boat.”
Soon we’re making our way from the small airport through a rural landscape. Eventually we pass a scatter of dwellings packed tighter and tighter as we head into the small port town.
Mike points out a few things along the way, but both he and the driver seem to be equally happy to drive in silence. Theymust be used to people arriving exhausted and ready for the ultimate beach vacation. The minibus’s air conditioning is on, and as the minutes pass, Lexi seems to perk up like a wilted flower finally getting a drink of water.
“Eeek! This is so exciting.” She leans closer to me. “It’s so different from everything I’m used to.”
“We’re very far from New York now, babes.”
“Babes?” she murmurs, and I get an elbow in the ribs. I suppress anoofwith a smile.
“Yes,babes.”
She’s grinning, and not for the first time, I want to squeeze some part of her, even just her arm. Putting that ring on her finger yesterday at the airport got my wires all twisted up. If I’m honest, though, there’ve been parts of me short-circuiting for a few weeks now. Actually, since the moment she barged in on me in that sex-goddess cami set.Fuck. What if she’s packed that little number?
We’ve circled around without getting into the logistics here for weeks now. Lexi hasn’t done this type of gig before, and I bet she’s as clueless as I am about what to expect. Google Earth didn’t share any secrets when I studied the island in detail. All you can see from the air are glimpses of grey rooftops through densely packed tropical foliage.
There’s no deciphering where guests stay and where staff stay, but I can only assume that Lexi and I will share staff accommodations. She hasn’t brought it up, and I’m not too worried. I’m used to boat life. Small spaces. Narrow beds. I can manage. Hopefully it’s just spacious enough that we can keep out of each other’s hair.
Not that I want out of her hair. Lately my fingers want to burrow into those blond waves and tilt her head to the side so I can tease my lips over that spot where her pulse gives every emotion away. With her ready blush, I can read Lexi like a book.
Right now, she’s nervously excited and obviously not thinking about where we’re going to sleep tonight. I can’t think of anything else—not since I slipped that ring on her finger and felt her hand quivering in mine. For a guy who’s sworn off the whole marriage farce, this reaction is weird and unwanted. Who knew putting a ring on a woman’s finger would awaken some caveman beast with a Flintstone-style club in me? And that’s not the only hard piece of wood I’m worried about.
At the end of the day, I’m a man. A man who’s been wondering for five yearswhat if?—
“Here we are,” says Mike as we reach the small marina.
A young man in Beaumont uniform is waiting for us at a Beaumont-branded bowrider.
“My sidekick,” Mike says. “Roger Magombo.”
I smile as we all shake hands. “As in ‘Roger, Captain?’”
Roger shrugs. Either he doesn’t get my joke or doesn’t care for it.
“Excellent,” Mike says, not looking me in the eye. “Let’s get going. This isn’t the best of places to stand around idle.”
I glance around and catch his meaning. Too many dudes loitering around on corners, watching. Waiting.
The men quickly load our luggage as I help Lexi onto the boat. I squeeze her hand. “You’re good?”
“Just nervous…and hot.” Her clammy hair clings to her face and droplets of sweat rest on her upper lip.
“There’ll be a breeze on the water,” I say, wanting to pull free, but she clings to my hand. “Once we’re at the island, you’ll see that everything’s going to be fine. Stop stressing.”
“Yeah…” Her voice is quaking now. “It isn’t that.”
I read her face, and the look in her eyes hits me in the chest. “I’m here, Lexi. I’m not leaving.”
“I know.” She takes in a shaky breath, turning into me. “It’s funny how a bit of water can bring back a swath of abandonment issues.”
“It’s not exactlya bitof water,” I tease gently. Neither was Hurricane Katrina.
“I didn’t even think about this part… God. This is how much Mia Reed and thissituationhave messed with my head.”
“Well, if it gets you to the other side without freaking out, keep on thinking about Mia Reed and don’t peep a word about oursituation.” The last thing I need is Lexi blurting out point blank that we are faking our engagement.
She nods, but her eyes glaze over.
