“Oh.” I haven’t been to the dive center. “You’ve put ointment everywhere else?”
“Mmm-hmm.” Tristan rolls onto his stomach.
His back looks like a minefield. I’m not sure what we’re doing tonight, but I can’t subject him to this again.
“Don threatened me with malaria and dengue fever.”
My hands still as I squeeze ointment onto a fingertip. “He did?”
“Uh-huh.”
Shit. I swallow as I smear ointment over a badly scratched bite. Touching him feels almost sinful, it’s so delicious. I have to steer my naughty thoughts away from the muscles on his back, the deep groove of his spine, and the slow, unaffected way his body rises and falls as he breathes, as if this has zero effect on him.
“How was the diving?” I ask, not sure he’s even awake anymore.
“Phenomenal.”
I smile. “Yeah?”
“This is it for me, Lexi. This is changing the ballgame completely. Now I just need time.”
My hand trails up his back, where there are bites he wasn’t able to reach. I have to stop myself from making my caresses sexual, because it’s so easy to slip into that frame of mind. Worst of all, Iwantto slip into that frame of mind… I want to go there.Get a grip.“Good.” Three more bites and I pull away. “I’m done.”
He groans and mutters something under his breath.
Was that adon’t stop? Oh God. I wait quietly for more, wanting to touch him again but also wanting to run away. I’m still torn when a soft snore shatters the moment.
Tristan has fallen asleep; whether for real or whether he’s faking it, I don’t know. But he’s saved me from myself, and not for the first time. I sink back against the pillows and stare at the fan that’s stirring the heavy, humid air.
I’m fucked. I have been for five years. And not in the way I want to be.
Chapter Seventeen
TRISTAN
When I wake up, it’s dark. It takes me a moment to realize the white haze I’m in is the mosquito net draped around the bed. Next to me, Lexi is asleep, her back turned toward me, her hair gathered to keep her neck cool. She’s wearing those freaking PJs with the shorts that are too short. With the way she’s lying on her side, I can see the lines of her butt cheeks where they curve up from her thighs. Her sweet pussy is right there…
I close my eyes and suppress a groan. So this is how we’re going to roll? Not much choice right now. At least if we sleep in relay, we can avoid this thing brewing between us. What I really want is to roll over and pull her against me to spoon, inhaling her scent as I fondle her breast. I drag in a shaky breath and twist away softly to put my feet on the cool, polished cement floor. I find the gap in the folds of the mosquito net and slip out, headed for the toilet. I check the time on my dive watch. Four in the morning! I was out stone cold for hours. I use the bathroom and when I go to wash my hands, I find a Post-it stuck on the mirror. I peel it off and flash my watch’s light on the message.
Don’t tell the roaches, but I left dinner for you in the minibar fridge. It’s only a sandwich. We don’t want them to think there are Michelin-star crumbs here :-)
I smile as I move to the minibar fridge and find a plate with a thick ham sandwich and a banana cling-wrapped and ready for me. Sweetest Lexi. I’m freaking ravenous. I don’t want to wake her, but I also don’t want to be mosquito fodder, so I go hide in the walk-in closet. Here I can switch on a light and not wake her. As I lean against the closed door, I look around the space. We haven’t had time to unpack, but there’s ample space for the clothes we brought. There are electrical wall sockets too, and if I arrange things with a bit of logic, this will make the perfect office. And if we close the door and spray for bugs, I’ll be able to work at night without being munched on. It’s the perfect solution.
Two hours later, Lexi is still asleep, and I’m dressed for a run. It’s no longer dark at six in the morning, and the birds are up and about. The promise of a beautiful sunrise glows on the horizon. I’ve no idea how big the island is, but I bet I can run around it at least once in less than an hour. I walk to the beach and stretch, then get going, opting to go toward the lodge first so I don’t have to come across guests after I’ve gone full circle.
The sand is cool and soft, and the waves lick at my feet as I make my way along the beach. No need to kill it here. I’m not as fit as I’d like to be, for which I blame all those months spent at sea. I’ve been busy with work and stressed out about this deadline dilemma, but with the diving here, I’ll have enough footage to wrap up the last episodes in a matter of weeks. For the first time in months—maybe for the first time in a whole year—I’m in the right headspace again for this challenge.
I’m about thirty minutes into my run when I spot someone sitting on the beach. A man and a woman. I slow down as I recognize Roger.
“Hey,” I say in greeting as he looks up and sees me.
The woman, who seems to be of Indian descent, bites her lip and averts her eyes. Roger gets up and steps away as if he’s been caught with both hands in the cookie jar.
“Nice sunrise,” I say to slice through the awkward silence. Whatever he has going on here has nothing to do with me.
“Yes.” Roger doesn’t hold out his hand to the woman, and she gets up by herself.
It’s quickly clear that introductions aren’t going to happen. “See you later at the dive center,” I tell him.
