“Okay, I get it.You’re probably not the one who attacked me.Damn arm’s starting to bleed again, and it definitely needs a new bandage.The last thing I need is to let it get infected.”I held my arm out for her inspection.
The woman got to her feet, her body language stiff and angry.She ignored me as she brushed herself off.Finally, she glanced at my arm.“No thanks.I don’t think I want to help you anymore.”
“What?”Great.Just like a female to cop an attitude when I needed her to help.
The dog let out a lowwoof, staring at the woman with those soulful eyes.
She glared at the dog, her arms crossed on her chest.“Seriously?After he dumps me on the ground and insults me you still think I should help him?”
Talking to the dog like he could understand her.Yup definitely a nutcase.
The dog let out another soft bark.
“Fine!”She turned her glare on me.“Get over here, and don’t get any more bright ideas.I’m out of patience.I don’t like people running all over my island, I don’t like getting shot at, and I definitely don’t like guys manhandling me.”
“Whoa.”I held up my good hand in front of me, although I had a feeling that if she decided to attack, I’d need more than brute strength to hold her off.“I have a perfectly good reason to be on this island -- which, by the way, isn’t owned by anybody as far as I know, and I did not shoot at you.As for manhandling you, I told you, I thought you were with the poachers.”
She ignored this outburst, raising one of those infuriating eyebrows of hers.“Are you going to get over here, or should I assume you’ve decided to bleed to death after all?”
Maybe it was time to change my tactics.I could be charming.Women always went for my smooth talk.I’d gotten off on the wrong foot with this one, but give me a few minutes and I’d have her eating out of my hand.Symbolically, of course.
Unbidden, an image of her naked and compliant as she plucked a chocolate out of my fingers with her teeth flashed into my mind.
I shook my head.Damn.What was it about this female that kept me off balance?Must be the loss of blood.I’d never been one to let a woman get in the way of my priorities, so why was this one playing havoc with my senses?Hell, I didn’t even know her name!
“No, I think I’ll pass on the bleeding out thing.”Two strides brought me right back inside her personal space.“I take it the striptease was just to get something to use for a bandage?”
She had the grace to blush, and I found the sight absolutely adorable, not to mention novel.Women these days didn’t blush.
“I didn’t realize you were conscious, or I would have stepped behind a bush.I had no intention of treating you to a show.”
I stretched out my arm for her ministrations.“In that case I’m happy I felt the need to hide my conscious state from you.I suspect you don’t plan on repeating the performance.”
“Got that right.”She took my arm and turned it slightly to get a better look at the wound.“I don’t suppose you happen to have a needle and thread on you?”
“No.”I eyed up the bloody mess.“Just bind it up as best you can, and I’ll get it stitched up properly when I get back to the mainland.”
“Yes, sir!”
I winced at the bite in her voice.I really needed to watch my tendency to bark out orders.Women never seemed to appreciate it.“Sorry.I really do appreciate you patching me up.”
* * *
Kimberly
I held the edge of the camisole under his arm, and slowly wound the soft fabric around the wound, pulling it tight enough to make him whimper.Yeah, that really wasn’t necessary, but he needed to learn some manners.“Kimberly.My name is Kimberly.What’s yours?”
“Ryland.”
He clenched his teeth, and I felt a tiny pang of guilt.I could have been gentler.
He narrowed his eyes.“So what brings you to this lovely island?”
“Funnily enough, I come here for the peace and solitude.”I slipped the end of the belt through the buckle.“You?”
His face had that pinched look that told me he was in more pain than he intended to admit.“Peace and solitude, huh?Today must not be one of your better trips here then.I followed a gang of nasty guys -- international poachers -- who took a convoluted route from the lovely city of Hong Kong to get here.”
My eyebrows shot skyward.“That’s quite a trip to get to an uninhabited island off the coast of Canada.I take it they didn’t appreciate your company?”I nodded at the bandage on his arm.
