The smell of something vaguely resembling coffee tickled my nose, and I opened my eyes.Ryland was crouched in front of a small fire with a pot of something bubbling cheerfully over it.
He turned to smile at me.“Finally awake, lazybones?”
I blinked the last cobwebs of sleep away and gave him a shy smile.“Nope, I’m still asleep.I think you’re hallucinating.”
He nodded, pursing his lips as if he were considering my comment.“I could be.I was shot yesterday you know, and then I met this amazing female who had me up half the night satisfying her lustful cravings despite the arrow wound in my arm.Life is tough.I may have strayed over the edge of sanity.”
I laughed, clambering to my feet and brushing a damp assortment of leaves and twigs from my clothing.“You may have at that.How is your arm this morning?I should probably have a look at it.”
“No need.I took a quick peek at it earlier just to make sure it’s not infected.I can get it looked at when we get off the island.”
The reminder that our time together was almost over sent a twinge of sorrow through me, but I firmly shoved it to the back of my mind.I’d known all along this was a one-time thing, in fact that was exactly what I wanted, wasn’t it?No strings.“It’ll probably need stitches.”
“I know.”He dipped a mug into the pot and brought it up full of steaming liquid.“Care for a morning cup of coffee?”
“We have coffee?”
“Not quite.I dug up some wild chicory roots, roasted them a bit, and brewed them up.It would be better if they’d had a bit more time to roast but it makes a good coffee substitute when there isn’t a Starbucks nearby.”He held out a battered tin cup I suspected had been the top to his canteen until very recently.“Try it.”
I took it gingerly and sniffed the contents.It actually did smell a bit like coffee.I took a little sip.“Not bad.Where did you learn to do that?Are you some kind of herbal medicine junkie?”
Ryland grinned.“Actually, I have a degree in wildlife biology, specializing in endangered species.When you’re out trying to count rhinoceros in the wild, it’s sometimes not convenient to run into the local corner grocer for your favorite blend of tea.You learn to improvise.”
“Well, I’m impressed.”I sat cross-legged on the ground.“Any chance you managed to rustle up some food as well?I’m kind of hungry.”
“Voila!”Ryland reached into the emergency kit and pulled out a granola bar and a package of dark chocolate.
I took them, shaking my head.“After the coffee, it’s almost disappointing.”
“I can take them back if you like.”Ryland held out his hand.
“No thanks.I wouldn’t want to be ungrateful.”I grinned, unwrapping the granola bar and taking a bite.“Thanks.”
I chewed slowly as Ryland cupped his own coffee in his hands and watched me.I swallowed.“Aren’t you going to eat?”
He shook his head.“We’re a tad short on those, so I’ll just wait for the Coast Guard to show up.”
“No!I can share.”I broke the granola bar in half and offered it to him.
He shook his head.“No, I’m okay.”
“I insist.”
The corner of his mouth curved in a hint of a smile.“You’re kind of stubborn, aren’t you?”
I smiled sweetly.“Me?I think it’s been mentioned once or twice.Mostly by people who are jealous of my ability to get my own way.”
He tilted his head.“Once or twice a day?”
“Careful, or I’ll change my mind.”Reaching toward him, I brandished half of the granola bar.“Now open up.”
Ryland opened his mouth obediently, and I tucked the bar in.
“There.You do realize though, that no women ever have shared dark chocolate, right?”
Chewing on the granola, Ryland nodded.
“Good.Because it would be a shame if I had to kill you.”
