He nodded sombrely, and then tilted his head thoughtfully. ‘True. But I also see hours of strict diet and rigid exercise regimes. I see a team of nutritionists, chefs and personal trainers. I see a lot of hard work and restriction, combined with genetics that naturally lean towards a slimmer build. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But I worked with Keira once – she hasn’t eaten bread since she was seven.’
‘Bread is life!’ gasped Ellie, unable to restrain her horror.
‘Yes, it is,’ Alex agreed with a whimsical smile. ‘I like bread too much to have Liam’s physique.’
Ellie blinked. Liam was slimmer, but he didn’t have Alex’s broad shoulders or powerful thighs. She tried not to sigh with pleasure as she admired his physique. She’d never found anyone more gorgeous than Alex, with his Clark Kent glasses and beefcake arms.
‘I prefer your body. Six-packs are overrated,’ she said, before she could manage to stop herself. A blush crept up her neck, and she suddenly wished the pigs would eat her alive after all. Anything to escape Alex’s piercing blue eyes.
A slow, sexy smile spread across his face. ‘Glad to hear it.’
She gazed out at the pure white sand and turquoise sea. So beautiful it was almost painful to look at. She thought of the boats and planes she’d had to get on to even get here. Paradise and perfection weren’t easy to come by, and even these lucky pigs who’d found themselves on this island by mistake or chance had their own hardships to face.
After a pause, she asked, ‘What do you see when you look at me?’
As soon as she asked, she regretted it.What was I thinking?
He gave her a heated look, and she bit her lip, her nerves fizzing with excitement and arousal. ‘A natural, unique beauty who’s confident in who she is.’
‘Hmmm, that sounds like,she doesn’t make any effort,’ grumbled Ellie. ‘But that’s sadly not the case. It takes a lot of work to make me look thisnatural and confident.’ She leaned back against the tree, so their shoulders rested against each other. She wasn’t even joking, although she’d said it with her usual flippancy. After David, her confidence had nosedived until she’d finally accepted her curves and become healthier. But all of that hard work, inside and out, hadn’t mattered; she still wasn’t good enough for some people, and never would be.
‘And yet you make it look easy. I’ve never managed that,’ he said, softly with a tinge of sadness, and she wondered if he always compared himself to his older brother.
She hoped not.
Chapter Twenty-Two
When the tourist boats started to arrive, they headed back to the yacht, his mom explaining to Ellie that once the public realised who they were, the paparazzi would descend on them quickly, ruining the rest of their plans for the day. Their security, who Ellie would probably never see, kept them largely away from the public eye but they couldn’t guarantee anonymity when they left the safety of their island.
One of the main reasons why Alex had moved away from acting was because he couldn’t stand the suffocating lens of the press. Whatever you said or did was picked apart online. He’d once lost a contact lens at a premiere and had been accused of snubbing a co-star when in fact he hadn’t noticed them.
In some ways, his family were trapped by their fame. They bought islands and yachts not to show off, but to retain some level of privacy. Liam had had some frightening stalkers over the years, which had played a large part in his own battles with anxiety. Alex hoped Ellie understood that sometimes extravagance was necessary for their safety.
They sailed out to one of the smaller reefs, which was part of Exuma’s nature reserve, and stopped for lunch. Eddie’s team had done an impressive buffet of cold meats, shrimp, salad and rice dishes, as well as wines, fruit punch, beers and juices.
He and Ellie returned to their previous spot on the deck and spent a pleasant afternoon eating, chatting and spotting colourful fish in the sea.
‘Anyone for snorkelling? We’ve only four snorkels, but you guys are welcome to go first,’ asked Liam, waving the gear at them cheerfully.
‘Oh, not for me, thanks,’ Ellie replied, shaking her head.
‘Are you sure? If you’re nervous…’ Alex asked quietly, surprised that she would refuse after she’d seemed to enjoy spotting fish from the side of the boat.
She shook her head fervently, and then leaned towards him with a mischievous glint in her eye. ‘It’s not that. It just feels… rude to the fish.’
‘Rude? Well, that was the last thing I expected you to say.’
‘Yeah. I mean the pigs, it was their island, but they got some food out of us going to visit them. But the fish? They’re just living their life, in their beautiful home. The last thing they need is some massive goggled face getting up close in their business.’
‘You’ve got a point.’
‘I don’t mind a swim though, if you’re up for that? That’s not intrusive to the reef, right?’
‘No. We’re too close to the surface to bother them, and I’d love a swim.’ They made their way to the side of the boat. Liam and Savannah had given them firm reminders about the nature reserve’s strict ‘no touching, no taking’ policy, as well as advice on snorkelling techniques.
So while the others struggled with the snorkelling gear, he and Ellie sank into the warm waters of the reef with happy sighs of pleasure.
As if in thanks, they were gifted with the arrival of a sea turtle, its shell scarred and chipped, its eyes bright and curious. The turtle paddled around them, its copper and brown markings catching the light like polished metal. Ellie watched in awe, her dark eyes sparkling with wonder in the sunshine.
