Suddenly, the umbrella at the table lifted off the ground, hovered a bit, and then bumped back into place. Viv reached for the post as it lifted once more, securing it with both hands. She cranked the knob attached to the pole, causing the colorful sunshade to fold little by little.
Once it had collapsed completely, she spotted a strap to tie it up. Quickly, Viv searched the folds of canvas for its match. She’d barely checked the second fold when Duke hurried over, reached toward the back of the umbrella and produced the other strap.
He stepped just behind her as Viv handed him the other. She hunched forward a bit, Duke’s muscular chest at her back while his gorgeous smell competed with the rain-infused breeze.
She glanced up at his hands as he fastened the tie. He always did have nice hands.
“That should do it,” he rasped, his lip barely grazing her ear. “The water taxi will have to wait until this passes. We might have a little adventure ahead of us.”
Viv thought she detected an Australian accent, but she wasn’t sure until he spoke up once more. This time more animated, like he was the adventuresome host of some nature show.
“Now, Ms. Vivi, follow me, Duke of the Jungle, and I’ll see to it that you don’t get lured away by any snakes.” He snatched the straps of her bag from her fingers and hiked them around one muscled shoulder.
Viv, still affected by the tease of his breath, felt another rush of tingles as Duke curled his fingers around her wrist. At once, he led her through a break in the trees behind the food stand.
“If we can get past the massive-toothed crocodile—wait, wrong climate.”
Viv chuckled.
“I think there’s a conservatory up ahead,” he said, using the same adventure hosting voice. “If we can somehow push past the long-armed sloths, we can take cover there.”
Large, lush leaves whipped and thrashed above them as Viv followed Duke, her gaze shifting to the ground as they stepped over a small trail carved into the forest.
It wasn’t as if they were running for their lives, but her adrenaline had kicked in all the same, an active buzzing inside her chest.
She glanced up as they hit a clearing of sorts and was surprised to see a massive array of colorful flowers, stone fountains, and rippling ponds. An arched bridge led from one side of an approaching pond to another.
“I think we can get inside the conservatory,” he hollered over his shoulder. Wind whipped the ends of his hair over his forehead as he spoke. Viv had her own hair tucked in one fist as she moved.
She tipped her head to see beyond him and noticed a small building. Its pyramid-shaped roof —fashioned with thick wood shingles—hung over the edge of the building.
A quick jog up a shallow set of stone steps took them right up to a tinted glass door.
Duke jostled the handle and shook his head. “It’s locked. Here…” He backed up against the building and encouraged Viv to do the same.
She did, nudging Duke’s arm with hers, and looked over the swaying branches, whipping vines, and tall, exotic flowers as they did an erratic dance of their own. It wasn’t until she pressed her head back against the building that Viv noticed the tremendous difference. A stillness that defied the storm swirling around them.
“Wow,” Viv said with the shake of her head.
Duke chuckled under his breath. “Right? That was crazy.”
Viv nodded, her adrenaline letting up now, and turned her gaze on him. Duke did the same, the action putting them face-to-face in an instant.
With his feet kicked out as they were, he wasn’t at his natural six-foot height, a fact that put him even closer.
“It’s a good thing I have such a skillful tour guide,” she said.
A half grin pulled at his lips. “Is that all I am?”
Viv didn’t reply, only held his gaze as a slight furrow creased his brow. Those deep blue eyes searched hers. Duke being Duke, he couldn’t hide the look of longing as he held her gaze. A longing that swelled also from the box in her heart.
The whirls of wind around them were caught between cool and warm, but the rising tide within her was fire hot.
Duke inched closer.
Viv did too, drawn in by the allure of the man before her. He was fascinating, charismatic, and best of all, sorry for what he’d done to her. That thought alone was enough to rip the hinges right off the old box and let them have full rein.
Duke brought a hand to the side of her neck. Slowly then, eyes still fixed on her, he traced a sizzling trail around the hollow of her throat with his thumb.
