"Not what?" she prompted, taking a sip of coffee and humming with appreciation.
"Nothing. Just... drink your coffee."
They stood in silence for a moment, the morning air thick with unspoken tension. Alex tried to focus on his research notes scattered across the small table, but hisperipheral vision kept catching on the way Lily moved—fluid and unconscious, like she was dancing to music only she could hear.
"So," she said eventually, settling onto the couch with her legs curled beneath her. "What's the plan for today, Dr. Carmichael? More fruit gathering? Fish wrestling? Interpretive marine biology dance?"
Despite himself, Alex's mouth twitched. "It's called field research. And trust me, no dancing involved."
"Pity. I bet you have some moves hidden under all that academic stoicism."
You have no idea,he thought, remembering his brief and ill-advised college experiment with salsa dancing. But that was information Lily St. John definitely didn't need.
"I've got work to do," he said instead, moving toward the door. "Important work that actually requires focus and?—"
"Sunscreen."
Alex stopped mid-step. "What?"
Lily was already standing, reaching for a bottle of sunscreen from her bag. "Unless you want to spend the next two weeks looking like a lobster, you needprotection. This tropical sun—and skin cancer—is no joke."
She squeezed a generous amount onto her palm and began applying it to her arms with determined strokes. Alex watched, hypnotized by the movement of her hands over her skin, the way the lotion gleamed against her tan.
"Could you get my back?" she asked, turning around and lifting her hair off her neck.
Alex's mouth went dry. "Look, I'm sure you can figure it out?—"
"Please?" She glanced over her shoulder, and something in her expression—vulnerability mixed with mischief—undid him completely.
This is a bad idea,his rational mind screamed.A very, very bad idea.
But his feet were already carrying him forward, and his hand was already reaching for the sunscreen bottle.
"Just the spots you can't reach," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
"Of course," she replied, but there was a breathless quality to her voice that made his pulse race.
Alex squeezed sunscreen onto his palm, the mundane action suddenly charged with meaning. He hesitated for a moment, his hands hovering just above her shoulders.
"Alex?" Lily's voice was soft, questioning.
He placed his hands on her shoulders, and the contact sent electricity shooting up his arms. Her skin felt warm and smooth beneath his palms, and he had to bite back a groan as he began spreading the lotion in careful, clinical strokes.
Think about jellyfish,he commanded himself.Think about marine parasites. Think about anything except how good she feels.
But it was impossible to ignore the way she shivered slightly under his touch, or the soft sigh that escaped her lips when his thumbs traced the curve of her shoulder blades.
"You have good hands," she murmured, and Alex nearly dropped the bottle.
"It's just sunscreen," he said, but his voice sounded strained even to his own ears.
"Mmm." She leaned back slightly, and Alex realized he'd been massaging rather than simply applying lotion. His hands stilled.
"That should do it," he said, stepping back quickly.
Lily turned to face him, and the space between them suddenly felt electric with possibility. Her green eyes were darker than usual, pupils dilated, and her lips were slightly parted.
"Thank you," she said softly. "Want me to do you?”
