He turned onto his side, facing away from the closed bedroom door as if it could shield him from the reality of their shared quarters.
His mind switched to logistics—the food rations in particular. He had calculated every meal and accounted for each calorie that would fuel his intense research schedule. Now, he needed a new plan.
"Guess I'll be fishing at dawn," he muttered, considering the tides and the best spots on the island to cast his net.
The thought of teaching Lily to fish briefly crossed his mind, but he dismissed it just as quickly. The idea of her flailing about with a fishing rod was enough to threaten his sanity.
"Fish it is then," he decided, dreading her reaction to a diet devoid of artisanal coffee and avocado toast.
And those protein bars—like gnawing on the sole of a shoe—if she turned her nose up at fresh seafood, she'd have to make do with those.
Amidst the frustration, a stray thought flickered through his consciousness. If she wasn't so annoying, so utterly intrusive... there was something undeniably adorable about her.
It was irritating how her stubbornness piqued his curiosity, how her vibrancy clashed so starkly with his own solemnity.
"Marginally cute," he admitted, the words feeling traitorous inside his head. But it was true; there was an allure to Lily's chaos, a strange magnetism in her relentless optimism that he couldn't shake.
Not that it mattered. Attraction was just biology—pheromones and proximity and the lizard brain doing what it did best. He was a scientist. He understoodthese things. And understanding them meant he could control them.
Probably.
Hopefully.
As sleep finally began to claim him, Alex resolved to maintain his focus. The research was his priority, not the unexpected and inconvenient houseguest who had fallen into his life like a tropical storm.
Just follow the plan. Everything will work itself out.
Hell, maybe, with a bit of luck, whoever was waiting for Lily on Isla Paradiso would realize she never arrived and send a search party to find the missing influencer.
With six million followers, someone was bound to miss her, right?
God, he hoped so.
Because the prospect of spending the next two weeks with a woman like Lily crammed in a cabin big enough for one was enough to turn the rest of his hair white.
And create thoughts and feelings he had no room toentertain.
So, yeah, good riddance, Little Miss Influencer—you're not about to influence me.
Chapter Three
The first rays of sunshine pierced through the gaps in the wooden shutters, banishing the storm's remnants from the cozy cabin.
An early riser by nature, Lily was happy that her roommate was also a sunrise lover. Like her, he was dressed and ready to greet the day, though he looked more like an Amazon jungle tour guide in his khaki shorts, zinc on his nose, and a wide floppy hat.
"Loving the fit," she said, trying to win some points as she gestured to his ensemble. "It's giving Indiana Jones circa Raiders and not Temple vibes, if you know what I mean."
"I definitely don't know what you mean. None of what you just said made any sense," Alex deadpanned with aflat expression as he walked past her and stepped onto the porch, his broad shoulders rolling back in a stretch that spoke of a rough night and stiff muscles. "Are you always this chipper in the morning?"
"Are you always this sour?" she countered with a grin.
"Yes," he said on the tail end of a yawn.
"Then, yes, I'm always this chipper in the morning." She bounced on her feet to pop up next to him, offering, "I could rub the knots from your shoulders if you like. I'm pretty good with my hands."
"Pass."
"You know, science has proven that stress will chop years off your life. If that constant frown is any indication, you might be on your last leg soon."
