“A developer wants it. Wants to build a luxury resort here. Open the island to more tourists.”
I suck in a breath. Okay. Now I see why he’s frowning.
“The council is deadlocked on the offer. We’re meeting again, in a couple of weeks, to make a final decision. I’ve been trying…” He runs his hand through his hair, tousling the sandy waves. “I’ve been turned down for a loan. Can’t get funding any other way. I’ve asked them for more time, but they want the decision made sooner rather than later.”
“Do you think they’ll accept the offer?”
He shrugs. “If you had asked me a few months ago, I’d have said no. That they would understand how bad it would be for this place. But… they’ve surprised me. And not in a good way.” Anguish threads his voice.
“Shit. Still, would one hotel be so bad. If it was done, you know, well?” I wince as I say this. It’s obviously a bad idea. The island is pristine, unspoiled. One hotel would lead to more, inevitably, and the character of this place would be lost.
Axel grimaces. “The developer who offered to buy this land wants to turn the cave into some sort of spa experience. Bottle the water, sell it to guests. Hold meditation classes. That sort of shit. And it would no longer be open to locals. Nor would the beach.”
“What?” I’m horrified. It feels like setting up a supermarket in a cathedral.
“Yeah. It’s why I’m trying to stop them. But I’m out of options.”
“Maybe I can help.” I have no idea what I can do. Butthe idea of this place being turned into some sort of exclusive luxury spa makes my skin crawl.
The way his face lights up when I say that sparks an answering wave of joy in me. Iwantto help him, desperately. He comes closer, taking my hands in his. It’s an unconscious gesture, yet pleasure shoots all the way down to my toes.
“Really? You have no idea what that means.”
“I have some idea.” I smile up at him. “I don’t know what I can do, but I can help you try and figure out something. This place needs to be saved.” The belief sits deep in my gut. Even if I wasn’t so attracted to Axel, I’d still feel the same way.
He moves even closer. It’s as though we’re magnets, being pulled together. His hands slide down my arms, feather-light. “I’m glad you’re here. That I got to share this with you.”
“Axel, I just…” I can’t hold back any more. My arms slide around his neck, my body fitting close against his.
His lips part, and he takes in a breath.
Then his mouth is on mine.
The kiss is intense, tingling from my lips down to my toes. His arms wrap around me, pulling me even more tightly against him.
And then, suddenly, it’s over.
We stare at each other. My heart pounds, little flickers of pleasure running through me.
“We shouldn’t do this.” Axel runs one hand through his hair. His voice is slightly shaky. “Shit. I’m…”
“You’re what?”
It takes him a moment to reply. “I’m too damaged.”
I don’t know what to say to that. I’m damaged too. Perhaps together we can make a whole, forged like the pieces of a broken vessel into something new. But to say that sounds trite, as though I’m minimising his pain, wherever it comes from.
And he’s right. It is too soon.
“Look, Jade, I’m sorry if?—”
“You don’t need to be sorry. I think, maybe, it’s this place. It’s magical, right?” I huff out a small laugh, flashing him a smile. “We just got caught up in it.”
“Yeah.” He laughs as well, though there’s not much mirth in it. “That’s what happened.”
“Shall we go?” I want to get out of here before things get too awkward. Axel seems to get it, leading the way back up towards the entrance. I glance back, wanting to take it in one more time, the beams of light like ghostly pillars, the gleaming pool, the little emerald ferns. “Magic,” I breathe, as though by saying the word I can make it true, can bring a little of it with me back into the outside world.
Axel is right about this place: there’s no way it should be given to a developer, the jungle cut back, the cave limited to tourists. Some places in this world are meant to remain secret, or else the mystery will leave us.
