DesertIslandDelight Page 3

  Alarm bucked through her but she forged on. Above her Chase crawled through the opening.

  He muttered a curse under his breath when he glanced down at her. “Didn’t you learn your lesson before? I told you to stay behind for your safety.”

  “What if some crazy native shows up and I’m alone down there? I did learn my lesson. Like it or not, I’m going wherever you do.” She let him help her through the square cutout in the floor of the tree house.

  Chase tested the floorboards on his hands and knees then stood up. “Feels pretty sturdy.” He picked up a half coconut shell and blew on it, sending a dusty plume into the air. Wincing, he set it back on the floor. “I think we can safely assume that no one’s been here for a very long time.”

  A little of Diana’s apprehension slipped away. “Thank God. But if there was someone here at one time, how do we know more won’t come? They could be hostile.”

  He nodded. “Or they could rescue us.”

  She took a tentative step into the small space. A handmade basket sat in the corner beside a ragged denim pillow. She made a beeline for the basket and found a spool of thread and some individual packets of alcohol swabs. “Look.”

  Chase joined her with a carved wooden tool in each hand. “What’d you find?”

  “First aid stuff. You?”

  He held up a crudely made stone axe with a wood handle and a short spear with a small hole in the tip. He grabbed the thread and pushed an end through the tiny opening. “Voila!”

  She widened her eyes at the rudimentary fishing pole. “Fish for dinner, huh?” Her ant bites started burning again. Bending to scratch them, she grumbled.

  “Sit down.” He pointed to a spot on the dusty floor.

  “Why?”

  He narrowed his gaze as he set aside the tools. “Do what I tell you for once, woman.”

  Huffing, she did as he directed, secretly a little bit turned-on by his bossy side.

  He tore open a couple alcohol swabs and gently dabbed the cotton pads to her bites. The pads were barely damp, probably long past their expiration date but even with the miniscule amount of alcohol on them, they helped. The sting gave way to blessed relief. He rubbed her foot, circling her ankle and shifting his touch higher up her calf.

  Red-hot awareness stole through her as he massaged her skin. He made no attempt to hide the evidence of his arousal in his tented boxer shorts. He moved to her other foot and a sigh escaped her lips.

  “Who told you what a sucker I am for a foot—and leg—massage?” She leaned against the rough wood wall, her itchy ant bites all but forgotten. Images of the two of them kissing in the surf a few minutes earlier filled her head. Moisture pooled between her legs.

  “You did, the moment I touched you.” A wicked grin curled his lips. But in seconds it was as if a light switch shut off. He furrowed his brow and backed away. “We should get out of here. We have a lot to do.” He grabbed the fishing pole and a few of the alcohol swab packets and quickly ducked out of the tree house.

  Blood rushed to her face but she wasn’t sure if the cause was humiliation or disappointment. “Don’t you want to…investigate more?” But he didn’t respond to her loaded question so she followed him down to the ground. It was probably a good thing they hadn’t taken things between them any further. If they got involved, that would only make it more difficult after they were rescued when she had to pitch to the sheik against Chase.

  “Right now I want to learn more about this island. We know at least one person has lived here. From the looks of this place, the person is long gone but maybe there are others, although if I had to guess I’d say any past residents abandoned the island.” He exhaled heavily. “If we plan to stay alive I need to find fresh water and something for us to eat.”

  He started to walk away but she hooked his arm. “Hang on. You’re not alone in this so don’t feel like that entire weight is on your shoulders.” There was strength in numbers. She’d learned that as a girl when she and her three sisters stood up to their father to protect their mother from one of his abusive tirades. She shoved the painful memory from her head.

  “I’m the one with more wilderness experience.” He gestured at her feet. “You obviously need a guide, someone to be in charge.”

  She squared her shoulders. “So just because I took one…misstep, you’ve elected yourself king? I don’t like being bossed around.” Well, that wasn’t a hundred percent true. She had been more than a little turned-on before when he’d played the bossy card.

  He grinned at her scowl. “You’re not much better at being a castaway than you are at creating ad campaigns.”

  “Very funny. I have a CLIO statue in my living room that proves otherwise.” Her chest swelled with pride at the memory of how she’d beaten him and his agency out two years earlier for the prestigious industry honor.

  “A lot of good that’ll do you here.”

  She gritted her teeth. The statue would serve to knock him upside the head! She sucked in a deep breath.

  “Look, we lived through at least two near-death experiences already today. Our nerves are raw.” He touched her shoulder and gave her a warm smile.

  She softened at the memory. “You’re right. We’re just so used to being in competition, I guess. Thanks for saving my life, more than once.”

  He cupped her cheek. “I deserved the CLIO more than you.”

  She couldn’t hold back a laugh. “My ass, you did.”

  “In other circumstances I’d never admit this, but okay. You did deserve it. Your work is…pretty good. Sometimes—but not often—it’s better than mine. A little.” He pinned her with a sultry stare that shook her tenuous resolve to keep their relationship platonic.

  She wanted to celebrate the rare compliment but with his hand on her face she couldn’t think of anything except how attracted she was to him, how nice it felt to have him touch her. Words became a jumble in her brain as he threaded his fingers through her hair and held her head possessively as if he were about to kiss her again. She closed her eyes and parted her lips, waiting for contact.

  Instead, he released his hold on her and cleared his throat. “I should…we should search the island before we think about…anything else.”

  She straightened and the blood drained from her face. Her stomach growled loud enough for him to hear. Stepping back, she centered a hand on her abdomen, almost grateful for the distraction. “Maybe we can find some food first.”

  Chase shook his head as he started walking deeper into the brush. “Not until I know the island is uninhabited. Maybe we’ll stumble across something edible in our travels, but the priority must be our safety.”

  “I need something to eat, Chase. Anything.”

  He glanced over his shoulder at her. She had a funny expression on her face and she looked suddenly paler. He took her hand and pulled her behind him. “As soon as we come across something I’m sure is safe to eat.” He’d spotted her in the hotel dining room having a big pancake breakfast early this morning. Sure, she’d exerted a lot of calories in their long swim but she was going to have to wait for dinner until he was reasonably sure they were alone on the island.

  She tugged at his hand.

  Gritting his teeth, he stopped and turned around to face her.

  Her eyelids fluttered and her legs seemed to just give out under her. She folded like a house of cards onto the pine needle-covered forest floor.

  Oh God. What had he done?

  Chapter Four

  Kneeling beside her, he gently slapped at her cheek. “Diana? Wake up.” He touched two fingers to her wrist but he wasn’t sure if he felt his own heart hammering or her pulse.

  Don’t panic.

  But it was way too late for that. He leaned his ear to her chest and practically cheered when he heard her heartbeat.

  She moaned groggily.

  He grasped her shoulders and pulled her against his chest. “Thank God. Diana, are you with me, sweetheart?”

  Holding her at arms’
length, he carefully checked her complexion, which was still too white. Her eyes fluttered. “I need food,” she whispered.

  He scanned the area but didn’t see anything. “I can’t leave you here alone while I go to find something for you to eat.” He could carry her.

  She pointed behind him. “Bananas.”

  He followed her gaze to a palm tree with a tiny cluster of green bananas. How had she spotted that? He raced to the tree, yanked off the fruit and returned to her side.

  She still looked a little woozy.

  “What happened? One minute you were behind me then you were passing out.” He peeled a banana and broke off a piece for her.

  She grasped his hands as he raised the food to her lips. She winced at the taste but continued. After she’d swallowed the first bite, her color started improving. “I’m hyperglycemic. My blood sugar drops if I go too long without eating.” She greedily devoured the rest of the banana.

  He exhaled, unaware until that moment that he’d been holding his breath. “In that case I’ll go find you some better food. Let’s get you back to the beach.”

  She backed away and those sexy lips drew back in a surprising snarl. What the hell had he done now? “I thought we already decided I’m not a weakling you can confine to the beach. I will not be told what to do by a man. I’m going with you.”

  He clenched his jaw. “Like hell you are. You need to rest.”

  She was up on her feet in a split second, fists at her waist. “I’m fine now. Let’s go.” She scratched one foot on the opposite ankle and winced, but immediately schooled her expression when she saw him staring at her.

  When he didn’t say anything, she squared her shoulders. “Chop, chop.”

  Chop, chop? “You have some issues, sweetheart.” His temples throbbed. “Look, I go alone or I don’t go at all.”

  She gave him a lazy shrug then bent to retrieve a three-foot-long branch from the forest floor. Crouching next to a large rock, she started grinding the end of the stick on the rough stone surface. In minutes she’d forged a crude but impressive spear and held it up for his inspection.

  He tested the point. Impressive. Sharp enough to wound something, but probably not to kill it. “You think that’ll protect you? There was a reason ancient peoples made arrowheads out of stone.” He held up the axe he’d taken from the tree house. “Next time use this to carve.”

  “I don’t have time for that. This’ll allow me to gather food.” Determination sparked in those brown eyes. “Better food than you could get, I’ll bet. But then, you should be used to being bested by me. I know it still stings that I got the CLIO instead of you.”

  Anger simmered in his gut. He held back the snide comment on the tip of his tongue. “Care to put your money where your mouth is?”

  She lifted one blonde eyebrow. “I’ve never backed away from a challenge. What’d you have in mind?”

  He slid his gaze over her. Sure, she had a strong, killer body—although she looked ridiculous in her ruined outfit—but he was a hundred percent positive she couldn’t hunt and gather half as well as he. “A little wager. He who finds more food, and better quality food, wins.”

  “You’re on. And when you lose you have to back out of the running for the sheik’s account.”

  He swallowed, then nodded. “Agreed. But we have to stay within earshot for safety sake. And if I win…” He looked her over again. “If I win, we make love.”

  She widened her eyes and he could have sworn that he saw a flash of excitement. “Fine. But don’t count on it because I plan to win fair and square, a concept you probably know little about.”

  Diana could think of worse fates than having to sleep with Chase. But she was determined to win because her physical cravings were way less important to her than her career. If Chase dropped out of the running for the sheik’s account, she was guaranteed to take the multimillion-dollar account home to New York as a souvenir—one that would most likely earn her a partnership in her firm.

  Guilt prickled at her skin. He’d done so much for her, she had no right to speak to him the way she just had, but when her inner ad executive took over it was as if she was a different person, one with no scruples.

  She hated to admit that her early years with her physically abusive father had made her downright afraid of men. The best defense to keep them at bay was to be nasty to them. That was no excuse though. Chase had saved her life, at least twice already.

  She stepped closer to him. “Chase, I’m sorry. Maybe this competition is a bad idea. I mean, we should probably be working together.”

  He grinned like a cat who’d just found the fishbowl. “So you forfeit then?”

  “Like hell I do.” Once a Chase Cunningham, always a Chase Cunningham. “Come on. The sooner we get this little exploration over and done, the sooner we can begin the competition. Kiss the sheik’s account goodbye, mister.”

  “I’ve never met such an obstinate, prickly woman.” He glared at her then marched ahead, cutting his way through the forest wielding that ridiculous axe.

  They reached the other side of the island in less than half an hour. The shore was rocky unlike the beach they’d landed on earlier. Diana sank onto a boulder and rubbed her tired feet.

  Chase stood next to her, looking obnoxiously energetic. “Since we didn’t run into any giant lizards or venomous snakes, I say we begin our competition right away. Just stay close to me so we find our way back to the beach together. In case you run into any trouble, call my name.”

  She waved away his concern. The island wasn’t that big. If any monsters were lurking in the woods, they’d have found them on their hike. They started off together but when she spied a fallen coconut, she raced over to grab it. Too bad they didn’t have any rum or she could make a mean banana colada. But in any case, the coconut would provide them with something to drink that wasn’t salt water. He couldn’t beat that unless he found a freshwater stream or lake, which she doubted he would.

  When she turned back around she found Chase climbing up a tree after what appeared to be figs. Every toned muscle in his back, shoulders and legs worked like a well-oiled machine as he shimmied higher and higher.

  She should have been concentrating on finding more food but she couldn’t tear her gaze from the incredibly sexy view. Maybe she ought to let him win so she could feel all those muscles join force in pursuit of mutual pleasure.

  No, she wanted that account. But there was nothing stopping her from agreeing to sleep with him even after she’d won the bet. Why shouldn’t they indulge? It could be days, even weeks before they were rescued. She could hardly remember the last time a man had touched her, besides the kiss they’d shared after their shark encounter.

  She’d deprived herself for too damn long. Filling her empty feel-good coffers with expensive indulgences didn’t come close to having a man make love to her.

  Her nipples hardened and pressed against the lace fabric of her cool, wet bra. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and twirled a lock of hair around her finger and imagined what it would be like with him. She had no doubt it would be mind-blowing.

  He reached to the clump of fruit and wrestled it free from the tree. Every inch of him was pure, naked power and a hundred percent man. When he slid to the ground, she immediately looked away and pretended to search through the bushes.

  Before she knew what was happening, Chase grabbed her from behind and hauled her away from the bushes.

  “Leaves of three, let them be,” he said.

  She shrugged him off and spun around to face him. “What?”

  “You heard me. That could have been poison ivy.” He smirked. “I guess you weren’t paying attention when you went camping with the Girl Scouts.”

  She straightened but refused to tell him that her troop had never made it out of the church basement where their meetings were held. The wildest activity they participated in was making holly-covered wreaths before Christmas. “I just forgot. Sorry.”

  Maybe she
should make herself one of those fishing poles so she could catch something in the ocean for their meal. She marched off in the direction of the tree house. Aside from the spool of thread, maybe she could find other items that would aid in her search for food.

  Somehow she’d gotten turned around and couldn’t find her way back to the clearing under the treetop dwelling. She didn’t particularly want Chase to know her plan since he’d no doubt copy her ideas.

  Stepping between two pine trees, she pushed some fallen branches out of the way and walked right into a human skeleton.

  Chapter Five

  Diana’s scream was like a million-volt current straight to Chase’s heart. He followed the sound and found her between a stand of trees, trembling like a loose bolt on a rollercoaster track. She lunged into his arms and buried her head against his chest.

  “I’m here.” He petted her hair, tried to calm her down enough so she’d tell him what had frightened here.

  Backing away a little, she looked up into his eyes and struggled to pull in a breath. “U-under the leaves.”

  He moved her aside then took a few steps in the direction in which she was pointing. He started to root through the brush but stopped when she let out a terrified cry.

  He faced her and gave her what he hoped was a reassuring nod. “Is it an animal?”

  She shook her head and shuddered. “A skeleton.”

  Was she really this upset over some rodent bones? He squeezed her upper arm, rubbed his hand up and down over her silky skin. “It’s okay.” Then he returned to the pile of leafy branches and rooted through it. He caught sight of what appeared to be a skeletal human foot. He clenched his jaw so he didn’t gasp and scare her even more. No wonder she was so upset.

  He delved into the mass of foliage deeper, cleared away all the obstructions until he could visualize the entire skeleton. “Well, at least this answers the question of what happened to the resident of the tree house. A body doesn’t decompose overnight, you know. He could have died…years ago.” But he wondered how the person had perished. He scanned the skull, the rib cage and the arms and legs but he didn’t notice any holes or breaks in the bones. Could have been anything but he was a little relieved to see nothing obvious around the scene like a spear or a bullet.