Tempt (Take It Off)(19)

A strong man always makes sure his woman is provided for.

But we weren't exactly not not together either …

I think I just confused myself.

"I mean, like, is he your man?"

Was he? I opened my mouth, interested in what was going to come out, but I never got the chance to see.

Nash chose that moment to walk in. His eyes went right to me …  in Duke's lap. It was completely innocent …  but I wasn't sure he saw it that way.

He stalked over and held out a coconut to me. I started to stand to take it and tripped again. Nash's hands were full. But Duke's weren't. He caught me and eased me up on my feet, his hands lingering on my waist. "Careful," he murmured as he pulled away.

"Here," Nash said, handing the second coconut to Duke.

"Thank you," he said, accepting it.

Nash reached for my arm and held me steady as I walked through the debris and out of the cockpit. Then he handed me the last coconut. "What about you?" I asked, frowning.

"I'll open another one," he said, turning his back and going to do just that. I stared after him, feeling like I should have said something …  but I didn't know what he wanted me to say.

"Let's go down to the beach," I said to Duke.

When he stood, I couldn't help but notice his gaze lingering on my legs. I realized then that my long shirt made it look like I wasn't wearing pants.

Crap. I wasn't.

"Would you mind holding this outside while I change?"

He took it and disappeared. Quickly, I yanked off the shirt and pulled on my bikini and a yellow cotton sundress I had in my suitcase. It made a good cover-up.

Duke was waiting for me beside the plane, and when I came to the edge, he moved forward to help me down. He glanced down at his full hands and scowled.

"It's okay." I laughed. "I jump down all the time."

He shook his head, but I didn't give him time to react and try and help me. I jumped down, landing lightly beside him. The last thing I wanted was for Nash to happen to see Duke with his hands on me again, helping me down.                       
       
           



       

"Let's go down to the beach," Nash suggested from somewhere beside the plane. His voice was close by and I felt some relief knowing that my decision to avoid Duke's touch was a good one.

I tried not to think about why I cared so much what Nash thought.

The three of us wandered down to the sand. My eyes went right to the bonfire pit and my cheeks heated with the memory of what we did there last night. Nash caught my eye and I knew he was thinking the same thing by the way his gaze traveled my body. His stare felt like a laser beam, retracing the path his tongue had made just hours before.

We all sat quiet for a moment as we drank the sweet juice from the fruit. My thoughts turned to the gunshots we heard and the warning Duke gave us just before he left.

"We heard gunfire last night," I said. I didn't bother looking at Nash. I knew he wasn't keen on asking Duke about what we'd been hearing, but I didn't care anymore. We were stuck here, like it or not. We needed to know what we were dealing with.

Duke nodded. "It's on the other side of the island."

"Have you been there? Are there people? Civilization?" Hope swarmed up inside me like a tidal wave, thinking this could be our way off this island, that this could help us get home.

"It's not safe to go there," Duke said tightly.

"Why not?"

He pinned me with his dark eyes. "It just isn't. You won't find help there. Stay on this side."

"But won't they come here eventually?"

Duke just gazed off across the ocean, almost like he was lost in thought. Or wistful for home.

"You okay?" I asked him, reaching out and laying a hand on his arm. He looked down, almost like he was startled by the contact.

His eyes slid to mine. "Yeah, I'm good." So much emotion swam in those eyes of his. They had to be the most expressive I had ever seen.

We sat there frozen for long moments, my hand on his arm and his eyes memorizing every angle of my face (at least that's what it felt like).

"You gonna tell us what's out there or what?" Nash said.

I gave him a hard look because he was being rude. He should be nice. This poor guy didn't have anyone. For months.

Duke hesitated.

Nash sighed and stood, sand sticking to his still-damp shorts. "If you won't tell me, I'm damn sure going to find out."

"What does that mean?" I asked, alarmed.

"It means we're going to the other side of the island. We're going hunting."





13




"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked for the hundredth time since we started walking.

Nash stopped suddenly, and I bumped into his back, stumbling backward a bit. He turned swiftly and glanced at me. "I don't know what else to do," he said grimly. "Do I want to walk into potential dangerous territory …  with you right behind me? No. I don't. But being a sitting duck isn't safe either. I'd rather know what we're dealing with."

I glanced at Duke, who was standing there watching us. "Can't you just tell us what's there?"

"I already told you it was no good. I told you to stay away."

"You won't tell us why?" I implored.

"Because it is," was his simple reply.

Nash made a sound and started walking again. "If it's so dangerous, why are you coming with us?" he tossed over his shoulder.

Duke didn't reply, but I felt his stare and I turned to look at him. It was because of me. He was coming along because of me. I glanced at Nash to see if he realized, but he hadn't turned around. He was to intent on our path.

We walked in silence after that, forever it seemed. My feet grew tired and my body was damp with sweat. I was so not the camping/hiking kind of girl. And to make it worse, I kept thinking about the dream. About the two men who were right beside me.

Every so often I would feel Duke's eyes and I would look at him. He had this way of gazing at me …  this sort of longing in his eyes …  It made me feel coveted. It made me feel wanted.

But then I would look at Nash, at the way his hips swiveled when he walked. The way his shoulder muscles moved beneath all that olive-toned skin. And his hands were magic. But beyond that …  he seemed to care about me, like he thought of me first, even before himself.

I tried to direct my thoughts away from my company and pay attention to the surroundings. The island was lush and beautiful. The greenery was everywhere. Palm trees and tall plants full of colorful, blossoming flowers filled the air with a heady scent. Because we were close to the ocean, there was still a bit of a breeze, even this far into the island.                       
       
           



       

Still, it wasn't as cool as it was right on the sand because the trees and plants kind of worked as a trap for the heat, keeping it in instead of letting it drift up and away. At least the sunlight didn't shine directly on us. I wasn't sure if my fair skin could take the brutal midday rays. So far I had been lucky to avoid a sunburn, but I knew it was probably only a matter of time.

I started to feel lightheaded when we stepped into a particularly cool part of the wilderness. The trees were heavier here so the shade was denser. It felt wonderful against my heated skin, but it also seemed to serve as a reminder of just how hot I actually was.

My thoughts grew thick and it felt weird to walk, my legs feeling like Jell-O.

"Do you think we could stop for a minute?" I asked. "Take a break?"

Both Duke and Nash came to my side, Nash reaching me first. "Of course." He studied me. "Your skin is flushed."

"I'm just really hot."

He led me over beneath a tree where the leaves were bigger than my head. We sat down below it, leaning up against the trunk.

"Here," Duke said, handing me his untouched bottle of water. I have no idea how he hadn't drank any. My bottle was already gone.

He must have seen my shock when he handed me the full bottle because he said, "I've gotten used to this heat."

"But you might need it," I protested.

"You need it more," he said, giving my hand a squeeze. Then he turned thoughtful. "I think there's some fruit around here. I'm going to grab some. You should eat something."

"You shouldn't be alone." I worried. "Nash can go with you."

"I'm not leaving you alone," Nash said instantly.

Duke nodded. "He should stay. I won't be long."

When I frowned, he offered me a smile. "I promise I'll be okay."

I nodded and within moments he disappeared behind a beautiful plant with bright-pink blooms.

"I don't trust him," Nash said.

"Why?"

"Just a feeling I get."

"But he's helped us. He showed us food. He gave us that machete."

"I don't like the way he looks at you."

"I'm tired," I said, leaning my head against the tree. I didn't really want to talk about Duke with Nash. I sort of felt like I was caught between them.

He brushed a few damp strands of hair off my cheek. "Just sit here and cool off. Rest."