“I’m aware she is hurt,” Roman said, crossing his arms over his chest and staring down at her. Why did he make her want to nuzzle into him and lick her way down his body?
And just where had that thought come from?
“Wow, great job you’re doing on looking out for your people, then.” Avery rolled her eyes.
“I got here as soon as I could. And from what I can tell, you handled it just fine. There’s nothing to be done at three in the morning anyway, so I figured sleep would be the best thing for everyone – especially considering how much wine she had. It wouldn’t do to try and take a tipsy, injured woman out of here. She’d probably just end up hurting herself more.”
The man had a point, though Avery refused to acknowledge it.
“It’s three in the morning. It was broad daylight when she was injured. She could have been hurt even worse going down the side of the cliff. Beckett supposedly went to find you for help. And don’t tell me your cameramen didn’t radio you that there was an injury. What could possibly have taken you this long to show up?”
“Oh, so you think you’re the only one on this show? That Sara is the only one who got injured today? The only one who had to go to the hospital today? I’m one person, Avery. I had to assess who needed my help most.”
Avery paused at that and looked closer at his face to see a very real fatigue etched on his handsome features.
“Someone else got hurt?”
“Yes, someone else got hurt. And hurt each other. Two of the women got into a fistfight and one broke the other’s nose. Another got hit by a stingray and had an allergic reaction. I’m sorry I wasn’t here in the timely manner that you expected, but I had to deal with the worst emergencies first. I’m here now, though, and I have to say I’m glad I arrived when I did. Just what the hell were you doing out in the water like that?”
“I… I don’t know. I’m sorry, Roman. I shouldn’t have bitten your head off. I’ve been angry all day that nobody helped Sara.”
“You helped Sara. You followed all the proper protocols, from what I heard. The crew was keeping me updated, and you did everything right. We’ll get her out of here in the morning, and she’ll be just fine.”
“Thank you,” Avery whispered, feeling that strength flood her once more. “I was scared for her, is all.”
“And you handled it. You should be proud of yourself. But this… I don’t know what this was. You about gave me a heart attack, walking into the water in a trance like that. Don’t… just don’t do that, okay?” Roman’s eyes searched hers.
Once more Avery realized that she wanted nothing more than to kiss him. Tilting her head up, she leaned in a little, the moment drawing out long between them.
“I heard the siren’s song,” Avery whispered. “Have you heard it? It’s enchanting.”
Roman’s eyes dropped to Avery’s lips and lingered there. He licked his own lips, and Avery felt heat rush through her stomach. Just an inch closer and they’d be kissing.
“I’ve heard it… I swear you’re a siren yourself, Avery. I can’t stop watching you,” Roman whispered. Reaching up, he trailed a finger down her arm, the smallest touch sending shivers through her body.
“Avery! Are you okay?” Cherylynn called, her voice breaking the stillness.
Avery shook her head, stepping back from Roman and making her way around him. She could see Cherylynn on the beach, looking around wildly, as the other girls woke up in shock. Glancing over her shoulder at Roman, the moment broken, she watched as he faded back into the darkness.
“Go to them.”
“Cherylynn, I’m here. It’s okay. I was just stopping at my toilet bush,” Avery called. She mentally kicked herself for saying ‘toilet bush’ in front of Roman and hurried back to the other women, her stomach in knots.
If someone had told her it was all a dream, she would have believed it.
Avery smiled brightly at Cherylynn.
“Why are you all wet?”
“I got some pee on my leg. Now shhhh, go back to sleep.”
Chapter 22
Roman had heard the song – of course he’d heard it. It was as though the notes were being sung for him and him alone. In all his time traveling the world, exploring the depths of jungles or forests, nothing had ever ripped into his gut and taken him to his knees the way that song had. He wondered how the other women and his cameramen hadn’t heard it – was it possible they couldn’t hear it? Was he slowly going crazy?
Avery had heard it. When he’d seen her walk into the water, his heart had skipped a beat and he’d been after her before he could think. Never mind the fact that his phone was in his pocket or that a part of him wanted to swim with Avery, slicing through the dark water together until they found the source of such magic and beauty. Instead, he’d hauled her back against him like a Neanderthal and almost taken her head off. If he hadn’t been so scared for her, or already at the end of his emotional tether, maybe he would have been gentler. Instead, he’d wrenched her from the water and yelled at her.
And then told her how he couldn’t help watching her.
Groaning, Roman slapped a hand to his face and shook his head. Where had that little tidbit come from? He was usually in control when it came to his relationships with women. He liked to keep things respectful, but distant. His work took him away on so many travels that it was hard to form deeper bonds. As far as he was concerned, so long as he was up front and honest about his intentions, his lifestyle, and his travels, nobody got hurt. There were plenty of women in his life who were more than happy to have a casual friends-with-benefits style relationship, enjoying each other when he was in town but no commitments when he left. It suited him, and his lifestyle, perfectly.
Had he hurt feelings along the way? Roman stretched his legs out on the bedroll he’d laid out behind a row of boulders tucked near the cliff walls. His crew members slept on, used to weird sleeping conditions; all of them were able to fall asleep pretty much anywhere at this point. Yes, Roman thought, he’d hurt a few feelings over the years. But not because of lying or being untruthful, Roman reminded himself. It was because he’d dated women who thought they would change him.
How many times had he needed to remind a woman that his life was full of travel? That he didn’t plan to settle down and have children? That he enjoyed picking up and exploring the world – all while hopefully bringing about some change and good through his documentaries? His movies were his children; he had dedicated his life to trying to make a difference for the habitats he explored, places that were threatened by the ever-creeping mass consumerism that seemed determined to exploit every last inch of this world. But more than one woman had thought she would be the one to make him want to retire to suburbia and raise kids behind the white picket fence.
Roman hated fences.
Avery would understand, Roman thought, rolling to his side and punching the pillow sack stuffed with his sweatshirt. She actually cared about the environment and worked to make it better. He doubted she would settle for some accountant somewhere who’d want to just shove her in the corner and dim her light. Hell, he doubted she even wanted a relationship. Based on his observations, she didn’t seem the least bit interested in even being on this show. Why had she come here? What made her put herself in this situation that seemed so far out of her comfort zone? She always looked like a deer caught in headlights, constantly blindsided by the ridiculousness of some of these women’s antics. Most of the rest of the cast were seasoned pros, sharpening their claws on each other and out for the big prize at the end. But Avery? She bumbled along all big-eyed, like a fawn taking its first steps.
Yet she’d been fantastic today, at least according to his cameramen. What a shitshow, Roman thought, rubbing his hand over his face again, the fatigue settling in on his shoulders. When it rains, it pours, and today had been a monsoon. It was like everything had happened simultaneously and he’d been left scrambling to figure out the best care for everyone. The allergic reaction had take
n top priority, because it wouldn’t do to have one of the cast die under his watch. While his cameramen had restrained the two women fighting, he’d been administering an EpiPen and calling for an ambulance. At least the fighting women had given up and dissolved into puddles of tears within moments, negating the threat of them assaulting each other further. But, in his estimation, there was a lawsuit waiting to happen between them. The one with the broken nose wasn’t likely to let that slide, especially if it marred her looks. Roman could just see the attorney now, arguing that her future earnings rested on the precision of her beautiful nose and the money her face brought in.
Roman needed a break.
As sleep crept up to claim him, Roman couldn’t help but think about Avery, her eyes wide and shining in the moonlight, her lips as kissable as any he’d ever seen, and how it had taken everything in his power not to devour her lips on the spot. He wanted – no, ached for her, and having her plastered against his chest, gasping as if he’d just spent hours pleasuring her, had almost brought him to his knees.
If he hadn’t known better, he might have thought Avery was the siren, and that the song she sang had lured him to her. Her magic was no less strong than the ethereal music that had danced across the moonlit waves.
He wondered if she had any idea of the power she wielded.
Chapter 23
“Ugh, my head hurts,” Cherylynn complained, pushing her tangled hair from her face.
“Box wine will do that to a person.” Lisette nodded sagely, though Avery noticed she had her sunglasses on, even though the sun was just now cresting over the cliffs behind them, casting its gentle morning rays across the beach. The water was calm, lapping softly at the sand, and the events of last night seemed almost like a dream to Avery.
“Anyone else want some Advil?” she offered, having already unwrapped and checked Sara’s foot and given her more pills for the swelling and pain.
“I love you. I shall name my firstborn after you,” Cherylynn promised, falling dramatically back to the sand and putting the back of her hand to her forehead.
“Dramatic much?” Avery giggled, standing over her and handing her a couple of pills.
“Always, darling, always. Life is too boring not to add a little drama now and then,” Cherylynn said, gulping the pills down with what water was left in her bottle.
“We’re also probably dehydrated. We didn’t have much water to go around,” Avery said, unwrapping a granola bar and taking a bite of her breakfast. They’d rationed some for this morning, and now all the women chewed in companionable silence. Avery mulled over whether she should tell them that she had seen Roman the night before. She saw no reason not to, but decided to leave some of their more interesting interactions out. She cleared her throat. “So, um, I spoke with Roman last night.”
“Did you? How?” Sara asked, from her hammock.
“Was that where you went in the middle of the night? I swear I panicked when I woke up and saw you missing,” Cherylynn said, still lying flat on her back in the sand and staring up at the sky.
“I went to pee, I told you that.”
“And Roman watched you pee?”
“Ew, no. He came up to me when I was walking back. He just wanted to tell me that he was here, and to fill me in on what happened.”
“He’s here? Where?” Lisette craned her neck to look around and Avery did the same.
“I imagine he’s up and gone by now. He said they’d bring help this morning.”
“Thank god.” Sara breathed a huge sigh of relief.
“What took them so long?” Cherylynn complained.
“Good question. I have a little gossip for you ladies.” Avery grinned as they all leaned in. “Remember that fight we saw yesterday?”
“Oh – what happened?” Lisette asked, unbraiding her hair and running her hand through some of the knotted strands that had come loose.
“Apparently one of the girls broke the other one’s nose.”
“No!” Lisette gasped, holding her hand to her own nose in shock. “That’s… that’s just over the line. That’s the moneymaker right there.”
“The moneymaker?” Avery asked, tilting her head at Lisette in question.
“Yeah, the moneymaker. You don’t think most of these women are making money from regular day jobs, do you? Especially the influencers. Their currency is their looks. A broken nose can take down someone’s career.”
“That’s…” Avery was going to say that it was a little sad and depressing, but then she remembered that Lisette classified herself as an influencer, so she decided to respond with empathy. “That’s really awful then. Of course, I don’t really think assault is cool, no matter what. I never was one who thrilled after violence. I don’t like seeing people fighting.”
“Me either, honey. I swear, Texans are a bloodthirsty bunch. They always want to settle things the tough way. Me? I’d rather pick flowers and give someone a hug than break a beer bottle and hold it to their throats.”
“So what happens now? Are they disqualified from the show? I’m sure there’s something in the terms about violence,” Lisette asked.
“I didn’t ask. He also said that another woman got hit by a stingray and had an allergic reaction.”
“Shut up! That’s so scary. Yeah, you gotta do the stingray shuffle if you walk into the ocean.” Lisette nodded.
“What in the hell is the stingray shuffle?” Cherylynn demanded. “It sounds like the macarena or a line dance.”
“Shuffle to the left… no sting, no sting!” Avery chanted and the girls laughed.
“It’s just an ocean thing. You shuffle your feet in the sand when you walk out. Any stingrays around will swim on, and you won’t step directly on them. They’re more scared of you than you of them.”
“Didn’t Steve Irwin die of a stingray sting?” Sara asked.
“Yes, to the heart. But he was also interacting too closely with them. The thing is, it’s best to just observe the wildlife, especially in the ocean. Wave to them from afar. No touching,” Lisette said.
“I have zero interest in touching a stingray,” Sara promised.
“Some people do. They try to be cool and grab the rays, or a starfish. Did you know if you pull a starfish out of the water it suffocates in like seconds? All those people holding up starfish for their Instagram selfies are killing it. For what? A photo? It’s stupid,” Lisette said.
Avery found herself liking the woman even more. “I didn’t know that. I thought they could go out of the water,” Avery said.
“Nope, they can’t. They stress easily and suffocate. They basically have to hold their breath when they’re being held out of the water. How long can you hold your breath for? Not long, that’s for sure. It’s one of my pet peeves with people around the ocean.” Lisette shook her head.
“Gosh, I honestly never thought of it like that. I thought they were just like a shell or something,” Cherylynn said.
“Nope. They are very much alive, and people kill them all the time being stupid,” Lisette said.
“Look, there’s Roman,” Avery said, her attention caught by movement down the beach.
Roman walked across the sand in loose cargo shorts, a faded grey t-shirt, and sunglasses covering his eyes again. Behind him came two men with a stretcher.
“Where did they come from?” Lisette asked.
“I think from around the side of the cliff. See where you can walk on the sand now that the water is low again?” Sara said. She looked relieved to see the stretcher. Avery imagined her ankle was more painful than she was letting on.
“Good morning, ladies. I trust you slept well?” Roman asked when he stopped in front of them. Something about his nearness made Avery nervous, and her mind flitted back to the dream she’d had after she’d left his side last night.
Skin on skin… lips trailing down each other’s bodies. Heat throbbed, intense, between her legs, and she’d risen up over him, taking him inside her and claiming him as her own. Her face
flamed as it all came back to her in vivid glory, and she turned away to busy herself with taking her hammock down and getting her pack ready. It wouldn’t do for Roman to think he had that kind of effect on her, she reminded herself. She was in this game to win Beckett’s heart and the cash prize.
I can’t stop watching you, he’d said.
Was he watching her now? Did she look a mess? Avery ran a hand over her tangle of curls, then mentally berated herself. Of course she was a mess. They’d clambered over rocks in the dark, she’d dashed into the ocean in the middle of the night, and she’d slept on the beach in the night breezes. There was no way she was looking her best right now.
“The wine helped.” Cherylynn, still lying on the ground, smiled up at Roman. “Is that stretcher for me? I could use some strong men to carry me out of here.” The men holding the stretcher grinned down at Cherylynn, and she grinned right back at them.
“Sadly, no. You’ll need to deal with your self-inflicted pain yourself,” Roman said with a smile. He walked to Sara and crouched by her hammock. “How’s the foot today?”
“It’s really sore. I could use some more ice.”
“We’ll get you out of here. We have a Jeep right around the cliff to take you to the doctor and drop everyone back at the villa.”
“Woo-hoo! You are my savior.” Cherylynn bounced up and did a little happy dance on the sand, then brought her hand to her head. “Okay, I moved too fast there. Owwww.”
“Glad I can be your hero. You ready to go?” Roman asked Sara.
“Yes, I am.” Sara let Roman lift her from the hammock and place her on the board between the two men, and they set off across the sand. Avery pretended she hadn’t noticed how Roman’s muscles had flexed in his arms when he’d lifted Sara, like she weighed no more than bag of rice.
“Let me just get her hammock down and I think that’s our stuff all packed,” Avery said. She moved to unknot the rope from the tree, but Roman was already there, his hands brushing hers. “Oh, sorry.”
A Good Chance (The Siren Island Series Book 3) Page 13
