But then Ale looked up at her. Their eyes locked— he was unreadable. A hard fathomless stare was all he continued to give, piercing Mika with nothing. He made it clear—New York had come to paradise, and now he was done with her. She lowered her eyes.
She could hardly blame him, of course. This scene was no different from so many others she had witnessed over the years. Karina was just another woman at his feet.
She looked back at Ale, found her resolve, and raised her hands to join everyone in clapping. With her eyes, she gave Ale all her anger and fury. Then she opened her mouth, working hard to find her most authoritative voice. “Okay, people,” she said over the fray, “this has been lovely, but I suggest we pack it up. Tomorrow is a big workday for all of us. The sooner we get this job done the faster we’re off the island.” And with that, she turned on her heels and walked away toward her hut.
Chapter 13
Damn it, why her? Why did it have to be her? It took all he had for Alejandro to keep hold of his emotions. To not bellow at the moon like some enraged melodramatic wolf.
When he saw Mika standing there, watching Karina on his lap looking like his wanton woman for all to see, he froze. And Karina, true to form, was grinning at him with that temptress smile of hers. But all he could see was the blazing fire in Mika’s dark eyes, and in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to throw Karina down into the sand and go running to Mika. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, kiss her, claim her. Wipe that pain right off her face. He didn’t care who saw, but he knew she did. She wouldn’t accept it. Not from him, not here in front of everyone. And when she gave him the ultimatum, the one that said, “Fine, it’s done now,” it had burned, like the worst liquor he’d ever tasted.
He’d never felt so raw and rejected in his life. Scratch that, he had, and once again he was that small boy, wanting to scream for approval and love. Or beg for it, something he’d vowed never to do again.
He wanted so badly to touch her, to have her, to possess her. He got hard just thinking about it. But the arousal he could deal with easily enough. It was the rest he couldn’t.
In his haze, Karina had gotten up and was laughing, surrounded by some riggers and two of Tai’s sons. Her mission was accomplished. She’d staked her claim and made his life even more of a mess that it already was. He could so easily go to her right now, give her a quick glance and she’d be his for the night—and however many more he chose. She’d made that very clear. But he had no desire for her. And he knew he never would again.
His forced smile stung painfully, all the way down to his gut. He had Mika to thank for that. Last week, Karina would have been just the type of women to satisfy any anxiety he may have been feeling, but that was then—she did nothing for him now.
Ale laughed to himself. Mika had turned him around but good. Him, Alejandro the Great. Taken down by...he thought to himself, trying hard to come up with a label for her, but he couldn’t do it. His hands tightened into fists. She may be tough, but he was tougher. He wouldn’t play by her rules—or Karina’s or any woman’s, for that matter, anymore. He’d have what and who he wanted on his own terms.
*
Mika caught a chill. The night air had grown cold—or maybe it was just her. Either way, she went to close the window of her hut and saw the last dregs of the crew walking back along the beach. Some were staggering a bit, obviously having overindulged in Tai’s special punch. Mika was just about to turn away when she saw Karina run up to Ale and twine her long arms through his. She snuggled her lithe body against him, and he didn’t pull back.
Mika recoiled from the window. She couldn’t watch. She backed away, rubbing her arms and blinking away the tears that pricked behind her eyes. She got into bed and pulled the sheet up to her neck, then reached for her iPod for the first time since coming to the island, forcing out the ocean sounds below. She didn’t want to hear anything, least of all Ale as he came to his room. Alone or not.
She let the sound of the music take her away. It was an alternative band Ale had shot a CD cover for. That was a good day. They’d had so much fun together working in sync, clicking like a seasoned team. Her heart ached, a deep rolling pain forming in her chest. She turned the music up louder, putting a haunting song of lost love on repeat. She’d miss those days.
Damn, what a coward she turned out to be. She should just tell him what she thought. Yes, it hurt now, seeing him flirt with other women, but the truth was that Robin was right. The wounds were deep from all this time of wanting him and not having him, seeing him flirting by day, knowing he was going out night after night with yet another beautiful woman, and reading about them in the tabloids. Mika turned and punched at her pillow, finding no way to get comfortable. She knew she wouldn’t say a word to Ale. Her pride wouldn’t let her. Besides, what would he do with the information anyway? Pat her on the head and tell her he was flattered?
No, she’d take what she had with him the past few days and move on. For a lovely moment, she’d been the dream girl. She could ask for no more than that. Now all she had to do was get through this job, and be on her way.
*
Mika was up before the sun had fully risen, after a restless night marred with dreams of Alejandro. But at least she felt better prepared to tackle this day. She would get dressed and meet with Ale as professionally as she could. It was time they got to serious work, and she got on solid ground. She pulled her now-silent earphones from her ears and padded from her bed over to the window. A lithe figure walked languidly from the direction of their huts.
Karina. Mika’s heart stopped as she looked toward Ale’s hut. There was no way. Oh please don’t let it be. But as she said the silent prayer, the image of Karina dancing, sweat gleaming and hips gyrating came to mind. The simmering way she looked at Ale and the hot glare he gave back. Then the two of them arm in arm late last night. Was the deal sealed then? Had Ale really not even waited twenty-four hours before he slept with another woman?
Mika’s stomach turned. She quickly upturned the bowl of fruit Tai had placed on the night table and retched, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand when she was done. Then she wiped the tears at her eyes away with the other hand.
That was it. She stood up with as much dignity as possible. Time to continue her plans. She would be nothing if not all business.
*
Alejandro woke with a start to the quick-fire rapping on his hut door. He eased up on the bed, holding his head against the dull ache. Not usually one to overindulge in drink, he’d surely done it last night once he got back to his hut. Anything to stop his mind from going back to Mika. Always Mika.
“Come in,” he growled at the insistent pounding. He could see the sun just coming up. Time to get moving. They had a busy day planned, and he had to face it head on.
And there she was. Mika swept into the hut with a cool, unreadable expression. Her eyes glanced over his half-naked form as he leaned back on the headboard.
“We have a lot to do today, Ale,” she said. “You’d better get up. No use lounging.”
He looked her over. She wore a black tank that hugged her breasts in ways he would have never allowed himself to notice before and black shorts that showed off her smooth brown legs to perfection. On her feet were her well-worn sneakers. She looked dark, dangerous…and adorable. He suppressed a groan, willing his already hardening erection back down. The last thing he wanted to do was get out of bed right now. He looked into Mika’s dark liquid eyes, and she gave him back a cold stare.
She then picked up the empty wine bottle on his nightstand gave it a shake, shrugged her shoulders, and put it back down again. “Tai should be here with breakfast soon. I suggest you drink extra coffee. The rest of the crew will be set up to eat on the beach. I’m going to start making rounds.”
Ale wanted nothing more than to kiss that no-nonsense tone right out of her voice. It snapped at him, grated at his frayed nerves. He looked at her coolly. “Can you get on that coffee right away? I could really use i
t now.”
He flung the sheet back and watched as Mika jumped, averting her eyes to the side. He laughed. “Jumpy this morning, little bird,” he said. “Please, Mika, save me the innocent act. It’s not like you haven’t seen it all before. Besides, I’m decent. See—underwear.”
Mika briefly glanced down at Ale’s boxer briefs. She looked back to his chest and then up to his eyes. “I may have seen it all before, but that doesn’t mean I want to see it now.” She sidestepped him, grabbed a pair of shorts and pushed it into his chest. “Here, get dressed, and I’ll see about your coffee, boss.” The words dripped from her with a cold iciness that no amount of heat could thaw—not even from him.
He grabbed at the shorts and caught her hands too. The words raked at him. The cool use of the term boss. There was nothing playful about her now as she looked at him, her mouth set, jaw tight. He wanted to reach out and run his tongue over that jaw and stroke all the hardness out of it. He gently leaned forward and felt Mika’s nails rake at his skin. “You’re baring your claws today.”
“I’ll do more than that if you come any closer.” Her voice was low and steady.
He laughed, dropped her hands, and Mika was knocked off balance for a moment, stumbling forward. She fell into him and he caught her by both elbows, holding her just a breath from his face and looking deep into her eyes. No longer could she maintain her composure, and her eyes betrayed her. Turning dark.
“Fine, beauty. As you say, I’m the boss, so let’s get to work.” He pulled her in close and leaned into her ear. She stiffened. “I want my damned coffee.” Then he let go, throwing the shorts on the rumpled bed and storming out of the hut in just his underwear on his way to the bathroom.
*
The day started more slowly than she would have liked as Mika fought to rouse the rest of the crew, but it didn’t take long for it to turn into an all-out frenzy. After a hearty—well, hearty for some, since the models hardly ate a thing—breakfast, the huge caravan hiked toward the cove for the day’s shoot.
Ale, Brian and his guys went on ahead with Tong and some of his sons to start the rigging. Mika brought up the rear with the models, hair and makeup crew. She took care, trying to be her usual self even after the earlier encounter with Ale. Only a few more times like this and then she’d be free. But Robin followed close behind her, and it didn’t go unnoticed by Mika that her friend was keeping an extra vigilant eye on her this morning.
“You okay?” Robin asked softly.
“I’m great. How did you sleep?” Mika returned, wanting to keep the subject off herself. She had to get through these next few days without her and Ale as the focus.
Robin looked at her deeply and nodded. “Okay, I get it. You’re playing it cool. Fine. I’m good. These beds are surprisingly comfortable, but too bad they didn’t come with some hot islander to warm them.”
Mika laughed. “You are too much. Always keeping your mind in the gutter.”
Just then, Daniel caught up with them. “Did someone say gutter? Sounds like my type of party.”
Mika laughed harder. This was what she needed. It felt good to be with friends. For far too long, all her focus had been on Ale—and now even more so. “You don’t need to encourage her,” she said to Daniel. “She’s bad enough without you helping her along.”
Daniel cocked his head to the side and looked at Mika. “I’m not sure about that. Can we ever be bad enough? This life is for the living, and you work way too hard. I say you need something to shake up this little well-ordered life of yours.”
Mika shook her head. “Um, no thanks, dear. I don’t need any help in the shaking-things-up department. I’ve got that pretty well covered.” She looked back toward the models. Karina had no trouble hiking the rough trail, just as she had no trouble nimbly making her way down the beach this morning. “Yep, I don’t need any help in that department.”
They came to the clearing, and everyone took a moment to admire in the beautiful scene of the majestic trees, flowers and water for a moment.
“Oh my,” Mika heard an out-of-breath Lulu say.
“I’ll say,” Ava chimed in next to her.
She grinned to herself. Yes, they had done well. This spot had the perfect effect, and it would shoot fantastically. She looked around. The crew had been hard at work. They’d followed her instructions to the letter. Tents were set up to the side, and she could see a couple of Brian’s men rigging some ropes into the trees. She looked to the side and her breath caught as she spotted the tree, still large and majestic. But what? Did she expect it to have changed somehow?
Her mouth twisted as she wondered which model Ale would choose to shoot there today. He hadn’t let her know that yet. She hoped it wasn’t Karina. She didn’t want the memory of their time together ruined any more than it already was.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ale’s confident figure walking their way. He looked good in low-slung shorts and a tee that hugged his muscles in all the right places. His equipment bag was slung low behind his back, and his tan was now even darker, which made his dark hair and slashed brows stand out all the more. In this lush environment, he was starting to look like a rogue pirate.
His eyes connected with hers for the briefest of moments and then he turned, giving the group a steely gaze. “Let’s get moving quickly, people. Obviously Mika had you all take the scenic route, but the light doesn’t wait for anyone.”
Mika’s eyes narrowed. So he was still in his mood from this morning and clearly prepared to take it out on everyone, meaning she’d be pressed into playing the good cop. Well, if it wasn’t for her, he’d still be sleeping off last night’s alcohol-debauched excursion. She gave him a cold smile. “I think you’ll see we’re right on time, boss, but I’ll surely speed things up if that’s to your liking.” She looked toward Karina. “Let's hope none of this precious cargo gets broken along the way.” She then addressed the group with her back to Ale, raising her voice. “You heard the man. Let’s get this party going. We’ve got magic to make happen today.”
And it was magical. The girls, and the gowns, seemed to float in the air as if on wings of silk. The models looked ethereal, despite the uncomfortable rigging and numerous complaints.
“My ass is going to be ruined in this,” Karina yelled down from where she was rigged between two trees, the sky as her background. A billowing white dress floated around her body in the breeze as her hair went wildly around her head. The dress gave the illusion she was resting on a chiffon cloud. Ale’s vision was genius.
“My dear, your gorgeous little behind will be just fine, and it looks perfect from where I’m standing,” Ale said, camera in hand.
Mika bristled as Brian and another crew guy underneath her, plus those holding the ropes, nodded in agreement.
Karina gave the guys a wide smile— she knew they could see right up her dress. “Well it’s doing nothing for the soreness. I swear, Alejandro, I’d only endure this type of pain for you.”
The innuendo was not lost on anyone as they watched the exchange—least of all, Mika. She knew the game all too well but now it pricked way too deeply. She watched Ale quirk a brow at Karina and steeled her back, fighting to hold her composure.
Ale took a bunch more shots as Karina moved with a fluid grace, making the garment dance around her body. Finally, he gave the sign to let her down, as it was time for another costume change.
Tai had sent up a lunch. Mika, true to habit and her many years on the job, gathered some food for Ale. “Here, you need to eat.” She brought it to the station where he sat clicking through images during the break.
Ale blinked away from the screen and looked up at Mika with dark eyes. He grabbed at the sandwich she brought and took a large bite. “And here I thought you didn’t care.”
She pulled a face. “Don’t start. I’m just doing my job.”
He smirked. “So I can assume you don’t care. You’ll only take care of me if I pay you. Now I understand perfectly. I should have doubled y
our salary years ago.”
Mika’s expression crumbled. “Screw you, Ale. That’s not fair, and you know it.”
“Maybe. But I don’t take too kindly to being tossed aside.”
Mika snorted. “You sure know how to show it. But point taken.” She blinked back the tears she felt pricking at the back of her eyes. Suddenly she was so tired. She knew she couldn’t be like this with him and survive the rest of the shoot. She let out a long breath.
“Truce?” she asked, practically begging him. For what, she didn’t really know.
He blinked, confusion coming to his eyes. But he nodded. “Fine, if that’s what you want. Then sit. I want you to look at these. I really think the work is good. But I want to know what you think.”
“No, Ale,” she protested softly. “You don’t need my opinion. You know what’s good and what’s not. Besides, your work is always beautiful.”
He put a gentle hand on her shoulder, which sent an intense ripple of desire through her body. She fought to push the feeling down. “Sit. I do need your opinion. Always.”
The last word was said close to her ear. Mika could feel Ale’s breath tickle her neck. She sat to keep from visibly shaking. He leaned over her, clicked a few keys on the laptop, bringing images to the screen.
Mika let out a small breath. “These are fantastic. But then you already knew that.”
She reached out to touch the screen, for a moment she placed herself in the tree instead of Karina. Ale reached out, his hand touching hers. She pulled back against the current that went through her as their skin met.
He coughed, clearing his throat. “They’re good, but I wanted you to see them. You can give me your eye and make them better. You always do.”
Mika looked at him, momentarily astounded. She’d never heard Ale voice such compliments out loud. Why would he say this to her now, when he knew she was leaving? Not that it would get her to stay, but it would’ve been nice to hear earlier. Too little, too late.
Through The Lens (Creative Hearts Book 1) Page 14
