by Jessica Gray
“She no longer lives here,” the woman said, thin-lipped.
“Oh. Would you by any chance know where she lives now? She worked for me and I came to give her the job reference,” River lied, waving some papers in his hand.
“No. I wouldn’t know. She didn’t pay her rent and I kicked her out.”
She didn’t pay her rent? That doesn’t sound like Pippa. “When did this happen?”
“About a week ago,” the lady spat. “Unless you’re here to pay me my money, you should leave now.”
“I’m sorry to disturb you,” River said, retreating. There was no joking around with those Aruban landladies. He left for the town center, walking, and piece by piece, the puzzle came together in his mind. Pippa had lost her room before he’d hired her, and since she’d been on the boat for the last week, she hadn’t had the time to secure other lodgings.
Why didn’t she say something? Anger reared its ugly head, but was soon displaced by worry. He decided to ask at the usual backpacker places for her, maybe someone had seen her. But soon enough he found out, that the island was packed with festival goers and there were no vacant rooms to be had – anywhere.
It was already early evening when he wanted to call it quits. But first he would get something to eat in one of the town’s delicious seafood places. But today he couldn’t enjoy the meal, because his mind was filled with worry about Pippa.
He’d just finished his meal and was waiting for a strong coffee, when his cell phone rang. He glanced at the caller I.D., saw that it was Joe, and let it go to voicemail. Joe probably wondered why he hadn’t passed by Crazy Drinks for a cold beer, like he normally did after returning from a cruise.
But River wasn’t in the mood for goofing around with his friend. The last thing he wanted to witness was Joe flirting with every available female in sight while his girlfriend slept at their apartment, thinking he was still at work.
He pocketed the phone, drank his coffee and then walked back to the marina. When he reached the entrance, his phone beeped again, indicating a text message. Fuck. Can’t everyone just leave me in peace?
River pulled his phone from his pocket and swiped his finger across the screen to read the message from Joe.
Answer the phone, asshole! This is an emergency!
River frowned and then pressed the green call button. “Joe? I got your message. What’s up?”
“It’s about time you called. That cute chick you were so fond of is getting completely wasted in my bar.”
“Pippa? Is at Crazy Drinks?”
“Yes, Pippa or whatever her name is. Look, she’s about to leave with a bunch of hungry guys and will end up in serious trouble if somebody doesn’t save her from herself.”
“You sure it’s her?”
“Ha… do you think I would forget that ass? You comin’ or what? Those guys with her are serious shit.”
“On my way.” River hung up and raced for the beach. He arrived just in time to see four guys helping Pippa stagger down the ramp of the bar. Joe called after them, through the crowd of other guests he had to attend to.
River planted himself in the middle of the ramp and crossed his arms over his chest. “And just where do you all think you’re going?”
“What’s it to you?” the one nearest to him answered.
“She is. Run along and find someone who isn’t completely wasted to play with.”
Another guy came to stand shoulder to shoulder with the first. “Get lost, asshole. We like this girl just fine, and she wants some fun.” He slapped Pippa’s butt and she gave a silly giggle. “See? We’re not anywhere close to ending this party right now. “
“Back off and let go of her. The only place she’s going is with me.” River growled and took a step forward to grab Pippa. The next moment a hard punch hit his jaw and River struggled to keep his feet beneath him. He crouched low and tackled the man around his middle, ready to throw him down.
“Hey! I’m going to call the police,” Joe yelled from behind the bar.
River ignored Joe and rolled across the sand with one of the guys, his fists pummeling into him, when someone grabbed him from behind. Apparently, the guy’s friends came to his aid, knocking their fists into River’s kidneys.
“Ouch!” River yelped at the impact, and rolled onto his back, ready to take on the second attacker. But thankfully, just as he prepared his defense, Joe appeared from behind the bar, a baseball bat in his hand.
“Stop! Or I call the police,” Joe shouted at the fighting men.
It was an idle threat, because anyone living on Aruba knew nothing would happen until morning. The tourists, however, feared a premature end to their vacation and scattered like mice.
“There’s plenty of ass on the beach,” one of the guys said and ordered his friends to leave.
River watched them leave and dusted off his hands. “Thanks, man. I’ll take it from here.”
“Anytime,” Joe answered. “Let them find a girl who’s sober enough to know what she’s doing. That one…” he pointed to Pippa leaning against the railing, ready to fall over, “…she’s done for. Might be wise to empty her stomach before long.”
River nodded and slung an arm around Pippa’s waist. When he attempted to pull her upright, her knees almost buckled. “Easy there. Pippa, look at me.” She finally lifted her head and he smoothed her hair back. “There you are. I need you to walk for me, okay?”
“Trying to forget you.” Pippa leaned against him and tried to touch his face, but her aim was several feet off.
Trying to forget you.
River didn’t answer, not wanting to consider the implications of that admission right now. Joe brought him her backpack and he slipped it over his shoulders, “Come on. Let’s get you back to the boat.”
He steered her down the beach, past the guard at the marina, and then guided her down the pier until they reached the Moana. He tossed her backpack up onto the deck, and then turned to lift her aboard, only to find her lunging for the side of the wooden dock and vomiting the contents of her stomach into the ocean below.
He grabbed her shoulders and held back her beautiful long hair, afraid she’d tip headfirst off the dock. Once she was finished, he helped her to her feet and then swept her up in his arms to carry her onto his boat. She snuggled against his chest, brushing her fingers across his bearded jaw and murmuring, “It can’t be you, River.”
He took her to his cabin, helped her rinse her mouth out and then wiped her off as best as he could. When that still didn’t get her clean, he gently undressed her and put her beneath the warm shower, before he rubbed her dry with a soft towel and then covered her up with her panties and one of his t-shirts that almost reached to her knees.
She felt light like a feather when carried her across his room and tucked her into his bed. She fell asleep almost before her head hit the pillow. River returned to the bathroom to wash her clothes and take a shower himself, but left the door open, in case Pippa called out in her sleep.
Only when he returned to his cabin to slip under the covers beside her, did he become aware that he needed to put something on. He couldn’t very well sleep naked the way he used to beside a woman who probably hadn’t even noticed that she was in his bed.
River pulled on boxers and a t-shirt, checked Pippa’s breathing, and then slipped into the bed beside her. He lay awake for a long time crouched at the edge of the mattress, listening to her inhales.
She tossed and turned, talking incoherently and every time one of her limbs accidentally touched him, the fire of desire seared in his body. He was just a man made of flesh and not stone, even though parts of his body seemed to be harder than granite.
He should get up and sleep somewhere else, but he didn’t dare leave her alone, in case she vomited again. So he lay in the corner of his huge bed until sleep finally claimed him.
Chapter 24
Pippa woke in the morning, her head pounding like a jackhammer. She opened her eyes a sliver just to shut them again
at the glaring sunlight. Her mouth tasted like it’d been stuffed with a dirty gym sock, and her eyes felt like she’d had sand poured into them. She rolled over, her stomach rebelling as did the rest of her body. Despite the thousand tiny knives being stabbed into her head and body, she managed to push herself up to a sitting position, holding her head between her hands.
Then she cracked her eyelids open again and after blinking several times, a new sense of bewilderment filled her brain. If her limbs had obeyed her, she would have bolted out of the room. She recognized – nothing. Dark walnut paneling encased the walls and the ceiling. A small sitting area and a desk strewn with papers occupied the far side of the small room, but none of it looked familiar.
Ohmygod, did I sleep with a stranger?
Her heart rate sped up and she could feel sweat forming on her forehead and neck. Nausea assailed her and she slid her feet to the floor and attempted to stand up. The room spun and she grabbed at the nearest wall for support. “Hello?”
No one answered, and she stumbled and half-crawled toward the doorway, only to find the bathroom and not the exit to the room. She made use of the facilities before pulling herself upright in front of the small vanity mirror. She didn’t even recognize her own reflection. Her makeup was smeared under her eyes, her hair was a tangled mess and looked as if it had been wet and not properly combed out. She wore her own panties, but the oversized t-shirt hanging to her knees definitely belonged to a man.
God, someone undressed me! What did I do last night that I don’t remember?
It was hard to focus with the pounding in her head, but she did her best to re-create the night before. There was the beach bar and plenty of drinks. Two, three, or more? She’d lost count. Oh yes, she’d gone there to forget about her dire situation and about River. Most of all about River.
He would like this place. It’s so him. Pippa thought as she staggered back into the bedroom. Then it came rushing back to her, a group of guys buying her alcohol and flirting with her. There had been four…no, five of them.
She flopped stomach first onto the bed, prepared to chop off her head if that would make the pounding go away.
I don’t remember leaving the bar. Oh my god! I didn’t leave with all of those guys, did I?
A hot flush covered her entire body and after wallowing in shame for a few moments she decided to face whatever had happened and got up again. She spied the other doorway and made for it, without giving further thought about her lack of proper clothing.
The floor swayed and her equilibrium faltered. She grabbed onto the doorjamb to keep from falling over, fighting to get upright again. Then the door flung open and her balance wavered once more. She bumped her head on the door and briefly closed her eyes as she moved forward.
Her befuddled brain didn’t register anything except the narrow staircase up ahead. Thankful for the railing on both sides – who put a railing on their stairs? – she grabbed them with both hands and hauled herself up. When she reached the top of the stairs she paused for a moment to rub the bump forming on her head.
Then she entered the main salon and walked straight into the one man she’d been trying to drink off her mind. I’m on the Moana. Holy lord, what happened last night?
She blushed beet red and could only stand there, acutely aware that she was wearing his t-shirt and not much else.
Chapter 25
River had fled his cabin hours ago, away from the woman who occupied his thoughts and feelings. He’d resisted the temptation to go and check on Pippa, when suddenly she stood right in front of him in all her hungover gorgeousness.
His eyes soaked in her appearance, the way she still stirred pulsing desire in him, despite her deranged state. He acutely remembered all the details of her body, when he’d given her a shower last night and his arousal became almost unbearable.
She looked so tiny in his shirt that fell off one shoulder, revealing the creamy skin beneath. He wanted to swoop her up in his arms, press her against his chest and taste her soft skin. But when he met her eyes, she flushed and looked away.
“Can I get you some breakfast?” River asked, intent on not making her feel even worse than she undoubtedly already did.
Pippa swallowed and then met his gaze. “What happened last night?”
“You don’t remember?” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders when the boat bobbed and she swayed on her feet. “The water is a little choppy this morning, even inside the marina. Come sit down before you fall.”
Pippa nodded and allowed him to lead her over to one of the couches. “Thanks.”
“You were at Crazy Drinks getting drunk. Some guys were hitting on you and buying you more alcohol.”
“I remember that part, but I don’t remember leaving the bar.” Her voice was a mere whisper and her eyes revealed the anxiety about what he might say next.
“Be glad the bar keeper was a friend of mine. He recognized you from the day I hired you and called me when it looked like you were in over your head. I arrived just as the guys were trying to take you back to their hotel room.”
“Oh god! Thank you for coming to get me. I’m not normally…in fact, I’ve never done anything like that before. Getting drunk, while alone in a strange bar, is not my usual behavior.”
“I know that. No worries.” Her discomfort hurt his soul and he wanted desperately to make her feel better. “Let’s get some food in your stomach and some painkillers. You’ve got to have one helluva headache.”
“Yes.” Pippa grimaced as she gave him a nod and touched her head in pain. He was already on his way to the galley, when he heard her say, “Wait.”
“What?” He turned around to watch her.
Pippa bit her lip and then directed her gaze to the floor. “Last night…did we…I mean, it’s obvious you changed my clothing…”
“And gave you a shower,” he added, the little devil inside him enjoying the way her skin flushed with embarrassment.
I want to see her flush with desire. For me.
Pippa’s shoulders slumped and she looked like she was trying to disappear into the floor.
“Pippa?” he asked, waiting for her to look at him. When she didn’t, he squatted down in front of her. “Hey, look at me.” She finally raised her chin and he held her gaze. “Nothing happened last night. You got sick over the side of the dock and I cleaned you up and put you to bed. Not that I didn’t want more to happen, believe me I did.” He gave her a charming grin. “But I’m not in the habit of taking advantage of drunk females. I like my women to remember every detail of our encounters.”
Relief flooded her eyes, and she tried to push up from the couch. “I have to go.”
“Where?”
“I need…” Her eyes darted around the room as if searching for something.
“Pippa, where do you have to go?”
“I…,” tears filled her eyes and her shoulders slumped again, “I don’t know. I don’t have any place to go.”
River crossed to her and touched her shoulder. “Then stay here. Please. You can have your old cabin back if you like, you don’t have to stay in mine. I only put you there last night because it was more comfortable and I wanted to be able to watch over you in case you got sick again during the night.” And because I wanted you to be near me. Sense your presence. Protect you. Love you.
“That’s a generous offer, but I can’t accept it.”
“Why not?”
“Because…because…” Her frame shook with violent sobs as his heart shattered into a million pieces.
“Shush, baby. Everything will be fine.” River soothed her with the same words his mother had so often used on him when he was still a kid.
“Nothing will be fine. Ever! You and me…I’ve fallen so hard for you, more than ever before in my life.”
“But that’s a good thing, isn’t it? Because I feel the same for you,” River said, his heart filling with joy at her confession. If he could get her to admit how much she wanted him, he could find another
crack in her armor.
“No, it’s not a good thing. This…we…this cannot be. You’re much better off without me. I would only burden you and you’ll start resenting me. You need a woman who wants to live with you on your boat. Not someone like me with nothing more than a broken existence.”
“I can’t imagine being better off without you, baby. In fact I can’t even imagine existing without you. I need you as much as I need air to breathe.” His words surprised him, this kind of poetic talk not his normal modus operandi. But where Pippa was concerned, nothing was normal.
Her eyes widened. “No…no…believe me you’re better off with someone else.”
“Don’t you think that should be my decision, not yours? And I’m pretty confident that I want you. Only you.”
Chapter 26
Pippa’s body and heart begged her mind to relent. By now she knew she loved him, and he probably loved her, which was the very reason why she wanted him to find someone better suited. Not a woman afraid of deep water.
A woman he could share his love for diving with, a woman he could take down to explore the beautiful underwater world with him. A slight shiver ran down her spine at the thought. It wasn’t the ghastly panic she’d felt just a week ago, but her fear was mixed with a sense of thrill.
With him by her side…she just might…no.
“Okay. I’ll stay. But only until the love festival is over and I find a room in one of the hostels. And in my own cabin.”
“It’s a deal. Now, how about some breakfast?” River’s face reflected a battle of relief and disappointment and she had to bite back a laugh. His expressions read like an open book.
“Sounds good, but first, I’d like to take a shower and to brush my teeth.”
River chuckled. “I bet you do. Your backpack is in the corner over there. I’ll carry it downstairs for you.” He grabbed it and amidst her protests, he carried it down the stairs and dutifully set it on the bed in her own cabin. “I’ll go get breakfast started. Take your time.”
“I’m not keeping you from anything, am I?”
