by Adele Hart
Chapter 3
Paige
What a jerk! I mean seriously, saying I look like I got caught in a cotton candy machine? How rude is that? It’s basically true, and it is kind of funny, but he shouldn’t have said it. I glance over at his hand as he taps at a button on the dashboard. That is one manly hand leading up one manly, muscley arm, leading to one hell of a manly body. He’s older than me for sure, I can tell in the way his eyes crinkle a bit when he smiles. I’ve never thought about an older man this way, but this guy certainly has me thinking. He’s hot. And probably married or something….
I get back to work on my face, trying to cover the dark circles under my eyes and make myself look presentable. I don’t know what the heck I’m going to do with my hair, but I’ll figure it out. My stomach tightens at the thought of facing everyone in a few minutes. I’ve always been the wild card. The one who’s most likely to screw up, and today is no exception.
Just when I start to apply some eyeliner, the helicopter jerks to the right, causing me to stab myself in the eye. “Ouch. Can you keep it steady? This is harder than it looks.”
We rock again, this time a much bigger bump. When I look up, I gasp. The biggest black clouds I’ve ever seen are bearing down on us.
“Get your seatbelt on. This is gonna get rough,” Mac says, his voice is so calm, I can hardly believe it.
Terrified, I quickly grab at the seatbelt, but I can’t get it to buckle around this ridiculous dress. I tug at it, trying to loosen it as fast as I can. The helicopter jostles me so hard that my makeup case goes flying off my lap and crashes to the floor, eyeshadow and bronzer spilling out everywhere. “Dammit!”
I reach down to try to salvage what I can.
“Never mind that. Get buckled now!” He orders.
“Do you have any idea what all that stuff is worth?”
“If it’s less than your life, leave it!” Mac’s voice is rough now, which tells me I have reason to worry. I fiddle with the belt as best I can until I finally manage to get it on.
Lightning flashes in the sky and the back-end of the helicopter swings wildly from side to side now. I clutch the seat arms with both hands and shut my eyes. “Oh, God!”
I’m suddenly glad I haven’t eaten in over eighteen hours because if I had, I’d definitely be vomiting right now.
“Shit!” Mac says as we start to spin in full circles now. “Mayday! Mayday! This is C1509. I’m in a tailspin and we’re going down. One passenger on board. We’re at latitude thirteen…”
He’s shouting a bunch of numbers into the radio while he tries to wrestle the controls. Tears prick my eyes and I fight to control the sobs building in my chest. I’m about to die. And I’m dressed like a giant peach. I shut my eyes and start to pray, trying to block out the sound of his voice, and the horrible beeping coming from the dashboard. I’m going to die. My sister is going to be so pissed at me for ruining her wedding.
***
I wake up to the sound of pounding rain on metal. My body feels stiff, but I’m alive. I think. I open my eyes and see Mac crouched down in front of me. “There you are. You’ve been out for a few minutes.”
“Am I okay?” I ask.
“Yeah, you look good, anyway. I think you passed out before we landed.”
“Where are we?”
“To be honest, I’m not exactly sure. We were above a string of about twenty cays, and we got blown around so much, I don’t know which one we’re on.
I suddenly notice that he has a gash above his right eyebrow. I sit up in my seat. “You’re bleeding.”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about that. We’ve got bigger problems than a little cut on my face.”
Uh oh, I don’t like the sound of that. “I’m not going to make it to my sister’s wedding, am I?”
“Not unless there’s a miracle, and at the moment, I’d say it’s not looking too good.”
A lump forms in my throat. “I don’t think you understand. I have to get there. Just radio someone, okay? Maybe there’s a boat nearby. They could pick me up and take me, then when the storm stops, you can fly back to St. Lucia.”
He shakes his head and puts his hand on my arm. “Listen, Paige, I need you to stay calm, okay? I can’t radio anyone. We got hit by lightning and my dashboard was fried. Nobody’s going to be out in this storm, anyway.”
“No, but…” Tears blur my vision. “But, we’re so close. We could even be on Lover’s Cay, couldn’t we? Or maybe it’s so close I could swim? I’m a very good swimmer.”
“No, Paige. We had another five minutes to go by air. It’s still a good distance from here.”
“No!” I jam my thumb into my seatbelt buckle and it comes loose on the first try. “No! I’m not going to just sit here. I’m leaving. Just tell me which direction to go, and I’ll get there!”
I reach for the door handle, but Mac stops me. “Don’t open that, you’re just going to get soaked. We’re at least fifty miles away. You’ll never make it. I know this is hard, Paige. I know it’s a lot to take in, but I need you to accept that so we can get on with things.”
“With what?”
“With surviving until someone finds us.”
Surviving? That’s not ever something I have to worry about. It just happens, but apparently not today. I escaped death a few minutes ago, only to be told that we may not survive until we’re found. I nod quickly and when I talk, my voice is a high-pitched whisper. “That’s it. I’m afraid I’m going to fall apart now.”
I burst into loud sobs, my entire body shaking. “What if nobody finds us?”
“Someone will find us, Paige. But even if it takes a few days or weeks even, I can keep you safe and fed.”
“Weeks? I can’t be here for weeks! I need to…” My voice is swept away from me by all the obligations that are waiting for me. My sister. My parents. My job. “I need to get out of here.”
“We will. I promise I’ll get you out of here alive so you can go back to your real life.”
I nod and say okay, even though none of this is okay. We’re stranded and nobody knows where we are, and my sister is getting married in a few minutes and I won’t be there. I’ll miss it and there’s no way to get that moment back. I bury my face in my hands and let the tears flow.
A few moments later, I feel a blanket around my shoulders. It’s scratchy on my bare skin but it’s warm and comforting. “Thank you. I’m sorry. I normally don’t ever cry, but I’m afraid you’ve met me on the worst day of my life.”
“Don’t apologize. You’ve been through a hell of a bad time.” He holds up an energy bar to me, his face softening with kindness. “Here, I heard you tell your mom you hadn’t eaten since yesterday.”
“Shouldn’t we save it? If we’re going to be stuck here?”
“You eat. You need your strength now.” He opens the wrapper and places the bar into my hand. “There’ll be plenty of food to find once the storm passes.”
I nod and take a bite, the chocolate melting in my mouth. This might be the best thing I’ve ever tasted, and it has everything to do with how hungry I am. Mac smiles at me then disappears into the back.
I turn and watch as he folds down the back seats until they’re flat single beds. He opens a small chest and takes out some sheets and blankets, then makes the beds.
“Isn’t a little early to go to sleep?” I ask.
“Time doesn’t matter right now. You’ve been through a lot. You should rest.”
My shoulders slump down and I realize that I am way past exhausted. Sleep suddenly sounds so appealing to me, if only to escape this horrible day. “Okay, yeah, maybe I should rest.”
I crawl to the back, too tired to care that I’m in my stupid bridesmaid’s dress. When I lay down, Mac covers me up to my shoulders and stares at me for a second. “Get some rest.”
And that’s exactly what I do.
Chapter 4
Mac
I grab the latest Clive Cussler book from the cockpit and make my way to th
e back. I always have a book on the go since a lot of my time is spent waiting for clients to explore beaches and snorkel. I lay down and read for a few minutes, trying to ignore the trouble we’re in, but it’s no use. This is bad. Very bad. Not only is my helicopter toast, my jeep is parked on the tarmac at the airport, so I’m going to be in some big shit when I get back. If I get back, I suppose... I also am stranded with a very fragile young woman who is literally the last person I want to be stuck with. She’s irritating and emotional and irrational and…and really pretty.
Soon, I hear Paige’s breathing grow heavy and I know she’s asleep. I take the opportunity to watch her for a moment. That’s a face I could get used to waking up to every morning. But, that’s just a crazy thought brought on by the accident. I probably have a concussion because I never let thoughts like that pop into my mind. I’m a permanent bachelor and there is not a woman on the planet who could convince me to give that up.
The sound of the rain soon causes my eyelids to grow heavy. I drift off to sleep, managing to get in that nap that I wanted earlier. When I wake, the storm has passed and the sun is shining again. It’s low in the sky, which means it must be close to dinner time. I sit up and rub my eyes a little. Paige stirs, then turns over and starts snoring. Not a loud sound, just a light snore that’s somehow cute.
Shit. I’m in trouble if I’m thinking her snoring is cute. I get up, trying to be as quiet as I can as I open the door and step out onto the beach. I inspect the damage to the outside of my helicopter and see the landing skids are pretty much shot. I knew as soon as we crashed, but until I saw it for myself, I held out a shred of hope anyway. Son of a bitch. That means that even if I could fix the controls, I’d never be able to land.
I get my flare gun, my fishing gear, and my picnic pack out of the cargo hold, and set myself up on a big rock next to the sea. I cast out wide and keep my eyes out for a plane or boat, but see nothing. It takes me almost to sundown to catch a fish. By the time I build a fire and get it cooking, I hear a sound from inside the helicopter. “Mac?!”
I jump up and jog over, opening the door. “I’m here.”
She looks down at me and her shoulders drop. “I thought maybe you left me.”
“No, just making a little dinner. Come on out when you’re ready to eat.”
“I should just change out of this dress. Can you get my suitcase for me?”
I wince. “The suitcases are gone.”
“What do you mean, gone?”
“I had to dump them when I was trying to regain control.”
“What?” Her face falls. “But all I have is this dress.”
“If I hadn’t, we’d both be dead. Besides, you’ve got your clothes you were wearing before.
She nods and starts blinking fast again. Shit. She’s going to cry again.
“I know your other clothes are dirty. After the storm ends, we can find a way to wash them, okay?”
Paige turns her head to face out the window. “I’m going to need a minute I think.”
“Everything can be replaced, Paige. Besides, at least you have that massive makeup kit.” My attempt at humor lands with a thud. She glares at me, then turns away again.
“I’ll go check on dinner.” With that, I walk back over to the campfire, leaving her to scowl at me.
***
When Paige finally comes out, she practically falls, her dress clearly impeding her agility. She fills her arms with the puffy skirt and lifts it as she crosses the sand in my direction. I watch, totally amused, as she raises her chin like a debutante on a dance floor instead of a shipwrecked mess.
She sits daintily on the driftwood log next to me and clears her throat. “You have plates and cups?”
“I make it a habit to fly with everything I need.””
I hand her a plate with a pile of flaky, white fish on it. “I’m afraid it’s not gourmet but it’ll keep you going.”
“Thank you, Mr. Gamble.” She picks up a piece with her fingers before I have a chance to hand her a fork. “Ah! That’s hot.”
I hold a fork up to her.
“Oh, I thought we were going full Survivor.” Her cheeks color a bit.
I chuckle and hand her a bottle of water. “I like to keep things civilized, even when I’m stranded.”
“Stranded.” Her voice wavers.
“Not stranded. Just staying here for a bit. Wherever this is…We’ll be found soon. Don’t worry.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because your mother knows you were on the way. I’m sure she’s sent out the Coast Guard by now.”
Paige shakes her head. “No, she won’t call.”
“Sure she will.”
“She’ll assume I was lying.”
I cock my head to the side. “Why would she assume that?”
“Because I always seem to run into trouble like this. After a while, it’s natural for people to assume you’re just making stuff up.”
“You’ve been stranded before?”
“Not like this, but there’s always something. My boss is what you’d call demanding, so a lot of times when I try to make it home for things, I end up missing important family stuff.”
“Must be one hell of a great job if you’re willing to miss out on your life for it.”
“Not really. I’m a real estate assistant, but I work in Manhattan, so eventually, it’ll pay off.”
“How eventually?”
“I have a ten-year plan. Should have me in the millionaire’s club by the time I’m thirty-four.”
“A ten-year plan…well, there you go.”
Paige narrows her eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. It’s smart to have a plan, it’s just that a lot of people let their lives pass by while they’re so busy working on their ten-year plans.”
“I take it you’re a go-with-the-flow kind of guy.”
“Yup. I go where the wind takes me.”
“Like today?”
I chuckle. “Today’s an exception.”
By the time we’re done eating, the sky is pitch black with only the bright moon and the flickering light of the fire to see by. Paige stares up at the sky for a long time. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many stars before.”
“It’s amazing, isn’t it?”
“Makes me feel small.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Yes.”
“When I look up at the stars, it reminds me that my problems are small.”
“Even tonight, when your helicopter is dead and you’re stuck out here with me?”
“There are worse people I could be stuck with.”
“Like who?”
“Your boss sounds like an asshole, so I doubt I’d last too long with him…”
Paige laughs, a big belly laugh, the sweet sound filling the air.
We sit and talk for a long time until the fire goes out. The breeze picks up and I can smell that it’s bringing more rain. Standing up, I hold my hand out to her. “Time for bed.”
Her mouth drops open. “What?”
“Not like that. It’s going to rain again. We should get inside.”
She takes my hand and I help her up, trying like hell not to notice the current running through me from her touch. Her palm is so soft against mine that it makes me want to touch the rest of her, just so I can see what she feels like. I stare down at her in the inky moonlight and feel a surge of desire. I want to kiss her like I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone before. I want to kiss every inch of her, all night long until the sun comes back up.
I shake my head and turn toward the helicopter. It takes a second to realize she’s trying to lift the hem of that huge dress with one hand.
“Need some help?”
“I just don’t want to get my dress dirty, in case…” Her voice trails off.
“In case they waited for you.” My heart aches for her, for the trouble she’s had and for what she’s missed out on.
“Stupid,
right?”
“No. It’s always good to hold onto hope. Let’s see if we can keep that dress clean.” I let go of her hand and step toward her, then pick her up under her knees and carry her to the helicopter. Paige gasps a little, then she wraps her arms around my neck and sinks into my chest. The feeling of holding her like this is like nothing I’ve felt before. It just feels…right.
When we get back inside, it takes me a minute to collect my thoughts. My cock is aching to be inside her and I have to tell myself to calm down because that is never going to happen. She’s my client. Nothing more. Plus, she’s way too young for me.
I dig around in my bag and pull out a clean t-shirt. “Here, in case you want to change for bed.”
Paige takes it from me, her fingertips brushing against my hand. “Thank you, Mr. Gamble. I think I will.”
“Call me Mac, okay?” I turn around to face the outside window.
“Okay. No peeking, Mac.”
“It’s so dark, I doubt I’d see anything anyway.”
“As if. I’m pretty sure you have some type of super x-ray man vision to see naked breasts even in the pitch dark.”
“I wish.” I plant my hands on my hips, trying not to think about her naked breasts because just the mention of it makes me hard as a rock.
I listen to the rustling sound her dress makes and then after a couple of minutes, she says, “Okay. It’s safe to turn around.”
When I do, I see she’s tucked in her bed with her blanket up to her neck. Damn. For a brief moment, I hoped she’d be on top of the covers in nothing but my t-shirt. Or better yet, nothing at all.
I climb into my bed and turn to face her.
“Good night, Paige.”
“Good night, Mac.”
She closes her eyes and I lay wide awake for a few minutes, just watching her. Then, suddenly, she says, “Mac?”
