“Aren’t you going to look at them?” Billy asked.
Carter sighed. “Not yet. I hope you understand.”
“Ahhh, no, not really.” Billy was gruff with his response.
“Leave him alone, Billy.” Lily came to his defense, and when he turned to her, their eyes met. Her intensity indicated she understood his reluctance, and if it was even possible, he loved her even more.
“Hey, guys, can you tell the nurses Carter’s awake?”
“Yeah, sure.” Billy nodded at his sister and the two brothers eased away from the beds.
“Oh, and tell them I’m starving.” Carter couldn’t ignore the roast chicken aroma a moment more.
“Me too.” Lily grinned.
“You’re always starving.”
She reached for his hand again. “I told you I have a bottomless stomach.”
He wove his fingers into hers, and slotting their palms together had his pulse racing. Their connection wasn’t just physical, though; Lily had truly touched his soul.
He was in love.
Their gazes met and he wondered what she was thinking.
She’d had two days to rethink their situation.
He just hoped this wouldn’t be the last time he lost himself in her stunning blue eyes.
Chapter 26
Four days after they’d stumbled from the jungle, Lily and Carter were discharged from the hospital. Lily’s feet still hurt, but the pain was bearable. The scabs and blisters on her hands looked hideous, as did the dozens of mosquito bites dotting her body like a disease.
But she didn’t care.
She was alive and so was Carter.
That in itself was a miracle.
She glanced down at his shorts and giggled. The blue pants were knee length and were covered in bananas, some whole and some half peeled. His multicolored shirt added to the spectacle. Billy must’ve gone out of his way to find the ugliest clothing for Carter.
“What?” Carter rolled his eyes.
“Nice pants.”
He huffed. “Your brother has a mean sense of humor.”
“And he’s the nice one.”
They walked hand in hand out of the hospital, and Lily’s brothers met them out front in a red Dodge Nitro they’d hired more than a week ago. She didn’t miss the look of worry on their faces. They’d both expressed their concern over her relationship with him.
When she’d told them about her feelings for Carter, he’d been asleep in the bed beside her. As they’d alternated their glances from her to Carter, she’d had to admit, Carter looked as scruffy as some of the homeless people on the streets of Seattle. But they didn’t know Carter like she did. Hell, she didn’t even know him very well.
But she did know she wanted to learn everything about him.
It took her three days to convince her brothers that she’d be all right and they could go home. Now, walking to the car, she just hoped they’d kept good on their promise and booked their flights for today.
Carter opened the car door for her, she climbed in and he shut the door. When he wriggled onto the seat beside her, she had a flashback to the first time they’d been in a car together. It was difficult to believe how much her impression of him had changed since then.
“Where’re we going?” Carter rubbed his hands together.
Danny put the car into gear and accelerated away from the curb.
“To your hotel. We’ve booked you two rooms.”
“Thank you.” Lily stifled a grin. They wouldn’t be needing two rooms. Carter wriggled his eyebrows, and by his cheeky grin she figured he was thinking the same.
Billy twisted to look at her in the back seat. “We’ve paid your hotel for a week’s stay. Your replacement passport should be here by then.”
“Oh. Okay.” Although she’d rescued her passport from the drug runners, the water damage had rendered it useless. But replacing it was the last thing on her mind.
“We’ve also arranged a cell phone so you can call us anytime.” Billy handed a box over to her.
“Thanks.”
Billy twisted back to the front.
Lily turned her attention out the window and was surprised to see the ocean. “Where are we?”
“Tequila Bay,” Billy said.
“It’s beautiful.” Lily couldn’t remember the last time she was at the beach. At least a decade or more. She wound down the window and breathed the fresh ocean scent. Small waves crashed into the shore and a flock of seagulls squawked overhead. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply.
She’d never felt so alive in her whole life.
Ten minutes later, Danny pulled the car onto a stamped concrete driveway. He parked in the shade, and the four of them climbed out. Her brothers led the way, bypassing reception and heading straight for the elevator. They hopped in and Billy pressed the buttons for the second and the fourth floor.
Billy handed a room card to Carter. “You’re in room 207.”
“Cheers, thanks for organizing this. I can’t wait to have a proper shower.”
The elevator pinged open and after a fleeting glance at her, Carter stepped out and the doors closed.
“You could be a bit nicer to him, you know.”
“You barely know him, Lily.” Her older brother glared down at her.
“I know he saved my life.”
The elevator doors reopened and she followed Billy down the breezy corridor. “What you’ve been through has made you—”
“You guys have no idea what I’ve been through. That man saved me in more ways than you’ll ever know.”
Billy pushed on the door to her room. She strode into the open space, walked straight to the large double glass doors beyond the lounge, and opened them. Stepping outside, she clutched the railing and a gentle breeze drifted up from the ocean, embracing her.
Billy and Danny flanked her and hooked their arms across her shoulders. Side by side the three of them looked out to sea.
“I really like Carter.”
“We know, but we’re worried about you,” Billy said.
“I’ve just survived a week lost in the jungle. I think you can stop worrying.”
“We’re your older brothers; that’s what we do,” Danny said.
She squeezed their waists. “I know. But this is my decision. Go home to Mom. Please. I promise I’ll call you every day.”
Billy tried to tickle her waist. “Promise.”
Giggling, she ducked away. “Yes, I promise.”
“Are you ready to call Mom now?” Danny asked.
She sighed. “I guess so.” The moment Lily woke up in the hospital she’d called her mother. But she hadn’t told her the full story. She wanted to wait until she felt human again. It didn’t feel right doing it over the phone, but she had no idea how long it’d be before she returned.
It was time.
Her mom answered after the third ring. The dark cloud of mourning still dampened her usual chirpy voice.
Lily answered her mother’s questions about her health and waited until there was a pause in the conversation. “Hey, Mom, there’s something I need to tell you. It’s about Dad.”
Her mother’s breath hitched. “Go on.” Lily could picture her mother’s trembling hand hovering near her mouth, ready to choke back tears.
With her mother on speakerphone so her brothers could listen, Lily told her all about what happened to her father’s first wife and child. Lily’s heart broke at the sound of her mother sobbing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Danny wipe a tear off his cheek.
Her mother and brothers were skeptical, as they had every right to be, and asked dozens of questions. Most of which she had answers to. Even though it was extraordinary, Lily believed it was true. Her only hope was that Carter’s photos survived to reinforce the story.
H
er mother’s sadness switched to anger as she asked why her husband had chosen to keep such an important aspect of his life a secret.
They went around in circles over this question, with the four of them tossing out suggestions, but unfortunately, they realized they’d never find the answer.
Saying goodbye to her mom was hard, and Lily felt physically drained by the time she ended the call.
* * * *
Her brothers spent the next two hours going over the story again. Their faces confirmed how unbelievable it was. Their time to leave arrived and they turned their attention to ensuring Lily had documented all the details about her passport replacement, emergency contacts, and how to use her new phone. It was after lunch when they finally said their goodbyes.
Danny gave her a handful of pesos and kissed her forehead. “Be careful, baby sis.”
“I will.”
Finally alone, Lily sat on the bed, picked up the hotel phone and dialed room 207. Carter answered on the second ring.
“How was your shower?” she asked.
“The best, and you?”
“I haven’t yet. It’s taken me this long to get rid of my brothers.”
He laughed. “Okay, take your time. I’ve got to sort out some money and my passport, so how about I meet you in one of those deck chairs on the beach at say three o’clock?”
She sighed. “Sounds perfect.”
After hanging up, she stripped out of the colorful dress Billy had bought her to wear from the hospital and headed for the shower. The warm cascade was a slice of heaven, and she took her time washing her hair, scrubbing her nails, and shaving her legs.
Feeling like a new woman, she made her way downstairs and headed for the resort-wear shop she’d spied on the way in. Twenty minutes later, she headed back up to her room with a new bikini, a sarong, glasses, a big floppy hat, and another dress.
Just before three o’clock, she made her way back down to the lobby, and passing through reception, the front page of the only English-language newspaper caught her eye. A small photo in the bottom corner of the Herald showed a coffin being lowered into the ground. A crowd of mourners surrounded the coffin and despite her obvious distress, Lily recognized Renata among them.
Overlaid in the top corner were two pictures of her. One she recognized as her staff photo at More to Explore, and the other must’ve been taken while she was in the hospital, though she couldn’t recall when.
Lily bought the paper and strolled across the terracotta lobby. She stepped down onto the sand, made her way to the water’s edge, and slipped onto a padded deck chair beneath a thatched umbrella. Tequila Bay was a giant horseshoe-shaped beach with golden sand and small waves that crashed delicately onto the shore. Several hotels dotted the shoreline, but it still retained a quaint, untouched feel about it. It was peaceful and therapeutic—exactly what she needed.
After a long moment admiring the exquisite view, she removed her sarong, adjusted her bikini, and lifted the paper onto her lap.
A lump formed in her throat as she read of Otomi’s burial in the plot next to his father. Yet, as sad as it was, it was also comforting to know his dying wish had been honored.
Lily turned the page to a picture of a police officer handing a rooster to a woman who looked like a thinner version of Renata. Her expression was a baffling mix of grief and relief, and it made that stupid dash to rescue the bird all worthwhile.
The next five pages detailed raids on marijuana plantations and the subsequent arrest of sixteen men. There was a brief mention of attempted murder and how a renowned photojournalist from National Geographic had been shot in the hip while trying to escape the gunmen. She chuckled at an entire column dedicated to Lily’s surgical skills and why cauterizing wounds could be dangerous.
A man carrying two red cocktails, with small umbrellas and sliced pineapple balancing on the brim, sat beside her. She lowered the paper. “I’m sorry this seat is—”
Her jaw dropped. “Carter?”
The man at her side was freshly shaven, showing off a couple of dimples that punctuated his cheeks, and after a moment’s pause a cheeky smile lit up his face. “Yep. That’s me.” His delightful manly scent drifted over her.
She blinked, trying to take all of him in. His hair was cut short, with several curls bouncing about his forehead and around his ears. He had distinct cheekbones and a strong chin and his features were perfectly symmetrical.
“I, ummm . . .” Lily was lost for words, and when he licked his lips, butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Carter was more handsome than she ever could’ve imagined. But even as she studied his striking features, she knew this man was so much more than just good looks. Carter had the courage of a lion, the compassion of a true friend, and a wicked sense of humor. And she had every intention of learning everything else there was to know about him.
He handed her the cocktail, and in an attempt to absorb every inch of his exquisite features, she sipped on the sweet liquid while she admired him.
He drank some of his drink, then set the glass on the table at his far side and held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Carter Logan.”
Giggling, she put her glass down too. When their palms met, her stomach did a little happy dance. “Hello, Carter. I’m Lily Bennett.”
A cheeky expression dazzled his eyes. “It’s lovely to meet you, Tiger Lily.” He pulled her onto him.
Squealing, she straddled his hips and poked his chest. “My name is Lily. Just Lily.”
“I know, but Tiger Lily suits you. Brave and beautiful.” He reached up, curled his hands around her neck, and guided her lips to his. She melted into his touch and savored a realm of new sensations, his exquisite manly scent, his minty breath, his clean-shaven face. It was a long moment before she eased back and looked into his inquisitive eyes.
His warm hands glided up her bare thighs. “So, what do we do now?”
She frowned. “Now . . . as in right now?”
“No. As in once we leave here and go back to our lives, our jobs.”
“Well, we don’t have to worry about my job. I quit a few days ago, before you woke up in the hospital.”
“You did?” His brows thumped together.
“Yeah, my asshole boss was shitty at me because I wouldn’t give him an exclusive to our story. I told him to make a bid for it, like Sixty Minutes had.”
“You sold the story? I didn’t know that.”
“Sure did.” She grinned. “A hundred thousand dollars should make its way to Otomi’s widow in the next day or so.”
He huffed. “Wow. Well done. So rescuing the bird wasn’t enough, hey?”
She crinkled her nose. “Nope.”
Carter sighed and paused with his hands on her knees. “Lily, you know I can’t go to America, remember?”
“I know.” She curled her lip into her mouth. “I guess I’ll just have to come and explore the world with you instead.”
His eyes sparkled. “But what about your family and your home?”
“I always hated my apartment, and my family will be happy just knowing I’m happy. Besides, wherever we go, they can come visit.”
He blinked at her with a glorious smile. “Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life.” It was true. Fate had brought them together, and she had every intention of keeping them that way.
He pulled her down to him and when their mouths met, the little butterflies dancing in her stomach fluttered through her body.
Lily had found more than she’d hoped for in the Mexican jungle . . . she’d found the man of her dreams.
Acknowledgments
To my wonderful husband, thank you for believing in me.
To my sons, Jordan and Alex, may you always sail your own ship.
To my sister and mother, who provide endless encouragement.
To my father and stepfather, may you both rest in peace.
To my girlfriends and our long lunches where we solve all the problems of the world.
To my writing buddies who provide inspiration, support, and brutally honest feedback.
To my readers, thank you for making this dream a reality. I hope your wishes come true too.
Thank you all. MWAHHH.
Be brave enough to believe in the impossible.
Out of Mind
Keep reading for a sneak peek
At the next hot adventure in
The Maximum Exposure series
A love frozen in time . . .
Holly knew the romantic helicopter ride up to the remote peak of Whisky Mountain was a bad idea. But she never expected it to snatch her fiancé from her—or destroy her life. A few fiery seconds turn a postcard-perfect morning in the Canadian Rockies into a snowy hell, thirteen thousand feet above sea level. And in the midst of grief and agony, Holly catches sight of a scene in the ice that will haunt her until she can return and discover the truth.
Oliver Nelson could see the stranger had a mystery inside her. The scars on her face, the pain in her eyes, the insistence that he teach her completely alone—no one needs to learn rock climbing, or so he thought. But the more he gets to know her, the more he admires her drive, her ingenuity, and that little edge of recklessness. If she can trust him with her story, he’s ready to follow her wherever her heart takes her.
But nature’s deadly beauty isn’t the only danger waiting for them on Whisky Mountain. To survive, Oliver and Holly will have to move fast—and think faster . . .
Coming soon from
Kendall Talbot
And
Lyrical Liaison
Chapter 1
From the moment Holly climbed into the helicopter, a sense of foreboding plagued every thought. Three times in her life she’d had premonitions about death. Each time it’d come true. But she wouldn’t say anything. Not when her new fiancé, Milton, had paid so much money for this exclusive trip. And especially not when he’d looked like an excited teenager when he’d first spied the chopper at the ski resort. Holly forced herself to focus on the mountain scenery around her, rather than the tendrils of dread inching up her spine.
Out of Reach Page 30
