by Jane Jamison
Anthony all but growled at his cousin. “Like we told you before, we don’t have a plane. He’s talking about a stupid video game we play.”
“Oh.” She should’ve been disappointed, but she wasn’t. Although they didn’t seem like the kind of men who played games. Her gaze landed on Montana’s abdomen then slid lower. At least not the boy kind of games.
“That leaves us a salad and a loaf of bread. That’s not much of a meal for our mermaid.”
“Your mermaid?” Although she’d heard the jokes before—how could she not while working on a cruise ship?—hearing Branson call her a mermaid seemed better. As though he was joking but not making fun of her as others had done.
“Sorry. It’s kind of our nickname for you. I mean with your name and then finding you stranded on the beach.” He refilled his wine glass. “It’s as though your wish to have human legs was fulfilled.”
“I bet she’s heard all the jokes,” offered Montana. “Lay off them.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind.”
Anthony picked up an unopened bottle of wine. “Since the meal is shot anyway, why don’t we take you to see the glowing fish?”
“Glowing fish?”
“Actually, it’s a bioluminescent pond.”
Anthony pulled her out of her chair. She stood willingly, her body making the decision more than her head. She wanted them, ached to have them as close as possible. What she was feeling didn’t make much sense, but then again, her life had never been a square peg fitting into a square hole. Just as she’d expected and hoped, they surrounded her, ratcheting up the heat again. What was it about them that always made the room hotter? It was as though their bodies were human saunas.
He took her hand and led her toward the front door. “There are microscopic plankton that produce natural light when you touch them. When you move an oar or your hand through the water, they produce a blue light. If the fish get close enough to the surface, then they cause the water around them to change color.”
“Oh, I think I read about one of those places in the bay in Puerto Rico.” There were so many exciting destinations in the world to see, and she’d hoped that working on a cruise ship would give her a chance to see some of them. Maybe now it had, even if it hadn’t happened the way she’d thought it might. In fact, it had happened in a better way.
“So you’ve seen it before?” asked Montana.
“No. I’ve only read about them and seen a few online videos.” Her disappointment evaporated. “But I’ve always wanted to see it.”
“Then here’s your chance.” Branson slipped his hand around her waist and pulled her away from Anthony. “Stick with us, sugar, and we’ll show you a lot of things you’ve never seen before.”
“Hey, hold up.”
The three of them turned to face Montana, who had lagged behind.
“Give us an hour. Guys, let’s do this up right. You know. To make up for the dinner disaster.”
Do it up right? She didn’t know what he was talking about, and for a moment, neither did Branson or Anthony. Then, as though they’d shared a silent telepathic message between them, the other two men agreed. Anthony reversed direction, heading her toward the kitchen.
“What’s going on? Aren’t we going to go to the pond?” She really wanted to see the natural phenomenon, not to mention staying around the men.
“Sure we will,” said Anthony. “While we’re getting things together, why don’t you fix yourself a quick meal? Something more substantial than salad and bread.”
“So now I’m fixing you dinner?” She didn’t really mind. The idea of cooking for them was a nice one. “Wait. Did you mean just a meal for me? Aren’t you three hungry?”
“We can wait for food. As for getting you in a small boat with us? That’s what we really want to happen as soon as possible.” Branson startled her by kissing her cheek then giving her a gentle shove toward the kitchen. “Get going, woman.”
She spun around then shot him a hard look that said, “Don’t call me woman,” then kept going to the kitchen. The day just kept getting better. No doubt the night would be amazing. She’d get to see an amazing sight, and if she did what her heart really wanted her to do, she’d throw caution away and see more than a few lit-up fishes.
Chapter Five
After making a PB&J sandwich for herself and chomping it down as fast as she could, Arielle waited for the men on the front porch. Although front porch didn’t seem like a grand enough way to describe the front of the house. The white that was so pristine and so white during the day had taken on an ethereal quality now that the sun had set. She tried sitting, tapping her foot the entire time, but had soon given into her nerves and had started pacing. At last, the men showed up, roaring out of the darkness of the trees in a white Jeep.
Branson pulled the vehicle to a stop but kept the motor running. “Come on, sugar.”
Being called sugar was a whole lot better than being called woman. Unless, of course, woman was used in an entirely different context like between the sheets with a rough hand to her breast and a gravelly voice whispering sweet nothings in her ear.
She let out a sigh and pushed away the carnal thoughts as best she could. Not that she’d ever be able to push them away entirely. At least, not until she left the island.
A quick rush of sadness filled her. In only a few hours, she’d come to love the island’s serenity. At first, the lack of communication or means to leave the island had bothered her, but now she understood their decision to keep the island isolated. The place was like Shangri-La. Why risk ruining it?
She hurried to the Jeep. Montana hopped out of the passenger seat next to Branson and helped her take his place. He jumped onto the rear seat with Anthony.
“Ready, sugar?”
She grinned, unable to restrain her exuberance. “Definitely.”
“Then hang on.” Branson gunned the Jeep sending it lurching forward.
She held on as the Jeep bounced down a rough path and into the forest. The path was rough, but it was obvious that someone had trimmed back the branches and bushes, giving enough room for the Jeep to pass without anyone inside getting scraped.
“How far is it?”
“Eager, huh?” Branson shot her a sideways grin. “Not far.”
She could’ve done without all the bumps, but that was part of the adventure. Light filtered through the tall trees, giving her glimpses of the variety of foliage. Something dark and very fast raced across the road in front of them, making it to the other side only seconds before the car would’ve rammed into it.
“What was that?”
“Just a cat,” answered Montana as he leaned forward and held on to the back of her seat. “Nothing that would hurt you.”
She wasn’t so sure. The animal had been very large. If it was really a cat, it was a large one, bigger than the tigers she’d seen at the zoo. Glancing around her, she looked into the darkness of the underbrush with renewed worry. What if the Jeep broke down? As far as she could tell, they didn’t have any weapons with them.
Another big bump down and out of a pothole swept her worry about the cat away. She held on, alarm surging through her along with a good dose of excitement.
“Having fun?” asked Anthony.
She nodded, telling him at least half the truth. “You bet. Unless my insides get jumbled up too bad. Then it might not be—Ugh. That was a hard one—as fun.”
“Believe it or not, it’s harder on the body if I go slower. At least this way, I’m flying over a lot of the smaller holes.”
Branson whipped the wheel to the left, sending her hard to the right. She barely managed to keep from ramming into him. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“Here we are.” Anthony’s voice held a sense of awe to it.
It was an awe she understood once she looked past the front of the Jeep. “Wow,” she whispered.
The pond was nestled in the midst of the trees. Moonlight shone on the surface of the water. At the edge of the
shore rested a small speedboat, large enough to handle at least six people. Candles fastened securely to the sides as well as a string of sparkly white lights made the boat seem festive.
“You did all this that fast?”
Montana slipped out of the Jeep and offered his hand to her. “We didn’t want to give you time to change your mind.”
Like I would have.
She took his hand, feeling a little like a princess in a fairy tale. “This is beautiful. Oh, wow.” Blue lights flashed in the water. “Is that the fish?”
“Yep.” Anthony grabbed her other hand, stealing her away from Montana. “Hop aboard, bella.”
Bella was even better sounding than sugar. She let him lead her to the boat and help her step off the wooden platform and into the boat. The boat rocked a little, sending her reaching for the nearest seat. She shouldn’t have worried, though. Anthony wouldn’t let her fall.
The men loaded onto the boat with Branson taking the wheel. Expertly, he maneuvered the boat away from the small dock and into the middle of the pond.
Montana pulled out a small foldable table and set it up in front of her. Anthony bent low to snag a bottle of wine and some paper cups out from one of the storage areas under the padded seats.
“The wine’s good even if it’s served in paper cups.” He uncorked the wine. “Glass and boats aren’t a good combination.”
She took the cup he offered her. “I wouldn’t think so.” Especially with someone clumsy like her. Taking a sip of the wine was more out of a need to be polite than any desire for the drink.
Her attention quickly shifted to the water and she became mesmerized. “This is incredible. How does it do it?” The blue flashes of light in the small pond kept her attention fixed to the water. Like the aurora borealis in the heavens, the blue lights zipped from one spot to the other. She could see fish moving along, causing the disturbance and making the blue streaks.
“It’s the—”
She lifted her hand, silencing Anthony. “No. Don’t tell me again. Forget I asked. Somehow it takes away some of the magic.” If she leaned over the side of the small boat, she’d risk taking a spill. But how could she resist getting closer? “It’s so beautiful.”
“Yeah, it is.”
The tone of Montana’s voice was one of the few things that could’ve drawn her attention away from the spectacular sight in the water. His face was more open than she’d ever seen it. So open, in fact, that she imagined she could see straight into his soul.
“You’re right, man,” added Branson.
“When you’re right, you’re right,” added Anthony.
She could feel the blush rushing to her cheeks. Could they? Or was the dim lighting enough to hide her discomfort? The uneasy feeling their stark perusal gave her was a good one, though. One she wasn’t used to feeling but one she would’ve liked to experience every day of her life. She turned back to study the blue streaks.
“Go ahead. Put your hand in the water,” urged Branson.
“Will the fish bite? What about piranhas?”
Montana chuckled. “Would we let you stick your hand in water with piranhas? Haven’t you figured out by now that you can trust us?”
Once again, she tore her gaze from the intriguing sight. She answered truthfully, even though her answer surprised not only them but her. “Yes. I know I can.”
Instinctively, she’d understood almost from the beginning that she could trust them with far more. Yet could she trust them completely?
I should tell them about the jewels.
Her heart told her to tell them, yet logically, her mind wasn’t there. Fear of being wrong held her back. How many times had she trusted someone only to be let down? No, she had to give it more time to be certain. If she trusted them and was wrong to do so, then she could be in real trouble. What if she told them and they took the jewels and forced her off the island? How they could do so without a boat was beyond her, but she didn’t want to test them. What if they called the authorities and turned her in as the one who’d stolen the jewels?
“Is there something you want to tell us, bella?”
She opened her mouth, ready to tell them everything. What a relief it would be to have them know and be able to ask for their help. Yet what if, by doing so, she was putting them in trouble?
She lowered her gaze, certain they could see through her. “No.” Drawing in a long breath, she plastered on a smile and met Anthony’s gaze. “Okay. I’m going to put my hand in the water.”
The sparkle in his eyes, the expectant look she’d seen in them, was gone. “Sure thing.”
Avoiding their intense stares gave her a second reason to touch the water. Wanting to make the blue streaks on her own, she set down her wine glass and leaned over the side of the boat. Tentatively, she lowered her hand into the water. Although she’d expected it to be chilly, the water was warm.
As soon as she trailed her fingers across the smooth surface, the water around her digits turned blue. Dark blue surrounded her fingers then gradually grew lighter until changing to a light blue-green. She laughed as the fish sped away from her then doubled back toward her fingers.
“How is it, babe?” asked Montana.
“Amazing. I can’t believe this.” She wanted to see more, to feel more. Easing over the side, she leaned as far as she could until her hand was completely covered.
“Be careful, sugar.”
“I will.” What would it feel like to have her arm in the water up to the elbow? Would the area of blue around her spread wider?
“Babe, I’m not sure I’d—”
She sensed Montana reaching out for her, but by that time, she’d already leaned too far over. Her heart jumped into her throat as she realized her mistake a moment too late.
The water might not have been chilly, but it was still a shock as she hit it face first. Her cry was muffled as water rushed into her mouth. Blue surrounded her, but it had lost its beauty as she struck out, trying to get her bearings. Which way was up? The dark blue color made it difficult to see anything.
In the next moment, however, strong arms grabbed hold of her. Moonlight splashed over her as she was lifted out of the water and pulled into the boat. She flopped onto her back, feeling more like a beached whale than the pretty woman they’d said she was. Coughing up water, she was pushed onto her side.
“Take it easy, sugar. You’ll be all right.”
“Damn it, Montana, why didn’t you catch her?” Anthony laid a blanket over her and tucked it around her.
“Why the fuck didn’t you?”
She waved her hand even as she was still coughing, but she couldn’t let them go on blaming each other. “I’m okay. It was my fault. Please, stop fighting.”
Anthony pulled her against him. “This isn’t fighting.”
“I’m getting you all wet.” Embarrassment flooded her now that her immediate need for air had passed.
His silver eyes gleamed with bits of red. “I don’t mind. Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Aside from my lost dignity, I’m super.” She tugged at a wet strand of hair plastered to her cheek. “You must think I’m an idiot. A clumsy idiot.”
He smiled, rewarding her lame attempt at a joke. “I think you’re an enthusiastic lover of nature.” His smile widened. “And I think you’re beautiful wet or dry.”
Beautiful? How could any man look at the drowning rat she was and think she was beautiful? “You’re very nice to say so.”
His anger came as quickly as a lightning strike. “Stop it.”
“Stop what?” she asked.
“Stop blowing off compliments. You don’t think much of yourself, do you?”
She had to look away and found Montana and Branson kneeling beside her. Once more embarrassment swamped her. “No. I mean… I don’t know. Compliments make me nervous.”
Branson plucked the wet strand of hair off her cheek. “Well, we think you’re beautiful. A little water could never change that.”
; Suddenly steam rose around them. Had the water gotten a lot warmer? She hadn’t noticed any steam before. She might’ve asked them about it if she’d had the nerve to look them straight in the eyes.
Anthony took her by the chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. Yet instead of saying anything as she’d expected him to, he bent low and placed a kiss to her lips.
Even landing face first in the water hadn’t shocked her as much as his mouth against hers. Instinct had her drawing back, but then a lust, stronger than any urge she’d ever experienced, washed through her. She took hold of his neck and held his kiss in place.
A groan flowed from his mouth into hers. She moaned back, wanting, needing to answer him in kind. His tongue flicked into her mouth and went on an exploration. Moaning again, she kissed him even harder, determined to make the kiss last for as long as possible.
He held her body against his tightly. Silently, she cursed the blanket separating them. Silently, more, she urged him to take it away and then strip her of her clothing.
Take me.
If only he could hear her thoughts.
His hand slid downward, over the wool blanket and along her leg. If she’d been able, she would’ve spread her legs wide, giving him permission and access to her burning pussy. The air around them grew even steamier. She could feel the steam on her skin and smell it tickling her nostrils.
“Enough.” Branson’s voice was as thick as the steam.
He pulled her away from Anthony, but she didn’t complain. She couldn’t have, not when his mouth pressed against hers and took up where his cousin had left off. His kiss was needier, somehow wilder than Anthony’s. They were different, yet the same, much like the two cousins themselves.
She pressed her palm to his chest and felt the rapid beat of his heart. Did that mean this wasn’t just a fling to him? Did she dare hope that the feelings behind his quick pulse equaled her own?
He kissed her deeply, his hand finding its way beneath the coarse blanket to her waiting nipple. She arched, no longer feeling like a beached whale but its siren counterpart. With her kiss, with her body, she called to him and felt him answer.
