BEEN TROMPING around the island for twenty or thirty minutes and Knox still couldn’t get the taste of her out of his mouth. Or erase the soft sound of her breath catching in the back of her throat.
That kiss. Hell, it was like nothing he’d ever experienced. Soft and sweet, but somehow still full of heat.
He’d wanted more. But she’d pulled away and he’d always been the kind to respect when a woman said no, even if she didn’t actually use the word.
“I’m pretty sure I’ve already seen that tree with the funny-looking knot on the side.”
Knox glanced at the tree, biting back a groan. She was right.
His head wasn’t where it should be—focused on their survival—but back at the beach where he wanted to stretch Avery out across the sand and see if her skin was as smooth and supple as it looked.
What was it about Avery that drove him so nuts? That had his brain scrambling from just sixty seconds of her mouth touching his? She infuriated and energized him at the same time, a dangerous combination, especially given their current predicament. “We need to find fresh water.”
He heard the frustration in her voice when she said, “I think we can rule it out here, then. Maybe we should move on to another part of the island.”
His mouth cracked into a self-deprecating smile. “No joke.”
He watched her out of the corner of his eye as she moved through the thick brush beside him. She didn’t hesitate to slap at branches and spiderwebs. She simply charged ahead, determination stamped on every feature.
He knew men who, faced with their situation, would lose their shit at least for a few minutes. Avery hadn’t done that at all. Not even when there was a gun pointed at her head.
She’d earned his respect today, that was for damn sure.
“Look. I don’t know how long it’ll take Asher to find us. While the beacon will help, he has to be within a certain range to pick it up.”
Avery made a little grimace of concern.
“He’ll get here,” Knox was quick to reassure her, “But for now I’m going on the assumption that we might be on this island for a little while.”
“Little while as in a few hours or little while as in a few weeks?”
God, he hoped it wasn’t a few weeks.
It had been difficult enough on the
Amphitrite
to keep his distance. On the ship there were plenty of crew members and lots of work to keep him occupied. But with just the two of them and the reality of that kiss... He was afraid it was only a matter of time before his control snapped.
They walked for several more minutes, heading into the middle of the island. The increased vegetation made Knox hopeful. Plants and trees needed water to survive as well.
Maybe it would be better to clear the air, get everything out in the open and talk about what had happened instead of letting it fester.
Knox stopped. Avery slammed into him.
Before she could so much as rock backward on her feet, he reached to grab her. Twisting them both, he pressed her back against the closest tree, searching for balance he wasn’t sure even that solid surface could provide.
Not when she was so close.
She gasped. Her eyes widened and her luscious pink lips parted. The pulse at her throat fluttered.
“Are we just going to pretend that didn’t happen?” he asked, his voice thick and husky.
He should move away now that she’d found her footing. But he couldn’t. Instead he shifted, closing the gap between them.
She hadn’t bothered with makeup before they’d gotten into the launch this morning. Her skin was luminous, even more beautiful now that it was free from the artificial crap women seemed to think necessary. The warm Caribbean sun, sinking down behind the trees, brushed her cheeks as she stared up at him.
She licked her lips, rolling them in and swiping the tip of her pink tongue across the plump surface.
Knox bit back a groan. Was she torturing him on purpose?
“Pretend what didn’t happen?” Her voice was breathy, the sound of it
That kiss. Hell, it was like nothing he’d ever experienced. Soft and sweet, but somehow still full of heat.
He’d wanted more. But she’d pulled away and he’d always been the kind to respect when a woman said no, even if she didn’t actually use the word.
“I’m pretty sure I’ve already seen that tree with the funny-looking knot on the side.”
Knox glanced at the tree, biting back a groan. She was right.
His head wasn’t where it should be—focused on their survival—but back at the beach where he wanted to stretch Avery out across the sand and see if her skin was as smooth and supple as it looked.
What was it about Avery that drove him so nuts? That had his brain scrambling from just sixty seconds of her mouth touching his? She infuriated and energized him at the same time, a dangerous combination, especially given their current predicament. “We need to find fresh water.”
He heard the frustration in her voice when she said, “I think we can rule it out here, then. Maybe we should move on to another part of the island.”
His mouth cracked into a self-deprecating smile. “No joke.”
He watched her out of the corner of his eye as she moved through the thick brush beside him. She didn’t hesitate to slap at branches and spiderwebs. She simply charged ahead, determination stamped on every feature.
He knew men who, faced with their situation, would lose their shit at least for a few minutes. Avery hadn’t done that at all. Not even when there was a gun pointed at her head.
She’d earned his respect today, that was for damn sure.
“Look. I don’t know how long it’ll take Asher to find us. While the beacon will help, he has to be within a certain range to pick it up.”
Avery made a little grimace of concern.
“He’ll get here,” Knox was quick to reassure her, “But for now I’m going on the assumption that we might be on this island for a little while.”
“Little while as in a few hours or little while as in a few weeks?”
God, he hoped it wasn’t a few weeks.
It had been difficult enough on the
Amphitrite
to keep his distance. On the ship there were plenty of crew members and lots of work to keep him occupied. But with just the two of them and the reality of that kiss... He was afraid it was only a matter of time before his control snapped.
They walked for several more minutes, heading into the middle of the island. The increased vegetation made Knox hopeful. Plants and trees needed water to survive as well.
Maybe it would be better to clear the air, get everything out in the open and talk about what had happened instead of letting it fester.
Knox stopped. Avery slammed into him.
Before she could so much as rock backward on her feet, he reached to grab her. Twisting them both, he pressed her back against the closest tree, searching for balance he wasn’t sure even that solid surface could provide.
Not when she was so close.
She gasped. Her eyes widened and her luscious pink lips parted. The pulse at her throat fluttered.
“Are we just going to pretend that didn’t happen?” he asked, his voice thick and husky.
He should move away now that she’d found her footing. But he couldn’t. Instead he shifted, closing the gap between them.
She hadn’t bothered with makeup before they’d gotten into the launch this morning. Her skin was luminous, even more beautiful now that it was free from the artificial crap women seemed to think necessary. The warm Caribbean sun, sinking down behind the trees, brushed her cheeks as she stared up at him.
She licked her lips, rolling them in and swiping the tip of her pink tongue across the plump surface.
Knox bit back a groan. Was she torturing him on purpose?
“Pretend what didn’t happen?” Her voice was breathy, the sound of it
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