Caught on Camera (16 page)

Sighing in disgust at her own thoughts, she clicked on a lamp, crumpled into the nearest chair, and peeked at him through her lashes. Dang, he looked good this early in the morning. How did he do that? “What are you doing here, JP?”

He entered and softly closed the door behind him, then stood with hands on hips, staring at her. “I figured you deserved credit for bidding last night, so I’m here to take you out anyway.”

She opened her mouth to tell him she didn’t want a pity date, but he spoke first.

“I have my plane waiting, enough fuel to escape, and all day to play.”

She gaped. He had his plane ready to take them away? “Even if I wanted to go out with you, I really couldn’t now. We were all over the news last night. We’d be recognized in an instant, and I still don’t wa—”

“But you didn’t win,” he interrupted. “So no one will be expecting to see the two of us together.”

The reminder of who did win and the fact that it meant he’d soon be taking
her
out did nothing to improve her mood.

“Plus,” he began, opening the closet door and rummaging around in her clothes. He passed over each article as if not finding what he was looking for. “You do want to go out with me.”

“No, I don’t,” she grumbled. She did. More than anything in the world. But no way would she admit that to the man who had women fawning over him with every step he took.

He glanced over his shoulder. “You suck as a liar, you know. What’s the matter? Are you jealous of Greta?”

“No!” Vega shot him a scathing look. What a jerk. Like there couldn’t be something other than jealousy to make her not want to go out with him.

“Then what? Oh wait.” He faced her. “Are we back to whatever makes you not want to be seen with me—even though you publicized your infatuation last night?” His wink and wicked smile softened his teasing.

“Stop it,” she moaned. She lowered her head in dejected shame. “I can’t believe I let everything get me so carried away. Can we just forget about it already?”

“Oh, no way, baby.” His voice grew heated. “You looked hot standing there bidding on me. I can’t let that go. Now tell me, what’s really the matter? And what’s the reason behind why you don’t want to be seen with me?”

She fiddled with the loose hem of her cotton sleep shirt, just then realizing how she’d answered the door. She gingerly touched a strand of hair and wondered how bad her bedhead was. “Let’s put it this way.” She met his gaze. “I’m not exactly the type of woman
you
want to be seen with. Trust me.”

His lips flattened as he stared at her. “You still won’t tell me what you’re so afraid of?”

Not
if
she was afraid, but
what
she was afraid of. She shook her head. Her past was of no concern to him.

JP studied her again, then with a decisive nod seemed to make up his mind. He stepped into the bathroom, leaving the door open, and the sound of running water soon filled the space. “I brought disguises,” he called, raising his voice to be heard over the water. “We’re going to Anguilla, so no one will even expect to find me there, much less the both of us. You have nothing worthy of the Caribbean in the closet, so we’ll get you some clothes when we get there.”

He exited the room, a wet washcloth hanging from his hand, and headed in her direction.

She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her shirt over her bare legs, pulling away from the cloth marching her way. Did she look so bad he felt the urge to wash her? She patted her hair once again, hoping he wouldn’t bring out a brush next.

“What’s that for?” She nodded to the cloth.

JP kneeled in front of her and grasped her chin. He began gently rubbing the damp terrycloth over her cheek. “You have chocolate on your face, sweetheart.”

Her shoulders slumped. “Of course I do.”

Too tired to push him away, she sat there and let him administer to her. “Along with my alcohol fest at two o’clock this morning, a chocolate bar and I came to an understanding.”

One side of his mouth tilted at a sexy angle. “I take it you won?”

She liked his hands on her face. “Barely.”

When finished, he sat back on his heels and inspected his work. His features softened. “I like your hair all mussed up like that.”

Wickedness simmered in his eyes, but he didn’t make a move. She dropped her head to the back of the chair, alert enough now to question what was going on. What was he trying to do? Woo her out of her clothes? She didn’t need to be wooed. She’d gone to that dance before, and it had ripped her apart. If this was just about the attraction, it could be handled without all the extras.

“Why are you doing this, JP? If all you’re after is sex, we can go at it right here in this room. There’s no need for the plane. No need for the seduction.” She shrugged, self-conscious, her voice now a whisper. “You’ve proven more than once that I’m powerless to the chemistry between us.”

He didn’t answer at first, instead rising to return the cloth to the other room. When he once again towered in front of her, he tucked his hands in his pant pockets and peered at her, giving away nothing in his expression. “You had every intention of buying a date with me. That’s what I’m giving you.”

“And I’m giving you an out.”

“An out? Because you’d rather I disappear than go on a date with me?” JP’s low voice was hypnotic, a master at seduction. But she also detected the same vulnerability she’d seen at the auction the instant before he’d looked away from her. “Is that really what you want?” he asked.

She locked her gaze on his. “If I said yes?”

The fight behind his eyes was clear. He wanted to take charge, demand she follow his plans. “If you really want me to go, I’ll walk out the door and never bother you again.”

Yes. Yes. Say it, Vega. Yes.

If she didn’t say yes, she would not only soon be naked with him, she might like it so much she’d want more. She swallowed. “One day?”

His jaw twitched. “One day.”

She silently cursed her life. One had to be enough. More wasn’t an option.

“I’ll be ready in thirty minutes.”

T
HE TURQUOISE WATERS
and bright sun of the Caribbean greeted JP as he descended the steps of the plane. The four-hour flight—most of it spent watching Vega sleep on the couch—had been uneventful, though not even close to his original agenda.

When he’d set out for her hotel that morning, his plans had been to coax her on board, then once lifted to the skies, into the bedroom—and not to sleep. He’d figured, why not start off by confronting facts. They both wanted each other, so they might as well go for it and take the edge off.

But the instant he’d heard the uncertainty in her voice, the whisper that sounded like shame for the fact she was powerless to their attraction, he’d known this trip wasn’t about him. And it wasn’t about them.

It was about her.

He had no idea what had happened in her past, but he’d suddenly found himself near desperate to learn. He wanted to know everything, but he wanted her willing to share it. He wanted her trust.

Turning, he smiled at the sight of her inching down the steps behind him, taking in the scenery as he’d done mere seconds earlier. She wore oversize dark sunglasses, a floppy hat—every strand of the glorious hair he’d ogled that morning tucked up underneath—and her standard-issue baggy cargos paired with a pink short-sleeved pullover, also too big.

He’d hoped the islands might be a first for her. He’d looked forward to seeing her excitement at what lay ahead, but from the tight expression and lack of amazement, he was guessing this wasn’t her first trip after all. And quite possibly, not only had she been here before, but there just might be bad memories associated with it.
Well, damn
.

“First thing on the agenda is to buy you new clothes.” He’d act cheerful whether he was or not.

She snapped her tinted lenses his direction. “I don’t need clothes. These are perfectly suitable.”

His words had been meant to take her mind off whatever was troubling her, but he also wanted to see her in properly fitting clothes again. How could he not after witnessing perfection?

Last night’s outfit hadn’t been anything special when compared to the other women in attendance, but the formfitting tuxedo shirt and low-riding black trousers hugging every curve had set him on fire from first glance. The clothes, along with watching Evan attach himself to her side, had been what had sent him chasing after her. But their kiss had been even more surprising than his actions.

He couldn’t remember ever being so tempted from a simple touch of the lips. Then he’d gotten his hands on her. If he hadn’t grabbed hold of her shirt and stopped his exploration, he’d have had them both naked and sweating within minutes. In that very public hallway.

She’d felt everything he had too. There was zero doubt about that.

If he’d pushed, she’d have gone along willingly with whatever he’d suggested, and damn the consequences.

He reached for her when she stepped to the tarmac, closing his fingers around hers, and tightening when she attempted to pull away. He wanted her in his hands. Since this might be all he got, he wasn’t giving it up easily. He nodded at her legs. “It’s too hot here for anything but shorts. Plus, I suspect there isn’t a single swimsuit in that purse you brought.”

Her forehead pinched as if she were narrowing her eyes on him behind the sunglasses. “You promised to do nothing to make me stand out.” She lowered her voice as the pilot and copilot exited the plane. “I don’t want to buy clothes that’ll draw attention to me.”

“If you don’t want to stand out,” he began, and tapped her bottom lip with his finger. He wanted to kiss that mouth. “Then you’ll be in shorts. A bikini top would be preferable as well.”

“Preferable to you, maybe.” Her mumble reached him as the pilots neared.

He pressed his mouth to her ear, nipped her lobe, and whispered, “I’d prefer you naked.”

“Sir,” began the captain, a man who’d piloted a Davenport plane for over twenty years. “You’ll call when you have your return time?”

“Absolutely, Michael. You two have a good time. I have rooms reserved at the resort.”

The men moved off to care for the plane, and Vega whirled on him. “Rooms? Were you planning for us to stay overnight?”

He opened his mouth, trying to figure out a way to suggest that spending the night might be a good idea, but she interrupted him, her voice tight. “This is just a date. One day, remember?”

“We’re here to have a good time, that’s all.” JP rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand to calm her. “We can stay or we can go, whatever you want, but I can’t ask them to make two flights in one day and not have a place to rest in between.”

“Oh.” Her fingers wiggled in his hand. “Okay. But I’ll want to go back tonight.”

He nodded. “I’m aware of that.”

He led them to the car Beverly had reserved, tugging at the ball cap on his head. He’d been uncomfortable with the thought of disguises, but with Vega’s refusal to share her secrets, he’d decided to do this to make her more comfortable. Besides, it would be fun being incognito for a day. It had been years since he’d gone anywhere and not been recognized.

After several moments, each of them lost in their own thoughts, a tremulous sigh echoed from Vega. “They won’t tell anyone we’re here, will they? The pilots?”

He squeezed her hand. “They’re loyal, sweetheart. Nothing to worry about.”

Tension radiated from her, worrying JP, but he had no idea how to fix it. After climbing into the sedan and leaving the airport, he pulled to the side of the road and faced her. “Did I mess up? Should we not have come here? I wanted to give you a great day, but I can tell something’s wrong.”

Vega looked out the side window, the tension easing, but sadness replacing it.

“Vega,” he said softly. He removed his sunglasses. “Look at me, please.”

Several seconds passed before she turned to him. When he continued waiting, she finally reached up and pulled her own glasses from her face.

“Thank you.” He picked up her hand and turned it palm up before placing a kiss in the middle of the soft skin. He ran a finger back and forth over the spot. “I want this day to be great for you. Tell me what’s wrong and I’ll fix it.”

His words seemed to jolt her from wherever she’d been. She blinked and smiled. Slowly, but at last it reached her eyes. “I’m sorry.” She pressed her hand to his cheek, her palm cool against him. “Thank you for this. It’s lovely.”

“I’m not looking for gratitude, here, honey.”

The devil played in her eyes now. “No? I wonder what you are looking for then?”

She leaned across the space and pressed her mouth to his, then tilted her head and parted her lips. He knew he should pull back, but he couldn’t. Instead, he cupped her around the neck and drank from her, fighting the urge to take more.

With a heavy breath, he separated from her lips and pressed his cheek to hers. “That’s not it either,” he whispered.

“No?”

He leaned away and fiddled with their now-skewed hats until they were both once again pulled low on their heads, while watching desire being reflected back at him. But there was something else there, too. She suddenly looked far younger than her years. And the sadness was killing him.