Coffee and Cockpits (20 page)

I
lay on my net-swathed bed, staring at the fan oscillating in the rafters. It had been two hours since Liam dropped me off and dashed off to work. Who could work on this island was beyond me. My body had absorbed the sun and wanted nothing more than to chillax. Apart from when Liam was near, of course. Gone were my worries about people thinking I slept my way to the top. I didn’t care what rumours would say. It all seemed so insignificant.

Liam had wormed his way into my armour and fissured everything I thought I knew about myself. One, I wasn’t immune to chemistry, and two, Liam was the exact mix I needed to sizzle.

And now I was open to a physical relationship, Liam was the one holding me at arm’s length. If it were up to me swimming this afternoon would’ve turned into skinny dipping and other enjoyable activities. But he’d kept it chaste. Sweet. Innocent.

My stomach rumbled and I eyed the room service menu. I didn’t know if I could wait for our dinner date. Maybe I should hunt down Joslyn and see if she wanted to have a sneaky burger and watch some cable. What had she done with the rest of her day? Would she care if I’d been lip-locked with her stepbrother in one of the most romantic settings in the world?

The notes of music wafted in through the open door of my fale, teasing me with images of dancing with Nikolai. I pursed my lips the moment I thought about him. Liam admitted today that he wanted me, but only if he wasn’t stepping in the path of something. I didn’t like Nikolai like that. Did I? 

Someone knocked on my door and I was wrenched from my thoughts. Groaning, I dragged myself off the mattress, gasping as I made eye contact with my visitor.

I winced, clutching the back of my neck as my vision went black. Large bright spots danced in front of my eyes. What the hell? Was I low in iron? I blinked and blinked, trying to coax vision to return. The pain in my neck didn’t subside, but slowly my eyesight replaced the darkness and orbs of light. Maybe the whiplash was worse than I thought?

A hand on my wrist wrenched me back to the present. “Nina. Are you okay?”

My heart thumped, and I dropped my arm, disrupting Nikolai’s hold. “Yes, I’m fine.” I blinked again. “What are you doing here?”

He grinned. “I hope you don’t mind, but I found out your room number.”

I gulped. Away from the pulse of music and flashing party lights he was even more attractive. Rougher around the edges than Liam, with a barely contained sexual edge that sent unwelcome awareness whizzing in my blood.

Nerves scurried over my spine.
Nikolai’s in my fale and we’re alone.

I stumbled for a subject. “How’s the investigation going? Any news?”

He laughed. “Liam asked me pretty much the same thing. Are you so anxious to hear a bunch of technical terms and long-winded-paper-pushing jargon?” He leaned in; I leaned back. “It’s not a simple matter of saying it was ‘x’ that caused the crash. The CAA will compile a novel on the reasons why.”

Why did I feel like an idiot? “Oh.”

His smile softened. “Sorry. Just had a stressful day. I’ll let you know as soon as I do. Okay?”

Seeing as I spent the day at the waterfall, I couldn’t relate to stress. But I did know what he needed.

“You need to dance.”

His lips tugged into a grin; his shoulders relaxed. “Am I that obvious? Here I am bitching and moaning—my roundabout way of making sure you were still planning on dancing with me tonight.”

Guilt settled over my shoulders like fine gauze. “I eh, would, but I, um…”

Nikolai stepped closer, his gaze dropped to my lips.

My heart sped up, already thinking it was spinning around the dance floor. Even though I liked Liam, I couldn’t deny how much I liked Nikolai, too. He could dance. He was fun. He was simple in a no thinking kinda way.

I couldn’t afford to let myself like two men. It would be messy, dangerous, and just plain wrong.
Just come out and tell him.
“I have a dinner date with Liam.”

He took my hand, lazily twirling me. “I know. He told me. He also told me he kissed you.”

What? Why the hell would Liam tell him that? Words refused to be summoned as I let him spin me again.

“Liam’s laid his cards out. I think it’s only fair if I do the same.” He stopped me mid-twirl so I slammed against his chest.

My hands came up to press against his pecs, steadying myself. Beneath my fingertips, his heart raced.

“I like you, Nina. Ever since you moved me from that God-awful seat on the plane, you intrigued me. Then when we danced, something awoke inside me and I felt something for a woman for the first time in ten years. That’s huge for me, and I’m not going to let you run into Liam’s arms without knowing the extent of what I’m beginning to feel for you.”

Oh my God. The room breathed in and out as claustrophobia clawed. Nikolai was lovely. I couldn’t deny the attraction I held for him, but I’d told Liam only one man interested me on this island. I couldn’t go back on my word. Not two hours after making it.

“Nikolai. Let me go.”

His arm dropped to press against my lower back, swaying us into a sensual swing matching the long drawn out note on the breeze. “Don’t you feel it? You can’t say there isn’t something between us.”

My body went into hyper alert; I trembled involuntarily. Guilt followed hot on the heels of lust. How could I even think of being with Nikolai like that? I wanted Liam.

Liam.

Where the hell was he?

I tried to untangle myself, but he dipped me. Our hips meshed together and the thrill of the dance, the ache of needing to give in, frazzled my nerves into a fever.

Nikolai groaned as he pulled me back up, agonisingly slow so every part of me brushed against every part of him. “Kiss me.”

My breath came in little pants; my heart rabbited. Kiss him?
Yes, go on. See if he kisses as well as Liam.

My eyes hooded as Nikolai titled his head closer.
Yes. No. Oh God.

I jerked out of his clasp a millisecond before his lips touched mine. Trying to gather my scattered senses that were strewn all around my fale, I muttered, “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

Nikolai swiped a hand through his hair. “You’re different, Nina. Ten years I’ve waited to feel again. Ten years is a long time to be lonely. I thought I was ruined for the rest of my life, but you danced into it. I need you to give me a chance.”

He reached for me, and I bolted back. My neck spasmed, and my vision plummeted into darkness again. 

The hand-woven carpet caught me with a none too comforting embrace and I laid there, half in the fale, half in swampy blackness. Pain licked fire up and down my spine.

Voices came from nowhere:
Give it to her. Now!

You don’t understand. If we do… it might—

“Nina!”

Rough hands pulled me from the grip of unconsciousness. I blinked. Nikolai’s furrowed brow and worried eyes came into focus. Mist danced on the edges of my eye-sight, making it seem as if we were encircled by fog.

He hoisted me against his chest. “You okay?”

“What happened?” My tongue was thick and caterpillarish. I tried to push out of his arms, but he wouldn’t let me.

“You fainted. When was the last time you ate?”

I rolled my eyes. I knew I should’ve eaten. Stupid low blood sugar. I had a tendency to get the shakes if I didn’t eat enough.

I gave Nikolai a guilty smile. “Not since breakfast. I’ve been waiting for Liam to take me to dinner.” Big mistake admitting that.

Nikolai’s eyes narrowed. “So instead of dancing with me you preferred to dine with the co-pilot?”

“N—no, it’s not like that,” I lied. It was like that. Completely. I wanted to go with Liam over Nikolai. Did that make me a terrible person? “I’m sorry.”

He rolled his shoulders, dispelling his frustration. “Well, either Liam has forgotten about your dinner date, or he’s stood you up.” He wrapped his arms around me. I held on tight as he hoisted me to my feet. “I’m going to order you room service and we’re—”

“What’s going on here?”  A voice demanded from the entrance.

I wanted to slither inside a hole and hide. Could this get any worse? I was half-naked in Nikolai’s arms. I hadn’t changed from my bikini I wore to the waterfall.

I cringed, looking at a livid Liam. “It’s not what it looks like.”

Nikolai kept his arm around my shoulders even as I tried to shrug him off. “I was here for her at a time you weren’t.”

Liam’s nostrils flared. “Don’t go there, Rivers. Don’t you
dare
go there!”

My eyes widened as curiosity soared. There was history between these two. What exactly?

Liam glared at me. His blue eyes howled with arctic winds. “Nina… I thought you agreed to have dinner with me? What did I hear about room service?” His face tightened with hurt.

It was a miscommunication. I should never have let Nikolai in, let alone dance with him in my bikini. Fainting was my punishment for being a slut.

Nikolai answered before I could. “You took too long, Mikin. She fainted from hunger. Next time you tell her you’ll feed her, don’t be late.” He squeezed my shoulder and let go. “I’ll see you later, Nina. I’ll come by and make sure you’re okay.”

I didn’t say anything as Nikolai brushed past Liam. “I’m not the bad guy here, Mikin. We both deserve to be happy.”

Damn, what was between these two? It had to be bad with the way animosity thickened the air around them. Damaged feelings blazed in both their eyes, pain, hurt—whatever happened scared them both. 

“I haven’t forgotten, Rivers. But I’m not giving you Nina. You want her, then I’m going to fight. Like I should’ve back then,” Liam snapped.

Nikolai didn’t look back as he left. Liam came to my side and stood awkwardly. I hated I made him doubt my newly budded feelings for him and stepped closer. He sighed heavily as his arms encircled me, and I melted into him.

His body called to mine; I snuggled closer. His scent, his flavour—everything about him was what I wanted. Nikolai didn’t compare. How I could’ve forgotten that for a brief second was unthinkable.

“I’m sorry, Liam. I know you probably don’t believe me, but I meant what I said at the waterfall. There is only one man I’m interested in on this island.”

He rested his chin on my head. “Funny enough, I do believe you. I just don’t trust Nikolai.”

That much was obvious.

“What happened between you two?” It had to be a girl. My heart boycotted the idea Liam had been in love with someone else. I wanted him to be mine.
Wow. I want him to be mine.
I never thought I’d say those words, let alone so soon into a courtship.

He stepped away, deliberately ignoring my question. “I have another idea. Rather than a restaurant, we’ll have room service, then we’re going out.”

N
ina devoured her cheeseburger the moment the waiter placed it on the small table located on the fale’s balcony. Sitting close to each other, I took a bite of my own beef and cheese, a smile on my lips as Nina closed her eyes and moaned.

“This is the best burger I’ve ever tasted.” She smothered a fry in aioli before popping it into her mouth. “And these fries are awesome, too.”

I swallowed my mouthful, wishing I’d ordered a beer to chase it with. “I think anything would taste good if you fainted from hunger.” Frowning, I added, “Do you do that often? Forget to eat?” I forced myself to act normal, while trying to figure out if there was more to it than she let on. Was she hurt from the crash? Was she hiding something?

“No, not too often. I tend to graze throughout the day.” She munched another fry before continuing, “What with studying for my license, my new job, dancing, not to mention life in general; I’m pretty busy.”

Being busy didn’t give her an excuse not to eat. I shook my head. “You can’t let yourself get run down. How will you complete your exams if you don’t take care of yourself?” The thought of her becoming any slighter than she was squeezed my stomach. She was petite. Anymore petite and she’d be a wraith. Plus, she needed to eat for brainpower. Flying exams were hard—code, jargon. A scramble of terminology that turned any brain into whisked eggs. And I wanted her to succeed. There was nothing more satisfying than the day I earned my commercial pilot wings. She needed to experience that.

The rush of knowing I could fly myself anywhere was the ultimate gift in freedom. I grinned; I couldn’t help it. It was the happiest day of my life—the first ray of hope amongst my misery and guilt. I’d made a promise to myself that day—I’d never give up on finding more happiness, but it took me until this afternoon when Nina allowed me to kiss her in the waterfall, to find it. Now, I had a new favourite moment in my life.

Memories of her taste and the pounding waterfall behind us turned my blood into molasses. Shit, I shouldn’t have thought about kissing her. Her lips drew me like an arrow to a target, and I couldn’t look away as she took a sip of her apple juice.

She stopped drinking, cocking her head. “Is everything alright?”

Did she have to play with her hair when nerves got the better of her? She grabbed the curtain of silky, bronze locks, exposing her throat. Her neck was white as the moon and as graceful as a flamingo.