Deep Desires (5 page)

He didn’t find her the least bit boring.

She brought the conversation back around to him. “Tell me more about this girl back in Ohio.”

With a bemused expression on his face he said, “Perceptive and relentless.”

“That’s me.”

“It just didn’t work out for us.”

An uneasy feeling closed in on her. “Are you still pining after her?”

“Hell no.”

O-kay, so that big wave of relief really took her by surprise. “So we hate her then?”

Ryan laughed. “I don’t hate her. She had to do what she had to do.”

“And what exactly was it she had to do?”

Ryan shook his head before giving her a wicked smile. “Like I said, nosy.”

“Inquisitive,” she corrected, loving how easy he was to be with, how much she enjoyed his playful side.

“
R
ight
, inquisitive.” He grew quiet for a moment and then said, "When I came home injured, she left me. Said I was damaged goods.” Lauren watched him carefully, sensing he was sharing something very private with her.

“Well, you might not hate her, but I do.” Lauren stopped to pull a water bottle from her bag. She took a swig and offered Ryan a drink.

“Thanks.” He took a long swallow and handed it back to her. As they continued forward, Ryan asked, “What brought you to this island, Lauren?” She heard real interest in his voice. “Did you come here because of the magic elixir?”

“I don’t put much faith in it, but if it works, then great, especially where Abby is concerned. Danielle and I are hoping that after some time away from her soon-to-be-fiancé, Abby will see that marrying him isn’t her deepest desire. We’re hoping she’ll indulge in a wild affair and come to understand that not all men are emotionally reserved.”

His voice turned serious. “Do you believe all men are like that?”

“No. But I do believe that the men I attract only want me for my body. Honestly, if the elixir really does work, my desire is to find a man who appreciates me for me, without needing to see my body. A man who looks at me, and talks to me, not my breasts.” She tipped her head and glanced at his dark glasses, the angle of his head letting her know he was looking into her eyes. “Sort of like you’re doing right now. Then again, I guess you can’t really see my body.”

“I can see your body.”

His sexy tone caught her off guard, and then suddenly, the air around them changed. “Oh.” She swallowed. “How much can you see, Ryan?”

“Some days, enough. Other days, not enough.” The sensuality in his voice felt like an intimate caress.

“Today? How much can you see today?”

His powerful muscles bunched as he closed the space between them. He dipped his head and she quivered in response. He caught hold of her hand and the world around her faded. With his mouth close to hers he said in a husky tone, “Not enough.”

Just then the couple they’d chatted with on the boat stepped into the path, breaking the magical moment. Ryan inched back.

“Hey, you two, we’re having a bonfire down at the beach. Come join us.” Kayla hooked her arm through Lauren’s and tugged.

A few minutes later, they all hunkered down onto the sandy shore with the rest of the group. With Ryan so close to her, Lauren had a hard time concentrating on conversation. Everything about him played havoc with her libido as well as her emotions.

Lauren spent the next few hours watching him as they sat around the fire. She watched the way he moved, the way he talked and the sexy way he angled his head and cast a glance her way when he felt her eyes on him. She especially loved the way the sea breeze ruffled his mussed hair when he looked out over the horizon.

Hours later, after the marshmallows had been eaten and group conversation had dwindled, Lauren turned to Ryan and picked up their conversation where they had left off. She appreciated how they could talk about everything and nothing. She kept her voice close to a whisper, ensuring that their conversation remained private. “So, tell me, what’s your deepest desire, Ryan? If the magic elixir was true, what would be the one thing you’d want?”

He rolled one shoulder. “Naturally, I’d like to be able to see again and go back to my old job.”

Lauren grew quiet for a moment and then asked, “What will you do when you leave here?”

“I don’t know. If I’m not in the field anymore what good am I? My skills have no value anymore.”

Just then she yawned.

Ryan laughed. “Am I boring you?”

He was anything but boring. She couldn’t believe how much she enjoyed his company. She loved being with him, just talking, as they got to know each other better. The other men she knew certainly weren’t interested in engaging her in conversation.

“No, remember I’m a city girl and I sit at a desk all day. I guess I’m just not used to so much sunshine and exercise.”

He nodded. “It seems like everyone is packing up. We should, too.”

“Yeah, I think I’ll be calling it an early night tonight. Especially after last night.”

“Last night?”

“I didn’t get a whole lot of sleep.” She studied him, giving him time to confess that he was her mysterious lover.

“Traveling does that to me for days on end, too.”

Upset that he continued to hold his secret close, she stretched out her fatigued limbs. “I’m so tired, I could sleep through a hurricane.” She glanced up at the sky, noting the dark clouds moving in on the horizon. A low rumble sounded in the distance.

When Ryan smiled at her, she drew a breath, deciding then and there that Ryan Thomas was the perfect package. A man who gave her the best sex of her life during the night and who treated her like a woman during the day.

Now, if only he’d admit that Ryan and Tarzan were one and the same…

O
kay
, so maybe she couldn’t sleep through a hurricane, after all. Shivering, Lauren pulled the covers up to her neck and listened to the gale-force winds pound against her small cabana. The clock beside her flickered with the threat of a power outage.

Damn, this was kind of scary. She wondered whether Danielle and Abby were just as afraid. Deciding to go check on her friends, she climbed from her bed and pulled on a pair of jogging pants and a matching gray jacket. After slipping into her running shoes, she crept to her door. When she pulled it open, lightning crackled overhead and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

She glanced back at her clock and noticed it had powered down. When she turned back to her door, she came face-to-face with Ryan. He stood outside in the pouring rain, wearing a yellow slicker with the hood pulled over his head.

He reached out and covered her hands with his. “Lauren, are you okay?” She heard genuine concern in his voice.

Despite the chill in the air, everything inside her warmed when she looked at him. She pulled him inside, out of the pelting rain.

“I was just on my way to check on Danielle and Abby. Some storm, huh?”

“Yeah, power is going down all over the resort. I came to check up on you.”

Her heart skipped a beat at his thoughtfulness. “I’m okay.” It was a half-truth. Normally she wasn’t afraid of storms, but normally she wasn’t on a secluded island in the middle of nowhere surrounded by huge trees, either.

“Everyone is headed up to the lodge. The generator is going and they’ve built a fire in the stone fireplace. I believe there are even marshmallows and hot chocolate.”

Her stomach rumbled, and not in a good way, at the thought of more marshmallows. “Sounds cozy.”

“Do you have a raincoat?”

She’d come to the island prepared for two weeks of sunshine. “I never thought to bring one.”

“Here, we’ll share mine.”

He opened his huge coat. When he hauled her inside, she melted against him. Okay, that was it. That sweet gesture could easily cause her to fall in love with him.

As he ushered her outside, his body protecting her from the elements, she asked, “What about my friends?”

“I’ll walk you to their cabins so you can check up on them.”

Lauren tried Danielle’s cabin first and found Danielle and Ethan inside with tangerine-scented candles lighting up the room. The ambiance inside the cabin seemed very warm despite the fierce storm outside. Danielle had assured her that they were quite happy to wait out the bad weather in her cabana. Lauren suspected her friend was in very good hands and moved on to Abby’s cabana. When a search of Abby’s room showed it to be empty, she worried her lower lip.

“Let’s check the lodge,” she said.

They hastily made their way to the lodge. Ryan opened the door and guided her inside. Lauren glanced around, letting her gaze surf over the crowd, but Abby was nowhere to be found. She frowned in concern. “Do you think she’s okay?”

“I think,” Ryan said, a grin pulling at his face, “that my buddy Cody is taking good care of her.”

“Really?” Lauren asked, both surprised and delighted. Had Abby taken her advice and let the magic of the island take hold of her? She sure as hell hoped so.

When Ryan peeled a wet strand of hair from her cheek, desire twisted inside her. “Something tells me Abby is just fine. After we returned from Pearl Island, I saw her and Cody together. Trust me, you can count on Cody. He won’t let anything happen to her. But if you’re still worried—”

She cut him off and brushed her hands against his without conscious thought. She entwined her fingers through his. “Ryan, if you say she’s okay, then I know she’s okay.”

She watched something in his expression change, soften, and in that instant everything inside her reached out for him. She shivered with longing.

As though mistaking her reaction, Ryan bent close, so close she could feel his warm breath on her face, and rubbed her arms, creating heat with friction. With a tender expression, he said, “Let’s get you something warm to drink, you’re shivering.” The sexy cadence of his voice covered her like a soft blanket.

She looked at his mouth, aching to feel his lips on her body. Blood pounded through her veins as desire jolted her. She drew air, in an effort to compose herself. “You grab us a seat by the fire, and I’ll get the drinks.”

A moment later she snuggled in next to Ryan, ignoring everyone else in the room. As the storm raged outside, soft firelight cast shadows on the stone walls. The warmth and ambience drew her into a cocoon of need and desire. The Asian décor set the mood for romance and relaxation. Reclining against him, she sipped her hot chocolate and fell into an easy conversation. Every now and then Ryan touched her, his hand brushing her arm, or legs, making intimate contact.

She took pleasure in his features and noted that his light skin had darkened after only one day in the sun with her. Now that he was tanned, he definitely fit the cliché of tall, dark and handsome.

She touched his cheek to draw his attention to her. “There is something I’ve been wanting to ask you.”

Ryan offered her a smile. “Ask away.”

“Why do you wear those glasses at night?”

At first silence met her words, then he said, “I’m more comfortable with them on.”

What was it he didn’t want her to see?

“What color are your eyes?”

He pulled his glasses down his nose a tiny bit and peeked out over the top. “Blue.” She drew a shaky breath and moistened her lips. They were blue all right, but not just any run-of-the-mill blue, they were the most amazing shade of blue she’d ever seen.

With concerted effort, she spoke calmly, “Your eyes are gorgeous, Ryan.”

She detected a glimmer of vulnerability in the depth of his baby blues before he adjusted his glasses, pushing them back in place.

“So are yours.” He lifted his steaming mug. “They’re like warm chocolate.”

That took her by surprise, not fully understanding the extent of his damage. “I wasn’t sure you could discern color.”

“Just a bit, and only in the right light.”

Suddenly, Lauren yawned. Fatigue was overtaking her.

His soft chuckle seeped under her skin. “There I go boring you again,” he teased.

“Come here.”

He put his arms around her and pulled her close. She inhaled his warm scent and gave a soft sigh. “Why don’t you try to get some sleep,” he suggested.

She let her eyes drift shut, enjoying his comforting touch as they took shelter from the storm outside. She didn’t sleep. She just stayed there, realizing how dangerously close she was to falling for him. She couldn’t deny that she was feeling something for him. How could she not? They talked and laughed, and they shared intimacies that she’d never shared with another, and for the first time she felt that a man saw her for who she really was.

After a long time, Ryan whispered into her ear. “Lauren the storm is settling. Let’s get you back to your cabana. You’re exhausted.” He stood and eased her from the sofa. When he yawned, she knew he was dead tired, too.

The sun began its ascent as he walked her back to her cabana. She noted how he moved with such confidence, such ease, so different from the way he walked on Pearl Island.

She squeezed his hand, and giving him an opening, she said, “For a guy who can’t track anymore or see very well, you sure have no trouble getting around this resort.”

“I’ve been here a while and have learned the landscape.” Then suddenly, as if he’d given too much away, he changed the subject. “What are your plans for tomorrow? Any big adventures?”

“I’m meeting the girls for a late lunch, and then I have a massage booked. After that I thought I’d do a little skydiving,” she teased. “Want to join me?”

He laughed. “I’m afraid you’re on your own. Tomorrow I have a date with my hammock. I’ve been neglecting her lately, and I have a lot of catching up to do.”

She chuckled when they reached her door and turned to him. Her laughter died off when he brushed the pad of his thumb over her bottom lip. Her pulse quickened, and she moistened her lips.

Ryan leaned in, dropped a soft kiss onto her mouth and said, “Get some sleep.” The first touch of his lips to hers sent her heart racing. As he turned to leave, she pressed her fingers to her mouth and knew something better than she knew her own name. She was falling in love with Ryan.

* * *

R
yan couldn’t sleep
, not with Lauren preoccupying his thoughts. He’d gotten up at midday and met with Cody for a game of pool. They talked for a while, and Ryan noticed that Cody seemed distracted and was acting completely out of character, especially when Cody brought up the subject of Abby Benton, asking what Ryan knew about her. Except for her impending engagement, Ryan knew very little.

After the game, Ryan took to the jungle. He spent the rest of the daylight hours walking and thinking, sorting though matters.

He’d come to one final conclusion. He was crazy about Lauren. So goddamn crazy about her, she had
him
acting out of character, too. Shit, could that be Cody’s problem as well? All Ryan knew was that if he didn’t feel her in his arms again soon, he was certain he was going to go mad with need. He ached to hold her, to kiss her, to have her crawl inside him so he could keep her forever.

Lauren was bright, real and down to earth. He couldn’t ever remember having such a wonderful time with anyone. During their time together, they’d opened up to each other and talked, really talked. For the first time in a long time he’d let his guard down with someone.

Surely he’d read her body language wrong at the restaurant the previous morning.

During their afternoon excursion and over a mug of hot chocolate he’d gotten to know her better, and she’d shown real interest in him, despite his injury.

Darkness closed in on him as he made his way along the footpath. With the ground still soaked from last night’s heavy rainfall he moved with caution, not wanting to slip on the wet jungle floor.

A shriek up ahead caught his attention. Moving quickly, he rushed along the path and spotted Lauren climbing to her feet. He couldn’t see her face in the dark but instinctively knew it was her. The minute he saw her, he knew he had to have her again immediately. His body instantly became aware of her proximity. He needed to feel her in his arms, between his legs. He needed to feel her warm body next to his, to make love to her the way she deserved.

When he’d decided to be her fantasy lover come to life, he had no idea how she would affect him. His interest in her now went much deeper than just a wild night of Tarzan sex. He was completely unprepared for the emotions she brought out in him. What the hell did he expect, really? Lauren was one hell of a fun-loving, adventurous, giving woman.

“I was looking for you,” she whispered, her voice dark with desire. Awareness flared through him as he weighed her words carefully. Here she was, alone in the dark. In the jungle. Late at night. He knew exactly whom she was looking for. Her Tarzan.

He couldn’t deny that he felt a quick stab of jealousy. He was falling hard for Lauren yet she still wanted sex from her fantasy man.

Pushing his jealousy aside, he removed his glasses. He ached to pleasure her the way she deserved to be pleasured, to give her exactly what she wanted.

As he listened to her work to get the mud from her clothes, everything inside him softened. His protective instincts came out in full force.

He walked up to her, slipped his arms around her waist and pitched his voice low, the same way he had the last time he’d ravished her in the jungle. “Come with me,” he whispered. Ryan guided her along the path until they reached one of the many huts strategically scattered throughout the island. He grabbed a few blankets, a torch and a couple of bottles of water.

He felt her shiver with excitement. “Where are you taking me?” she asked. Her voice sounded eager.

Continuing with his role, he grunted and ushered her into one of the dark caves that he’d discovered during his explorations.

Once they were inside, he spread a blanket and lowered her onto it. He walked outside and lit the torch, providing them with enough light to create a cozy ambiance in the cave, but not enough for her to discern his features.

“Where are you?” she asked. He could hear her moving around in the dark, reaching for him. “I need you.” Her voice was so achingly gentle that everything inside him softened.

“Shh,” he whispered and settled down next to her. “It’s okay. I’m here.”

He touched her face, his fingers outlining her jaw. When he felt the remnants of mud, he grabbed one of his water bottles and poured a generous amount onto the corner of a blanket. Crowding her, he dabbed her with the makeshift washcloth and cleaned her face.

When he heard her small gasp, and her hands connected with his arms, his voice came out sounding unstable. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” she murmured seductively. Her breathing grew a little erratic. “I’ve never felt better in my life.”

As he cleaned the mud from her skin, he felt her body move under his touch in a telltale show of her needs. Waves of pleasure thickened his cock, and he fought the desperate need to plunge deep inside her tight sheath. If he wanted to give her what they both craved, he needed to gain control of himself first. His heart pounded so hard in his chest, he feared it would burst though his rib cage. He gave a lusty groan and clenched his jaw.