Gillian’s Island (9 page)

He bent to pick up a torn foil wrapper off the floor.

“I can do it. You go on up.” She needed time alone to
process it all.

Jamie hesitated. “You sure? I can help.”

“No, I’m good. You go. Rob may need you to explain to
them what you’ve done to the engine or something so they can
fix it.”

“You’re right. They can probably have it up and running
in no time.” He grabbed her and kissed her hard once more.
“We’re gonna make that wedding after all. Your sister
will be so happy.”

With that, Jamie was out the door and headed up top leaving Gillian
alone with her thoughts.

Her sister. God, she’d forgotten her sister had been within
hearing distance in the room directly across the hall all night with
Rob. Gillian was sure she and Jamie had gotten pretty loud at times,
too involved in what they were doing at the moment to care who heard.
She remembered burying her face in the pillow to muffle what could
only be described as screams of pleasure while Jamie thrust into her
from behind. Her face burned with embarrassment.

They’d been like rutting animals, unable to get enough of each
other. Somehow, when the future had been uncertain and they’d
been desperate castaways, their behavior had seemed justified. Now
that the real world was sailing toward them at full speed, her shame
overwhelmed her. She’d practically jumped him last night.
They’d done things together she’d never even thought of
doing with a man before and in the heat of the moment she’d
begged him to do those things.

The cheers from the stranded wedding party up on deck got louder and
the rescue ship’s horn sounded again. Her sore muscles
protested as Gillian bent to retrieve the condom box off the floor.
Never before had she woken up feeling so good, sore and ashamed all
at once, and all from just one night of sex.

She sighed. For better or worse, reality beckoned.

After she threw the box of condoms back into the drawer, she gathered
the garbage and stashed it deep in the pail in the bathroom. With
another bout of embarrassment she wiped off the flashlight with the
towel. The towel went in the hamper and she stashed the light in the
nightstand drawer. After straightening the still damp bed coverings,
she grabbed the bottle of cooking oil to return to the galley and
exited their little castaway love nest.

Gillian arrived up top just in time to see Rob grinning and slapping
Jamie on the back as they both laughed. Her stomach twisted. Had Rob
heard them? Was he congratulating his buddy on the conquest? They’d
probably all heard last night. She didn’t dare make eye contact
with either Brandon or Reilly. Instead, she slipped closer to Julie.

“Hi.” Gillian kept her eyes focused on the military ship
as it anchored in the distance and lowered a smaller boat filled with
sailors into the water. When she finally allowed herself to look at
her sister, she found a smile there.

“Hi, yourself.”

Drawing in a deep, steadying breath, Gillian turned fully to face
Julie. “Okay. Go ahead. Get it out of your system.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Julie’s
sly smile didn’t match her words.

Gillian lowered her voice. “I know you heard us last night. If
you’re going to tease me, get it over with now.”

One blond eyebrow rose above Julie’s ocean blue eyes. “It
was hard not to hear you, but I’m not going to tease you. I’m
thrilled. Rob and I wanted you and Jamie to hook up. You two are
perfect for each other.”

Instead of noting that crazy, one-night—okay two-night—hookups
did not a relationship make, Gillian pointed out the other obvious
issues. “One, he lives and has a good job in Chicago while I
live and work here in California. Two, it was just sex. I don’t
know what got into me. I think I was convinced we were going to all
die here, but whatever it was, it was brought on by the situation and
probably won’t ever happen again.”

The sway of Julie’s head stopped Gillian from adding to her
list of why she and Jamie couldn’t be together. “What?”

“Jamie is not the kind to have sex with a girl unless he’s
serious. At least that’s what Rob told me. I wouldn’t be
so sure it won’t be happening again, and often.”

Gillian thought back to the first day they’d met. He didn’t
know her at all and they’d ended up in bed that day. Of course,
she had acted like a brazen hussy then too. Downing champagne in the
sun on an empty stomach. Telling him she hadn’t had sex in a
long time. Saying she was going to kiss him, possibly rip his clothes
off and then actually doing it.

What was it about this guy that drove her crazy?

Maybe they’d hook up again at the wedding. There would be
champagne there and it seemed that was the only aphrodisiac she
needed these days. Though she didn’t remember drinking any last
night before she’d jumped him.

“Gillian. You’re over thinking things, as usual. He’s
a great guy. You obviously had a great time together. More than once.
All night long.”

Gillian’s cheeks blazed with heat. “Julie. Shhh.”

Her sister smiled. “You’re so easy to embarrass.”

“
Did the others hear?”

“I don’t think so. We found them all passed out on the
beach when we came up top this morning.”

“Thank goodness for that, but does Rob really have to do the
whole manly slap on the back, ‘congrats on getting laid’
thing with Jamie?”

Julie glanced at the two men together and shrugged. “Boys will
be boys. So, tell me. How was it? I mean, it sounded pretty good…”

“I’m not talking about it.” She forced the words
out through clenched teeth.

“Come on. I’m your sister. Who did I call the moment Rob
and I first did it?”

“Yes, and thank you for that, but you didn’t have to call
me from his bathroom the actual minute after. You could have waited
until, oh, I don’t know,
never
to give me the intimate
details.”

Julie laughed. “I’ll just have to ask Jamie then I
guess.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” Gillian’s eyes flew open
wide.

“Try me. Come on. Give me something here, Gilly.”

She drew in a deep breath and admitted what she didn’t want to
admit even to herself in the light of day. “It was amazing.
It’s never been like that before and I doubt it ever will be
again.”

Julie raised a brow and glanced at Jamie again. “Wow. The
quietest guy here and he’s virtually a sexual Zen master. Who’d
have thought?”

The bigger question was, now that they weren’t going to die
stranded on this island, how was Gillian going to live without him?

Chapter Ten

“You’re avoiding me.”

“Hmm?” Just being in Jamie’s arms had her
trembling. How she was supposed to deny the truth when they both knew
she couldn’t lie for shit was beyond her, but she tried anyway.
“I’m not.”

“Gillian. You sat at the other end of the table at the
rehearsal dinner last night and today the only time I was anywhere
near you was walking you back down the aisle on the way to the
receiving line.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. We’re
together now, aren’t we?”

“It’s the first dance. You couldn’t avoid it.”
He spun her around toward the photographer who’d been stalking
the entire wedding party. “Smile.”

She did, then went back to frowning. “I’ve been busy. I’m
the maid of honor, in addition to being a recently rescued castaway.”

The truth was she had been avoiding him the past few days. Since the
rescue, she’d kept herself purposely busy double checking every
detail for the wedding and trying not to think about him going back
to Chicago, but she couldn’t admit that.

“I know and I understand. I also realize neither of us got any
sleep on the island for ah…various reasons, which is why I
only called once after the rescue to check on you and left you alone
the rest of the week, including last night after the rehearsal
dinner. Besides, I’m staying at Rob’s place and I had to
be there for him this week, but our responsibilities are almost done
now. I give one short toast. You stand in a group to catch the
bouquet, we eat brunch tomorrow morning and then that’s it. You
and I will just be us again, no more best man and maid of honor. Then
we’re going to talk because I am not going back to Chicago
until we have. Got it?”

He had never been so intense. Actually, that wasn’t true. He’d
been pretty intense that last night on the island.

Gillian swallowed hard. “Okay.”

“Good. Smile. That damn photographer’s here again.”

Jamie
was even hotter when he was ordering her around than he had been
feeding her raw fish or doing other things to her. Dazed, she pasted
on a smile and tried not to melt in his arms.

“Can I cut in?” Brandon’s sudden appearance cut in
all right—into her enjoyment of Jamie.

There was a distinct slur to Brandon’s words and he was swaying
a bit. How had he possibly gotten so drunk so soon? When he whipped
out a flask, she understood.

“No. You’re supposed to be dancing with Ronni.”
Jamie frowned.

“I did already. Besides
Ronni
doesn’t put out,
unlike some others.” Brandon broke into a wide and very
suggestive grin and looked down at Gillian.

Jamie spun her around and toward the edge of the dance floor. “Excuse
me a moment.”

Leaving her alone, he turned back, laid an arm across Brandon’s
shoulders, and steered him out the door. A few moments later Jamie
returned, his right fist cradled in his left hand.

“What happened?”

“What do you mean?” He led her back into the dance as if
nothing had happened.

One glance at the doorway showed Brandon looking more dazed than
before, touching his chin gingerly.

“You beat up Brandon?” Gillian stared up at Jamie wide
eyed.

“I didn’t beat him up.”

“You punched him.”

“Well, yes, but he deserved it.” The song ended and Jamie
clasped her hand in his left one. “I have to make that toast
now. I want you to be next to me when I do, okay?”

Having trouble processing it all, she nodded and let him pull her to
the front of the room. The bandleader introduced him and Jamie took
the microphone, only letting go of her hand to take the glass of
champagne a passing waiter handed him. She took a glass for herself.

After clearing his throat, Jamie began speaking. His rich voice,
amplified by the sound system, echoed throughout the room.

His gaze remained locked with hers while he made the toast. “Some
people come into our lives for a moment and end up staying a
lifetime.”

Drawing in a deep breath, he finally glanced up to locate Julie and
Rob in the crowd.

“I could not be more thrilled that Rob has found Julie to be
that person for him.” Jamie’s gaze met Gillian’s
again. “May we all be as lucky. To Rob and Julie.”

He raised his glass and the crowd echoed the toast.

“To Rob and Julie.” Gillian raised her champagne. Her
eyes welled up with tears, but that was okay because every other
female in the room, including her sister, was dabbing at their own
eyes.

Then Rob and Julie were there next to them. Julie hugged her hard and
whispered against her updo, “He is such a keeper. If you don’t
hold on to him, I’m going to have to hurt you.”

Gillian laughed tearfully. “Okay.”

They switched and Julie went to hug Jamie while Rob came to Gillian.
He leaned low and wrapped his arms around her. “You’re
next, Gilly.”

“Rob. Stop.” She glanced at Jamie, who was still
engrossed in conversation with Julie. “It was just a one night
thing.” Actually, two, but Rob didn’t need to know about
her indiscretions.

“No, it wasn’t.” He shook his head. She opened her
mouth to protest and Rob touched a finger to her lips. “Trust
me.”

“Look, Rob, I saw you slapping him on the back the morning
after. I know you’re happy your matchmaking worked and your
best friend got lucky but—”

Her new brother-in-law’s eyes opened wide. “You think
that’s what I was doing. Congratulating him that he got lucky
with you?”

“Yes.”

“Gilly.” Rob shot a glance at Jamie and then lowered his
voice. “I was happy because he’d just told me you’re
the one.”

“The one?”

“Gillian, you’re his Julie.”

The wind totally knocked out of her, she was barely able to stay
upright when Julie and Rob went to do bride and groom stuff and Jamie
took her arm. He steered her toward the back doors that opened onto
the garden. Without much memory of how she arrived there, she found
herself seated on a bench in the shade in the middle of a rose garden
with Jamie’s tux-clad thigh pressed against her dress.

“So.” He watched her closely.

She swallowed hard. “So.”

“Tell me why you’ve avoided me since the island. I want
the truth, even if it hurts me.” A frown knit his sandy brows.
He stared down at the ground. “I said this on the island and
I’ll say it again now. If it was just a fling for you, that’s
fine. Well, not really because I don’t want it to be, but if
that’s what you want—”

“It wasn’t just a fling for me.” Her fingers
fidgeted in her lap until he laid his hand over them. Finally, she
raised her gaze to his face. “I’m embarrassed. I acted
like a sex crazed lunatic that last night. I apologize. I don’t
know what got into me.”

His eyes opened wide. “You apologize? Gillian, that was the
most incredible night of my life. Don’t you dare feel bad about
it. And if anyone was sex crazed, it was me.”

Gillian shook her head. “No, I practically tore your clothes
off.”

“I did a lot more than that to you.”

“Only because I begged you to.” She felt the blush creep
into her cheeks.

“I didn’t exactly fight you, now did I?” He smiled
and ran one finger down her face. “You have nothing to be
embarrassed about. Can I tell you something that might help?”