Sleep With Me (Be With Me) (7 page)

Empty. She couldn’t describe the feeling any other way as he left her braced against the tree so he could pull up his shorts and fasten them. Suddenly she remembered why she didn’t have sex. Why one night stands were a really bad idea. While they lasted, it was the most awesome thing on the planet.

But that empty feeling afterward when it was time to say goodbye? It never really went away.

Forcing herself to move, she adjusted her suit, putting everything back in the right places to cover herself as much as possible. David moved closer, pulling her into his embrace and she went willingly, thankful she didn’t have to look at him just yet.

“Warmer?” he murmured, idly caressing her back. She nodded against his chest.

“You were right,” she said, forcing herself to smile to hide the sadness. “Friction does create heat.”

He chuckled, the sound vibrating his chest against her cheek until he pulled back to look down at her. Lifting her head to meet his gaze in the dim light of early dawn, she was surprised at the range of emotions reflected back at her. Was it possible he felt more than just a passing attraction?

His smile faded and he bent to kiss her once, gently. For a moment she thought he might say something...profound. Something to reassure her that what they’d shared wasn’t all there was. But as the silence stretched between them and he stepped away with a quick rub of his hands on her arms, she knew in the pit of her stomach that it wasn’t going to happen.

“It’s starting to get light,” he said, his back to her. “I think the beach is that way. We should see if we can find something to eat, and then we’ll wait for the boat.” He half-turned back to glance at her. “Is that okay with you?”

She nodded, blinking to hold back the tears. “Of course,” she replied, her voice surprisingly steady. “Lead the way.”

Chapter 5

David led the way through the trees, feeling like a world-class jerk. He knew Kat was looking for a sign that what they’d done had meant something, but he couldn’t mislead her like that. Being with her had been better than he ever could have imagined, and they definitely had a real connection, but realistically that’s as far as it could go.

He glanced behind him, making sure she still followed. Her head was bent down, her eyes focused on the ground as she moved carefully through the scattered branches and rocks. Her shoulders were slumped and she looked exhausted, clearly pushing herself to keep up. The sky was growing lighter by the minute, and he could see the cut lines of her muscles as she moved, a beautifully graceful sight.

She stopped, looking up at him with a curious expression.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Everything’s fine. You holding up okay?”

Kat nodded, giving him a small smile. “I’m tired, but I’ll be okay. Not to sound like a five-year old, but do you think we’re getting closer?”

“Absolutely.” He pointed to his left. “The cabin we saw should be just over there. We’ll stop there and see if anyone’s home. I didn’t see a boat, but maybe it’s in a smaller cove somewhere. We’ll ask.”

“Well let’s go then,” she said, moving closer. “Anything that will get me back to civilization and a hot shower is just fine with me.”

David chuckled as she caught up. “Come on then. Not too much further.”

She walked beside him as they zigzagged down a gentle slope and out onto a rocky beach. Just as he’d thought, the cabin - or what was left of it - sat on tall stilts overlooking the water. The back of the structure stood strong, but the front and sides were torn apart, wood and plaster hanging loose and gaping holes in the roof. Kat stopped to survey the damage.

“This is why you wouldn’t let me come down here last night.” Tilting her head, she looked thoughtfully at him. “Thank you.”

He gave her a slight nod in acknowledgment. “Let’s see if there’s anything salvageable inside. It seems unlikely since I’m sure this isn’t the first storm to hit the place, but we’ve got a little time to poke around.”

When they reached the stilts, David threw his weight against each in turn, checking for any signs of instability. None of them moved or swayed though, and he decided it was safe enough to go up. They found a ladder made of thick branches and rope secured to one of the back posts, and used that to climb up and under the wrap-around railing.

“Maybe you should wait below,” David said as he stepped off the ladder. The platform was tilted slightly, with holes every few feet. Kat climbed up beside him and shook her head.

“No way. You don’t get to have all the fun.” She moved toward a beaten down wall half-standing and mostly torn to shreds, stopping at an empty window frame to peer inside.

“Be careful where you step,” David warned as Kat stepped over the sill into what appeared to be the main living quarters. “Any of this wood could be rotten - you’d fall right through.”

“I will.”

He watched Kat gingerly poke the floor beams with a toe before taking each step as she moved toward a big steamer trunk against the back wall. He followed, looking around the space for anything that looked remotely usable. Most of the furniture was still there, bolted to the floor with the upholstery long gone. He wondered how long the place had been abandoned.

“Ha!” Kat cried, and he turned her way to see her holding up several items of clothing. “They were in the trunk...and still dry!” She pulled a long-sleeved shirt over her head, the arms dangling well past her fingers. Fumbling with the extra fabric, she wiggled her way into a pair of light pants and tied the drawstring waist to hold them up. Rolling her sleeves, she left them on her forearm and then turned around, arms outstretched.

“Like it?” she asked, smiling.

He shrugged. “It’s okay. Seems like a pity to cover all that lovely skin of yours up though.”

She laughed. “Sorry, but I’m tired of running around in nothing but a swimsuit, so you’re going to have to live. There’s more - did you want dry things?”

He thought about it and then declined. “I think I’ll pass. My clothes are dry, and the sun’s coming up so I’ll be okay. Are you ready to go? We should find some food.”

“Sure.” Kat carefully retraced her steps to join him, and then shimmied down the ladder, waiting for him at the bottom. “Without fire we can’t really cook a fish and we lost our emergency supplies. What else is there?”

David smiled, pointing up at a nearby stand of coconut trees. “Everything you could want in one seed,” he said, jogging over to where several large brown globes lay on the ground. Holding one up, he held it out to her and then picked out one for himself. “Breaking them open is the tricky part, but we can drink the liquid inside and then eat the meat. Good for you, and tasty too. Let me show you.”

***

The coconut wasn’t exactly her thing, but Katherine had to admit it did perk her up. She munched on a chunk of the milky white meat as they continued the trek to the end of the island. The sun rose high and hot, and by the time she could see the tide sliding up over sand she was sweating in her newly found clothing.

David stopped just short of the warming sand and pointed to a sandbar out in the sea.

“Amy should be able to pick us up on that sandbar,” he said, shielding his face with one hand as he scanned the horizon. “We can walk out over there when the tide goes down a little more. We’ll just have to be careful not to get stuck - it’s a long swim back if she doesn’t make it.”

Katherine scrunched up her nose, not keen on that idea at all.

“We should have brought the boat. Remind me why we didn’t just hop in and motor around the island?”

“Not enough gas,” he said, stepping onto the sand. “So walking was pretty much our only option.”

“Right.” She followed him, her feet sinking past the sun-warmed top layer of fine grit through to the cooler layers below. “So we’re just going to wade out to the middle of the sandbar and wait to be stranded there when the tide goes out? There has to be a better plan than that...”

He chuckled, sounding far more annoyed than amused. “I’m all ears, Kat. If you have a better suggestion, don’t be shy.”

“Katherine. And I think we should make a signal or something to let her know where we are. Then if she comes, we can wade out there, and if she doesn’t, we’re stuck on the beach instead of surrounded by water and sharks again. I’ve had enough sharks for awhile, if it’s all the same to you.”

“What kind of signal did you have in mind? I think we can safely rule out a fire, and it seems like that’s the only thing that would be visible from way out there. What else you got? And why do you mind me calling you Kat so much?”

She sighed. “I don’t know. I just really don’t think we should get stuck out there. And my name is Katherine, not Kat. That should be reason enough.”

“Try again, sweetheart.” He moved closer, running a finger just inside the vee of her shirt. “Kat is a perfectly good nickname, and honestly, you’re very cat-like, so it suits you. I want to know why you don’t like it.”

“It wasn’t a compliment in grade school. I hated it then, and I hate it now. Just let it go, okay?”

***

David knew he should let it drop, but he couldn’t seem to keep from prodding her.

“No.” He moved closer yet, his fingers moving down between her breasts to span across her ribcage. “The problem is, when I hear Katherine, I think of a quiet librarian who hides away in dark stacks and needs to be coaxed out of her shell. There’s nothing wrong with that, and I get that you want the world to think you’re that person, but hard as you try, you’re just not her.”

She tried to protest, but he brought his other hand up between them, laying three fingers over her mouth.

“No, you’re feisty, and sexy, and everything about you makes people sit up and take notice. You project confidence and even when the claws come out, you’re still too cute to be mad at for long...”

Kat tried to step back, but he held her in place, raising his eyebrows. “Going somewhere?”

“Let me go, or I’ll use these too-cute claws on the side of your face.” Her words were almost a growl which just made him smile more.

“See, that right there is what I mean. You are gorgeous when you’re angry, and extremely sensual when you’re not.” He stroked his hand up and down her back, slowly, smoothly.

“Just relax, Kat. Let me pet you a little. Better yet, you can curl up in my la--ouch!”

He released her quickly as the flat of her hand connected solidly with his jaw. Reaching up to feel the burning in his face, he wasn’t prepared when she threw herself at him from the side, tackling him to the ground and straddling his hips while she pinned his arms overhead.

“I’m not a mousey librarian,” she said, her pulse beating rapidly against the skin of his wrists through her fingers. “But I’m not a social butterfly willing to just sleep with anyone either, which is what the name Kat means to a lot of people. I don’t want to be that woman - can you understand that?”

David figured it wasn’t a good time to remind her she’d come to the big island with the express purpose of getting laid. Instead, he slowly nodded his head.

“I understand wanting to redefine yourself,” he said carefully. “But can’t you be both Katherine and Kat? Different sides of yourself, but both still ‘you’?”

She thought for a moment, her gaze wandering somewhere past his head. Then she sat back, narrowly missing the family jewels, and released his wrists.

“Kat scares me,” she finally said, so softly he almost missed it. She ran her hands through her hair and looked up at the sky, the backs of her thighs resting on the front of his. If she’d just scoot up a few inches...

He reached out to grasp her hands, moving her forward to where he wanted her. Bending his legs, he created a back rest for her and then released her hands.

“What scares you the most about her?”

She gave a little half-laugh. “Everything.” She glanced down at him, her defenses lowered long enough for him to see the abject fear in her eyes before she looked away again.

“You don’t know what I’m like - not really. I like schedules and routines and everything in its place. I hate change. I get antsy every time I have to make an unplanned change to my day. It was nerve-wracking just getting on the plane to come here without any plans or itinerary other than the return flight. And then you...and this screwed up trip...” she rubbed her face with one hand. “I just need to go home, and get back into my normal routine. Everything will be fine if I can just do that.”

“Run and hide, you mean?” David said, propping one arm under his head so he could look up at her. “Because that’s what you’ll be doing. It won’t actually fix anything. You’ll be stuck where you always were. And wasn’t that the reason for coming here - to learn how to meld both worlds together?”

***

There was truth to his words that Katherine didn’t want to face. She was trying to decide how to answer when a small but unmistakable shape floated into her vision out in the open sea.

“Run,” she said, getting hastily to her feet. “We both need to run. Now!”

Reaching for his hand to pull him to his feet, she couldn’t make her mouth move fast enough and simply pointed to answer his confused and irritated look.

“Boat! Ship! Whatever - we have to catch it!”

He didn’t need any further explanation, taking off in the direction of the exposed sandbar. She followed as closely as she could, minding the odd bits of rock and driftwood sticking up on the beach. The surface of the sandbar wasn’t really all that sandy, but rather hard and jagged, and she had trouble keeping her balance. Somehow she did though, almost catching up as they reached a point in front of the passing ship.

“Is that your boat?” she asked, bent over with her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. He shielded his eyes and squinted against the glare off the water.

“I can’t tell. Doesn’t matter though. Looks like they saw us. See the dingy being lowered?”

Katherine nodded. “Oh thank God. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a warm shower and a soft bed more than I do right now.”