Sleep With Me (Be With Me) (8 page)

David chuckled. He glanced sideways at her, then returned his gaze to the small boat making its way to them.

“You didn’t answer my question. And I still want to know the answer,” he said, just loud enough to be heard over the waves.

Katherine shrugged, looking down at the crevices and lines of the sandbar beneath her feet. “I came to relax. So I could sleep. So far I’ve done very little relaxing, and more sleeping that I could have hoped for, so I suppose it was a success. But this isn’t real life, David. I can’t function like this. So melding those two personalities into something I can live with is something I’ll need to work on at home. I don’t know how else to do it.”

He nodded as the boat drew closer. “Sounds like a solid plan.” He waved at the woman in the boat, and Katherine realized with relief that it was Amy, the Captain from the day before.

“Thought you might be waiting,” she called out as she got the small craft as close to the sandbar as possible. “Sorry I couldn’t get back last night - that was a hell of a storm.”

“No problem,” David said, gesturing for Katherine to board first. “We did okay, all things considered. But we’ll be glad to get back to the main island.”

Katherine stood at the edge of the sandbar and reached for the side of the boat, but it was too far away.

“You’re gonna have to get wet,” Amy said. “Come on, I’ll help you up.”

Nodding, Katherine took a breath and stepped into the ocean, bobbing quickly to the surface with a gasp at the temperature drop. Swimming the few feet out, she reached up and grasped the edge of the boat, pulling her legs up sideways as Amy helped anchor her arms by the wrist. As soon as she was settled, David was climbing in beside her. Wrapped up in a thick towel, a strong sense of exhaustion came over Katherine as she listened to David and Amy banter on the way back to the ship.

Chapter 6

When they reached the ship, David helped Kat climb aboard and then left her to get settled while he helped Amy secure the dingy and prepare to head back to the main island. When he finally thought to look for Kat again, he found her stretched out on the same padded bench she’d ridden out on, fast asleep. He covered her with a blanket and then went to the control room.

“So did you shag her?” Amy asked with a wry smile. “She looks slightly less tense than she did yesterday, which is odd considering what I imagine you’ve been through.”

David shrugged. Normally he was eager to share his conquest stories, especially since he knew it drove Amy mad. But this time, he wasn’t sure. With Kat it had been...different.

Could he afford to let it be?

“You better believe it,” he said, forcing the usual cockiness into his voice. “What woman could possibly keep her hands off this body while stranded on a deserted island? You excepted, of course.” He laughed, but it sounded too loud even to his own ears. Amy shot him a knowing look, her lips tugged up in a told-you-so smirk.

“I do believe you might be falling for this one, David. The only question now is, are you man enough to see it through? Or will you send her off like all the others with a quick kiss and a promise to call that you never intend to keep?”

He clutched dramatically at his heart, stumbling back at her words.

“Ow! You should be careful with those barbs. You could put an eye out or something.”

Amy shook her head. “You’re seriously going to do it, aren’t you? Just let her go because you’re more afraid to let her in than to lose her. I’m disappointed, but not surprised.”

“Nah,” David scoffed, “it’s not like that anyways. She was only looking for a quick lay so she could sleep, and I gave it to her. Now she can go home to what sounds like a pretty boring life, and I can go back to harassing island girls. Win-win.”

He happened to glance toward the door and felt his heart drop into his stomach at the expression on Kat’s face. Hurt and dismay followed quickly by that mask of cold indifference he’d seen too many times before. He tried to remember why it had been so important to hide his true feelings from Amy, but couldn’t think of a single good reason in that instant.

It didn’t matter now though, judging by the ice in Kat’s eyes. He’d just lost her.

At the sudden silence, Amy turned to look at him, and then followed his gaze to Kat. “Oh wow. I’m...we didn’t know you were there. Is there something you need?”

Kat gave the Captain a wan smile. “I was just wondering if you had any bottled water. I woke up kind of thirsty. It’s okay if you don’t - I’d hate to be a bother.”

Amy scowled at David. “You’re not a bother, and there’s water in the cooler to your right. Help yourself to anything you want.”

“Thank you.” Kat walked away without another word.

“You are such an idiot,” Amy said, turning back to watch as they sailed closer to the docks. David stepped closer and lowered his voice.

“You didn’t even like her yesterday, so what do you care? Besides, you’re the one who started it.”

She shook her head. “Whatever. I need to dock this thing, and you need to go talk to her, since we both know you were lying through your damn teeth and she’s obviously not just messing around. Get out of the cockpit. That’s an order.”

***

Katherine quickly blinked back the tears as she saw David approach out of the corner of her eye. She picked up the towels she’d used and tossed them in a hamper, then gathered her things while he watched.

“I’m sorry,” he said, keeping his distance. “You know how guys are. They always say stupid stuff to their buddies about girls. It’s just a thing we do. And Amy’s more like a guy friend, you know?”

Katherine forced herself to look up at him and smile.

“Nothing to be sorry about,” she said, taking care to use a chipper tone. “Everything you said was the truth. I wanted to get laid so I could sleep. Mission accomplished, and I appreciate you helping me out.” The boat bumped against the dock and she saw David look at the moorings, and then back at her.

“Are you going to secure the boat? I’d better start checking on things like my hotel room and a flight home. I just hope the airline will understand and change my ticket. Flying is just so expensive, don’t you think?” She knew she was rambling, but couldn’t seem to help it. He knew too, judging by the look he was giving her, but he said nothing.

He finally nodded and turned away, jumping down onto the dock to tie the ropes to the moorings. Just as well.

She put her bag over her shoulder and waved to Amy as she opened the gate in the railing and hopped down to the wooden deck below. Stifling the urge for one more glance over her shoulder, she walked up the dock to the beach and headed for the hotel.

The next few hours were a nightmare.

Her little beach hut had been cleaned out and given to someone else, so she had to pay for a small room within the hotel proper, all they had available on short notice. At least they still had her suitcase and clothes. She’d write David’s scuba tours company for a refund later.

After a shower and a change of clothes, she called the airline only to be told that her non-refundable return ticket couldn’t be transferred, and that she’d have to book another flight home at full price. It took some wrangling, but she was finally able to reserve a seat the next afternoon, maxing out her credit card.

Head hurting and beaten down, she lay on the bed and tried to sleep. Tossing and turning, she finally gave in to the tears simmering just below the surface. How had everything gotten so messed up?

Half an hour later, she got up and washed her face, looking at herself in the mirror. The woman staring back at her was foreign with tanned skin and loose, tousled hair. Very different from her normal put-together professional self. The dark circles she recognized, but that haunted, lost look in her eyes was another new, unwelcome change.

David had done that. Or rather, she’d let him, which was worse. Candace was wrong. Opening herself up had just made it worse, and for what? A couple nights of sleep? Memories that would take too long to fade?

With a heavy sigh, she turned away and grabbed the last of her cash and key card. No sense in wasting the night sitting alone with her depressing thoughts. She’d find something to eat, and then watch the sun go down on the beach. A fitting end to a disastrous vacation.

Especially if it involved a Mai Tai. Or two.

***

The sun was just beginning to set as David walked up the beach. He’d tried to stay away, but he needed to see Kat once more before she left. Needed to apologize again for...everything. Having just interrupted what appeared to be an intimate moment involving whipped cream and chocolate syrup at what used to be her hut, he was on his way to the hotel in hopes she hadn’t found a flight out yet.

Glancing to the right, he saw the dark profile of a beautiful woman in the distance. Sitting in the sand, she held a hurricane glass in one hand while the other wrapped around one knee. Her hair drifted gently around her shoulders with the breeze, and though he couldn’t see her features, he knew her.

Switching course, he went to her side. Lowering himself to the sand, he sat beside her and watched quietly as the huge orange ball slid down under the horizon. The fact that she let him was encouraging, he supposed.

When the last vestiges of light were gone, she finally spoke.

“I fly out tomorrow afternoon.”

“Okay.” His stomach flipped over, his chest tightened. There were so many things to be said, and he didn’t know how to say any of them. Didn’t even know where to start. But it couldn’t end, not yet. Not like this.

“Kat, I--”

A gentle touch on his arm stilled him, drew his gaze up. He could just make out the haunted look in her eyes, the sad smile on her lips. She got to her feet, holding a hand out to him.

“Shhh. Let’s just go.”

He took her hand and she helped him up, lacing her fingers with his as they walked up the beach to the hotel. She led him down a long hall in the older part of the building and into a small room with a double bed and not much else. After she locked the door, she turned and leaned against the door as he watched.

“I know I’m just another island fling,” she said, holding a hand up when he would have protested. “It’s okay. I get it. And you can say no if you want to. But I was hoping...”

She pushed off the door and moved in close, sliding her hands up over his shoulders to play with the hair at the back of his neck.

“I was hoping you would stay. Just for tonight.”

He grasped her hips, pulling her tight against his body and wrapping his arms around her. His lips found hers, teasing.

“So you can sleep?” he murmured against her delectable lips. He wasn’t sure why it mattered, but it did.

She moaned low in her throat as he kissed her, slow and gentle.

“No,” she breathed when he finally let her up for air. “Because I want you.”

He captured her mouth again, feasting on her as he spun her around. Her hands worked between them, undoing buttons and zippers and pulling off his clothes and he happily returned the favor. Finally down to skin-on-skin they ended up on the bed, somehow. He settled between her legs, the tip of his cock probing gently at the entrance between her thighs, but no further. Not yet.

He worshiped her neck with his lips, traced her collarbone with his tongue, laved and suckled at her nipples while she arched off the bed into his mouth, her soft whimpers driving him crazy with need. Kissing and caressing he worked his way down her body, across her ribs and over her stomach, laved at her navel as it undulated under his touch.

So soft. So beautiful. So irresistible.

Opening her inner lips with his fingers, he caught her clitoris between his lips, flicking the sensitive bud with his tongue as her hips rolled up, begging for more. Swirling in circles he drove her to the edge before moving lower still, lapping hungrily at the warm juices flowing from her core.

“David, please,” she panted, her thighs clamped around his head as he thumbed her clit. “I need you inside me. Now.”

Her legs fell open and he crawled up her body, sealing his lips over hers as he thrust inside her waiting warmth.

His balls tightened as he moved within her, knowing he should slow down, but needing to claim her. To leave his mark. Bracing himself on his elbows, he looked down, watching her beautiful face as the pressure built between them.

“Open your eyes,” he said, gyrating his hips in a small circle and earning a surprised gasp. Her lashes fluttered up and she met his stare, showing him a wealth of emotion in those shimmering depths.

He slowed his movements, lazily sliding in and out as he brushed the hair back from her face.

“Don’t leave,” he said, burying himself deep within her and holding there. “Stay with me. Be my one and only island girl.”

She hesitated and then looked away, closing her eyes as the tears spilled over. Shutting him out.

“I can’t. I’m sorry.”

Her inner muscles clenched around his cock, pulling him in tighter even as disappointment and loss flooded through his very being. Her ankles locked around his waist and he leaned down to place gentle kisses along her neck. Slowly he began to move again, savoring the feel of her surrounding him, knowing it would truly be the last time. She urged him on with her legs, faster, deeper, and he gave her what she wanted as the tension between them twisted and grew until he couldn’t hold back any longer.

She cried out, her back arching off the bed as she met his last hard thrusts, the sight of her making his own release that much stronger. He collapsed on top of her and rolled to the side, his head in the crook of her neck as he focused on catching his next breath.

Kat rolled toward him, moving down to snuggle her face against his chest as he pulled a blanket up over them and held her tight. Less than five minutes later, her breathing evened out and he smiled, kissing her forehead before he drifted off to sleep.

When he woke, warm sunlight was streaming in through the sheer curtains. Memories from the night before came back in a rush, and he reached for Kat, his body craving hers. But the other side of the bed was empty, and even as he sat up to look for her, he knew she was already gone.