Up In Flames (4 page)

Adam abruptly changed the subject. He didn’t like seeing her so melancholy. He’d take her temper any day. “So what are we doing here? Do you want to use this damn shirt or not? Or are you just waiting for me to bleed to death.”

“You said you weren’t bleeding that much anymore!”

He shrugged, which only annoyed her more. He handed her the sliced-up T-shirt, then suffered through her efforts.

Actually
suffer
was a very apt word. Despite her new pique, she didn’t hurt him. But she was so gentle when she cleaned away the rest of the sand and smoothed his hair, when she held the wadded bandage in place then wrapped a strip of the shirt around his forehead like a headband. Her scent enveloped him again, and twice he felt her breasts brush his shoulder.

Oh, hell. He was wearing no more than snug boxers, and his interest would be blatantly obvious if he didn’t distract himself and quick.

“So what were you doing on this trip, all alone? Very few people vacation without a companion.”

She carefully knotted the wrap. With a shrug in her tone, she said, “I’m used to being alone. And it makes it easier for me to think.”

“To think about what?”

She finished with his bandage and sat back on her heels. The skirt pulled tight over her long thighs and smooth knees. That held his attention for several heartbeats, and when he finally looked at her face, he decided she looked uncertain. Adam thought she’d refuse to answer, but she lifted one shoulder and said, “About what to do with myself for the rest of my life.”

“You couldn’t figure that out back in Brockton?” Adam closed his bag and stood.

She stood also and dusted the sand off herself. “There were...distractions at home.”

He took her hand with his free one and started them down the beach again. Mel didn’t object, and he enjoyed touching her. Her fingers were so slender, her hand so tiny in his large one. “What kind of distractions?”

“Oh, family, friends...an ex-fiancé.”

That last distraction caused his stomach to tighten. Trying to sound only mildly interested, he asked, “Family?”

“Surely you remember my mother and father. They’re a bit...overwhelming. And they like to try to run my life.”

“I remember they did run your life. They pretty much chose your friends, your clothes, your first car.”

She nodded. “But that was before college. I came back a different woman.”

She looked at him, and he could tell his reaction mattered to her. He smiled. “If what I’ve seen so far is evidence, I’d say you’re very different.”

“Yes.” She let out a breath, satisfied. “But they didn’t like it much. They’re constantly trying to make my decisions for me, especially about who I marry. I needed time away from their campaigning.”

“What about your friends?”

“They mean well, but they don’t understand.”

“Understand what?”

“Me.” They walked several yards before she added, “They thought I should go back to my fiancé, that we’d make a perfect couple. Jerry is well established, influential. They all thought he worshiped me, but...”

Again his stomach clenched and his heart thumped awkwardly. The man she described was everything Adam would never be, the perfect cultured mate for a woman of her breeding. Adam had always known when Mel married, it would be to someone exactly like that.

He’d hated it then, and he hated it now.

The rain had stopped, but the humidity was almost choking. He felt he couldn’t get a deep enough breath. “So what happened?”

“I didn’t love him. And he didn’t love me.”

A warmth surged through Adam, making his muscles ripple. He clenched her hand a little tighter. “Your parents and your friends don’t think love matters?”

“They thought I’d grow to love him.”

She looked out over the ocean, avoiding his gaze. But Adam didn’t mind. Just seeing her profile was nice. He liked the upward tilt of her nose, the way her long lashes cast shadows over her cheeks. He even liked her ears.

Damn.
“Do you think it’s possible you would have?”

Blue eyes darted his way, incredulous. “No. Not ever.”

“Then you made the right decision.”

“I know. But now what?” With her toes pointed, she kicked up sand and swung his hand just a little. “I mean, I need to find a job of some sort and get my life together.”

Frowning, Adam asked, “You need to find work?”

Her eyes widened. “Oh! I don’t mean that I’m broke or anything like that. But you see, Jerry is a lawyer, and I was his secretary. After I broke my engagement, it didn’t seem right to work for him. And I wanted to do something new, anyway. Besides, work shouldn’t only be about money.”

Adam shook his head in disbelief. “Only the rich could have such an attitude.”

“That’s not true.” She frowned at him. “Don’t you want to enjoy your work? To have goals to reach for and take pride in? Don’t you want to make a difference somehow?”

“I wanted to make a difference to my mother. She deserves some peace now, some time to take it easy. And I wanted to give my brother a chance, lots of chances, to do the things I didn’t get to do.”

Very tentatively, she asked, “You say all that as if it’s impossible now.”

“No. I’ll get to that point eventually. But it should have been today.” He released her hand to run his fingers through his hair, only to encounter the makeshift bandage. His fist dropped to thump against his bare thigh. “If I hadn’t gone overboard, I’d be on Marco Island right now, buying a small resort. My mother and Kyle are probably sitting by the phone, waiting for my call this very minute.”

“Adam...”

He heard her concern but couldn’t bear it if she felt sorry for him. He shook his head, dredging up lost control. “Forget it, Mel.”

“But if you have the money to buy one resort, then surely you could just get another.”

He laughed at her, more aware than ever of the differences in their outlooks. “This particular resort was dirt cheap because it needs a lot of work that Kyle and I could have done after it was ours. Unlike you or your family, I’m well used to working up a sweat. I could have turned the resort around. But the agent, Mr. Danvers, was clear that if I missed the deadline, it would be sold to the next bidder, who was only slightly below me. I scrambled around for two weeks getting things in order—only to fall off the goddamned boat.”

Adam abruptly shut his mouth, disgusted with the situation and with himself. Why had he opened up to her like that? The details of his real estate deal were none of her business. Hell, he’d wanted to impress her, not drive home how shaky his financial position still was.

“Tell me about your family, Adam.”

He scrubbed at his face, then twisted to see her. She knelt in the sand beside him, her expression sincere, curious. Adam shrugged. “Kyle is totally different from me, more like my mother. He smiles all the time, and nothing gets him down. When we were younger, and things got rough at home, I’d always end up in trouble, fighting with someone or mouthing off at school. Not Kyle. Everyone likes him.”

“And your mother?”

“She’s the strongest person I know.” His eyes narrowed and he looked out at the endless expanse of sea. “Even when Dad died, she held up, doing what had to be done, getting through each day. As soon as I could make enough money, I moved them away from Brockton, so we could all have a new start. We didn’t go far, even stayed in Ohio, but now they were looking forward to Florida.” His jaw tightened and he threw a fistful of sand. “Damn, I hate to let them down.”

Mel’s hand touched his, and she whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Her soft apology made him realize what a heel he’d been. It wasn’t her fault he’d lost his balance, but he let her believe he’d jumped in to rescue her. Oh, hell.

“I fell in, Mel.”

She touched his shoulder. “I know. Trying to save me.”

He glared at her over his shoulder. “Didn’t you hear me? I
fell
in. Yes, I made a grab for you, but no, I did not leap in to rescue you. Hell, that would have been an idiotic thing to do. If I hadn’t lost my balance I would have just told the captain to turn the stupid boat around.”

She looked confused. “You lied to me?”

“No, I didn’t lie. You just assumed.”

“And you didn’t correct me!”

Shrugging, he said, “You were so anxious to...comfort me. I didn’t want to miss the experience.”

She fumed in impotent silence for three seconds, then kicked sand at him and stalked off.

“A repeat performance, Mel!” he shouted to her retreating back. “You keep playing the same scene—get mad and walk away. Only here, there’s no place to walk to.”

“Go to hell,” she yelled without turning.

She took off at a furious trot, and she was nearly out of sight around a cove heavy with mangrove trees when Adam decided he’d have to apologize “Mel? Come on, Mel, wait up.”

No answer. Grabbing his bag, he headed after her, calling her name. “Mel!”

The sun hung low in the sky, a heavy red ball turning the water in the cove crimson with its reflection.

He picked up his pace, his injured head pounding with every step, then almost ran into her when he rounded the bend she’d taken. “Damn it, you could have...”

His words dropped off. Ahead of them, some hundred yards up the beach, was a house. Well, sort of a house, more like a ratty shack. It was almost in the ocean because of the eroded shoreline. Exposed pilings beneath the structure showed how precariously it stood, and to Adam’s mind exemplified the seriousness of their situation. If folks were anywhere about, they would have knocked such a dangerous eyesore down. Oh, they were stranded, all right. He wondered how often, if ever, people visited this damn island.

He took a step forward just as Mel took one back, closer to his side. “Do you think anyone is around?” she asked in a whisper, and he realized she was nervous. And in being nervous, she’d automatically come to him. The man.

He felt like Tarzan, ready to defend her against all predators. He wasn’t rich, but for now, he was all she had. He grinned with the image. “Come on. Let’s go exploring.”

He led her to the front door of the house, but the steps were broken and separated from the main structure by the shift of the land. He set his bag on the sand and said in his best macho voice, “You probably should wait here.”

“Adam, be careful.” She fretted behind him, twisting her hands. “You don’t know what could be inside there.”

Wild boars? He grinned and glanced at her while shoving the door open—and got bombarded by a flurry of large flying insects.

Startled, Adam yelled, then fell backward into the sand, hitting his head once again.

CHAPTER FOUR

Melanie ran halfway down the beach before she realized what a coward she’d been. The bugs, giant roaches of some kind, were gone, their dark cloud moving far away.

Adam still lay where he’d landed, and she grew immediately concerned. She sprinted toward him. “Adam!” She came to a rushing halt beside his prone body, accidentally kicking sand over his chest and shoulders. He looked like a downed warrior in his headband and dark, snug underwear, with the rest of his magnificent, tanned body bare. She took a moment to observe him unaware, grew even more breathless, then shook herself.

Her pulse racing at Mach speed, she knelt gingerly beside him. “Adam?”

He groaned.

Her heart seemed to drop to the pit of her stomach. “Oh, thank God. Are you all right?” She cradled his head on her lap and touched his jaw. “Adam, can you answer me?”

He cocked one eye open, stared at her breast near to his face and closed his eye again. “Nice, Mel, real nice.”

“Adam,” she warned.

“No, don’t slug me. There’s already a rusty marching band playing on my brain.” He sighed, then added, “Oh, hell, I feel like a fool.”

Stroking his jaw and chin, she asked, “Why?”

“It was just a few bugs, Mel.”

“Ha! They were giant cockroach-looking bugs, and I almost fainted!”

“Yeah, well, having grown up by the river, I’ve seen plenty of bugs.”

She shuddered. “Not me.”

“I know.” He made a smirking face, as if it was a crime not to have lived with bugs. Then he added, “But don’t pass out on me here, because I’m not up to lugging your dead weight up and down this damn beach.”

Only the very real pain she could see in his eyes kept her from dumping his head off her lap. That, and the picture in her mind of where Adam had lived. Once, when she’d been around sixteen, she’d snuck down by the river to spy on him. Driven by some inner demon, she’d wanted to look at him, to see him. He’d been especially provoking that day, and she’d had some far-fetched idea of finding out more about him so she’d be better prepared to deal with him.

She’d gotten the shock of her life.

The outside of the trailer had been as tidy as anyone could make it, almost hiding the fact that it was falling apart. Wildflowers had been planted around the skirt of the trailer in an attempt to hide holes. Melanie, in her misconceptions of the world, had wondered why they didn’t move. It wasn’t long after that she found out Adam’s father had cancer, causing him to miss more and more work.

Some of the area residents had taken up a collection for the family, and she still remembered feeling ashamed when her parents donated so little, when she’d wanted to give so much.

It was no wonder he’d always resented her.

To hide her sudden discomfort and the pity she still felt, she quipped, “You know something, Stone? You’ve got worse mood swings than my mother when she went through menopause. And frankly, she was a royal bitch.”

He chuckled. “That bad, huh? Well, considering I missed the most important meeting of my life, I spent an hour in the ocean using muscles I’d forgotten I had, my brains have been scrambled twice now, and I’m presently in a position I’ve fantasized over but can’t do a damn thing about, then I’d say I’m justified.”

Melanie’s heart gave an excited stumble over his words. What had he fantasized? Certainly not about her. He’d never shown her anything but disdain. Sure, today he’d joked about kissing her, but that was just his way of making her uncomfortable. Yet the way he’d said it while eyeing her breasts...

Carefully, measuring every word, she said, “I can easily take care of your missed meeting, your muscles look...unforgettable to me, your head will feel better soon. Oh, and what did you fantasize about?”

Her nonchalance didn’t fool him. He slowly sat up to face her, his large body too close, his gaze too intent on her face. She felt herself blushing without knowing why.

He worked his jaw in thought, then said, “I don’t need you to do a damned thing about the missed meeting, so forget that. But I am glad you noticed my muscles—especially since I’ve more than noticed your soft little body. My head is going to fall off my shoulders long before it stops aching.” He touched her cheek, the line of her jaw. “And you,” he whispered. “I’ve fantasized about you, Mel, about touching you, kissing you.” He leaned closer, his mouth only an inch away from hers. “Those last few years all I could think about was how damned exciting it would be to get you under me.”

Oh, wow.
Her vision clouded, and she had to part her lips to breathe. The heat wasn’t only surrounding her now, it was inside her, a part of her. No man had ever talked to her this way, not even Jerry, and she’d been engaged to him. It was exhilarating and stimulating and...this was Adam. She narrowed her gaze.

“Are you trying to humiliate me again?”

He drew back just a bit and stared at her. “Again?”

“Like in high school, when you asked me out. Oh, don’t look so innocent! I know what would have happened if I’d been dumb enough to say yes. You’d have laughed and told everyone what a fool I was. That’s the only reason you asked me in the first place, isn’t it?”

He looked equal parts frustrated, angry and hot. “I asked you out because I wanted to.”

“Oh, sure. And that’s why you suggested we go driving instead of to a school dance or the movies where someone might have seen us.”

“You’re the one who would have cared, Mel. My reputation was already shot. Folks saw me as dirt poor, no-account, and a troublemaker.”

“You were a troublemaker.”

He ignored that little truism. “And you were the town princess, too good for the humble masses. Hell, your mommy and daddy had nothing but contempt for the rest of us, and they would have had me shot if they knew I’d asked you out.” He shrugged, looking awkward for just a moment. “I figured you might go if no one would ever know about it.”

She stared at him, appalled at his perceptions, feeling sick deep inside herself. He was right in predicting her parents’ reactions. They wouldn’t have been pleased. But to think of Adam as sincerely wanting to date her... Well, that would take a major attitude adjustment. He’d been so cocky back then, as if he’d been unaware of his poverty, of his social circumstances. He’d always seemed so self-contained, unaffected by others, especially by her.

Could he have felt as vulnerable as she did?

“Why?” She asked it simply, the question uppermost in her mind. “Why would you have wanted to go out with me?”

His expression became almost ruthless. With the black headband wrapped around his fair hair, his bare shoulders glistening in the hot evening sun, he looked like a savage.

His golden eyes glittered with intent, and then without a word he grabbed her by the back of the neck, pulled her closer and pressed his mouth to hers.

For a mere second he was still, the pressure firm. They both seemed frozen, afraid to move. Then he groaned and twisted and gathered her closer, his mouth opening, devouring. She felt the hot stroke of his tongue, urgent and deep, the sharp touch of his teeth, and she gave a small groan of her own.

His arms closed around her, bringing her as near as he could get her. Everything about him seemed to be hot and hard, like a steel inferno. Pressed against his damp chest, she felt every ragged breath he drew.

Being alone with Adam like this, hearing the things he claimed, was a fantasy come to life. As a young woman, she’d built a world around the idea of luring in the irresistible Adam Stone. Everything about him had excited her, and compared to him, other men had seemed lacking—including her fiancé. “Adam—”

His teeth nipped her earlobe and made her gasp. “Sh,” he whispered, barely breathing the word so that all the fine hairs on her body stood at titillated attention. Her body felt ripe, hungry.

“Tell me that you want me, too, Mel.”

Oh, she did. She really did. “We...we need to talk, Adam.”

He leaned back to give her a warm smile, his gaze searching, pleased. “But you’re not denying you want me.”

She started to, only the words wouldn’t come out, not with him looking at her that way. His hands stayed busy, slowly pushing the white shirt open and brushing over the exposed skin of her shoulders, arms and throat as if he couldn’t quite touch her enough. Everywhere his fingers trailed, she felt gooseflesh rise, making her more sensitive. He appeared almost reverent, his gaze so hot she felt the touch of it against her skin.

She’d secretly dreamed of being with him like this, and she wanted so badly to give in. But she knew she’d caused him a lot of grief, and first she had to remedy that. She leaned away from the temptation he offered. “I want to buy the resort, Adam. I owe it to you.”

Very slowly, he released her. His expression was cold, blank. “There was a bidder right behind me.”

“So I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.”

He jerked to his feet, then stared at her. “I don’t want your charity, Mel.”

“Charity?”

“I don’t live on the riverbank anymore. I can damn well take care of myself, without your interference.”

His attitude stunned her. “You’re being unreasonable, Adam. I can afford to do this—”

“And I can’t. Just like old times, huh?”

They stared at each other in heavy silence. He was so distant, so sarcastic, it was as if the delicious kiss had never happened. Melanie bit her lip to keep her emotions in check. His feelings were plain, but then, so were hers. She knew what she needed to do, she just didn’t know how Adam would react. “You’re a bullheaded jerk, Adam Stone.”

He turned away to observe the shoreline. After several more seconds, he said, “It’s going to be dark soon. We should finish checking out the house to see if there’s anything in there we can use.”

The setting sun cast everything in shadow, lending an eerie quality to the island. Adam disappeared behind the house, and she didn’t bother to follow him. How had everything changed so suddenly?

“I’ve found us some food.”

She stared at him, carefully hiding her hurt. He held out two withered oranges.

“Behind the house.” He watched her as he spoke, and she had the feeling he was trying to gauge her mood. “The orange tree isn’t much to brag on, but next to that is a palm tree loaded with coconuts. We won’t starve.”

Fighting with him wouldn’t solve anything, so she tried for a look of enthusiasm. “I can live with fruit.”

He looked relieved, and even smiled at her. “They were probably planted by whoever used to live here. According to the guidebook, citrus trees are usually only on the mainland. There’s even a wild strawberry patch here, though it looks like the bugs have gotten to most of them. And some thorny blackberries.”

He dropped the fruit in the sand by her feet, then went around to lever himself into the front door again. Watching Adam climb wearing no more than form-fitting Skivvies was a unique experience. Muscles and tendons flexed and pulled tight across his back and shoulders. His thighs were long, athletic. She crept closer to the house to peek inside.

It had obviously been no more than a functional fishing cabin. There were no separate rooms, just a few dividing walls. At the back of the house were an old porcelain tub and toilet, a broken mirror still on the wall. Various broken tools, dishes and garbage littered the inside.

“It’s not exactly cozy.”

Adam snorted. “If it rains again, and it will, at least we’ll be able to keep dry. And I think I might be able to drag that tub outside to collect the rainwater.”

The tub was dirty, chipped and rusted. “Pray, for what?”

“To drink and bathe, sweetheart. Unfortunately, there’s no catering service here, no ice machine right around the corner, no hot showers. Or haven’t you accepted yet that we’re stuck here?”

She really wanted to smack him. “We’ll be rescued soon.”

“Dream on.” He began heaving at the tub. A large slithery snake glided from beneath and slipped across the dusty floor to disappear into a crack between the wall and the baseboard. It moved so quickly, neither of them had time to react. Adam turned to her, one brow raised, and she quickly ducked out of sight.

Sometimes, she thought, life was hardly fair. She’d come on this stupid trip to get away from meddling friends and family, stress and pressure. She’d wanted peace and quiet, but instead she’d gotten stranded on a damn bug-and-snake infested island with the one man who’d always made her crazy. Now it seemed that so many things she’d thought about Adam were wrong, but it didn’t matter, because he still despised her inherited wealth.

“Come here and give me a hand.”

Melanie turned, saw Adam struggling to lower the tub to the ground through the open doorway and applauded. “Bravo, Stone. Anything else I can do for you?”

He mumbled something she didn’t hear and let the tub drop with a thud. After jumping off the doorstep, he dragged the tub straight past her and right into the ocean.

“Adam! What are you doing?” She envisioned him climbing inside the tub and somehow sailing away—without her.

But the tub immediately sank, and he only went out knee deep, just enough to swish the salty sea water inside it.

“I’m washing it. Something’s been nesting inside it.”

Shuddering in distaste, Melanie stood fretfully just outside the touch of the foaming tide and watched, praying no sharks would eat Adam, because she really didn’t think she could stand being stranded alone.

But when he waded out and she saw that his snug boxer briefs were once again soaked and clinging to his very male body parts, she began to wonder if being stranded alone might be safer than being with Adam Stone.

* * *

The sun was nearly down, the air cooler, and Adam felt ready to burn up. On every imaginable level, he was painfully aware of Melanie. He could smell her warm, female scent, could hear her occasional movement, feel the touch of her gaze on his body. In a burst of frustration, he growled, “Stop ogling me.”

Affronted, Melanie exclaimed, “I’m not!”

“Ha.” He wanted an argument, a way to vent. When he’d kissed her, he’d nearly lost his mind, she tasted so good. He’d wanted nothing more than to lay her down in the sand and make love to her. Then she’d offered him money, and he’d gone cold inside. She couldn’t know what it was like to take charity, to be dependent on others to get by. But he knew. And that was one more major difference between them.