Chapter 23

Since Pippa had walked away, River’s morning turned miserable. He was beginning to think, that maybe Vivian was right and he should go after her. Perhaps he could convince Pippa to at least give them a chance.

Normally, he never followed his sister’s advice. Especially, not when it involved a woman, but he decided to make an exception today. His mind made up, he tossed off his swim trunks and pulled on khaki shorts and a fresh white t-shirt.

Then he stopped in his office to search the employment paperwork Pippa had filled out a week ago. Sadness filled his heart as his eyes raked over neatly labeled manila folders with her handwriting. Yearning for her special scent crept up his torso, threatening to choke him. He missed her so much.

Within moments he found what he was looking for and scanned the form for her address on the island. Yup. There it was. In a nice residential area of the island, mostly inhabited by locals.

River jumped off the boat and hailed a cab to Pippa’s place, a small detached house, painted in a striking blue with a white fence and window frames. He grinned at the thought of Pippa opening the door for him. Would she be delighted to see him? Kiss him? …or slam the door in his face?

With a hammering heart, he rang the bell and reared back in surprise when an elderly lady answered.

“Sorry, ma’am, I was looking for Philippa Kensington.”

“She no longer lives here,” the woman said, thin-lipped.

“Oh. Would you by any chance know where she lives now? She worked for me and I came to give her the job reference,” River lied, waving some papers in his hand.

“No. I wouldn’t know. She didn’t pay her rent and I kicked her out.”

She didn’t pay her rent? That doesn’t sound like Pippa. “When did this happen?”

“About a week ago,” the lady spat. “Unless you’re here to pay me my money, you should leave now.”

“I’m sorry to disturb you,” River said, retreating. There was no joking around with those Aruban landladies. He left for the town center, walking, and piece by piece, the puzzle came together in his mind. Pippa had lost her room before he’d hired her, and since she’d been on the boat for the last week, she hadn’t had the time to secure other lodgings.

Why didn’t she say something? Anger reared its ugly head, but was soon displaced by worry. He decided to ask at the usual backpacker places for her, maybe someone had seen her. But soon enough he found out, that the island was packed with festival goers and there were no vacant rooms to be had – anywhere.

It was already early evening when he wanted to call it quits. But first he would get something to eat in one of the town’s delicious seafood places. But today he couldn’t enjoy the meal, because his mind was filled with worry about Pippa.

He’d just finished his meal and was waiting for a strong coffee, when his cell phone rang. He glanced at the caller I.D., saw that it was Joe, and let it go to voicemail. Joe probably wondered why he hadn’t passed by Crazy Drinks for a cold beer, like he normally did after returning from a cruise.

But River wasn’t in the mood for goofing around with his friend. The last thing he wanted to witness was Joe flirting with every available female in sight while his girlfriend slept at their apartment, thinking he was still at work.

He pocketed the phone, drank his coffee and then walked back to the marina. When he reached the entrance, his phone beeped again, indicating a text message. Fuck. Can’t everyone just leave me in peace?

River pulled his phone from his pocket and swiped his finger across the screen to read the message from Joe.

Answer the phone, asshole! This is an emergency!

River frowned and then pressed the green call button. “Joe? I got your message. What’s up?”

“It’s about time you called. That cute chick you were so fond of is getting completely wasted in my bar.”

“Pippa? Is at Crazy Drinks?”

“Yes, Pippa or whatever her name is. Look, she’s about to leave with a bunch of hungry guys and will end up in serious trouble if somebody doesn’t save her from herself.”

“You sure it’s her?”

“Ha… do you think I would forget that ass? You comin’ or what? Those guys with her are serious shit.”

“On my way.” River hung up and raced for the beach. He arrived just in time to see four guys helping Pippa stagger down the ramp of the bar. Joe called after them, through the crowd of other guests he had to attend to.

River planted himself in the middle of the ramp and crossed his arms over his chest. “And just where do you all think you’re going?”

“What’s it to you?” the one nearest to him answered.

“She is. Run along and find someone who isn’t completely wasted to play with.”

Another guy came to stand shoulder to shoulder with the first. “Get lost, asshole. We like this girl just fine, and she wants some fun.” He slapped Pippa’s butt and she gave a silly giggle. “See? We’re not anywhere close to ending this party right now. “

“Back off and let go of her. The only place she’s going is with me.” River growled and took a step forward to grab Pippa. The next moment a hard punch hit his jaw and River struggled to keep his feet beneath him. He crouched low and tackled the man around his middle, ready to throw him down.

“Hey! I’m going to call the police,” Joe yelled from behind the bar.

River ignored Joe and rolled across the sand with one of the guys, his fists pummeling into him, when someone grabbed him from behind. Apparently, the guy’s friends came to his aid, knocking their fists into River’s kidneys.

“Ouch!” River yelped at the impact, and rolled onto his back, ready to take on the second attacker. But thankfully, just as he prepared his defense, Joe appeared from behind the bar, a baseball bat in his hand.

“Stop! Or I call the police,” Joe shouted at the fighting men.

It was an idle threat, because anyone living on Aruba knew nothing would happen until morning.  The tourists, however, feared a premature end to their vacation and scattered like mice.

“There’s plenty of ass on the beach,” one of the guys said and ordered his friends to leave.

River watched them leave and dusted off his hands. “Thanks, man. I’ll take it from here.”

“Anytime,” Joe answered. “Let them find a girl who’s sober enough to know what she’s doing. That one…” he pointed to Pippa leaning against the railing, ready to fall over, “…she’s done for. Might be wise to empty her stomach before long.”

River nodded and slung an arm around Pippa’s waist. When he attempted to pull her upright, her knees almost buckled. “Easy there. Pippa, look at me.” She finally lifted her head and he smoothed her hair back. “There you are. I need you to walk for me, okay?”

“Trying to forget you.” Pippa leaned against him and tried to touch his face, but her aim was several feet off.

Trying to forget you.

River didn’t answer, not wanting to consider the implications of that admission right now. Joe brought him her backpack and he slipped it over his shoulders, “Come on. Let’s get you back to the boat.”

He steered her down the beach, past the guard at the marina, and then guided her down the pier until they reached the Moana. He tossed her backpack up onto the deck, and then turned to lift her aboard, only to find her lunging for the side of the wooden dock and vomiting the contents of her stomach into the ocean below.

He grabbed her shoulders and held back her beautiful long hair, afraid she’d tip headfirst off the dock. Once she was finished, he helped her to her feet and then swept her up in his arms to carry her onto his boat. She snuggled against his chest, brushing her fingers across his bearded jaw and murmuring, “It can’t be you, River.”

He took her to his cabin, helped her rinse her mouth out and then wiped her off as best as he could. When that still didn’t get her clean, he gently undressed her and put her beneath the warm shower, before he rubbed her dry with a soft towel and then covered her up with her panties and one of his t-shirts that almost reached to her knees.

She felt light like a feather when carried her across his room and tucked her into his bed. She fell asleep almost before her head hit the pillow. River returned to the bathroom to wash her clothes and take a shower himself, but left the door open, in case Pippa called out in her sleep.

Only when he returned to his cabin to slip under the covers beside her, did he become aware that he needed to put something on. He couldn’t very well sleep naked the way he used to beside a woman who probably hadn’t even noticed that she was in his bed.

River pulled on boxers and a t-shirt, checked Pippa’s breathing, and then slipped into the bed beside her. He lay awake for a long time crouched at the edge of the mattress, listening to her inhales.

She tossed and turned, talking incoherently and every time one of her limbs accidentally touched him, the fire of desire seared in his body. He was just a man made of flesh and not stone, even though parts of his body seemed to be harder than granite.

He should get up and sleep somewhere else, but he didn’t dare leave her alone, in case she vomited again. So he lay in the corner of his huge bed until sleep finally claimed him.