My eyes snagged Eleanor’s. Her grey gaze shimmered with adoration, and her hand reached for mine, linking our fingers.

Skittles landed on her shoulder, and Pika roosted on my head, and it seemed like fate pressed a pause button for me to fully appreciate this moment.

To understand precisely what I was gaining by agreeing to Jess’s request.

I wasn’t just allowing another couple to live on my shores, to share in my gardens, or to indulge in this tropical paradise. I was saying yes to friends, yes to family, yes to trust.

A network of happiness.

A bond that extended past the woman I’d fallen for and opened up my darkened world with promises of something so simple and satisfying.

Something I’ve never had before.

Squeezing Eleanor’s hand, I spoke to her as well as to Jess. “Of course, you can stay. This is your home. Our home. Cal’s and Eleanor’s and mine. We’re family.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

THE FIRST FEW DAYS of Sully’s recovery followed bursts of vibrant energy, vows of leaving his bed to go swimming in his waterfall, and unbelievable progress in both his motor control and strength, only to be followed by bouts of deep restful sleep that slammed into him without warning.

He hated succumbing to sleep. Cursed each time he woke and resumed the exercises Louise had given him. I understood his desire to return to his original capabilities, but it hurt to see him push so hard, to see the pain in his eyes, to witness the horror that he’d fallen asleep outside of his control yet again.

He didn’t celebrate the victories he achieved. He didn’t care that he could raise his arms, operate a fork, or push into a sitting position unassisted. To him, nothing was a success until he could swing his legs out of bed and walk on his own.

His temper flickered on the afternoons where the humidity levels crept to unbearable and the urge to be in cool water overrode his patience with healing.

I requested Arbi to come help the Geneva team. Lending a hand with Joe to lift Sully from his bed and take him to the bathroom. One afternoon, they positioned him on a chair in the huge pebbled shower with its open-air wall.

Once we were alone, I shampooed, rinsed, and trimmed his longer hair.

His hands roamed over my body, sometimes shaking from the effort but never conceding defeat, all while I shaved his beard down to a five o’clock shadow.

I shivered as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss against my cleavage. While I carefully snipped and shaped his hair, he gritted his teeth, gathered energy he couldn’t afford, and slipped two fingers inside me.

I’d exploded the second he thrust deep and drove his thumb against my clit.

My release vicious and starving for more.

My libido well and truly awake now that Sully showed no signs of leaving me.

With my orgasm pulsing through me, I’d contemplated sitting on his lap and inserting his erection inside me. We could reconnect in the shower with a chair holding us and dragonflies flitting in the setting sun.

But his eyes had closed, his fingers slipped from my body, and he’d slumped into sleep with Nirvana crashing around us.

I’d finished my barber session, turned off the shower and ensured he was as dry as I could, before slipping a black sarong around his waist for modesty.

I’d called Arbi and Joe in to carry him back to bed and dismissed everyone’s help for the rest of the night. I’d fallen asleep beside him, cuddled close with the two caiques flying through the sliders to raid a hibiscus bush in the moonlight.

“Jinx...you awake?”

My eyes snapped open.

Still dark but with the sense that dawn wasn’t far away.

I glanced at Sully. He lay on his back, one leg cocked and one arm thrown over his head. Huh, he could move in his sleep, hinting his strength was returning far faster than what Louise predicted.

If he’s still sleeping, who on earth—

“Jinx.” Cal waved from the threshold of Sully’s bedroom. I sat up, grateful I’d fallen asleep in a silver nightgown that hid what needed to be hidden.

Instantly, my heart kicked. “Jess? Is she okay?” I flew out of bed, ready to run to my friend. Jess had been getting stronger too. Like Sully, she slept a lot, and small bursts of exercise drained her quickly.

“Yes, yes, she’s fine.” Cal pressed a finger to his lips. “Don’t wake him. I have a surprise, follow me.” He tracked through the star-speckled lounge, leading me to the front door and outside.

Cicadas buzzed, bats cackled, and the occasional owl hooted in the dark proving just because we slept didn’t mean the night wasn’t teeming with creatures who frolicked in a different playground than us.

“What the hell is that?” I chuckled, swatting at a mosquito as I followed Cal down the pebbled path to the sandy laneway. A vehicle waited, chrome and matte black with rugged tyres, and a big tray on the back full of discarded pots ready for seedlings. The side panels held the same logo for Lebah that I’d seen on the girl’s uniform.

“It’s an ATV. They use them for the gardeners to transport seeds and what-not around Lebah.”

“And what’s it doing here?”

He crossed his arms, a gloating smile catching the slowly lightening sky. “It’s for Sinclair.”

My eyes widened as understanding bowled through me. “So he can get out of the villa without breaking his legs a second time trying to walk in the soft sand.”

“Exactly. He’ll be going stir-fucking-crazy in bed. At least this way, he can just sit and enjoy the ride.”

“It’s a great idea! You should give it to him.”

“Nah, you do it. When he wakes in a few hours, take him for a whirl. Come visit us, we’ll have breakfast together.”

I hugged myself at the thought of getting him out and about. Of feeling the sun on our skin after being cooped up for so long. The tyres were big with all-terrain tread which would allow us to drive on the beach and through the shallows.

“He’ll love it.”

“Good.” Cal turned to walk back to the main hub. “I’ll see you soon then.”

“Hey, Cal?”

“Yeah?” He turned around, raising his eyebrow.

“Why are you up so early?”

He smirked. “I’m always up early. Normally, I’d hit the gym before work, but with my lungs still healing and Campbell still on my case, I just get up out of habit. I was taking a walk when the boat arrived with this morning’s vegetable delivery, along with this. I asked for one to be sent from Lebah the day Sully woke up.”

Dashing to him, I pressed a kiss on his cheek. “You’re a good friend.”

Was I imagining it, or did colour flush over his cheeks? The icy second-in-command who tried to warn me off Sully was finally melting. “Just want him up and running, that’s all.” Giving me a quick sarcastic salute, he stuck his hands in his short pockets and strolled into the dawn.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

A WEEK PASSED.

A week of torturous rehabilitation and bossy doctors preventing me from leaving my bed even though Cal had delivered a perfectly good ATV that could be my legs.

Eleanor had argued on my behalf, saying a trip around my island would be beneficial, however, Louise had been insistent.

She’d ganged up with Campbell when he came to check on me. They advised they’d restrain me for my own benefit if I insisted on being an idiot. That my system wasn’t ready yet. That I had to accept that my beaches and oceans would be there in another week or so when my vitals were more stable and the frustrating habit of randomly falling asleep had ceased.