CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Sloane
“Did you hear that?” I sat up in the bed, the blanket falling away from my naked breasts.
He sat up too, listening intently. “You mean the birds?”
Jumping out of bed, I hurried to the window and found the seabirds were back and the water had almost drained away.
“It’s almost over, Zane. It’s finally almost over.”
His arms closed around me. “You act as if spending time with me was dull or something.”
“Not at all. I’m actually unbelievably grateful that I didn’t have to spend these past few days alone.”
He kissed the top of my head. “You’ll never need to worry about being alone again. We just need to start thinking about where we’d like to not be alone?”
I looked up at him. “Huh?”
Zane grinned. “Places for us to live when we get off this island. I can buy us a home anywhere. Many anywheres, in fact. D.C. maybe? We can start shopping for one as soon as we get away from here.”
“You want to buy us a home?” I could barely breathe. Things were beginning to get very real.
“I do.” His lips grazed mine. “I love you, Sloane. I don’t want to be without you.”
I blinked up at him, then pressed my face to his chest so that my eyes wouldn’t give me away. There were still things he didn’t know. More specifically, he didn’t know about Matthews wanting to use me as bait.
“I love you, Zane. And I think that’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. But buying a home and moving to D.C. is an awfully big step. Are you sure you want to do that?”
“I am. I’ve never been more certain of anything. We can stay in your apartment until we find a place we both love. What do you think about that?” He kissed me again, excited about our future.
I wished I could be excited too.
I couldn’t count on that, but I wanted to be with him just as much as he wanted to be with me. “I like that idea.”
“To celebrate, let’s come back here in a year and spend a real vacation in paradise. Deal?”
Searching his sea green eyes, I found more love in them than I’d seen before. “Deal.”
His lips met mine again, and our kiss grew. His cock pulsed to life as my core moistened in anticipation. I had no idea a person could have so much sex and still hunger for more.
But there was no time for more, and Zane didn’t push the issue. Neither did I.
“You’re everything to me, Sloane. Absolutely everything. Promise me you’ll take every precaution with your safety when it comes time. I don’t know what I’ll do if anything happens to you. You’ve become this part of me, I don’t ever want to live without.”
My heart ached. No man had ever confessed so much to me. No man had ever looked at me with such adoration as Zane did.
Why did my life have to be in danger right when I found the man of my dreams?
The alarm sounded outside, and I sighed. It was the signal for all clear. Zane smiled at me, then kissed the tip of my nose before walking to the window. “As happy as I am to see the island returning to normal, I wish we never had to leave this room. And I wish I never had to set eyes on that bastard again.”
“I know.”
I didn’t want to talk about Charles Smith yet. Or hit men. So I changed the subject.
“Hopefully the electricity will be restored soon. I could use a hot shower. Do the bungalows look like they’re still there?”
“They made it somehow. Amazing, don’t you think?”
I was brushing my teeth when we heard a loud banging sound. The lamp suddenly came on, and the mini-fridges’ motors began to purr.
“That was fast.” I peeked through the curtains to see the staff moving around like ants to fix everything back up. I looked farther out toward the water, and spotted the bungalows. Zane was right. There were a few that would need the roof repaired, but most had withstood the storm admirably.
Zane came up behind me. “Let’s relax in bed for another hour or so, then we’ll shower, get dressed and venture out so we can get a real meal. I bet things will be up and running before you know it.”
And they were. If the US government ran as quickly and efficiently as this resort, there would be no national debt and all national highways would be pristine. It was amazing. I’d just gotten dressed when a knock came on the door.
Wary, I stood to the side before calling out, “Yes?”
“Two of our restaurants have opened, and more are close to opening. You can come out now.”
“That’s wonderful news. Thank you.”
It was wonderful news, but I forced a smile on my face. “A hot meal sounds wonderful. Just remember, if we run into the rabbit—”
“The what?”
I smiled. “That’s what we call Smith. The rabbit.”
“Got ya, and I know to act cool. Don’t act like we know a thing. Be ourselves.”
“Yes. And we should act concerned, act glad that we found them.”
He nodded. “I see what you’re saying. I can do that. I need to learn to have a cool head anyway.”
I’d checked my laptop and phone for a message when I first woke up, but did it again now. I hated not knowing if any of the last passengers to the island were a suspect. Not knowing drove my paranoia up a few notches.
My heart thumped when I found a new message from Matthews. Passenger list cleared. I blew out a relieved breath and shared the happy news with Zane.
“Good. At least we can have one meal in peace.”
We stepped out of the room for the first time in what felt like forever. Other people were coming out too. Smiles were plentiful as everyone was grateful to have the storm over and done with. Murmurs filled the hallways as people relived the past days, the tales of the storm becoming more exaggerated by the second.
The elevator was still out of service, but it was nice to stretch my legs by walking down the stairs. In the lobby, I was amazed to find it spotless. Either no water had gotten in or the crew were just miracle workers with mops.
As we passed the front desk, I overheard a man ask if the airport was open.
The clerk beamed at him. “It is. Outgoing flights begin at eleven this morning. Incoming flights are scheduled for midafternoon.”
Zane clutched my hand and whispered in my ear, “I don’t care what your boss wants, I’m getting a private jet and getting you the fuck out of here before the first flight arrives.”
My heart stopped. I couldn’t do that. I had orders to follow, bad guys to take down. I thought he understood that, but I wasn’t about to argue right here.
I was saved from needing to say anything at all when Grace and Charles appeared on the stairs. “Look,” I said to Zane, tugging on his hand. “They made it.”
Zane, to his credit, didn’t miss a beat. He raised his hand. “Welcome back to paradise.”
Grace laughed and gave me a hug, but Charles face didn’t change much as we went over to them.
“So glad to see that you’re safe,” I said. “We’re starving for hot food. Will you join us?”
“Absolutely,” Grace gushed. “That’s exactly what we were hoping to do too.”
Grace linked her arm through mine as we stepped out into the tropical sun. I raised my face to its warmth, glad to be outside again. Behind us, Charles and Zane chatted about storm surges and repair costs. Idle chatter that seemed natural to me.
It wasn’t until we were seated at a table that Charles said, “I’m going to need to get you two to hang with Grace tomorrow. Will that be okay?”
My spine stiffened, but I forced a bright smile on my face. “Wonderful. What time?”
Charles pulled out a cigarette and lit it. The acrid smell made my nose itch. “Anytime after you guys wake up. I’m heading out early to get to the airport.”
Zane’s smile was easy, relaxed. “Sounds perfect. Are you thinking seven or eight?”
Charles waved him off. “Nah. Ten or so. No reason to be up with the birds.”
The waiter came and took our orders, and I spent a miserable hour chitchatting with Grace about places to shop, clothing trends and colors. Things I knew nothing about.
“This will be fun,” I told her, hoping I sounded sincere.
“It sure will. You can think of me as your personal shopper.” She winked at Zane. “Hope your credit card can take the hit.”
My head was beginning to ache by the time the meal was over and the men paid the bill.
“What’s your room number?” Charles asked, lighting another cigarette.
My heart skipped. A lie would be too easily discoverable, but I hated like hell to tell the truth. There was no help for it. “Five-twelve. You?”
He ignored the question. “Grace can call you. Hotel phones should be working by then.”
My smile didn’t falter. “Perfect. Do you still expect to be away a couple days?”
His eyes narrowed, and I realized I’d asked one too many questions. But, dammit, these were things normal people would need to know under the same circumstances. I waited patiently for him to answer, sipping my tea.
“Yes. Two days.”
I reached across the table and squeezed Grace’s hand. “We’re going to have so much fun. I haven’t had girl time in ages. Maybe we’ll be back in the bungalows before Charles returns.”
When I turned my gaze on Charles again, he was looking at me different. Searching. Considering. Was I passing some test? Was he reconsidering his earlier opinion, thinking he might have called the dogs on me too soon?
And, more importantly, would he call them off?