He wanted to lash out at her, to scold her for her part in this all. Shed made him care about her, made him want to protect her. And now hed been forced to face the fact that he did care-more than he wanted to.
He leaned closer and pressed a kiss to the soft skin above her knee. You have to be more careful, he murmured, hoping to defuse the situation.
Sophie ran her fingers through his hair, brushing it away from his eyes, her lips pressed into a pout. Dont order me around. You have no right.
Im sorry. So, what can I do to make you feel better?
Can I have more wine? she asked.
He held the bottle out over her foot, but she grabbed it before he could pour and took a long swig. Sophie pointed to her sole. Can you see any stingers? If you take the blade of the knife, you should be able to scrape them off.
Trey held her foot up to the light and shook his head. I dont think so. But you probably shouldnt walk on it for a while. Im going to get a fire going and then well figure out what to do about the plane.
THE RAIN BEGAN SHORTLY AFTER they returned from the beach. Within seconds, a few droplets had turned into a deluge, with water running off the tin roof in sheets. Trey had jogged to the other side of the lagoon and pulled the plane over to the submerged pilings. Relieved, Sophie had thought her worries were over.
But when Trey returned to the cottage, hed informed her that the wood pilings were so rotted, it was impossible to tie it down securely. In the end, he had done what he could, but wasnt confident that the plane would stay where it was.
Sophie rested her back against the weather wall of the cottage, freshly picked flowers from the vines scattered around her as she wove them into a wreath. Theyd finished the first bottle of wine and Trey had opened a second. He occupied himself with tearing the canvas tarp into strips, intent on fashioning a hammock by weaving and knotting the canvas together.
She watched him surreptitiously, wondering at the argument theyd had earlier. She thought she knew him, enough to assume that he didnt have a quick temper. But his anger over her trip to the beach and the jellyfish seemed completely out of character. After all, what right did he have to chastise her like that? She wasnt a child. And it wasnt her fault the jellyfish had picked that place to die.
Perhaps this was a character flaw coming to the surface, she mused. Though Trey might appear to be easygoing, he showed a possessive streak that she didnt care for at all. Had she even been considering him as boyfriend material, that characteristic alone would have disqualified him in an instant.
Sophie grabbed the wine bottle and took another sip. Either she was getting drunk or her foot was feeling much better. Or maybe it was both. A tiny hiccup slipped out and she covered her mouth with her fingertips.
She glanced over at Trey. His back was braced against the porch railing, his long legs crossed in front of him. The pareu barely hid his assets and Sophie allowed her gaze to drift.
She wondered what he was thinking. Was he only pretending to concentrate on the hammock? Or was his mind caught up in some sexual fantasy? If he was thinking about sex, then he was doing a pretty good job of hiding it. Perhaps shed have to give him a little nudge. Sophie stood and stretched her arms over her head, then began to unknot the shirt.
Where are you going? he asked, his attention suddenly sparked.
To take a shower, she said, letting the shirt fall to the floor of the porch. She skimmed out of her thong and dropped it on top of his shirt. The rain will wash off the salt on my skin.
She wandered down the stairs, then stopped and tipped her face up, letting the downpour soak her thoroughly. The rain was warm, the water fresh, and Sophie closed her eyes and opened her mouth, letting the drops fall on her tongue.
She didnt want to look to see if he had followed her. But a few seconds later, she felt his hands on her shoulders, the heat of his body against her back. Treys palms smoothed over her skin, but she didnt turn around. Instead, she sighed softly and arched back against him, an invitation for him to go further.
His fingers tangled in her hair as he held it out, letting the rain fall through it. Everywhere he touched, Sophies nerves tingled, her body came alive, her senses aware. His path wasnt deliberate, moving from her breasts to her feet and then back up to the nape of her neck, as if he couldnt decide which spot he liked best.
When she turned in his arms and looked up into his eyes, she saw the desire there. In a heartbeat, he captured her face with his hands and pulled her into a deep, mind-numbing kiss. He seemed desperate to possess her mouth, demanding that she meet his need. But there was something else there-a need to set things right between them again.
Sophie opened beneath the assault and let the kiss consume her. Nothing in her life had prepared her for the power of his touch over her body. In the past, men had come and gone from her life without a sense of loss. But already, Sophie had to wonder how shed deal without this chaos hed created in her body. Every cell of her being seemed to surrender to him, to ache for what they shared. She thought nothing of resisting his charms the first time, but now Sophie knew shed completely lost that capacity.
Breathless and dizzy with desire, Sophie pressed her hands against his chest. He pulled back and smiled, the droplets of rain clinging to his dark lashes. She smoothed her fingertips along his torso, then untied the knot in the pareu.
She slowly circled around him, washing the salt off his body with the damp fabric, running it over his muscled back and arms. It felt good to be clean again, to be able to press her lips to his flesh without tasting the ocean.
Sophie pushed up on her tiptoes and kissed the nape of his neck, then trailed her lips and tongue down to the small of his back. She heard him moan softly, pleased that he wasnt immune to her touch, either.
They stood in the rain for a long time, letting the water wash over them, exploring the curves and angles of each others bodies. Though it was a practical choice, Sophie had no doubt about where their shower was leading.
He took the lead as he ran his hand down her belly to find the warm spot between her legs. His caress was soft and slow, but almost immediately, she felt an overwhelming surge of desire building inside her.
Determined to share the exquisite pleasure that raced through her body, Sophie wrapped her fingers around his erection and began to stroke him, the warm rain causing him to be slick and smooth.
She drew a deep breath as she nuzzled her face into the curve of Treys neck. He smelled like the rain and the last traces of the monoi left on his skin. Sophie didnt hesitate to tantalize him, to touch him in a way that was meant to make him ache for release.
There were no walls between them that hadnt already been breached, no part of his body that she wasnt allowed to touch. Here, on this island, they were free to explore their desire without any outside interference. For now, time stood still, no one else existed, the real world was just a clouded memory.
Her fingers slid over the tip of his shaft and then back down again. This man who had such control over her desires was completely at her mercy. She looked up at his handsome face, his eyes closed and his lips parted.
She continued to watch him as she placed a kiss in the center of his chest. When she moved to his nipple, Trey sucked in a sharp breath and when she delved lower, he tangled his fingers in her wet hair and groaned. But this time, he wouldnt allow her to go further.
He pulled her back up along his chest and then took her hand and led her over to the front steps of the cottage. Gently, Trey sat her down on the top step, while he knelt below her. His hand slid down her belly and his fingers found the soft folds between her legs, now slick with her desire.
Sophie had been with enough men to know exactly what he wanted. She leaned back, turning her face up into the rain that poured off the porch roof onto them both. And when his tongue continued what his fingers had begun, Sophie moaned out loud.
She knew he was watching her, knew that everything he did to her was designed to end in absolute pleasure and shattering release. He teased and tempted her, learning by her reactions what she liked best. And when she seemed to move close to the edge, he slowed his seduction.
Minute by minute, he brought her ever nearer before dragging her back, until her eyes were hazy with desire and her breath was quick and shallow.
Oh God, what are you doing to me? she whispered. She tangled her fingers in his wet hair, pulling him along her body until their mouths met. He was still hard and his shaft teased at the spot between her legs, rubbing back and forth until she was desperate to have him inside her.
Sophie was stunned at how quickly it came upon her. One moment, she was running her hands over his back, and the next, she was writhing beneath him. The spasm came hard and fast and she pulled his hips against hers as she dissolved into her orgasm. A moment later, he joined her, his essence warm and sticky between them both.
When theyd both floated back down to reality, Sophie reached between their bodies and touched him again. Trey sucked in a sharp breath. Stop, he begged. Sophie, stop.
She did as he asked, tossing her hair back from her face to look up at him. She waited for a long moment, watching him regain control over his senses. He shifted his weight and sat down beside her on the steps, stretching his arms over his head and moaning softly.
When theyd both floated back down to reality, Sophie reached between their bodies and touched him again. Trey sucked in a sharp breath. Stop, he begged. Sophie, stop.
She did as he asked, tossing her hair back from her face to look up at him. She waited for a long moment, watching him regain control over his senses. He shifted his weight and sat down beside her on the steps, stretching his arms over his head and moaning softly.
The rain had begun to subside and the air was fresh and cool for the moment. His fingers ran through her hair and Trey pulled her into a deep kiss, his mouth possessing hers, leaving her breathless. The kiss spun out into one long, delicious ending. A few moments later, Trey opened his eyes. A grin curled the corners of his mouth. That wasincredible.