He turned his back to her. “Hop on.”

“Where are we going?”

“We’re going to the beach. To watch the sunset.”

“How romantic,” she said with a sarcastic edge. “But I think it’s going to start raining again. Look at those clouds.”

“Yeah, well, it’s about time we do something romantic, don’t you think?”

Sophie blinked, surprised by his words. Though romance might be nice for a couple that was actually in a relationship, she and Trey were just having sex. A lot of sex. Romance should have nothing at all to do with it.

“Come on,” Trey insisted. “Hop on. We’re going to miss the sunset and we’ll have to walk back in the dark.”

“I can walk,” she murmured. Sophie slipped into her flip-flops and started off in the direction of the beach, limping on her sore foot and tugging at her pareu as she circled the cottage.

He hurried up beside her and took her hand in his, lacing his fingers through hers. “We’re not running a race here,” he said. “We can stroll. Or I can stroll and you can continue to limp along.”

The whole idea of romance frightened her, Sophie admitted to herself. With romance came expectations. And then disappointments. And regrets and recriminations. She wasn’t good at romance. She never had been.

Why couldn’t they just concentrate on what they were both good at-sex? It was so much simpler. She didn’t need to think about other things when they were together. She only needed to respond to his touch.

“All right,” she muttered. “I’ll take that ride.”

He bent down and Sophie hopped on his back, her legs straddling his waist, her arms wrapped around his neck. As he walked, she rested her chin on his shoulder.

“Tell me, if you were home right now, what would you be doing?” she asked.

“Home? Home has always been a rather vague concept for me. I usually don’t stay in one place too long.”

“You don’t have a home?” Sophie asked.

“Sometimes I live in hotels. Or stay with friends. Sometimes, if I’m in Europe, I rent a house. Lately, I’ve been living in the Shelton in Manhattan. And if it was dinnertime, I’d probably be watching a ball game and eating something from room service.” He paused. “At least here, I’ve got a plan, a purpose. I like that.”

“You’re better suited for island life than I am,” she murmured, pressing a kiss to the nape of his neck.

“I’m going to find a spot for my resort and I’m going to get it built,” he said. “It’s funny. I was waiting around for something in my life to change. And now it has, thanks to you.”

“I didn’t have anything to do with it,” Sophie said.

“I think landing on this island was the best thing in the world for me,” Trey said. “It woke me up. Made me realize that life was just passing me by.”

Sophie had been feeling that same way for years, as if the world was spinning so fast and she was standing still. Exciting things were happening to everyone but her. But crash-landing on Suaneva hadn’t made things any clearer to her. Instead, it made everything more confusing.

“I’ve been waiting, too. For my father to stop being so stubborn, for my mother to decide to come back home, for me to get a life of my own.”

“Aren’t we supposed to know what we want by now?”

“Maybe there’s something wrong with us,” Sophie said.

“Or maybe it’s just the opposite,” he said.

She thought about his comment for a long moment. Was he saying there was something “right” about them? Or was he saying that they shouldn’t know what they wanted? Sophie opened her mouth to ask, but then snapped it shut. She really didn’t want to know the answer.

By the time they reached the beach, the sun was hanging low on the horizon. To the south the clouds were building, the reflection of the sun creating a riot of pink and orange and purple.

“Wow,” he said, coming to a dead stop. “Look at that sky.”

“You act like you’ve never seen a sunset before,” Sophie said, hopping down.

“I haven’t. I mean, I have, but I haven’t really taken the time to look. It’s beautiful.”

Sophie drew in a deep breath and nodded. It was the most beautiful sunset she’d ever seen. Or maybe it was just so wonderful because of the company she had. She wrapped her arms around Trey’s waist and tucked herself into the crook of his arm.

Physical contact between them was something she’d almost begun to take for granted. But standing here, she knew she wouldn’t always be able to touch him like this. There would come a time when she’d want to remember the feel of his skin, the way the muscle rippled beneath flesh.

She’d never been one to appreciate romantic clichés-candlelit dinners, long walks on the beach, beautiful sunsets. But something had changed. She was seeing these things for the first time, with Trey. And Sophie was glad she could share them with him.

Thunder rumbled in the distance and a wind gust sent a soft spray across the beach. He wrapped his arms more tightly around her, and she felt the goose bumps prickle her smooth skin. “Is it going to be bad?” he asked.

“It’ll probably be noisy and rainy and windy, but it probably won’t last long.”

“I never really notice the weather,” he said. “But here, I’m feeling a little vulnerable.”

“It’s not a cyclone,” Sophie said. “I’d be worried if it was. A cyclone would blow the cottage down around us.”

“If I hadn’t been so anxious to work on Christmas Eve, you’d be at home, safe and sound, enjoying the holiday like you should be, instead of stuck on this island.”

“It is Christmas Eve, isn’t it?” Sophie murmured. She turned to him and smiled. “Merry Christmas, Trey.”

Her hair blew around her face and Trey smoothed his hands over her temples so he could look into her eyes. “I wanted to forget it was Christmas,” he said. “I didn’t have anywhere to be this year. No one to buy gifts for. I thought if I kept busy, I wouldn’t realize I was all alone. But I’m glad I’m here with you.”

“Maybe we should sing some carols,” Sophie suggested. “Do you know ‘Good King Wenceslas’?”

Trey chuckled. “It just doesn’t seem right. There’s no snow.”

“But there’s been plenty of rain. The only difference is a few degrees in temperature.” She paused. “I know what we can do.” Sophie reached for the knot in her pareu and untied it, then let the breeze blow the fabric from her body. She kicked off her sandals and ran to the edge of the water, then turned to face him. “Come on.”

Trey watched her for a long moment, his gaze raking her naked body. Then, with a groan, he stripped off his shorts, slipped out of his shoes, and ran after her. As he passed, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into the water, both of them falling head-first into the surf.

Sophie screamed and splashed water at him, but he yanked her into his arms and kissed her long and hard. Their bodies seemed to fit together so perfectly, her breasts pressed against his chest, her legs tangled around his.

He nuzzled her neck, biting her gently as they played. Sophie leaned back in the water and Trey cupped her breast in his hand, his thumb teasing at her nipple. This was paradise, she thought to herself. When she’d wished for a lover, she could never have expected this man.

Sophie kicked away from him, swimming a few strokes then turning to tread water. But he wasn’t watching her. Trey’s gaze was fixed on the horizon. “Sophie, look.” He pointed and she followed his arm to a spot not far offshore. The white sails of a boat were clearly visible against the sunset. Trey turned and looked at her. “The flare gun. I’ll go back and get the flare gun.”

He spun around and ran out of the water and onto the beach. But before he could get his shorts back on, Sophie called to him. “Don’t,” she shouted.

He turned to face her, tugging on his khakis over his damp skin. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t want you to signal them.”

“Sophie, I’m not going to put you in danger. There’s a storm coming up. We’re here alone. The least they could do would be to radio someone and let them know we’re safe.”

“The waves are getting pretty high,” she said. “I don’t think they’ll risk coming through the reef. And the sun is almost down. They wouldn’t be able to get back out. We’d be putting them in danger.”

“They could call for a boat,” he said. “Isn’t there a coast guard around here?”

“Anyone sent to rescue us would have to deal with the weather, too.” She glanced over at him. “We’ll be all right for the night. They’ll find us in the morning.” Sophie stared into his eyes and she saw the indecision there. But there was more. A genuine concern for her safety. He cared about her, enough to put an end to their time together.

“No,” he said.

“Yes.” She held out her hand and motioned to him as he slowly walked to the water’s edge, the waves swirling around his feet. “I want to spend the night with you. I don’t want to be anywhere but here.”

He waded through the water to where she stood and picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. Then he kissed her, his hands tangling in her damp hair, molding her mouth to his.

“All right,” he murmured, his lips warm against hers.

She needed this night, Sophie told herself. After that, she’d be able to let him go without any regret. Just this one night.

BY THE TIME THEY GOT BACK to the cottage, they could hear thunder in the distance. The wind had shifted direction and was blowing across the lagoon toward the plane. The pilot-side float had been grounded on the sand, and the plane sat at an odd angle.

“Should we try to tie it down again?” Trey asked.

Sophie stared across the lagoon, squinting into the diminishing light. “There’s nothing we can do now,” she murmured. “Except hope that the wind doesn’t get too high.”