It was just a silly sentence, a Christmas gift that expired at the end of the evening. But it felt so real, he mused. And when he had returned the sentiment, there was no guilt or regret in his heart. He’d wanted to say those words again and again. But now, in the light of day, Trey wasn’t sure what to do.

Now he knew what it was like to make love to a woman. Though he’d seduced more than his fair share, love had never been part of the equation. Sophie had changed that. The connection between them had been so intense, so perfect and pure, that Trey couldn’t imagine ever feeling that same way again with anyone else.

He slowly sat down on the top step, his eyes fixed on her, his mind running through what might happen in the next four or five hours. In truth, he would have been happy to kidnap her, to take her back to Tahiti, lock her in a hotel suite with him, and figure out exactly how they felt about each other.

But Trey was afraid the moment they returned to civilization, they’d both realize what they’d shared was some silly fantasy. People didn’t fall in love in the course of a day. Their situation had merely made them vulnerable to the illusion of love.

It seemed like the perfect solution, but only if Sophie went along willingly. But would forcing the issue be the right choice? Or should he take a few steps back and woo her slowly? He could find more than enough excuses to stay in the islands for a week or two. Certainly, after that, he’d know where they stood.

Hell, he’d never really had to work to get what he’d wanted from a woman. It had always been so simple. They went after him and he was happy to oblige for as long as it suited his fancy. But with Sophie, he felt like a rookie, desperate to get into the game, yet not fully aware of the strategy.

Trey groaned softly. How the hell had he managed to go through nearly thirty years of living without ever figuring out how to fall in love? He wanted her in his life, but he wasn’t sure what he had to offer. A marriage proposal was beyond his current capabilities. A simple promise to make her happy might work.

Maybe it was best to just wait, until they got back. Then, everything was sure to make sense in his head. He pushed off the steps and walked to the edge of the lagoon. Standing behind her, Trey slipped his arms around her waist.

His touch didn’t startle her. Instead, she reached back and wrapped her arm around his head, twisting her fingers through the hair at his nape. “They’ll be coming for us soon,” she murmured.

Her backside nestled against his hips, the soft flesh pressed into his cock. He closed his eyes and drew in a slow breath. “I know. I’m going to miss this place.”

Sophie laughed softly. “Me, too.” She turned in his arms. “We could always come back.”

Trey gazed down into her mesmerizing eyes. It was the first time she’d ever acknowledged the possibility of a future together and he took it as a hopeful sign. “We could. But next time, we’re going to bring better food. And wine. And ice for the champagne.”

“And a softer place to sleep,” she mentioned.

“And more clothes,” he said.

Sophie shook her head. “I was just thinking maybe we had too many clothes. It might be nice to spend the whole vacation naked.”

“You’re right,” he said, glancing down at her naked body. He dropped a kiss on her lips, his palm cupping her breast. “Who needs clothes?”

“We will today,” she said. “They won’t take us back to Tahiti if we’re naked.”

Trey smoothed his hands from her torso down to her thighs. “So where are your clothes, Sophie? If we don’t get dressed, they might just leave us both here for a little longer.”

She turned in his arms again, wrapping his embrace more tightly around her. “Will you buy this island for your resort?” she asked, her gaze scanning the landscape.

“I don’t think it’s right for the resort,” Trey answered. “But I wouldn’t mind making a personal investment in the local real estate.”

She looked at him over her shoulder, frowning. “I don’t understand.”

“I’d buy it so we could come back here. It could be ours. A place to come when we wanted to be alone, and run around naked, and make love on the beach.” He paused, pressing a kiss to her ear. “We could renovate the cottage. Bring in a bed and some other furniture. A stove for cooking.”

“And you would come here, a few times a year, to visit?”

“Yes,” Trey said. “I would.”

“I’d like that,” Sophie agreed. “I’d like to come back here with you someday.”

Trey took her hand and led her out into the water. When it was deep enough, Sophie wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist and they bobbed in the water, neither one of them speaking.

It was enough to just hold her close, to feel her body against his. They didn’t have to say anything. The mood was palpable. He felt a knot of regret in his gut, regret that they didn’t have more time, that the end was coming soon. But as long as he could touch her, they could still communicate.

“What’s the first thing you’re going to do when you get back?” Trey asked, running his hands through her hair as it floated on the surface of the water.

“Kiss my father. Tell him I’m sorry for all the worry I caused him. Then I’ll figure out how to get the plane back to Pape‘ete.”

“I told you I’d help out with that.”

She smiled, then dropped a gentle kiss on his lips. “Thank you. It’s probably just a minor problem. We’ll fly a mechanic over and he can fix it. And then I’ll fly the plane back.”

Trey frowned, not happy with the prospect of her getting back into that plane. “Maybe you should get someone else to fly it back,” he suggested.

She gave him an odd look. “Why? No one knows that plane better than I do.”

“What if the guy doesn’t fix it right? I don’t want you going down again. This time there might not be a safe place to land.”

“I’d never go up if I wasn’t sure the plane was ready to fly.”

“The plane wasn’t ready to fly when you took me up,” he said. “The engine died and the radio didn’t work.”

“The engine cutting out was probably caused by moisture in the fuel. That happens during the rainy season. And I suspect that I couldn’t restart the engine because the alternator belt broke. Which drained the battery for the radio and the ignition. So, it’s just a broken belt, that’s all.”

Trey knew he shouldn’t push the issue. But the last thing he wanted was for Sophie to go up in that plane again. When he got back to Pape‘ete, he’d discuss the matter with her father. He’d hire a mechanic and another pilot to do the job. Hell, he’d buy the damn plane and set it on fire before he let Sophie risk her life again. She shouldn’t be flying around in that old rattletrap.

He nodded. “Just find a good mechanic. Make sure he knows what he’s doing,” Trey insisted.

She kissed him again and a moment later, they were lost in a rush of desire. Trey had grown to love the taste of her. With just a simple flick of her tongue, she could make him crazy. Holding tight, he walked out of the lagoon and carried her up to the porch. Then, he gently put her back into the hammock and he joined her there.

They had at least a few more hours until someone came looking. Trey intended to use the time wisely.

8

SOPHIE COULD SMELL THE SCENT of warm bread baking, of sweet pastries in the oven and fresh croissants. She drew a deep breath, her mouth watering. Oh, and coffee. A moan slipped from her lips. Hot, black coffee. It was enough to make her stomach rumble with hunger.

She sighed, snuggling into the comfortable depths of her bed. But her bed wasn’t so comfortable anymore. And the sounds of the birds and the waves that usually woke her up were distinctly different. Sophie slowly opened her eyes, then realized where she was.

“Are you hungry?”

She pushed up on her elbows to find Trey standing on the porch, dressed in his shorts and shirt. He was holding a banana leaf. On it, he’d cut up fresh fruit and piled canned cashews, arranging them in a pretty pattern. “Is that my breakfast?”

“Yes. Breakfast in a hammock.”

Sophie crawled out and grabbed her pareu, then wrapped it around her naked body. She followed him over to the steps and sat down beside him. The sun was up and though the day was cloudy, there was blue sky to be seen through the haze.

Trey held out the fruit and she picked a piece of mango and popped it in her mouth. It was sinfully sweet and juicy. This island had the best mangoes she’d ever tasted. If that wasn’t a good reason to come back, nothing else was. “I wonder what time it is?”

“It’s a little past seven,” Trey said.

“I thought your watch broke when you got it wet.”

He shrugged. “I looked on my cell phone.”

Sophie gasped. “You have a cell phone? Here? On the island?”

Trey nodded. “Yeah. But it doesn’t work. There’s no signal. I tried yesterday, while you were messing with the radio.”

“Oh,” Sophie murmured. “All right then.”

He chuckled, bending closer to catch her gaze. “Did you think I would have let your father worry over you or kept us stuck on this island if the phone had worked?”

“We didn’t use the flare gun,” she said. “We could have signaled that boat.”

He pulled her against him, giving her a hug. “Yeah, you’re right. Even if it had worked, I probably would have waited until sunset to call.” He grabbed his bag and pulled his cell phone out. “But I forgot about one feature of this phone.” He flipped it open and held it out. “It’s a camera.”

Sophie covered her face. “No! Don’t take a picture of me. I just got up.”

“There,” Trey said, showing her the display. “Look at how beautiful you are.”

Her hair was mussed and fell in careless waves around her face. She took the phone from his hand and stared at her image. She was beautiful. Sophie barely recognized the woman in the photo. Was this how he saw her?