happy to wait out the bad weather in her cabana. Lauren suspected her friend was in very good hands and moved on to Abby’s cabana. When a search of Abby’s room showed it to be empty, she worried her lower lip.
“Let’s check the lodge,” she said.
They hastily made their way to the lodge. Ryan opened the door and guided her inside. Lauren glanced around, letting her gaze surf over the crowd, but Abby was nowhere to be found. She frowned in concern. “Do you think she’s okay?”
“I think,” Ryan said, a grin pulling at his face, “that my buddy Cody is taking good care of her.”
“Really?” Lauren asked, both surprised and delighted. Had Abby taken her advice and let the magic of the island take hold of her? She sure as hell hoped so.
When Ryan peeled a wet strand of hair from her cheek, desire twisted inside her. “Something tells me Abby is just fine. After we returned from Pearl Island, I saw her and Cody together. Trust me, you can count on Cody. He won’t let anything happen to her. But if you’re still worried—”
She cut him off and brushed her hands against his without conscious thought. She entwined her fingers through his. “Ryan, if you say she’s okay, then I know she’s okay.”
She watched something in his expression change, soften, and in that instant everything inside her reached out for him. She shivered with longing.
As though mistaking her reaction, Ryan bent close, so close she could feel his warm breath on her face, and rubbed her arms, creating heat with friction. With a tender expression, he said, “Let’s get you something warm to drink, you’re shivering.” The sexy cadence of his voice covered her like a soft blanket.
She looked at his mouth, aching to feel his lips on her body. Blood pounded through her veins as desire jolted her. She drew air, in an effort to compose herself. “You grab us a seat by the fire, and I’ll get the drinks.”
A moment later she snuggled in next to Ryan, ignoring everyone else in the room. As the storm raged outside, soft firelight cast shadows on the stone walls. The warmth and ambience drew her into a cocoon of need and desire. The Asian décor set the mood for romance and relaxation. Reclining against him, she sipped her hot chocolate and fell into an easy conversation. Every now and then Ryan touched her, his hand brushing her arm, or legs, making intimate contact.
She took pleasure in his features and noted that his light skin had darkened after only one day in the sun with her. Now that he was tanned, he definitely fit the cliché of tall, dark and handsome.
She touched his cheek to draw his attention to her. “There is something I’ve been wanting to ask you.”
Ryan offered her a smile. “Ask away.”
“Why do you wear those glasses at night?”
At first silence met her words, then he said, “I’m more comfortable with them on.”
What was it he didn’t want her to see?
“What color are your eyes?”
He pulled his glasses down his nose a tiny bit and peeked out over the top. “Blue.” She drew a shaky breath and moistened her lips. They were blue all right, but not just any run-of-the-mill blue, they were the most amazing shade of blue she’d ever seen.
With concerted effort, she spoke calmly, “Your eyes are gorgeous, Ryan.”
She detected a glimmer of vulnerability in the depth of his baby blues before he adjusted his glasses, pushing them back in place.
“So are yours.” He lifted his steaming mug. “They’re like warm chocolate.”
That took her by surprise, not fully understanding the extent of his damage. “I wasn’t sure you could discern color.”
“Just a bit, and only in the right light.”
Suddenly, Lauren yawned. Fatigue was overtaking her.
His soft chuckle seeped under her skin. “There I go boring you again,” he teased.
“Come here.”
He put his arms around her and pulled her close. She inhaled his warm scent and gave a soft sigh. “Why don’t you try to get some
“Let’s check the lodge,” she said.
They hastily made their way to the lodge. Ryan opened the door and guided her inside. Lauren glanced around, letting her gaze surf over the crowd, but Abby was nowhere to be found. She frowned in concern. “Do you think she’s okay?”
“I think,” Ryan said, a grin pulling at his face, “that my buddy Cody is taking good care of her.”
“Really?” Lauren asked, both surprised and delighted. Had Abby taken her advice and let the magic of the island take hold of her? She sure as hell hoped so.
When Ryan peeled a wet strand of hair from her cheek, desire twisted inside her. “Something tells me Abby is just fine. After we returned from Pearl Island, I saw her and Cody together. Trust me, you can count on Cody. He won’t let anything happen to her. But if you’re still worried—”
She cut him off and brushed her hands against his without conscious thought. She entwined her fingers through his. “Ryan, if you say she’s okay, then I know she’s okay.”
She watched something in his expression change, soften, and in that instant everything inside her reached out for him. She shivered with longing.
As though mistaking her reaction, Ryan bent close, so close she could feel his warm breath on her face, and rubbed her arms, creating heat with friction. With a tender expression, he said, “Let’s get you something warm to drink, you’re shivering.” The sexy cadence of his voice covered her like a soft blanket.
She looked at his mouth, aching to feel his lips on her body. Blood pounded through her veins as desire jolted her. She drew air, in an effort to compose herself. “You grab us a seat by the fire, and I’ll get the drinks.”
A moment later she snuggled in next to Ryan, ignoring everyone else in the room. As the storm raged outside, soft firelight cast shadows on the stone walls. The warmth and ambience drew her into a cocoon of need and desire. The Asian décor set the mood for romance and relaxation. Reclining against him, she sipped her hot chocolate and fell into an easy conversation. Every now and then Ryan touched her, his hand brushing her arm, or legs, making intimate contact.
She took pleasure in his features and noted that his light skin had darkened after only one day in the sun with her. Now that he was tanned, he definitely fit the cliché of tall, dark and handsome.
She touched his cheek to draw his attention to her. “There is something I’ve been wanting to ask you.”
Ryan offered her a smile. “Ask away.”
“Why do you wear those glasses at night?”
At first silence met her words, then he said, “I’m more comfortable with them on.”
What was it he didn’t want her to see?
“What color are your eyes?”
He pulled his glasses down his nose a tiny bit and peeked out over the top. “Blue.” She drew a shaky breath and moistened her lips. They were blue all right, but not just any run-of-the-mill blue, they were the most amazing shade of blue she’d ever seen.
With concerted effort, she spoke calmly, “Your eyes are gorgeous, Ryan.”
She detected a glimmer of vulnerability in the depth of his baby blues before he adjusted his glasses, pushing them back in place.
“So are yours.” He lifted his steaming mug. “They’re like warm chocolate.”
That took her by surprise, not fully understanding the extent of his damage. “I wasn’t sure you could discern color.”
“Just a bit, and only in the right light.”
Suddenly, Lauren yawned. Fatigue was overtaking her.
His soft chuckle seeped under her skin. “There I go boring you again,” he teased.
“Come here.”
He put his arms around her and pulled her close. She inhaled his warm scent and gave a soft sigh. “Why don’t you try to get some
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