utterly
alone. Not now.
oOo
Z_ack reached
for Jenna, pulling her close. He’d dreamed of holding her, kissing her, and now
she was in his arms—under circumstances he never would have imagined.
He felt her
lean into him, saw her close her eyes as he stroked his hand up and down the
goose bumps on her arm.
“What are you
doing out here?” she whispered, and he heard the tremble in her voice.
“I was
walking. I heard the gunfire and came back.”
“You could
have headed in the other direction.”
“I couldn’t
leave you here.”
She raised
her head, staring at him.
He gathered
her closer, wishing he could protect her with his body.
“We’ll get
out of this,” he whispered.
“How?”
“We’ve got to
get to the jungle.”
She nodded
against his chest, then raised her head again.
“Who are
they?”
“My guess?
Opponents of the government who want to make a statement by wiping out a bunch
of Americans. Which means we’ve got to make ourselves scarce. Like I said, the
jungle is our best option until help arrives.”
“Does anyone
know what’s happening here?”
“Somebody
must have gotten out a call,” he answered, hoping it was true. “The emergency
number is posted in every room.”
Privately he
was wondering how long it would be before anyone realized the deadly situation
on the island and sent help.
He cupped his
hand around her shoulder, and she reached up to cover his fingers with hers. It
felt natural, like they’d known each other for years.
For long
moments, neither one of them moved.
“Zack,” she
murmured.
He stiffened.
“You know my name?”
“I saw it on
the sign-up book at the gym.”
He nodded.
“And I saw yours. Jenna. Too bad we’re meeting this way.”
oOo
Jenna wanted
to ask if they would have met at all under other circumstances, but she kept
the question to herself.
Zack looked
around the side of the towel stand and gestured. “The gazebo’s about thirty
yards away. We’ll make that our next stop.”
“What about
the attackers?”
“If we’re
lucky, they’re busy inside the hotel.”
Busy. She
didn’t want to think about what they might be doing there.
Instead, she
switched her attention to the layout of the grounds. The gazebo was on the
lawn, closer to the hotel—and the gunmen. But there wasn’t any other cover.
“Okay.” She’d
let him take charge because she had no idea what else to do.
“I’ll go
first. If I make it, you follow me. Keep low.”
She winced at
the way he put it, but she told herself that if anyone was going to make it, he
would.
“Now.”
Her heart
leaped into her throat as she watched him dash across the open space between
her hiding place and the white gazebo surrounded by hibiscus bushes.
When he
reached the little building without any gunfire, she breathed out a sigh of
relief.
Then he
turned and motioned to her, and she took several deep breaths before starting
out. Following his example, she ducked low, running flat out for the back of
the shelter, tumbling into Zack Marshall’s arms. He gathered her close, sliding
his hands up and down her back and shoulder. She had wanted to be this close to
him and never expected it would happen. Now it felt like the most natural thing
in the world to raise her face to his.
Their lips
were so close. She could have kissed him. Wanted to kiss him. Out of gratitude
or because the danger was heightening her emotions? She saw from the look in
his eyes that his thoughts were traveling on the same path.
But instead
of kissing her, he raised his head and looked toward the jungle. “We’re not
safe here. Got to get into the trees.”
Now they had
only twenty yards to safety. She hoped it was safety.
“This time,
it’s better if you go first,” Zack whispered. “I’ll keep guard.”
Her heart
pounding, she took off toward the jungle, saying a prayer of thanks as she
plunged into the darkness under a grove of low palms.
She’d made
it!
She expected
Zack to follow,
alone. Not now.
oOo
Z_ack reached
for Jenna, pulling her close. He’d dreamed of holding her, kissing her, and now
she was in his arms—under circumstances he never would have imagined.
He felt her
lean into him, saw her close her eyes as he stroked his hand up and down the
goose bumps on her arm.
“What are you
doing out here?” she whispered, and he heard the tremble in her voice.
“I was
walking. I heard the gunfire and came back.”
“You could
have headed in the other direction.”
“I couldn’t
leave you here.”
She raised
her head, staring at him.
He gathered
her closer, wishing he could protect her with his body.
“We’ll get
out of this,” he whispered.
“How?”
“We’ve got to
get to the jungle.”
She nodded
against his chest, then raised her head again.
“Who are
they?”
“My guess?
Opponents of the government who want to make a statement by wiping out a bunch
of Americans. Which means we’ve got to make ourselves scarce. Like I said, the
jungle is our best option until help arrives.”
“Does anyone
know what’s happening here?”
“Somebody
must have gotten out a call,” he answered, hoping it was true. “The emergency
number is posted in every room.”
Privately he
was wondering how long it would be before anyone realized the deadly situation
on the island and sent help.
He cupped his
hand around her shoulder, and she reached up to cover his fingers with hers. It
felt natural, like they’d known each other for years.
For long
moments, neither one of them moved.
“Zack,” she
murmured.
He stiffened.
“You know my name?”
“I saw it on
the sign-up book at the gym.”
He nodded.
“And I saw yours. Jenna. Too bad we’re meeting this way.”
oOo
Jenna wanted
to ask if they would have met at all under other circumstances, but she kept
the question to herself.
Zack looked
around the side of the towel stand and gestured. “The gazebo’s about thirty
yards away. We’ll make that our next stop.”
“What about
the attackers?”
“If we’re
lucky, they’re busy inside the hotel.”
Busy. She
didn’t want to think about what they might be doing there.
Instead, she
switched her attention to the layout of the grounds. The gazebo was on the
lawn, closer to the hotel—and the gunmen. But there wasn’t any other cover.
“Okay.” She’d
let him take charge because she had no idea what else to do.
“I’ll go
first. If I make it, you follow me. Keep low.”
She winced at
the way he put it, but she told herself that if anyone was going to make it, he
would.
“Now.”
Her heart
leaped into her throat as she watched him dash across the open space between
her hiding place and the white gazebo surrounded by hibiscus bushes.
When he
reached the little building without any gunfire, she breathed out a sigh of
relief.
Then he
turned and motioned to her, and she took several deep breaths before starting
out. Following his example, she ducked low, running flat out for the back of
the shelter, tumbling into Zack Marshall’s arms. He gathered her close, sliding
his hands up and down her back and shoulder. She had wanted to be this close to
him and never expected it would happen. Now it felt like the most natural thing
in the world to raise her face to his.
Their lips
were so close. She could have kissed him. Wanted to kiss him. Out of gratitude
or because the danger was heightening her emotions? She saw from the look in
his eyes that his thoughts were traveling on the same path.
But instead
of kissing her, he raised his head and looked toward the jungle. “We’re not
safe here. Got to get into the trees.”
Now they had
only twenty yards to safety. She hoped it was safety.
“This time,
it’s better if you go first,” Zack whispered. “I’ll keep guard.”
Her heart
pounding, she took off toward the jungle, saying a prayer of thanks as she
plunged into the darkness under a grove of low palms.
She’d made
it!
She expected
Zack to follow,
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