ghost.”
Felicity shook her head. “Just remembering something.” Or not.
His head snapped toward her and his eyes sharpened, all focus, all intensity. “Really?
What did you remember?”
“Oh, um…” She searched for something benign. “That there was a spring where you fell
yesterday. It looked like it came right off the top of the mountain so it should be
clean. We can fill my bottle and maybe make a couple of banana leaves into a water
bowl or something.”
“Oh. Right.” Was he expecting something else?
“I thought you’d be pleased. I’m ticking off things on my oh-woe-is-me-we’re-stuck-on-a-tropical-island
list.”
He laughed at that, and the intensity in his eyes faded, but Felicity still felt the
heat of his X-ray stare as she stood and brushed the sand from her bare legs.
A shaft of sunlight escaped a cloud and aimed its beam on her. Rick’s grin widened.
“Tropical storm creating dangerous currents and high humidity, but with intermittent
streaks of golden sunlight? Sounds like the perfect forecast for a secluded island
seduction. That’s two things off your list.”
She laughed at his boyish grin. “Careful. If I didn’t know it was impossible, it would
almost sound like you arranged this whole thing, weather and all.” She held out a
hand to him without thinking, and he scrambled up to his feet, only slightly limping
compared to yesterday. “Hey, your ankle seems a bit better.”
“Yeah.” He squeezed her hand. “Whatever you did with those leaves must have been magical
after all.”
She scratched her head and remembered the condition of her hair. Great. “Well, if you’re all fit and rested, you won’t mind gathering more firewood for the
fire. Seeing as we’re going to be here a bit longer. And if you’re starving , try smashing a coconut or two till we manage to get something bigger.”
He made a salute and clicked his bare feet together, then winced as his ankle obviously
flared with pain. “Sure.”
“I’ll start on making a water bowl, and then we’re going fishing.”
It took them the rest of the morning to gather water and wood, and find something
that would catch fish. Wading out into the still-churning lagoon hoping to spear a
fish with the two sticks she’d sharpened, or to find some shellfish, Felicity tried
to be happy, to enjoy the sunshine and beautiful surroundings, but the reality of
being truly stranded was a little too close to how discovering she had amnesia made
her feel, and she was snappy. “For goodness’ sake don’t stand on any coral and injure
yourself again. I’ll be in for it if I bring you back covered in infected cuts as
well as bruises.”
“Do you know much about healing infected cuts and bruises?”
“Only what I’ve been told by the ship’s medical officer. Coral is a nasty one, so
watch yourself. Really.”
He nodded, appearing appropriately chastised and almost uncertain in the water. Damn. She hadn’t meant to freak him out. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to tell you off like that.
Here, why don’t you have a go?” She handed him the other homemade spear.
Maybe his bluster was as big as hers and he was nervous as hell about being stuck
here, too. It was only a matter of time before the cruise ship sent someone for them,
but all sorts of things could happen on remote tropical islands. Bites, burns, bimbos.
She mentally slapped herself. What the hell had she been thinking, having sex with
him? Her heart dipped a little and she chanced a glance at him. He was staring at
the water, holding the other spear aloft, probably regretting the fact that he’d ever
touched her. Familiar much? So why did her heart feel so heavy at the thought of it not happening again? “They’ll
come and get us soon.” She tried for gentleness in her voice.
“I’m sure they will. And in the meantime, I’ll take care. I promise.”
She nodded and had to look away. As she did, a
Felicity shook her head. “Just remembering something.” Or not.
His head snapped toward her and his eyes sharpened, all focus, all intensity. “Really?
What did you remember?”
“Oh, um…” She searched for something benign. “That there was a spring where you fell
yesterday. It looked like it came right off the top of the mountain so it should be
clean. We can fill my bottle and maybe make a couple of banana leaves into a water
bowl or something.”
“Oh. Right.” Was he expecting something else?
“I thought you’d be pleased. I’m ticking off things on my oh-woe-is-me-we’re-stuck-on-a-tropical-island
list.”
He laughed at that, and the intensity in his eyes faded, but Felicity still felt the
heat of his X-ray stare as she stood and brushed the sand from her bare legs.
A shaft of sunlight escaped a cloud and aimed its beam on her. Rick’s grin widened.
“Tropical storm creating dangerous currents and high humidity, but with intermittent
streaks of golden sunlight? Sounds like the perfect forecast for a secluded island
seduction. That’s two things off your list.”
She laughed at his boyish grin. “Careful. If I didn’t know it was impossible, it would
almost sound like you arranged this whole thing, weather and all.” She held out a
hand to him without thinking, and he scrambled up to his feet, only slightly limping
compared to yesterday. “Hey, your ankle seems a bit better.”
“Yeah.” He squeezed her hand. “Whatever you did with those leaves must have been magical
after all.”
She scratched her head and remembered the condition of her hair. Great. “Well, if you’re all fit and rested, you won’t mind gathering more firewood for the
fire. Seeing as we’re going to be here a bit longer. And if you’re starving , try smashing a coconut or two till we manage to get something bigger.”
He made a salute and clicked his bare feet together, then winced as his ankle obviously
flared with pain. “Sure.”
“I’ll start on making a water bowl, and then we’re going fishing.”
It took them the rest of the morning to gather water and wood, and find something
that would catch fish. Wading out into the still-churning lagoon hoping to spear a
fish with the two sticks she’d sharpened, or to find some shellfish, Felicity tried
to be happy, to enjoy the sunshine and beautiful surroundings, but the reality of
being truly stranded was a little too close to how discovering she had amnesia made
her feel, and she was snappy. “For goodness’ sake don’t stand on any coral and injure
yourself again. I’ll be in for it if I bring you back covered in infected cuts as
well as bruises.”
“Do you know much about healing infected cuts and bruises?”
“Only what I’ve been told by the ship’s medical officer. Coral is a nasty one, so
watch yourself. Really.”
He nodded, appearing appropriately chastised and almost uncertain in the water. Damn. She hadn’t meant to freak him out. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to tell you off like that.
Here, why don’t you have a go?” She handed him the other homemade spear.
Maybe his bluster was as big as hers and he was nervous as hell about being stuck
here, too. It was only a matter of time before the cruise ship sent someone for them,
but all sorts of things could happen on remote tropical islands. Bites, burns, bimbos.
She mentally slapped herself. What the hell had she been thinking, having sex with
him? Her heart dipped a little and she chanced a glance at him. He was staring at
the water, holding the other spear aloft, probably regretting the fact that he’d ever
touched her. Familiar much? So why did her heart feel so heavy at the thought of it not happening again? “They’ll
come and get us soon.” She tried for gentleness in her voice.
“I’m sure they will. And in the meantime, I’ll take care. I promise.”
She nodded and had to look away. As she did, a
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