Love Lost and Found by Michele de Winton Page A

flicker, more of a shadow really, moved
     through the water. Time to put sentiment aside. “Rick? Stay completely still.”
    He froze.
    “Come to mommy!” Felicity hurled her sharpened stick into the water and then waded
     after it, diving into the water and coming up with a triumphant grin and a speckled
     fish flapping feebly on the end of her spear. “I can’t believe that worked! Oh my
     God. Look, I caught a fish. I caught a fish.”
    His face looked as if he’d missed out on the last slice of pizza.
    “What? Pissed that I’m the conquering hero? Sorry buddy, but only one of us can be
     queen of the wild, and you’re too well-dressed.”
    The laugh shook whatever it was that was bothering him.
    “Oh, wait. There.” She pointed to another shadow and without hesitating, Rick threw
     his spear and plunged into the water after it. Surfacing, he spat out salt water and
     held up the fish. “I might be well-dressed, but that doesn’t mean I can’t channel
     my inner caveman now and then. Men hunt, women gather, cook, clean, and raise babies. I’m taking you back to the campfire
     where you belong and, if you’re not careful, I’ll have you sweeping this beach for
     sand.”
    She laughed at the triumph on his face. It was adorable. Pure and simple.
    He went to scoop her up in his arms, then wobbled and straightened. “Sorry, I’ll have
     to get you to cook and clean by willpower, since it doesn’t look like my ankle’s going
     to let me carry you to your kitchen prison.”
    “Nice try, caveman. I caught the first one, you’re cooking it,” she said, and the
     lightness in her voice matched, finally, the growing lightness of her heart.

    He might have been joking about wanting her to cook, but she was glad she’d pushed
     him into doing it. After building the fire up to create a good bed of coals, Rick
     barbecued the fish she’d caught as well as a handful of clams he’d dug up, and trickled
     coconut juice over the lot. The result was the sweetest, most satisfying lunch she
     could remember in a long time, and that was saying something given that the Pacific Empress boasted an army of chefs on board at all times.
    “I might keep you on if you’re lucky,” she said, sitting back against a tree stump
     and licking the last of the coconut milk off her fingers. “And now, seeing as I can,
     I think I’ll take a nap.”
    “Great idea. I might join you.” He shuffled closer and she rolled her eyes at him.
    “Do you ever give up?”
    “I’m not sure what you mean,” he said, mocking a wounded look and shuffling even closer.
     “I’m pretty sure I’m the take-what-I-want-type.”
    “I bet you are.” Felicity laughed and opened her arms for him to cuddle in. Ooh, nice.
     She hadn’t cuddled in forever. She shut her eyes, breathed out, but Rick had other
     ideas and her body was clearly ready for them.
    The moment his lips touched hers, her body surged. She pushed a hand through his hair,
     raked his bare back with the other, and as he rolled her on top of him, she straddled
     him as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
    Whoa. She pushed up off him and gazed down into his face. “What did you put in that food?”
    He grinned up at her. “It was pretty close to oysters, I guess.” Putting a hand to
     her face he stroked her jaw. “I don’t need to eat anything for my body to want yours,
     though. You look so beautiful up there. The sun’s haloed your hair.” He touched it,
     coiled one of the curls around a finger. “I’d call it angelic but you’d laugh at me.
     And right at this moment, I’m miles away from laughing. I want you. Seriously.”
    His hand in her curls tightened and his grin faded. Pushing his fingers farther into
     her hair, Rick pulled her down to him and tilted her head so he could dance his tongue
     with hers. Again. Looked like Rick was determined to make her live in the moment for
     a change. Good.
    Felicity’s body opened. Her heart sped. Her legs