know his care had fallen on you.”
“Would it have mattered?”
He pulled her close. “It matters to me.”
* * * *
Beneath her cheek she could feel Jose’s heartbeat, slow and steady. The familiar rhythm filled her with longing. An ache opened in her soul, threatening to swallow her when they got off this island and the real world sucked them back into their real lives. Her anger at him had come so quickly and with such force it frightened her, but forgiveness had come even more swiftly. She loved him, and wouldn’t even try to deny it.
His hand twisted in her hair and tugged gently, raising her face to his. “Tell me you love me.” His eyes searched hers and his breath blew soft against her cheek. “Don’t lie. Tell me the truth.”
“Jose—” Her voice cracked. She buried her face in his chest.
Candlelight bounced of the cavern walls. The scent of his skin filled her lungs and warmed her heart. She’d grown closer to him than she’d ever been to any man other than Trevor. But once they left the island, neither of them would be hers. She knew she loved him, but what good would confessing it do?
She breathed in his masculine scent and kissed the smooth skin beneath his lips. “Are we ever going to get off this island?”
“I’m not in a hurry. Are you?”
Surrender the Booty
85
She rocked her head from side to side. No. Back home, she’d be alone.
Trevor’s long shadow filled the mouth of the cave. “A boat!” He yelled. “By God, I think it’s the Coast Guard!”
Jose bolted out of the cavern, taking her with him. Her heart sank deeper with every step. The fantasy had come to an end.
86
Carmie L’Rae
Chapter Seventeen
Trevor surveyed the grassy hills and gently sloping pasture below the hill where he stood. The Coast Guard craft that cut close to the island never stopped. And though he’d stayed awake most of the night listening in case it came back, it never did.
There were worse places to be stranded. If he didn’t have business to take care of at home, he’d never leave Isla de Amantes. This land was perfect for him and for the horses. But he didn’t know how in the hell he’d be able to afford it. Even if he managed to outsmart Jose and win the bid, he’d have to figure out a way to make a profit. He couldn’t live without income.
“Good morning, Cowboy.” Bella’s hand cupped his ass. He hadn’t heard her approach.
“You walk through the garden or just wake up horny?” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her in close. She snuggled in next to him.
“Maybe I just like your ass.”
“Makes two of us.”
“Is that a stream down there?” She pointed to the far end of the pasture where water sparkled like a silver snake in the grass.
“A little one. Big enough for a watering hole.”
“You’ve got big plans for this island, don’t you? How many horses you plan on bringing out here?”
“About thirty of them to start with. More if this island makes them as horny as it does us.”
“So you’ll move out here all by yourself with a bunch of animals.
No cowgirl to keep you company?”
Surrender the Booty
87
“That’s the plan.”
“You don’t like to talk about her, do you?”
“Who?”
“The one who broke your heart.”
Trevor dropped his arm from her shoulders and started toward an overgrown path between the rocks. Ahead of him the pasture spread out, a little overgrown, but not too bad. It wouldn’t be hard to get it ready for the horses. He could live in the cabin, just fix it up a little.
He didn’t need much. Hell, half the time he slept on the ground anyway. He liked it like that. Nothing to hold him in. Just a blanket of stars and a bed of grass. He had enough sense to come in out of the rain, most of the time, but outdoors was the only place he could breathe.
Trevor filled his lungs with the clean island air. A hint of the familiar erotic scent landed on the back of his tongue, but he swallowed it down. He
“Would it have mattered?”
He pulled her close. “It matters to me.”
* * * *
Beneath her cheek she could feel Jose’s heartbeat, slow and steady. The familiar rhythm filled her with longing. An ache opened in her soul, threatening to swallow her when they got off this island and the real world sucked them back into their real lives. Her anger at him had come so quickly and with such force it frightened her, but forgiveness had come even more swiftly. She loved him, and wouldn’t even try to deny it.
His hand twisted in her hair and tugged gently, raising her face to his. “Tell me you love me.” His eyes searched hers and his breath blew soft against her cheek. “Don’t lie. Tell me the truth.”
“Jose—” Her voice cracked. She buried her face in his chest.
Candlelight bounced of the cavern walls. The scent of his skin filled her lungs and warmed her heart. She’d grown closer to him than she’d ever been to any man other than Trevor. But once they left the island, neither of them would be hers. She knew she loved him, but what good would confessing it do?
She breathed in his masculine scent and kissed the smooth skin beneath his lips. “Are we ever going to get off this island?”
“I’m not in a hurry. Are you?”
Surrender the Booty
85
She rocked her head from side to side. No. Back home, she’d be alone.
Trevor’s long shadow filled the mouth of the cave. “A boat!” He yelled. “By God, I think it’s the Coast Guard!”
Jose bolted out of the cavern, taking her with him. Her heart sank deeper with every step. The fantasy had come to an end.
86
Carmie L’Rae
Chapter Seventeen
Trevor surveyed the grassy hills and gently sloping pasture below the hill where he stood. The Coast Guard craft that cut close to the island never stopped. And though he’d stayed awake most of the night listening in case it came back, it never did.
There were worse places to be stranded. If he didn’t have business to take care of at home, he’d never leave Isla de Amantes. This land was perfect for him and for the horses. But he didn’t know how in the hell he’d be able to afford it. Even if he managed to outsmart Jose and win the bid, he’d have to figure out a way to make a profit. He couldn’t live without income.
“Good morning, Cowboy.” Bella’s hand cupped his ass. He hadn’t heard her approach.
“You walk through the garden or just wake up horny?” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her in close. She snuggled in next to him.
“Maybe I just like your ass.”
“Makes two of us.”
“Is that a stream down there?” She pointed to the far end of the pasture where water sparkled like a silver snake in the grass.
“A little one. Big enough for a watering hole.”
“You’ve got big plans for this island, don’t you? How many horses you plan on bringing out here?”
“About thirty of them to start with. More if this island makes them as horny as it does us.”
“So you’ll move out here all by yourself with a bunch of animals.
No cowgirl to keep you company?”
Surrender the Booty
87
“That’s the plan.”
“You don’t like to talk about her, do you?”
“Who?”
“The one who broke your heart.”
Trevor dropped his arm from her shoulders and started toward an overgrown path between the rocks. Ahead of him the pasture spread out, a little overgrown, but not too bad. It wouldn’t be hard to get it ready for the horses. He could live in the cabin, just fix it up a little.
He didn’t need much. Hell, half the time he slept on the ground anyway. He liked it like that. Nothing to hold him in. Just a blanket of stars and a bed of grass. He had enough sense to come in out of the rain, most of the time, but outdoors was the only place he could breathe.
Trevor filled his lungs with the clean island air. A hint of the familiar erotic scent landed on the back of his tongue, but he swallowed it down. He
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