Fake Engagement, Real Temptation

“He didn’t; I did,” Blake corrected quickly. “After our talk and realizing you wouldn’t wait, I tracked you down here.”

“Oh right, the infamous tracker,” she said, and Blake wished she sounded more impressed. Not sure why that mattered. Maybe he could contemplate that if he wasn’t so busy staring down the plump tan skin currently heaving out the top of her dress.

My God, she looked incredible.

But Carrie was clearly in a mood, and he couldn’t blame her. Last thing he should be doing was checking her out. Which he wasn’t. Because not only had she just been left at the altar, but also she was his best friend’s little sister. No way in hell was he thinking of her in any other way than a lady to be protected.

Truth be told, he thought she’d be a crying mess of sad clown makeup, but instead, she was huffing from lugging around the suitcase, making the tight, low cut of her dress dip even more, giving him yet another prime view of the most perfect cleavage he’d ever seen.

Kevin was an idiot to not show up for a woman like her.

Stop thinking that way. She’s your buddy’s sister.

“Well you found me,” she said, exasperated. “So you can report back that I’m fine. Bye.”

“Sorry, little girl, can’t do that.”

She stood tall and put her hands on her hips. Amazing, curving hips that the dress hugged as perfectly as it did the rest of her, all the way down to her cute pink toes peeking through strappy sandals.

“First of all, I’m not a little girl,” she said.

Oh, he could see that. But that’s what he’d always called her, and even though Carrie Morgan was all woman now, he couldn’t shake the habit. Besides, she was his responsibility, so until that mission was fulfilled, he’d say whatever he needed to get her to a safe place. Mentally and physically. He also couldn’t leave her. This was his idea, and even though it was kind of biting him in the ass at the moment, he wouldn’t let Lane down. He’d go with her, whether she liked it or not, and keep her safe.

“I can’t leave you; I need to make sure you stay safe.” Leaving out the part of the pact he’d made with Lane. The man would have made him take a blood oath if there’d been time.

Carrie just laughed in his face, making her long beautiful hair dance a little, and she tucked a golden lock behind her ear.

“It’s not up to you to do anything,” she said. “I’m fine. I’m leaving here, and I’ll be back in a week. Thanks for the advice about going after my fantasy. But my brother’s buddy turned pseudo bodyguard is not part of my image of an island fantasy.”

Blake sighed, thinking of Lane and Mr. Morgan and Grammy. But especially Lane and the last thing he’d said to Blake. Don’t leave her.

Lane was right. Carrie might look more pissed than upset now, but a week alone in God knew where would not be good for her. He couldn’t leave her. This was his bright idea in the first place, and now he had to make sure she wasn’t alone while this good intention started blowing up in his face. He had a responsibility to her, and for Christ’s sake, she needed to stop breathing so hard, because with her wild blond hair and heavy breasts, he was getting hard just looking at her.

Fuck, this was all sorts of a bad idea.

Maybe he needed to change tactics. Maybe he should try to convince her to go home? If she really hated the idea of him going with her, then maybe she’d rather just go back to her house.

“I can’t leave you,” he said again. “Let me take you home. Your dad and brother—”

“Absolutely not!” she cut in. “I’m a grown woman. I can do what I want. I’m not going home to listen to my mother ask me why I can’t ‘keep a man,’ or my dad go over his checkbook on all the money he just wasted, or Lane fuss over me, waiting for me to cry.”

She cleared her throat. Blake honestly had no idea what to think. She was strong, he knew that, but the adrenaline of today would eventually crash, and she’d be hurt. Was hurting. Just trying to escape it. He couldn’t blame her.

Still…

“You either let me take you home, or get used to me being your new shadow. Either way, I can’t let you go anywhere alone, Carrie.”

With a huff, she reached into her purse and slapped a plane ticket at his chest. “Then it looks like you’re coming with me.”

With that, she turned to check her bag.

Chapter Three

“I’m getting on the plane now,” Carrie said into her cell phone, walking down the air bridge toward the plane.

“Are you okay?” her best friend, Annie, said from the phone.

Carrie shook her head. Was she okay? She glanced back and saw Blake right behind her. Her shadow, just like he’d promised.