Island of Secrets and Scars

“Are you okay?” Ian’s hands came to her shoulders, kneading the tight muscles.

The soothing strokes eased some of the stress from her body, replacing it with an entirely new tension. Tingles raced up and down her skin. Her nipples tightened. She shivered.

Stepping away, she turned to him. “Thank you for taking Ara away. I didn’t mean to scare her. I should probably go talk to her.”

“Why don’t you start by talking to me?” He nudged her chin with his fist, so she had no choice but to look at him. “Who was that?”

“I told you.”

“No. Who is he to you? Why did you react the way you did?”

Staring into Ian’s whiskey eyes made her head swim. The intoxication was a lie though. It made her feel she could tell him things she knew she couldn’t. Once, he’d been her closest friend. He’d made her believe in soulmates. They’d had no secrets—or at least she hadn’t. She’d bared her soul to Ian, every hurt, every insecurity, leaving no corner of herself hidden from him. She couldn’t be that bare again. Maybe if she only had herself to worry about, she could afford the vulnerability, but she couldn’t risk Ara and Keso.

“I’ve actually never met him.” She spoke the truth. As far as she knew, today was the first the other man had ever set foot on this island. And she’d only been on the big island for a short time before moving here. Physically, their paths had never crossed, but their lives were forever intertwined.

“He’s not a good man,” she continued. “He’s suspected of many crimes.”

“Were you afraid he’d hurt you? Is that why you had me take Ara away? You didn’t want her to see?” He gripped her shoulders again.

The calluses on his palm scraped against her skin. She shook her head, both to answer his question and to try and knock away the memories of those calluses on other, more intimate, parts of her body.

“I just didn’t want him to see her.” She dropped her gaze to her hands, twisting the fingers on one hand with those of the other. “There are rumors… I didn’t want him to know she existed.” She raised her head. Tears swam in her eyes at the rumors of Victor Roberts’s torture, at the memories of what she’d seen with her own eyes with Keira.

Ian’s hand slipped up to cup her cheek. With his thumb, he brushed away a stray tear. His eyes flickered from her own eyes to her mouth and back. Nerves lit in her stomach.

“I’d never let him hurt her,” he promised her, “or you.”

Since she couldn’t form words, she simply nodded. She never doubted he’d protect her from others. It was the threat he posed to her, he couldn’t seem to prevent.

Before she could make herself move from the doorway, Ian tugged her closer. He held her flush against his body, crushing her already sensitive breasts against his chest, and took her mouth. Warmth raced through her body, pooled low in her belly, then slid between her thighs. For the first time in years, she wanted. Ian held her face with one hand and clutched her hip with the other, pulling her tighter against him. A moan slipped from between her lips, giving him the opening he needed to deepen the kiss. Twining her arms around his neck, she clung to him. She wanted to climb him. Wrap herself around him and never let go. God, she’d missed him. He pulled her into the clinic, then pushed her against the wall. He crushed his body against hers, nudging the vee between her thighs. Colors flashed behind her closed lids. Pleasure thundered through her body.

“Oh, Dios mio.”

Cameron froze.

“Lo siento.”

Cameron pulled away from Ian. Lust still burned in his gaze. His lips were dark and swollen. He took a step away, allowing her to slip around him.

“Doc?” Esme’s eyes rounded. Her gaze swung to Ian and then back to Cameron.

Cameron cleared her throat. “Are you here to see Brodie?”

Esme stared at her. Her expression screamed, what the hell is happening? Cameron only smiled back. Obviously, she’d had a momentary lapse in brain activity. She’d be sure not to be alone with Ian in the future. Not that they’d been particularly alone today. They were in the doorway of the clinic. Ian had always been a terrible influence.

“Brodie?” she prompted her friend.

Esme dragged her gaze away from Ian, who now faced them, looking no worse for wear. Though his eyes were still dark, stormy.

Esme blinked, then shook her head. “The doctor, the blond one. He wants to send Brodie to the big island today.” She paused, clearing her throat of the emotion creeping into it. “I wanted to spend as much time with him as I can.” She swiped a shaking hand over her cheek.

Cameron clasped the other woman’s hand in her own. “I’m still working on Dr. Robinson,” she promised her friend. “We’ll see what we can do to keep Brodie here. “

Esme sniffed. “Can I go see him now?”

“Why don’t I take you back?” Ian stepped forward. “Arabella’s waiting on Cameron, and I’d like to see Mr. Hunte myself today.”

Esme stared up at Ian. “Thank you, Dr. Gauthier.”

“Call me Ian.” Stepping forward, he placed his hand between her shoulder blades and ushered her toward her husband’s room. “Why don’t you tell me more about Brodie and your girls?”

Cameron watched as the pair disappeared into Brodie’s room. Finally, she allowed herself the deep steadying breath she’d needed since she’d first spotted the intruders heading toward her clinic. Her lips still tingled from Ian’s kiss. Her body still hummed with awareness and desire. But what scared her the most was her heart still ached for him. She could deal with physically wanting him, but she didn’t know if she had the strength to love him and lose him again.