Secrets Made in Paradise

She blinked, pleased to discover he was still there. Still smiling. Still walking towards her. As he neared, she saw his face in greater detail—chiselled jaw, lips curved in an open smile—but it was the deep, dark brown eyes that ensnared her—cocoa-ringed black coffee, two of her favourite things and they were impossible to turn away from. She’d encountered a bunch of handsome tourists in her few months on the Galapagos so far, but none like this guy. And it wasn’t his jaw-dropping handsome features—each one alone enough to melt any woman—it was the confident, casual manner with which he moved. He had an aura of easy assurance together with an indefinable quality that commanded attention even here, in one of the most untamed, unique places in the world where there were mind-blowing wonders to see in every direction.

Emmy grew conscious of her green bikini—not that it was skimpy, but it hardly hid her curves. Sadly her kaftan was further up the sand in a heap of worn silk, beneath the watchful gaze of one of the many resting sea lions. She’d spent the day combing the beaches for any small pieces of plastic as part of her volunteer placement with the Flores Foundation and had come to the water to cool off and have some quiet time.

‘You might want to watch out for my friend there.’ She jerked her head towards the nearby sea lion as the man set down the old rucksack he’d had slung over one shoulder. An ancient wetsuit sleeve poked out of the broken zipper opening.

‘He’s possessive?’ The handsome man cast a curious glance at the creature.

‘And he has a few friends a few more feet away.’

He nodded and turned back to her with a smile. ‘Amazing, isn’t it? An incredible beach with beautiful, wild things everywhere.’

‘Yes.’ But she shied away from the glint of intimacy and double meaning in his eyes. ‘There’s so much beauty, it’s hard to know where to look.’

‘Oh, I know exactly where to look.’ He watched her intently.

She couldn’t break away from his gaze and as she watched, a wicked smile backlit his eyes.

‘I’ve been admiring the boobies,’ he added softly.

She rolled her eyes, but he’d said it so lightly, with such a disarming smile, that it didn’t sound either sleazy or cheesy when rightfully it ought to have been both. ‘Really.’

‘You know, the bluer the feet, the more attractive the bird,’ he added conversationally, as if he’d been talking about the birds all along.

The red-and blue-footed boobies were unique to the Galapagos—some curious, some ambivalent, all fascinating.

‘And you know it’s the males who need to woo their mate,’ she said. ‘They’re the ones who have to look good and do all the hard work.’

His grin widened to one of pure appreciation. ‘Dance well? Strut hard and puff out their chests?’

‘Generally look ridiculous, yes.’

‘Ridiculous?’ He pressed his hand to his very fine chest. ‘Ouch.’ Laughter crinkled the corners of his eyes.

His smile was the sort that stole hearts at first glance. Her pulse, already thready, sped faster. ‘You shouldn’t be here, you know.’

‘It’s private?’

‘It’s late,’ she corrected. ‘You might get lost trying to find your way back.’

‘Is there a dragon who appears at dusk, to protect its fair maiden?’

Fair maiden? Really? She bit back a laugh. ‘Perhaps I’m the dragon. My hair only hints at my fire.’

‘That I can believe.’ He slowly smiled again.

‘Yet it doesn’t scare you off?’

‘Oh, no,’ he said breezily. ‘I’m not afraid of getting burned.’

She laughed out loud at that. ‘Perhaps you should be. You shouldn’t be scarred.’

His eyebrows danced upwards. ‘Maybe my skin is thick and impenetrable and thus does a very good job of protecting my vital organs.’

‘Such as your heart?’ She nodded with another little laugh, so not surprised by that idea. ‘So if you’re so well armoured, then your prey must surely be at greater risk.’

‘Risk? From me?’ He smiled but there was seriousness in his eyes and he slowly shook his head. ‘Dragons are rare and potentially vulnerable, and I don’t think beautiful wild creatures should be either tamed or slain. Ideally they’re not hurt in any way. I think they should be admired and appreciated and allowed to remain free.’

Of course he did—how safe for him. She suspected he was the wildest of all the beautiful creatures—not her at all. But she chuckled at the weak flirtation.

‘What’s your name?’ he asked.

‘Emerald.’

‘Green?’ He frowned slightly. ‘You could be Sapphire, for your eyes.’

‘I think my parents hoped my eyes might darken that way...’

‘But you did your own thing?’

‘Always.’ It was a bit of bravado, because she hadn’t always. But she did now. She’d learned well. Independence was everything. But perhaps, not isolation—not all the time. Not when she was confronted with a temptation like no other. Her heart thudded faster as he smiled.

‘You could be Ruby for your hair, Pearl for your smile or Goldie for your skin—’

‘Oh, no.’ She rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness. ‘That’s too much of a leap. You can’t get past these...’ She pointed at the freckles on her arm, an example of the speckles that covered her all over.

‘They’re beautiful.’ He shrugged lightly. ‘The sun has kissed where I want to.’

Her jaw dropped that time. ‘They’re everywhere.’

‘Precisely.’

‘Oh.’ She flushed awkwardly. ‘Smooth.’

He laughed, a light teasing dare. ‘You’re such a treasure, I think I should call you preciosa.’

‘Sure. You can do that.’ She rolled her eyes.

His Spanish flowed and she suspected he was perfectly bilingual, in fact he probably spoke other languages too. He had an air of complete capability—as if he’d be a champion surfer as well, a super-achiever in all areas of life.

‘And what should I call you?’ she asked.

‘Ramon.’ There’d been the slightest hesitation before he replied. ‘Why are you here?’ he asked. ‘All alone and looking like you just emerged from the sea like some mythical creature destined to destroy the heart of some poor hapless man?’

‘I already told you.’ She smiled. ‘I’m waiting for the moon to complete my transformation into a dragon. And you’re hardly hapless—you have that flame-proof skin, right?’

‘So I’ve always thought.’ His gaze dipped before flicking back up to her face.

That frisson travelled along her wiring, electrifying her circuitry. She saw the flash of recognition in his cocoa and coffee eyes. It didn’t matter what they were saying—the weak innuendo and frothy banter was amusing but ultimately meaningless. Because it was already there, that connection forged between them at first glance. Absolute and instant attraction, translating to heat and want. And Emmy—who’d never encouraged even the slightest of flirtations, who’d never actually felt the desire to before—found herself sliding at speed into the ultimate temptation. For the first time, she reached for a moment she truly wanted, a moment with a man for herself.

‘Shall I show you something even more beautiful?’ she asked huskily.

His eyes widened. ‘Yes, please.’

The bay was stunningly private. A colourful Sally Lightfoot crab scuttled and under the watchful gaze of wildlife unafraid of human contact, she trod a path known only to a few. Emmy didn’t trust other people the way these animals did. It was only a short walk to another, smaller bay even more private than the first. It was rarely visited; people didn’t get past that other one, thinking they’d made it to paradise already. But it was here, hidden and safe. Set back from the sand was an old wooden boat shed that belonged to her boss, Lucero Flores. It was his private p

lace, set on the very edge of his holdings.

‘This is incredible,’ Ramon muttered as he reached out to take her hand as naturally and easily as breathing.

Emmy’s pulse stumbled.

It was a stunning, magical secret but for the first time she was happy to share it. ‘Isn’t it?’