Secrets Made in Paradise

He met her gaze. His mouth curved. His body moved.

CHAPTER SEVEN

FOR ONLY THE second time in years, Emerald woke late. She stretched, taking the moment to appreciate the pure luxury of the wide bed and pure linen sheets and the delectable stiffness in intimate places.

‘Sleeping beauty arises.’ Javier grinned from the window as she sat up.

Emmy’s heart skittered at his freshness in his bright white tee, black swim shorts and bare feet. His vitality was incredibly magnetic. ‘Is Luke...?’

‘Up and playing.’ Javier lounged one hand against the back of the large armchair at the foot of the massive bed. ‘He’s had a very messy breakfast and is currently destroying the block towers Thomas’s been building with him.’

She relaxed back against the plump pillows. ‘That sounds good.’

‘It’s very good.’ Javier inclined his head with a satisfied expression. ‘He’s very happy. So you can rest a while longer if you need to.’

Something curled in her belly. She didn’t want to rest. She wanted something else from Javier. Heat built in her cheeks as she realised the truth he’d stripped from her that first night. When it came to Javier Ramon Torres, Emerald was a wanton nymph who couldn’t get enough of his kisses. But that madness had been last night. Now the day was bright and she wasn’t sure what he wanted—if, indeed, he wanted anything.

‘Though I have something for you.’ Knowing amusement glinted in his eyes.

She stared as he straightened and held out the package she’d not realised he’d been hiding behind his back. It was gorgeously wrapped in black paper with a white ribbon. Yet her core temperature slipped a few notches. ‘When did you get that?’ she asked, awkwardness rising.

‘The chopper brought it in with some other supplies this morning.’

‘This morning?’ How had she slept through the sound of the helicopter arriving again? The soundproofing in the cabins was astounding and it made her grateful for the monitor Thomas had put into Luke’s room even though he had taken the room on just the other side.

As she toyed with the wrapping, her skin chilled too. This wasn’t what she wanted from Javier—not treats or rewards. She didn’t want any things. All she actually wanted from him was his touch and even that she didn’t want to want. ‘You don’t need to give me anything, Javier.’

He sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. ‘Why don’t you open it and see what it is? I ordered it after you gave me the book yesterday.’

‘Before...’

‘Before.’ His gaze narrowed on her with mocking humour. ‘So don’t start thinking poisonous things. I’m not rewarding you because you let me have my wicked way with you again. Why don’t you open it before you decide to reject it?’

That he guessed her fears so quickly made her feel ungrateful and overly cautious and appallingly judgy of him. Releasing a wary breath, she unwrapped the gift and discovered a digital camera in a large box.

‘I can’t accept this,’ she murmured as she carefully pulled the camera from the packaging. It was so fancy she wasn’t even sure how to turn it on. She set it down on the bed beside her and frowned up at him. ‘Javier—’

‘I want you to take more pictures of Luke and me. More of your aide-memoires. So it’s for Luke as much as anything,’ he said matter-of-factly. ‘And for me.’

Stilled, she gazed at him. ‘Oh, of course. I’d like to do that.’

She appreciated that this request was part of the forgiveness building between them, and part of his relationship building with Luke. And when he was older Luke would see that his father had been around and was there for him from a young age.

‘Thank you,’ he said.

She smiled wistfully. ‘Stop acting so chivalrous. You know I’m the one who needs to say thank you.’

‘Acting?’ he echoed with a gleam in his eye. ‘What makes you think I’m acting? Maybe I truly am chivalrous.’ He waggled his brows. ‘Anyway, I’m betting you want to get up and check in with Luke. Am I right?’

With a swallow she nodded and he left her to dress. Emmy’s heart thudded heavily, as if drumming in impending doom. Javier had been right: last night had been inevitable. But her newly discovered, awkward truth was that last night hadn’t been enough.

* * *

After breakfast she curled up on deck, reading the instruction booklet that came with the camera, and experimented with taking shots.

‘Why are you taking photos of your hand?’ Javier stretched out on the deck, moving toys in and out of Luke’s reach.

‘I’m experimenting with the light.’

He nodded and rolled to his stomach, looking lithe and gorgeous as he observed his mini-me. Emmy had to fiddle with the camera settings just to stop herself staring at the two of them.

‘You’ve been on your own since you were how old?’ Javier asked after a while.

‘Sixteen.’

‘And travelling the world all that time?’

‘For seven years.’

‘That’s a long time.’

‘And a lot of places.’ She smiled in reminiscence. ‘But I’ve been on the Galapagos for almost two years of that seven.’

‘And how had you not fallen for some guy in all that time?’ He lifted his chin and scrutinised her. ‘Was there no boyfriend ever?’

She shook her head.

‘Girlfriend?’

She kept shaking her head.

‘How, Emmy? You’re a sensual woman. You’re...’ He frowned slightly, as if picking his words carefully. ‘That night we met...’

Yes, she knew she’d not exactly made it difficult for him. At the time they hadn’t discussed it much, they’d been too carried away in the intensity of the moment. She’d been so eager, she knew her enthusiasm had swept away his concern when he’d realised. And then his ma

in response to the discovery of her inexperience had been determination to make it even better for her.

‘I don’t believe you never had any other opportunity before that night.’ He moved another of Luke’s toys. ‘So why me—why then? What happened to make you choose differently then?’

She didn’t know what to say when the plain truth was that he had happened. He was the difference. It wasn’t as if she’d decided one day that the next man she met was going to be the one; it had all been because of him—only because of him. He’d walked into her life and swept her away. He still swept her away. And if he’d walked into her life five years ago or five years from now, she was afraid he’d still have that same effect on her. He reached forward, rolling one of the toys in his hand, then squeezing it.

‘I’m not going to feed your ego,’ she finally answered with a teasing smile.

But he didn’t laugh. ‘Has there...?’ He cleared his throat. ‘Has there been anyone else since then?’

‘I have a baby, Javier.’ Droll amusement bubbled out of her. As if she’d had any time or inclination, given her circumstances. ‘What do you think?’

He paused and his answer came slowly. ‘I think I wouldn’t blame you if you’d sought a momentary escape...’

Was that what he’d done since then? She stiffened at the stab of hurt inside. ‘Well, I didn’t.’

He was staring right into her eyes but he still didn’t smile. ‘Me neither.’

She stared back at him as an illicit heat slowly infiltrated her nether regions. She’d chosen not to think about the time they’d been apart. Why would she torture herself with the thought of all the women he’d had since that night with her? But to hear that there’d been none?