They were both sweaty when she leaned forward and rested her head on his chest.
“I’m hungry,” she murmured.
He put his hands around her waist. “You’re starving, actually.” He rol
led her off of him, stood, and held his hand out to her. “Time for your first cooking lesson. What do you like for breakfast?”
She sat up. “Not much, usually just some fruit.”
“Well, you can’t cook that. Wait, I guess you could, but why would you? Today we’ll have bacon and eggs, or would you prefer pancakes?”
“I’d prefer fruit,” she grumbled. “It’s quicker.”
* * *
An hour later, they sat down to the worst breakfast Raketa had probably ever eaten. The eggs were watery and the bacon was black, but as far as Gunner was concerned, it was perfect. She’d tried, and that was all he wanted. They even laughed about it, which made it a five-star meal for him.
He hadn’t realized how seldom he laughed. If he was with Razor he did; the guy was hysterical. He also knew exactly what to say to lighten Gunner’s mood.
This was different, though. Raketa didn’t try to make him laugh; he just did, and she did too.
He didn’t need her to tell him that it was as unusual for her as it was for him. He could tell by how she’d stop sometimes and get a look on her face that reminded him of the way he felt—it was good, but kinda sad that it was so different.
They had some damn serious talks ahead of them, and he wasn’t at all looking forward to taking her smile away. He had to know, though, if what she really wanted was to return to Baku, and if it was, why.
Most importantly, she had to tell him the truth because she wanted to, not because he forced her to do it. As long as they were on his island, she was safe, which meant he could wait as long as it took. Hell, he could wait forever if it came down to it. The longer they were here and could keep the rest of the nasty shit that came along with the work they did away, the better as far as Gunner was concerned.
Maybe he’d even consider retirement. All the newbies pissed him off anyway. Why not sit back, let them do the dirty work, while he raked in the money?
“The kitchen is clean,” Raketa said, joining him on the porch. She’d insisted he go relax while she handled the mess. “I know how to wash dishes,” she told him as she pushed him out the door.
He thought about calling Razor to tell him what he’d learned about Petrov, but when he went to get his phone, he felt like he was betraying Raketa’s trust and set it back down.
“I was thinking I could show you around the island if you’re up for it,” he said.
“I’d like that.”
There was one place in particular he wanted her to see.
—:—
“We’re almost there,” he turned back and said. “You doin’ okay?”
They were walking through a beautiful forest. Raketa wasn’t hunting someone United Russia wanted her to kill, and she doubted they’d be able to get an assassin on Gunner’s island to kill her. There hadn’t been a time in her life that she could remember being more okay than she was now. Every so often, she found herself humming a tune she remembered her mother singing to her. When was the last time she’d hummed, if ever?
“Here it is,” said Gunner, reaching for her hand and then putting his arm around her shoulders when she stood next to him.
Before her, she saw a cliff and, in the middle of it, a beautiful waterfall. At its bottom was a pool of water with lush vegetation growing on its banks. She couldn’t explain why, but her eyes filled with tears.
“I reacted that way the first time I saw it,” Gunner said, catching a teardrop on his fingertip. “Up for a swim?”
Before she could protest, Gunner had his shirt off and was pulling down his shorts.
“Come swim with me, Rocket Girl,” he said, holding his hand out to her.
How could she resist a man whose body brought her to her knees and made her weep more than the waterfall. She’d never seen a man with a more perfect physique than Gunner, and that was with clothes on. Naked he looked like a god.
She shed her clothes and climbed into the pool, surprised at how warm the water was. She made her way over to the falls, took the tie out of her hair, closed her eyes, and sat beneath the flow of water. It felt like Gunner’s shower, but so much better.