She stared up at him, feeling the fragility of this peace offering and longing to accept it. To believe in it. To hope that perhaps they could make this work. But then she remembered that he knew nothing of who she really was. And when he discovered that shame of her past? She forced her gaze towards the azure water. She couldn’t trust that the truth wouldn’t be used to take Luke from her.
‘Señor Torres?’
Relief and regret hit in equal measure as a steward interrupted them to deliver a platter of fresh fruit, cheese and cold cuts. Emmy snaffled a piece of apple, savouring its juicy freshness and the distraction it provided, and gave Luke one of the baby crackers that had been thoughtfully put on the plate.
‘So why were you angry when you learned who I was?’ Javier asked after a bit. ‘Was it because I’d bought Lucero’s property? Or because I’d lied?’
Her nerves tightened. He was so far out of her league—wealthy and powerful—she’d been sure he’d take Luke from her if he knew. He still could.
She needed more time to figure out how she could convince him that she was a good influence on Luke’s life. So she diverted her answer. ‘I loved Lucero’s property how it was—the age of the old hostel, that old boathouse and the value of his foundation for getting volunteers to help keep everything around here pristine. I know it was a little run-down, but I was afraid of what you’re going to do with it.’
‘But isn’t it a good thing for that property to be developed? You must know Lucero wanted it cared for,’ he said. ‘He didn’t have the energy or resources to do it himself. He trusted that to me.’
‘To you?’ Her stomach dropped. ‘You met him?’
‘I returned a few months after...’ He cleared his throat. ‘I was looking for an opportunity here and approached him when I learned he owned that property.’
Javier had been back to the Galapagos before now? And she’d not run into him?
‘But I would’ve known if you’d seen Lucero,’ she said, trying to reject the terrible regret rising within her. ‘I was his carer round the clock towards the end.’
Javier frowned. ‘He told me his carer was called Esme. She was visiting another island when I was there.’
She gasped. ‘He called me Esmerelda when he was being grand—Esme for short.’
‘Esme. Emerald...’ He muttered something indecipherable beneath his breath and then looked at her with a rueful shake of his head.
That shimmering electricity fluttered between them. Fate. It had failed them that time.
‘So why did you name our son after him?’ he asked quietly.
That question was easy. ‘Because he was a good man,’ she said simply. ‘He gave me a home and I hadn’t had one in a while.’ She fell silent, realising what she’d just admitted and hoping Javier wouldn’t ask why. She rubbed little Luke’s back as he sucked on the cracker and quickly thought of a question of her own. ‘Why did you want the hostel?’ she asked. ‘Was it just the location?’
‘Mmm.’ Now Javier glanced away, his gaze skimming the blue waters. ‘Why not go for a swim?’ he suggested. ‘It’s a beautiful afternoon. It’ll refresh you after the sleep.’
She shook her head and looked down at Luke in her lap, disappointed by him avoiding directly answering her.
‘I’ll hold him while you’re out there,’ Javier offered, and then rolled his eyes at her continued hesitation. ‘I promise not to make off with him when you’re half a mile from the boat.’
She half chuckled. ‘You’re not going to turn on the engines and leave me in the middle of the ocean?’
‘Of course not,’ he said. ‘Maybe you might try to trust me?’
She couldn’t hold his gaze for long; the gleam in his eyes threatened to mesmerise her all over again. And the regret she felt?
‘I’m not going to hurt him, Emmy.’
‘I know,’ she muttered with a sad shake of her head. ‘I never thought you would.’
She was the one who was going to be hurt. She’d feared it from the moment she’d found out his true identity, and from the second he’d walked back into her life she’d known it would be inevitable.
‘Then give him to me and go get changed.’
The water was tempting and she desperately needed to cool down and regain some thinking time. She hadn’t taken a proper swim in so long; she’d always had Luke with her. But there was a kind of freedom she only felt in the water. And she knew Javier understood that—they’d bonded over it that night they’d been together.
Down in her cabin, she realised her old green bikini didn’t fit as well as it once had. She covered up by draping one of the large, soft towels in her private bathroom around her and then walked out to the rear deck.
Javier was there holding Luke and they were sporting matching floppy-brimmed hats, casting their faces in the shade. Javier’s gaze glittered as she dropped the towel and put it on the top step.
‘I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought about that bikini,’ he said huskily.
Emmy swallowed hard and she pretended she hadn’t heard him. The thinnest tendril of trust was blossoming between them, but that raging physical need threatened to overshadow—or stomp on—that tender shooting stem. She pressed her lips together, holding in the sharp yearning to turn and lean against his body. As crazy, as wrong as it was, she couldn’t deny her desire. But she could try to ignore it.
She turned her back, hiding how her heavy breasts had tightened in response to his mere look. They were almost too big for the stretchy fabric encasing them. She stepped down, bracing in the cold water. She struck out strongly, swimming hard, then dived beneath the clear waves. She’d missed this so much—the total liberation as she submerged and let the cold soothe her heated skin.
Animals, as always in this remote, fascinating part of the world, came close. Curious and unafraid and enchanting—tortoise, sea lions, birds. A weight slipped free, letting her float and enjoy the serene peace of the sea.
Eventually she returned to the boat, climbing up the stairs that made it so easy to get in and out. Physically tired but happy, she wrapped herself in the towel.
Javier had retreated up to the pool deck and was now sprawled with Luke on the shaded sofa. As Emmy walked up to check on Luke, she warily glanced at Javier—had she taken too long? His expression was unreadable behind the sunglasses he’d put on. ‘I haven’t swum like that in ages, thank you for that,’ she said.
Javier didn’t answer but Luke gurgled.
‘Let me have him.’ Impulsively she let her towel fall. ‘He loves the water.’
Javier leaned forward. ‘He swims already?’
Emmy undressed Luke and lifted him into the warmer water of the onboard pool with her. Luke squawked happily as she swished him through the water. Javier stood at the pool’s edge and watched, a smile slowly spreading over his face. Emmy’s heart bumped as she heard him laugh. The carefree humour reminded her of that first night. ‘You want to hold him?’
She didn’t wait for him to answer, she just handed Luke to him.
Javier laughed throatily as Luke bounced excitedly in his arms and wet him completely.
‘You mind if I come in with you?’ he asked huskily.
‘Of course not.’ Her mouth dried as she took Luke back from him.
Javier’s shirt had got wet from wrestling with their wriggling, giggling, soaked son. She tried not to gape as he peeled it from his body, but it was then impossible not to stare at his rippling muscles as he entered the water and took Luke from her again. The fiercest wave of heat engulfed her at the sight of him engaging with their son. A primal, powerful surge of feminine pride followed—he was the father of her child, he was her mate—and her body wanted him again.
Except he wasn’t hers.
She stepped out of the pool and into the shade, embarrassed by the fierce reaction of her body at the
sight of Javier in nothing but swim shorts. That earlier, incendiary kiss lingered on her lips like an illicit sizzle and she wanted another burn.
He laughed lightly again. ‘He’s a natural,’ he called to her. ‘No surprise given he’s your son.’
Emmy couldn’t answer because her heart was in her throat.
Fortunately Javier then called for the nanny. Thomas appeared and capably swept Luke into a massive, soft towel.
‘I think he’s ready for a tidy-up and a snack,’ Javier said smoothly to Thomas and then glanced at Emmy. ‘We need time to relax over dinner.’
‘Of course.’
Emmy anxiously watched Thomas take Luke inside. But it wasn’t that she didn’t trust the man with her baby, it was that she didn’t trust herself to be alone with her son’s father.