"More," she demanded.
He wanted to comply, but how much farther could it go anyway, out in the open on a sandbar?
Hell. He knew exactly how far he wanted it to go, out in the open. Darcy soaking up the sun and radiating it right back into him. Him inside her.
She wanted it, too. No question. Her breathy moans and needy arch against him plastering damp Lycra to his chest answered him louder than any words.
The man he'd been two and a half years ago might have taken her up on the offer. But she deserved a better man than that. Now wasn't the time or place for more.
Her hand snaked to the waist of his dive shorts. "Come on, Max. Your turn."
He covered her hand with his. "Later."
"Now." She skimmed her hand lower until her hand found him.
Now sounded good. But not safe.
Her hand curved.
Damn it. "Not now, Darcy." He vise-gripped her wrist. "Later, when you're thinking more clearly. When we're back at the island and can talk this through."
She stared at him with stunned eyes. "You really aren't going to finish?"
His throbbing libido shouted in protest. Never had he been so hot, hard and turned on and they hadn't even had sex.
And they couldn't, not here. Not now, regardless of how much he wanted it. And, man, did he ever want to lose himself in Darcy.
Finally he brushed a thumb over her damp lips. "No."
She bit his thumb.
Not gently. And not sexually. Her eyes sparked as she opened her mouth and swiped his hand away. "I am such an idiot. Silly ol' me thought we had some kind of special connection."
She shoved to her feet and tugged her swimsuit back in place.
Ah, hell, he'd screwed up again. "Darcy, I'm not saying never. I'm just questioning the timing."
"Oh, great. I can hardly think straight and you're able to strategize a schedule for consummation. Nice to know I really sent your hormones into overload, Doc."
He'd hurt her pride. Again. But if he took her here, now when she didn't have a clue who he was...
No. She deserved better.
Darcy yanked her dive vest up from the sand. "I'm so sorry for what you've been through, Max, but I can't let you play mind games with me. I am fed up with people telling me what's right and wrong for me. God, I wish you would quit being so freaking protective." She spun on him, blazing anger and jabbing a finger his way. "And don't even toss the birth control protection excuse at me. Because it's not like you plan to follow through even if we swam straight back to a quick-mart."
Indignation radiated from her. Sparked through her. She was so damned hot. And gorgeous. And actually making some sense.
"Besides, I have a Norplant. Are you clean, of diseases I mean?"
Following her conversational twists was damn well giving him whiplash. "Yeah, but—"
"Me, too. Obviously." She jammed her arms through the vest one at a time. "Yeah, yeah, I know. You're wondering what the hell a virgin needs with implanted birth control. Apparently, I don't need it today."
"Hold on. Let's just—"
"I got it for combat." She plowed over his words as if he hadn't spoken. "I'm hoping like hell I never get shot down, but just in case, I thought I should protect myself." She paused to shoot him a toxic glare. "All of which I would have told you if you hadn't needed to retreat after today's 'interlude' as fast as humanly possible."
Her warrior spirit radiated. Damn, she was magnificent when pissed, and he wanted to kiss her pliant again. But his lack of control had already caused enough damage for one day. He deserved her rant. And more.