The Billionaire's Forgotten Fiancée

The late afternoon sun was still bright and hot, the air too humid for anything but a simple sundress. Her huge white beach hat provided some cover as she walked along the beach and snapped pictures.

The camera never lied. It captured all the shadows and colors perfectly. When she looked at them later, they’d show her all the things her mind had forgotten or missed. Like that little lizard on a black rock she’d almost overlooked. The palm overhead gave it some relief from the direct sunlight. Its dark green and brown tail was long and straight, tapering to a sharp point. The way its head was up made it look alert, but its eyes were lazy slits.

Something splashed not too far from her, and she turned around and saw a man and Lou the elephant. His mahout yelled something when Lou splashed him with sea water again.

Lou had been found on the beach years ago. When none of the families who owned properties along the private strip could find where he’d come from, they decided to adopt him and hired a mahout to care for him.

“Hello, Klahan,” she called out, walking toward them.

“Good afternoon, madam,” he said, dragging out dam in that lilting way of his. His grin was extra bright against his darkly tanned skin. “I heard from Peeraya that you were back.”

“Yeah.” She smiled without elaborating. “He’s so big.”

“He’s a big boy,” the mahout agreed.

Lou looked at her with sparkling black eyes. The hair all over his body was a few inches long and stood up like wires. She patted him. “Do you remember me?”

He patted her back with his trunk. When it brushed by her side, she giggled. “That tickles, Lou.”

“He’s trying to see if you’re hiding food,” Klahan said.

“Sorry boy, I don’t have anything,” she said, rubbing Lou’s trunk.

“Here.” Klahan reached into a sack slung across his shoulder and brought out a bag of chopped rose apples.

She flushed. “You don’t have to.”

He made a sort of offering gesture. “It’s all right. I was going to feed him later.”

“Well…okay. Thanks.” She took the plastic bag from him. Lou tracked her movements with anticipation shining in his eyes.

She pulled out each chunk and gave it to him. Lou scooped the fruit into his pale pink mouth with ease. She smiled at the way the moist tip of his trunk tickled her palm. He was absolutely one of the most adorable animals ever.

When she was all out of treats, he nudged her with his forehead. “Hey, no more, buddy,” she said, showing him the plastic bag.

The trunk snaked into the bag and nosed around for a moment. Then Lou lumbered over to the water. Klahan yelled something in Thai. Before she realized what was happening, Lou was splashing her with water and sand.

She spun around quickly, her back to the elephant to keep her camera dry. Klahan scolded Lou harshly, then turned to Ginger. “Are you all right, madam?”

“I’m fine,” she said. “Don’t be too hard on him.”

“He wants to play, but he’s too big now. He can’t do what he did before,” Klahan said, slapping the elephant’s side. “I’m trying to teach him, but he doesn’t want to listen.”

“He was just being playful after getting fed. I wasn’t hurt or anything,” she reassured the mahout.

“Maybe he’s still hungry,” came Shane’s voice from behind her.

She turned to look at him. A day’s growth of beard covered his square jaw. His thin white shirt was unbuttoned all the way to mid-stomach, revealing lean, tight abs. He’d rolled up his blue summer trousers, and he was mouth-wateringly spectacular, standing there with bare feet. “How long have you been there?”

“Long enough.” He handed her a bunch of the small Thai bananas, each one yielding no more than two or three bites. “Want to keep feeding him? I’ll hold your camera.”

* * *

Shane waited, wondering what Ginger would say. She’d been avoiding him, and he was getting tired of it. So when he’d spotted her with Lou, he’d come out, carrying bananas for the elephant.

“Thanks,” she said finally, giving him a small smile. She reached for the fruit while handing him her precious equipment. Her movements were slightly over-precise, betraying an inner tension.

He brushed his skin over hers—on purpose—and watched the pulse in her neck leap. Satisfaction mingled with mild exasperation. Why was she putting them through this bullshit? If they’d never slept together before—if they’d been complete strangers, he would understand how she wouldn’t want to get intimate so fast. Women were peculiar about stuff like that. But Ginger had no excuse.