Bring It On (21 page)

“Here,” she said as the merry-go-round of colors stopped. A photograph from their first night at dinner popped up onto the screen. Lena was clearly uncomfortable. Her body and face were stiff and awkward.

He thought back to that night, after their first kiss. At the time he’d just assumed the whole photo-session thing was bothering her. In retrospect, he wondered if it had actually been residual awareness from their kiss that had her strung so tight.

The next photograph was of them on the beach. The tension was gone, replaced by the relaxed way her body leaned against his. Their heads were tilted together and for all intents and purposes they looked like a couple, one that shared the comfortable familiarity only achieved through time and common history.

Marcy scrolled through the photos again, flying past the rest of that evening to shots from the next day. By the pool they’d been laughing and relaxed. But there was more. Mikhail had managed to catch several candid shots. In one Lena was studying Colt beneath her lashes, stealing a glance while he wasn’t looking. In another, he was devouring her with his eyes while she was focused on the pages of her book.

The sexual chemistry between them was almost palpable. Never in his life had he felt this exposed.

There was no doubt they were beautiful shots. Mikhail really was a talented photographer. If Colt had been looking at the final products through the filter of his education and experience he might have seen them in a different light.

But he couldn’t separate that professional part of himself from the man who was staring at the woman he loved as she slowly moved closer and closer.

When they reached the group of photos from the night in the bungalow Colt felt heat suffuse his body. The first few obviously didn’t work. But the rest were dripping with a sensuality that he didn’t appreciate sharing with anyone. If he’d realized at the time, he would have kicked Mikhail out on his ass.

“Enough,” he said, his voice rough and broken. He didn’t want to see any more. It was too painful watching the progression of their affair knowing now how it would end.

There was one thing he knew for certain. No one could see these. They were too personal, too painful to share with the world. “You can’t use those.”

“Of course I can,” Marcy said, her voice steady and self-assured.

“You don’t understand. I can’t let you use those photographs.” He turned his gaze to hers. “I can’t let the world see them.”

“Why not? They’re beautiful. The photographic evolution of a love affair.”

“No, you don’t understand. It’s over. That’s why I’m leaving.”

“What?” Marcy shook her head as if hoping that some random piece would shake loose and what he’d just said would finally make sense. “What happened?”

He didn’t answer, how could he when he wasn’t entirely sure himself? Instead, he focused on the one problem he could solve. “I’ll pay for the photographs. I’ll pay for Mikhail’s expenses and those of his crew. I’ll pay for the week here at the resort and any extras that you arranged. I’ll even pay for the new shoot you’ll have to schedule to replace this one.”

“But… No. I need these photographs in the next few weeks or we’ll miss the deadline for the photo spread in
Worldwide Travel.
”

“Then I’ll pay for any rush fees required.”

Marcy flopped back. The leather of her desk chair creaked with the force of her body. “What if I don’t want to deal with the headache, Colt? Money can’t solve everything.”

“From my experience, money can solve everything. Everything except grief.”

“Again, what if I refuse?”

“I’ll get my lawyers involved.”

“That won’t do you much good. You signed an agreement.”

“Maybe, but the court system is liable to issue an injunction preventing you from using the photographs until everything is settled. That could take a while. Especially when you’re dealing with multiple court systems that might have jurisdiction.”

Marcy’s eyes glittered and her jaw locked hard beneath her unsmiling mouth. “Where’s the charm now, huh? Why are you doing this, Colt?”

“Because I can’t stand the idea of her seeing those photographs and figuring out just how vulnerable I am.”

“Men!” Marcy exclaimed, throwing her hands up into the air. “Would that be so damn bad?”

“I asked her to come with me.” His eyes found Marcy’s. He had no idea why he was telling this woman intimate details of his life that he couldn’t even explain to Lena. Maybe it was the no-nonsense attitude she wrapped around herself like a shield. Or the soft center he sensed was hidden beneath. “She said no. It’s over. I was the rebound guy, nothing more than an island fling.”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

But he was. Lena had no desire to take their affair further than this week. If she did, she would be leaving with him.

“Your call, Marcy. Do I pay for everything or contact my attorneys? And trust me, I have many who jump when I call.”

With a growl, Marcy slapped the top of her desk. He heard Tina yelp out in the hallway and had no doubt Zane would be appearing again shortly. But one way or another, Colt would be gone before he appeared.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his cell and began dialing.

“Fine. Stop. You win,” she said.

Punching End, Colt slipped his cell back into his pocket. She didn’t need to know that he’d been about to call himself. He wasn’t going to bother his attorney this early, not when he already knew that he’d won.

“I’d like all digital and physical copies of the photographs, and I want them deleted from your computer so I know that they can’t resurface anywhere.”

Marcy narrowed her eyes but nodded.

“And if you could arrange for a private launch to pick me up at the dock, I’d appreciate it.”

“The ferry will be here in a few hours.”

“I didn’t say ferry. I said private launch. And the sooner the better.”

“It’ll take at least an hour before they can get here.”

“Fine, I’ll wait. That should give you time to get any remaining pictures from Mikhail. And to erase the originals.”

Marcy’s mouth twisted in an unflattering frown. “I’ll make a call.”

Colt passed Zane in the hallway on his way out to the main lobby. The other man eyed Colt but didn’t stop him. An hour later he was bumping across choppy seas, a bulging manila envelope tucked under his arm.

He couldn’t keep himself from turning around and watching the line of the island as it receded into nothing.

LENA WANDERED ALONG the vacant beach, listening to the waves as they crashed against the sand. She’d walked along the shore many times since they’d arrived on the island.

Today it felt different. Instead of being warm and relaxing…it was lonely. Because she knew Colt wasn’t lurking in the trees or waiting for her to return to their bungalow. He was gone.

Today was her last day on the island. Originally, they’d planned to take the later ferry, but Lena couldn’t stand to sit here upset and alone.

She’d done the right thing. So why did it feel so bad?

Walking back to the bungalow, she threw the last few items into her suitcase and set it by the door so she’d be ready. She glanced quickly into the mirror above the sink, thinking how appropriate it was that she’d be leaving the island in much the same condition she’d come onto it—sleep deprived and miserable, with dark circles under her eyes.

The resort was beginning to bustle as sleepy guests stirred. It was late by most standards, but not for Escape. Here people indulged. How quickly she’d become used to the hedonistic pace.

She walked across the compound to the main building. Stopping at the front desk, she asked to speak with Marcy, hoping the other woman was already up and at work. The smiling clerk told her she’d be right out.

Unable to sit still, Lena walked across the empty lobby to the windows and the vista of sun, sand and waves outside. It looked beautiful. Too bad she was leaving the idyllic setting under less than happy circumstances.

“I thought I’d see you this morning,” Marcy said as she walked up beside her.

“Oh?” Lena turned briefly to look at the other woman, working restlessly on the rings that still sat heavily on her finger. She spun them around and around.

“Colt came to see me yesterday.”

Lena returned her gaze to the beautiful view out the window. Better than the pity she saw in Marcy’s bright blue eyes.

“He’s gone,” Marcy said gently.

“I know. He got a call to take a job in Peru.”

Marcy pulled a large manila envelope from behind her back. “These are for you. He demanded all of the copies, but I thought the least he owed you were the photographs.”

Lena stared down at the nondescript brown paper and then back up at Marcy without actually touching it.

“What are you talking about?”

“He didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“Jeez, woman. Do the men in your life tell you anything? Colt bought the rights to all of the photographs.”

Disbelief blasted through her and Lena turned to face Marcy fully.

“Why would he do that?”

Marcy shrugged. “You’ll have to ask him, but I think it probably had something to do with keeping them private.”

“That idiot,” she breathed out.

“Oh, it gets better. He threatened to get his lawyers involved and tie us up in the courts until the photographs were useless to me.”

“It was a bluff.”

“I don’t think so.”

Lena threw her hands up in the air. “What are you going to do? Don’t you need the photos for your ad campaign?”

Marcy’s frown was genuine, along with the lingering pique no doubt directed toward Colt. “Yep. Colt made some suggestions for an alternative.” Her frown pulled into a reluctant smile. “And damn the man for being right.”

“He’s a great photographer,” Lena admitted. While she might be upset, she couldn’t deny his talent.

“He’s paying for Mikhail to stay and shoot the new photographs.”

“How much is this costing him?”

“You really don’t want to know. Between the photos and the cost of your stay…”

“That’s got to be thousands.”

“Try about forty.”

Anger bubbled up inside Lena. “I’m sorry. We both agreed to this and he shouldn’t have reneged.” A growl of frustration and unreleased sadness rolled through her. “I’d like to strangle him.”

Marcy laughed. With a pointed look, she said, “You’ll have to catch him first.”

They both knew that wasn’t going to happen. Lena turned back toward the window. The perfect setting was easier to deal with than anything Marcy was saying.

“Colt paid for an extra day, but I’m guessing it’s a waste of breath to tell you to stay.”

Lena nodded.

Marcy laid the envelope on the edge of a nearby table before saying, “The ferry should be here in about twenty minutes. I’ll have someone fetch your luggage and meet you at the dock.”

And like that, it was all over.

Again.

In the space of a week she’d lost two men. One she’d never loved but thought she had. And one she’d never considered loving until it was too late.

Marcy’s words echoed through her head,
you’ll have to catch him.
Part of her wanted to do just that. To chase after him like a love-starved puppy, eager for any crumbs he might throw. A restless need suffused her body, but she refused to give in to it.

She had her own life, her own identity, and she refused to give it up. This was the right decision for her.

A tiny voice in the back of her brain said
you thought that about Wyn once, too.
But she ignored it.

Slipping both rings off her finger, she shoved them deep into her pocket. Past and present hidden away. She probably should give the band back to Marcy, but she wouldn’t.… Couldn’t. Picking up the envelope, Lena tucked it under her arm and headed for the dock and the journey to the rest of her life.