Gone Tropical (14 page)

She met his tongue with hers and pressed her lips hard, then soft, then hard again, against his mouth and slid a hand inside the open shirt then down over his abdomen. Hot breaths mingled as he slowed the frenzy, pulling back slightly. Her eyes had gone deep brown, like chocolate, her breath came in short puffs. She was beautiful, her skin flushed and damp.

He slipped the top of the bikini off. Her breasts were perfect, not too big. He cupped one breast and teased the nipple. She moaned her response and squirmed against him as he kissed her neck, trailing his tongue down her chest.

She struggled against him. “Wait,” she said her voice husky, almost a whisper. She removed the shirt off his shoulders and tossed it behind them onto the bed.

He pulled her to him again, feeling the pleasure of skin on skin. Their hands roamed, exploring, slowly at first, working themselves up to hot and hotter, and then frenzied. A knock at the door caused them to leap apart, their faces flushed, hair mussed.

“Kirstie,” she croaked and ran her tongue over her lips capturing the bottom one with her teeth for a second. She pulled on and smoothed the bikini top, and ran a hand over her hair.

That made him want to start all over again, kissing, touching. He nodded, turned away. Damn, bad timing. “Er, not quite decent here. I’ll head to the bathroom. Ask Kirstie to run over to reception and get three bottles of water, and some snacks. There’s some money on the desk. We still need a couple of minutes to talk.”

In the bathroom he threw cold water on his face. He could hear Amy and Kirstie talking and laughing. He thought of everything possible to slow down his body’s response, but he ached with wanting Amy, needing to be on top of her, inside of her, tasting her, loving her. Whoa.

Hold on there, buddy. This isn’t about love. This is sex.

She’s a damn sex therapist. Talk about pressure. What if you can’t perform, or if she starts giving you instructions?
Hell, he’d never needed instructions. He straightened and glared into the mirror.
You go in, get the job done, have a bit of fun, a few laughs, and then it’s “Sayonara, baby.”

He thought of old man Helm. He’d have to call him. It wasn’t really Sarge’s job to do that. Plus, he had questions about Amy.

Okay, he could do this, he was in control. They’d go swimming. But tonight, they were on. He emerged from the bathroom and sat on the edge of the bed next to her, leaving a foot or two of space between them. He kept his eyes riveted on the blank wall straight ahead.

“This morning I saw Meg come out of the underbrush near the lagoon,” he said abruptly. “It wasn’t a marked trail. I came back and roused Sarge. He found evidence of someone camping out down there.”

“Firth?” Amy asked.

Jake felt the tension in her body even though their arms weren’t touching. It seemed every cell of his was hyper-alert to her body’s reaction. “I don’t know. But, it’s more than likely the same guy who’s been tailing me and Sarge for the last few days.”

“Will it be safe to go to the lagoon?”

He knew Amy was thinking of Kirstie. He cleared his throat. “Sarge thinks so. He’s the expert. He suggested the binoculars. He wants us to look for birds, or at least you and Kirstie should do that, like we’re a…a family…on vacation. We’re guessing he’ll be up in a tree.”

“So do it in a casual, fun way. Two females just bird watching, no intense gazing. Like if I spot him, immediately look at something else?”

“Yeah,” Jake said with a quick nod. He loved how he didn’t have to over explain. Amy was smart. She’d make a good partner. “Listen about us. About before…we don’t have time to get into that subject, but later we can talk.”

Amy nodded.

“I can give you a rough idea of where we think he is. But my words will be coded. Don’t know what he’ll have in the way of high-powered equipment.”

“No problem. But what if Kirstie spots him?”

“I’ll handle that, if it happens.”

She nodded, about to say something else, but there was another knock on the door. He walked over, flipped the latch.

“Thanks for getting the water. What else did you get?” He looked in the bag, then slapped Kirstie a high five. “Violet Crumble Bars, potato chips, and candy. Good choice.”

****

Amy couldn’t get over the kisses. Another second and they’d have ripped off each other’s bathing suits and been all hot and sweaty on the bed. She shivered and moistened her lips. Would that have been a good idea? She could still taste him. Still smell the male muskiness of his skin.

Kirstie walked ahead of her, and behind Jake. Amy peeked around the girl every so often to get another view of the rippling muscles in Jake’s shoulders and back, he hadn’t bothered to put the shirt back on. She wanted to reach out, run her hands over those shoulders, over the gorgeous biceps, and press her breasts against that strong back.

There hadn’t been time to say anything afterward, although he had said they’d talk later. He’d gone all super macho P.I. All business, which of course, under the circumstances she understood.
What if they hadn’t been interrupted?
She went damp and slick at the memory of him. Her entire body pulsed with need.

“How much longer, Amy?” Kirstie asked.

“Almost there, just around the next bend,” she said, snapping to attention. “Can you hear the waterfall splashing into the lagoon?”

“Yeah, get a move on, Jake.”

Jake turned, shot her a dazzling smile over the top of Kirstie’s head, and Amy felt weak in the knees. She’d rather lie in the sun at the lagoon and swim with Jake than look for strange and dangerous men, but it was time for business, and it might be the breakthrough they needed.

She was a bird watcher on vacation, except she was trying to spot their shadow’s campsite. A tremor of anticipation, mixed with fear, ran through her when she recalled the face of the man who had followed her in Sydney, and again in Cairns.

Glancing at Jake’s strong back, she shook off her fear. He’d take care of her. The thought barely formed when she realized that he really would take care of her. And she’d let him. She doubted she needed to prove anything to Jake. Now Daddy…well, that was a different story. She stared deep into the underbrush. The forest was a mass of greens of every shade. The vegetation so dense on the forest floor the greens were dark, almost black. How on earth would she spot a person in that? She grimaced. Well, she’d do her best. That’s all.

“Isn’t this lovely, Amy?” Kirstie said, and hurried to the edge of the lagoon. “OMG. Look at the size of the coconuts in those palm trees.”

Amy looked up and nodded. “It is safe to swim in here, isn’t it?” she asked Jake. “No fresh water crocodiles or anything. I mean where does the water come from?”

“Yeah, it’s safe. The people at Bungumby said it’s fed from a river way up there.” He pointed up high above the rocks surrounding the waterfall. “That’s where the waterfall comes from, it pools down here creating the lagoon. Nothing like a croc would get in here. Only thing that would hurt you is if a coconut fell from a tree and hit your head. ”

“Well, I suppose, if you’re not scared, then I’m not.”

She surveyed the banks for sly eyes and not seeing anything unusual, decided he was right. Bungumby wouldn’t say it was safe if it wasn’t. Fat legs or not, she figured Jake had seen more of her than anyone had in two years. With a confident grin she untied the sarong, threw it along with her beach towel onto a rock, and followed Jake and Kirstie into the lagoon.

****

Half an hour later, Amy lowered the binoculars. Jake lay sprawled out on a large rock about five feet away from her. Working on his tan, no doubt. Kirstie sat underneath the waterfall letting the pounding waters pummel her head. Amy memorized the location then re-focused the binoculars onto a different spot.

“Jake,” she said without looking his way.

No response. Was he asleep?

“Jake,” she said, her voice more insistent. She took a quick glance in his direction. He raised his head. She couldn’t see his eyes, he had his shades on, but she was sure his eyebrows were raised in expectation. “I just saw the most amazing bird. The nest is unguarded. Want to take a look?”

Jake sat up and nodded. He walked over and reached down for the binoculars. Amy laughed and teased him a bit. She offered the binoculars, pulled them back, offered them again. He caught the gist of her actions, sat down and wrestled with her, pinning her to the soft grass she was sitting on.

“Give them to me,” he said his mouth close enough for a kiss.

“Check the tallest eucalyptus tree beyond the waterfall, and just to the right of the rocks.” She pushed him off her and he rolled onto his back. She lay on top of him and dropped a kiss on his mouth.

“Jeezuz, Amy,” he groaned.

She sat astride him and pretended to beat his chest. Then she leaned close to his mouth. “Just taking the stress off, making it look playful like you said.”

She leaned into him again. “So, sit behind me and look straight ahead over my head. By the way there’s nobody in the tree. On the ground near the base of the trunk, you can see a cooler, backpack, and sleeping bags, kind of hidden by ferns.”

Jake tumbled her onto her back on the ground. Then he sat behind her, knees drawn up and pulled her into the V of his legs.

“Okay, it’s my turn for these,” he said. “Where are those birds?”

He pushed his sunglasses up onto his head, put the binoculars to his eyes and refocused them. Amy leaned her back against his chest. It was exquisite sitting like this, enveloped by Jake, her heart racing, her thoughts running into each other with feelings of togetherness. It seemed so right, the two of them working together. But she knew with her baggage, her inability to trust, whatever they would have here would be brief.

“Ya’ done good, kiddo,” he said and dropped a kiss on top of her head. “I’ll walk toward the main path.”

He stood, leaving her suddenly cold and very needy. She wanted to call him back, feel his warmth again. He trained the binoculars on various parts of the underbrush and beckoned. “Come here,” he said. “Take a look at this bird.”

Amy reached out, took the binoculars and stood beside him staring at nothing really. She knew what Jake wanted. Keep everything playful and light. She wondered, if they made love, if he’d say, “Ya’ done good, kiddo.” She smiled. Kiddo was a heck of a lot better than princess. She put an arm loosely around his shoulders and rested her head on his upper arm, feeling the dampness of his skin, smelling the scent of him, wanting more.

“We work well together.” He kissed her sweetly, pulling her close but not hard to his body. “You’re a quick study. Take direction well.”

“Thanks.” A thrill traversed her spine. In this setting with all of the foliage, his eyes sparkled, dark green and hot. There was something else in those eyes, a glimmer of admiration. She moistened her lips and his arm tightened around her.

“Hey, you guys, cut that out,” Kirstie called from the waterfall. She swam across the small lagoon, and laughing, scooped up water and threw it at them.

“Hang on a sec.” Jake’s voice took on a dark and menacing timbre. He handed Amy the binoculars. “Seems there’s someone here needs dealing with.”

Kirstie threw another handful of water.

“Why you little—” Jake jumped into the water and took off, swimming after Kirstie with long smooth strokes, his tanned back and arms striking through the crystal clear water, causing a fine spray that sparkled in the sunlight like millions of tiny diamonds.

Kirstie squealed and tried to dunk him. The two horsed around in the water for a few minutes. Amy smiled at their playfulness. Jake had just complimented her, and he’d kissed her like he meant it. Not like he just wanted her body.

Like he really, really, liked her.

Chapter Twelve

The sound of people walking down the main path from the lagoon to the lodge alerted Stuart. He slipped deeper into the forest and swatted at his legs.
Damn insects.
He raised the binoculars.

It was late afternoon and he’d walked up the embankment behind the lagoon earlier in the day, heading for the highway and trying to get mobile phone connection. He finally got through to the island, but one of the goons had answered and said Col would return that evening. Col was reclusive, rarely left the island. Stuart wondered what was up, maybe just another big drug shipment. Could be why Hadi was called away so suddenly. His stomach cramped again at the thought of being out here without a vehicle. Had Hadi ditched him?

Hearing laughter, he refocused the binoculars.
Ah, a small group; a family on vacation
.

The same blond bloke and the dark-haired woman he’d spied on earlier when they’d almost got it off in their cabin. Hot stuff, but then their kid had come back and ruined it. The kid was with them now, chattering away like stupid kids do.
I hate kids. Who the hell does she think she is…a friggin’ rock star?
He focused on the earrings and tattoos, and then turned away in disgust. They weren’t who he needed to watch. He needed to find the American P.I. and the Aussie.

The woman laughed and a frisson of something ran through his body. He wasn’t sure why, but he focused on the woman again. There was something about her. The way she walked. And her laugh.
He needed to be higher to get a better look. He climbed halfway up one of the trees and nestled into the crook of a branch. Seeing her now from behind as she walked up the slight rise in the path had his nerve endings tingling. He re-focused the binoculars and nearly fell out of the tree.
Damn it, it was Amy
.

Now that he knew which cabin to focus on, the job would be easy. He hurried to the tree he’d climbed earlier, his heart thumping like crazy. Hadi had said Amy’s hair was short, red, and spiked. He was positive it was Amy, although she’d never looked so good in the five years he’d known her. Who were the guy and the kid? He glanced at the green tree snake for a few minutes—it was stretched out enjoying the sun. He’d named it Pete the python, although it wasn’t a python, but they were plentiful around these parts. He’d leave it alone; it wasn’t poisonous. He climbed higher and got settled.