[Invitation to Eden 04.0] Hydrotherapy (7 page)

Rex visibly shivered, making Jenna want to gag.

“That’s right.” Rex curled his fingers around Simone’s palm. “So right.”

Jenna wasn’t sure if she could take much more of this. She needed answers, and it was obvious she wouldn’t get them from either Simone or Rex. “Caine?”

When he didn’t immediately answer, she turned and found him staring at Rex and Simone. His jaw was locked and his hands fisted at his sides.

“Caine?” she asked again.

Of all the dirty, low-down, rotten…
Caine was too angry to speak. He knew his cousin was upset about Jenna, but he had no idea Rex would go to such lengths to make Caine look like a fool.

“Caine, answer me. What does Simone mean that she is going to get a piece of treasure? This all belongs to the Master of the Island, doesn’t it?”

Jenna needed an explanation. He could sense her getting angrier by the minute. Unfortunately, he had no idea what to tell her. Jenna had always taken the straight and narrow. She wouldn’t understand how selling some of the artifacts on the black market was going to help their future. She’d only see the here and now and be upset that they were taking money from a person who could afford to run his own island.

No, he couldn’t tell her the whole truth, but he could tell her part of it. Caine ground his teeth and then turned his attention to Jenna. “Not all of the artifacts are going to the Master of the Island.”

“Damn straight,” Rex said as turned away from Simone and focused on them. “Come on, ladies. The day is wasting. Caine and I have to be back at the spa for ten, sharp.” Rex moved to the back of the ship, his cane making that annoying tapping sound as he walked.

“Wait a minute,” Jenna said. “I thought the artifacts were going into the museum in the castle.”

“If you want to give away your part of the treasure, then that’s your prerogative,” Simone said as she leaned farther over the edge of the boat. “But for me, I’m going to buy myself some bling with my part of the treasure.” She examined her long manicured nails. “The spa job is nice, but it would be nicer if I didn’t have to work at all.”

Of course, Caine thought with disgust. Simone was widely known for trying to get out of work at the spa. It was probably why she and Rex got along so well.

Jenna’s frustration flashed across her features. “You told me that you were giving the artifacts to the Master of the Island.”

“We are.” Caine shoved his hands in his pockets and averted his gaze. “I just figured…” Figured what? That he’d show her some pretty bobbles and then she’d come running back into his arms? The idea had made sense to him yesterday, but now, watching Jenna’s features twist in anger, he realized it was going to take a lot more than a few coins to soften her toward him.

“You figured that you steal from the hand that fed you—again,” she said when he didn’t continue.

“No, not steal.” He took his hands out of his pockets and reached for her, but she stepped out of his grasp.

“Then what would you call it, Caine? Because it sure looks like stealing to me.”

“Finders keepers, my dear.” Simone’s chuckle sounded more like a wheeze.

Rex snorted as he toyed with the ropes holding them to the dock. “Come on Simone. Give me a hand, here. If we wait for this lovers’ quarrel to be finished, then they’ll be no time for treasure.”

Jenna shook her head at Caine as the boats motor started. The low hum filled the air, stirring up some gulls. “I suppose I should have expected this.”

“What do you mean?”

Jenna shifted her bag from one arm to the other. “Stabbing your employer in the back is nothing new for you, is it Caine?” She shook her head and glanced at the boat. “And to think I was starting to believe I had made a mistake about you taking the money.”

“You
did
make a mistake,” he said as Jenna started to walk away. “Jenna, come back. I didn’t take the money.” God, what a mess. None of this had turned out the way that he had planned.

“Hey cuz’, are you coming?” Rex called from the boat.

Caine made a frustrated noise. “The skimming off the top was supposed to be a secret.”

Rex stopped walking and turned back to face Caine. “It
was
a secret, but then you brought her in on it.” He pointed to Jenna and shrugged. “I figured that if you could have a girl, then I could, too.”

“Treasure hunting has been canceled for today,” Caine shot over his shoulder as he hurried after Jenna.

“Aw, I had my heart set on treasure,” Simone said.

“Next time, baby,” Rex soothed. “I need Caine to help me with the equipment. For today, we’ll just go out and enjoy the sunshine and quiet. I have some fishing gear here.”

“It’s in my truck,” Caine said over his shoulder.

“Ooh, can you get it?” Simone asked.

“Hell, I can’t walk back up that hill with my leg. We’ll just go for a ride,” Rex said. “Is that okay, baby?”

“But I—” Simone’s nasally voice faded as Caine hurried up the path after Jenna. Her backside swished back and forth in front of his face, like a tempting piece of fruit.

“Jenna, wait. Let me explain.”

“Oh, I think you’ve explained enough for one day, don’t you?” She walked ahead of him, swinging her tempting ass and causing a stirring in his cock. “I can’t believe that you brought me here, Caine.”

“Jenna, wait. Once you see the shipwreck—”

Jenna stopped abruptly and turned to face him. “I don’t want anything to do with that stinkin’ excavation site.” Before Caine could respond, she stormed off again up the path.

Caine let out a curse and followed. “Jenna, hold up.”

She marched under a covering of trees, obscuring both the castle and boat from view. In the distance, Cain heard the roar of the boat’s motor as Rex and Simone went off on their morning excursion.

“Aren’t you going to go with them?” Jenna asked. “After all, they might take some of you treasure.” The way she said treasure made it sound like a dirty word.

“Jenna.” Caine grabbed her elbows as she started to walk away once more. “It isn’t what it looks like.”

“Oh?” She pulled her arms from his grasp and shifted her bag from one shoulder to the other. “It looks like the owner of the island hired both you and your cousin to excavate a shipwreck for his private collection, but instead of doing your job, you both decide it would be better to give the owner the less expensive trinkets, while selling the more expensive pieces and keeping the money for yourself.”

Caine rubbed the back of his neck. “I guess when you put it that way, it does sound sort of bad.”

Jenna made a very unladylike sound and stormed back up the path before he could catch her. A few feet later, the path split. Instead of taking the one up the hill and toward the castle, Jenna veered left, going deeper into the brush and trees. The path led to a small waterfall and garden, not her room. He had no idea what she was up to, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to leave with her angry at him.

Suddenly she stopped again, whirling around and causing Caine to stumble. “I just want to know one thing.”

“What?”

She turned and started marching away from him again. They had only made it a few paces before she stopped. “How did you plan on selling the items without someone questioning them?”

“On the black market. Rex has already found a potential buyer.”

Jenna shook her head. “Unbelievable.” She lowered her arms. “And what do you plan on doing with all of this money? Are you going to waste it like you wasted the money from my mother’s company?”

Cain inched closer. “I already told you, I didn’t take your money.” He heard the bubbling of the waterfall in the distance. Jenna loved fresh flowers almost as much as she loved diving. If he could just get her to that garden, he knew that he could soften her heart.

“Yeah, right.”

“I didn’t.” He took another step closer until only a thin breath of air separated them. His fingers itched to touch her, to hold her and make her understand. “I’m doing this for you.”

“For me?” She raised her brows.

“Yes, for you.” On impulse, he reached out and cupped her cheek with his large palm. His muscles relaxed slightly when she didn’t pull away. “The whole reason why I’m on this island is because of you.”

“Of me.” She stared at him, uncomprehending.

Caine’s mind struggled to find the worlds to make her understand. She was standing so close, and her skin felt so soft. Desire warred with his logical thinking and tried to gain control. He thought back to the exhibition room and how he almost possessed her. He had brought condoms with him this time. He had hoped…Well, he had hoped a lot of things, and none of them seemed to be working out the way he had planned.

“Everything I’ve done since we’ve parted has been for you.” He leaned forward until his lips were only inches away from hers. He could smell her sweet scent, feel the heat from her mouth. Cain shifted his gaze to her ruby lips and tilted his head. “All of this is for you Jenna. For us.”

He heard her breath hitch, saw her shutter her eyes as desire took hold of her body. Instinct took over as he closed his lips over hers.

Jenna tasted like a little piece of heaven. He forced himself to keep the kiss soft, when all he wanted to do was throw her down on the ground and possess her. He imagined heir naked bodies entwining, of his cock entering her wet heat.

She tried to pull back, but he held firm, working his lips over her mouth and silently begging her to understand. He moved closer, framing her delicate face in his large hands. He ran his tongue along the seam of her lips and heard her bag drop to the ground. He worked harder, concentrating on pouring every last ounce of affection he had into the kiss. After a few, long, tense moments, he felt her body relax. With a sigh, she parted them in invitation and he took advantage, sliding his tongue along hers and savoring her taste.

Ah, Jenna. His Jenna. He would never get enough of this woman. He rubbed his thumbs against her cheek as her body softened against his. The kiss reminded him of their days on St. Lucia. That was back before the call from the owner of the island, before Rex guilted him on going on this crazy expedition. Back then there was only Jenna and diving. It was the one time in his life that Caine had been truly happy.

Jenna slid her hands up his arms and grabbed his wrists. She tried to tug his hands off her face, but it only made him want her more. He had always liked it when Jenna fought back. She was a feisty one, and her squirming was making him harder than granite.

He eased her back against the tree, pushing his large body against her small one. Even though he towered over her, he wanted her to know that she had nothing to fear. He’d take care of her now, and always. All she needed to do was to relax and enjoy the moment.

“Ow.” Pain blasted in his mouth, causing him to stumble back in confusion. “What the hell…” He put his hand over his lip, tasting blood.

Jenna’s eyes burned with contempt. “Do us both a favor, Caine, and stop lying to me. I’m tired of it—and I’m tired of you.”

Caine stared at Jenna in shock as she picked up her bag and stormed away.

Chapter Five

“What are you talking about?” Caine glanced at his hand as he hurried to catch up to her. The bleeding was already starting to subside, thank goodness. She must not have bitten him as hard as he thought.

“Stop saying that you’re doing this all for me,” she called out over her shoulder.

“But I am.” The trees thinned and the sun broke through, shining light on the blossoming flowers at his feet.

“I never asked you for this.” She waved her arms in the air as she walked. “I never asked you to leave and take all of my money with you.” She stopped at a crevice in the hill where water trickled down into a small, shallow pool. Flowers grew out of the cracks between the boulders and around the edge of the water.

“I didn’t take your money,” he said, trying to ignore the beautiful picture she made against the backdrop of water and flowers.

“Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“Lying. I just want the truth.”

“The truth?” He lowered his hand and took a step closer. “The truth is that I’ve never stopped loving you.”

She snorted. “Love? You have a funny way of showing it.”

He stepped forward, close enough so that she had to look up to meet his gaze. “Every day, I’ve thought of you, Jenna. You’re like a disease.”

She scrunched her nose. “A disease?”

His body tensed at the sarcasm in her voice. This was getting him nowhere. Caine was never good with words. He always seemed to mess things up. He’d have to show her his intensions in some other way.

He took a deep breath. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

“I’m trying to make a future for us.” Every muscle in his body longed to hold her, but he wasn’t sure if she’d accept his touch.

She shook her head. “I don’t want a future built on deceit, Caine.”

He glanced over her shoulder at the small waterfall. “I’m not offering you a future of deceit.”

“No? Then what exactly are you offering me? Because from where I’m standing, it seems like all you have is a life of crime.”

Anger bubbled up in his chest. “Get off your high horse, Jenna, and see how the rest of the world lives for once.” He pushed her back into the waterfall. She gasped as the water fell down on her head, temporarily blinding her. Her bag fell into the shallow pool beside her.

Caine grabbed her wrists, pulling her from the fall. Before she could get her bearings, he kissed her hard, then jerked back before she could bite him again. She moved to hit him, but he grabbed her wrists, immobilizing her. With a quick step, he maneuvered her back against a tree, kissing her neck, jaw and ears.

“Wake up, Jenna.”

“I am awake.”

“I’m trying to build us a life.”

“Of stolen money.”

“And least I’m trying. I don’t see you trying, Jenna.”

“Fuck you, Caine!” she screamed. “That business was all my mother and I had left. My father took everything else when he ran off with a maid half his age. You didn’t only take our livelihood, you took our hope.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “You left me, Caine. You left me.”