Authors: Jill Sorenson

Island Peril (6 page)

BOOK: Island Peril

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She ducked her head to his chest and laughed, chalking up their behavior to strong sexual chemistry with an extra shot of adrenaline. They’d had a close call. They were physical beings, human and hormonal. Stuff happened.

“I probably should have said this...before, but I’d like to take you out. Someplace nice and boring, like miniature golf.”

“You don’t have to.”

“You don’t want to?”

“It doesn’t have to be anything more than this.”

“It’s already something more.”

If his touch hadn’t already warmed her, those words would have. “Okay,” she said, snuggling closer. “I’ll go out with you. But no golf.”

CHAPTER SIX

T
HEY
WERE
RESCUED
at dawn.

“Wake up,” Paul said, nudging her shoulder. “The Coast Guard is here.”

She sat up and rubbed her eyes, surprised she’d fallen asleep. An orange and white utility boat was entering the harbor. He handed her the clothes she’d hung up to dry the night before. She scrambled into them and returned his shirt.

They stood side by side at the shore, waving their arms. This was it. The end of their adventure. She felt relieved and saddened at the same time. It seemed too abrupt. She wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

He grasped her hand, frowning at the strange look on her face. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Before she could school her emotions, a group of officers landed on the beach. Ella was assailed with warm blankets and good cheer. She asked that her sister be notified of her whereabouts.

In the chaos, she didn’t realize Paul had let go of her hand.

They were interviewed separately before returning to Santa Rosa. She couldn’t describe the drug smugglers, other than “dark-haired men,” and she had no idea what kind of boat they’d used. The officers didn’t appear disappointed by her vague account, perhaps because they already had the suspects in custody.

According to the lieutenant, another Coast Guard crew had intercepted the criminals late last night. The officers had been on their way to San Miguel to investigate the marijuana bale, which Ramona had reported, along with Paul and Ella’s disappearances. They had pulled over a suspicious-looking vessel with drugs on board.

“We think they’ve been stashing cargo on San Miguel,” the lieutenant said. “It’s a convenient drop-off point. A boat from Mexico takes the bales to the island. Another boat picks them up and brings them to LA.”

No wonder the smugglers had shot at them. Paul and Ella hadn’t just stumbled upon one marijuana bale; they’d put the entire operation in jeopardy. The suspects were Mexican nationals who would probably get deported after serving a stiff sentence.

“Are we in danger?” Ella asked.

“I don’t see why you would be. You can’t identify them.”

She hoped the same was true for Paul.

Luckily, she didn’t have to share the intimate details of their night together. No one asked what they’d done to get warm.

The officers dropped Ella off at Santa Rosa while Paul stayed aboard. They wanted a guided tour of the coastline of San Miguel, and no one knew the area better than him. Maybe they’d find more incriminating evidence. With a half-dozen officers watching her departure, she couldn’t make a scene. Paul didn’t say he’d keep in touch. When his gaze locked on hers, pressure built behind her eyes.

Abby and Brooke met Ella at the landing. Her sister embraced her as if she’d been gone for weeks instead of hours. Ella blinked away her tears, taking a deep breath. They waved as the Coast Guard boat sped away toward the sunny horizon.

She was too choked up to talk about the incident, and there wasn’t time anyway. Brooke’s father had arranged for a private plane to pick them up. Abby had called him last night, frantic. He’d been prepared to organize a search crew. Needless to say, the three of them didn’t feel like exploring the islands anymore.

Ella climbed into the plane, sniffling.

“Ray’s taking Brooke to a baseball game,” Abby said. “He’s trying to make it up to her for canceling.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I thought we could hang out.”

Ella nodded. She didn’t get to see Abby as much now that they lived several hours apart. When they arrived in Oxnard, a cab was waiting for Brooke. Abby said goodbye and Ella gave her niece a big hug.

“Sorry I ruined your trip.”

“You didn’t ruin it,” Brooke said, rolling her eyes. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Tell your dad I said thanks.”

She shrugged, as if sending a plane was no big deal. His wealth meant a lot less to her than his affection.

“Knock ’em dead at Berkeley,” Ella said.

“I will.”

They watched Brooke stride toward the cab, all suntanned legs and slender grace, her blond ponytail bouncing. Ella couldn’t blame Abby for being overprotective. The girl was a heartbreaker.

Abby’s car was parked in the nearby lot. They got in and headed to Ella’s apartment in Northridge, first grabbing grabbed some healthy takeout for lunch.

“So what happened?” her sister asked, sucking iced green tea through a straw.

“A lot of things.”

“Start at the beginning.”

“Were you really seasick?”

“You thought I was faking?”

“I wondered if you were matchmaking.”

Abby shook her head. “No. I’m not sure if it was mental or physical, but crossing that open water made me feel like I was dying.”

Ella studied her sister with concern. She didn’t advise her to see a doctor because Abby was touchy about her anxiety issues. After the divorce, she’d been afraid that seeking treatment would put her custody of Brooke at risk.

It might have. Ray could be an asshole.

Pushing that sore subject aside, she recounted everything from the sea cave exploration to the terrifying moments at Prince Island. She fibbed a bit about the shooting, claiming the smugglers had sunk the kayaks after Ella and Paul had bailed out.

Abby looked stunned, but she took the news fairly well.

“There’s more.”

“You’re killing me.”

They’d arrived at her apartment, so they exited the car. Ella unlocked the front door and finished her story inside. She was more honest about their steamy encounter than the dangers they’d faced.

“I can’t believe you got down with a guy you just met,” Abby said.

“I can’t either.”

Abby held up her palm, grinning with approval.

Ella gave her sister a high five. She wasn’t ashamed of her behavior, but she didn’t make a habit of casual sex. What if he thought badly of her?

“Dish all the details,” Abby said.

“I already said too much.”

“Was he good?”

Ella’s lips twitched with amusement.

“Giggle if he was big.”

She couldn’t help laughing, which encouraged Abby to tease her with increasingly dirty, outrageous claims. They both giggled until they were red-faced and out of breath, half-delirious from the stressful weekend.

“What if he doesn’t call?” Ella asked, sobering.

“Then he doesn’t deserve you.”

“I forgot to give him my number.”

“He’s a big boy,” Abby said, tongue in cheek. “He’ll figure it out.”

A few hours later, her sister left. Ella took a long shower, washing off the island grime. Then she climbed into bed and daydreamed about Paul. When her cell phone vibrated on her nightstand, she reached out to pick it up.

Unknown caller.

She pressed the talk button, her heart racing. “Hello?”

“Ella. This is Paul.”

“Paul who?”

“Paul...Dawson.”

“I know. I’m kidding.”

“Oh.”

The awkward silence that followed made her regret the joke. God, she was a dork. “How did you get my number?”

“I emailed your sister and asked for it. Is that okay?”

“Of course.”

“What are you doing?”

She scrambled out of bed and checked her reflection in the mirror, trying to untangle her hair with her fingers. “Nothing.”

“Can I see you?”

Her attention shifted from her disheveled hair to her untidy bedroom. “Right now?”

“Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t sleep at all last night. I should probably call back when I’m coherent.”

“You’re coherent.”

He laughed, as if he didn’t believe her. “Are you working tomorrow?”

“No, I’m off until Tuesday.”

“We could just wait.”

“Or you could come over.”

“What’s your address?”

She gave it to him, feeling giddy.

After the call ended, she raced around her house, hiding dirty laundry and stray dishes. Then she realized she didn’t have enough time to make herself presentable. She brushed her hair and teeth, wondering if she should change her outfit. The Adventure Time pajama bottoms and tank top were only appropriate for sleeping.

Before she could decide, the doorbell rang. She went to answer it, barefoot.

He was wearing jeans, a T-shirt and canvas tennis shoes. He looked clean and casual, his jaw freshly shaved. The shadows under his eyes didn’t detract from his appeal. If anything, she wanted to take him straight to bed.

She gave him a brief tour of her place. It was small with no distinct style. “I’ve been meaning to redecorate.”

He seemed more interested in her appearance than her apartment. “I like your pants.”

“Thanks,” she said, flushing. “Do you rent a place in Oxnard?”

“I own a house.”

“Already?”

“My parents left me some money. I blew half of it traveling.”

“Money spent traveling is always worth it.”

“I guess it depends if you’re running away from something or finding yourself,” he said, meeting her gaze.

“Which were you doing?”

“A little of both.”

When she asked about his afternoon, he said the officers had taken pictures and collected evidence in one of the smaller sea caves. The real news was that LAPD had searched the suspects’ stash house on the mainland and found a thousand pounds of marijuana.

Ella was relieved by the news. It sounded as if the smugglers would be going away for a long time.

“Are you hungry?” he asked. “I’ll take you out to dinner.”

“I’d rather stay in,” she said, offering him a seat on the couch.

“So would I.”

“Let’s order pizza.”

“Perfect,” he said, rubbing his hands on his thighs. “I’ll buy.”

They discussed toppings and called her favorite local chain to make their request. It wouldn’t arrive for at least an hour, so she consulted her DVD collection. “You want to watch a movie?”

“Sure.”

She had a Star Wars box set with all six films. “I haven’t seen this one,” she said, selecting the original.

His brow furrowed. “You said you preferred the new trilogy.”

“I do. The old ones look outdated.”

He made a scoffing noise. “You can’t judge how bad the new ones are until you’ve seen the originals.”

Smiling, she put the movie on. He didn’t watch it; he watched her face. It was difficult to concentrate on the film’s merits, which continued to elude her.

After about ten minutes, they forgot about the movie altogether. He tugged her into his lap and kissed her feverishly. His hands were greedy, his tongue hot. She moaned into his mouth, threading her fingers through his hair.

He stopped before it went too far. “I know we moved kind of fast last night, but I didn’t come over here with any expectations.”

“You didn’t?”

His throat worked as he swallowed. “I really like you, Ella.”

“I like you too.”

“I don’t mind going slow.”

It was sweet of him to say that. So sweet she started tugging his shirt off, her pulse racing with anticipation.

“Or we could go slow tomorrow.”

“Good idea,” she said, touching his bare chest.

“I’m glad I thought of it.”

She laughed against his mouth, her tension slipping away. Yes, they were moving fast, but it felt so right. Spending twenty-four straight hours with him was equivalent to a handful of dates. They’d bonded on San Miguel, and those feelings had carried over to the mainland.

She knew what she wanted.

Life was short, and time was too precious to waste. So she kissed him again, rushing headlong into happiness.

* * * * *

Don’t miss

BACKWOODS,

the next Aftershock novel

from Jill Sorenson!

The more you trust, the more you risk...

Earthquake survivor Abby Hammond knows how treacherous Mother Nature can be. But when plans for a family wilderness retreat go awry, she reluctantly pairs up with Nathan Strom for the weeklong trek. The only thing Abby has in common with the bad-boy former baseball player is that their exes cheated on them with each other. That...and a visceral attraction that’s growing more complicated with every step.

Nathan’s wild-card reputation lost him his career and his family. After years of regret, he’s ready to fight for what truly matters—and that includes Abby’s hard-won trust. When her teenage daughter goes missing, Nathan is her best and only hope of rescue. But the deeper into the rugged mountains they go, the more dangerous the territory will prove to be—to their safety
and
their hearts...

Available June 2014!

Also available from
Jill Sorenson
and Harlequin HQN

Aftershock
Freefall
Badlands

“Sorenson fuels this fast-paced romantic thriller with nonstop adrenaline....This twisty rollercoaster ride keeps the pages turning.”
—Publishers Weekly
on
Aftershock
(Starred Review)

If you loved
Island Peril
by acclaimed author Jill Sorenson, be sure to also catch the thrilling follow-up,
Backwoods
(June 2014), available now in ebook format.