Temptation Island (6 page)

Carm whispered around her scratchy throat, “What happened last night?”

“We got hitched, cupcake.”

Carm screamed at top volume and leapt out of bed, moving faster than she’d ever moved in her life.  Dragging the sheet with her as she darted across the room, Carm swept a hand through her disheveled hair and pulled it out of her eyes. 

There’s a man in my bed!  Why is there a man in my bed? Oh hell, I did something really, really bad didn’t I?

Spinning around to face the bed Carm stared hard at the man lying amidst the rumpled sheets.  Right, and why wouldn’t he be? Of course he was naked too.

Wait a minute, I know him.

“Marek?  Is that you?”

The guy had his face turned away from her and was lying sprawled across the bed on his stomach.  One of his hands had crept up to cover his ear when she’d let out the banshee wail.  His bicep flexed as he shifted, displaying impressively toned muscle.

“Keep it down, will you?  I can hear you fine woman, you don’t need ta yell.”

Ignoring her own tender head Carm demanded, “What do you mean we got hitched?  What happened last night and why are you in my bed?”

Marek let out a long sigh and rolled his head around to face Carm, revealing tight, hard muscles in his back and shoulders.  For a moment Carm couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the sight of such delicious flesh.  The man was amazingly fit, all hard and sculpted. 

As he shifted, the sheet that had been riding low across his waist dipped even lower.  Carm felt her face flush hot as the cleft and top of his tight butt came into view.  Heat flooded her body, shocking her with the intensity.  She felt her nipples grow hard with arousal and nearly gasped.  The audacity!  How dare her body betray her at a time like this?

She had to figure out what had taken place last night, not spend time ogling some naked male body.  Even if it was a damned fine one.

Puffing out a frustrated breath, Carm glanced back up Marek’s body to his face. 

Bad idea.

He’d turned his head in her direction and his lazy, sleepy eyes gazed up at her from under heavy lids.  Instantly her frizzled mind flipped a succession of images of Marek through her memory.  Flashes of him on stage at the bar, of him singing and playing the drums, of him walking toward her. Then it freeze framed on an image of him kissing her.

Oh, shit.

Marek snapped her back to reality when he spoke.  “I don’t remember da details right off hand, but I do recall us buying these rings at da gift shop attached to da bar last night. 
Merde
, it’s da details after dat get fuzzy.”

Carm’s mind reeled with the implication.  Opening her mouth to saying something, Carm clamped it shut again and huffed. 

It can’t be.  She can’t be married.  Not to a total stranger.  Not when she can’t remember the details and they are both naked. . .

Double shit
!

Carm found a wicker chair and sunk down.  She refused to accept the glaring evidence.  If she did, well then that made her a sell-out.  And Carm didn’t like the sound of that.

Eyes wide, Carm looked back at Marek.  He’d shifted onto his side, one hand propping his head up.  The sheet slung low over his chiseled abdomen.

Without a doubt he was even sexier in the morning light.  The bar had dimmed the vibrancy of his eyes and warmth of his skin in the low light.  In broad daylight, he was simply scrumptious.

Lazy, hooded eyes of the most translucent, intense shade of green half hid behind dark, thick lashes.  Carm could happily stare into them all day if she weren’t in such a mess.  As it was, she found herself distracted by the sight of him in her bed.

She’d never had a man in her bed before.

Carm watched as Marek rubbed a hand over his unshaven face, yawned and scratched at his cheek.  He looked thoroughly mussed with the dark shadow beard covering his strong jaw and his hair wildly curling.  Marek was sexier than any man had the right to be. 

It aught to be illegal for a man to look that good.  Or, at least for him to look that good in the presence of usually levelheaded virgins.  Damn the man.

Carm stifled a groan as Marek licked his lips.  He grinned, fast a lightning, and she knew he’d heard her anyway.

Carm sat up straight in the chair and gripped the white linen tight against her chest.  “Wait a minute.  You said
rings
.  Plural.  And how do you know we married each other if you can’t remember?  I certainly can’t remember, so if we both can’t remember than maybe it didn’t happen.”

Marek smirked and laid back against the pillows, slipping one hand behind his head and pointed across the room with the other.  With the hand that sported a simple little oyster shell ring.  “Nice try, sweetheart.  Great theory, but for one major flaw.  Looks like the inn sent up a little newlywed basket.”

Carm’s gaze shot over to the basket sitting on top of the dresser.  Standing abruptly, ignoring her achy body and raw, unsettled stomach, Carm marched over to it.  Full of little delectable treats for new couples the basket held chocolates, champagne, other nonsense, and a gift card for a free massage and spa treatment.

That didn’t worry her overmuch.  What worried Carm was the certificate of marriage lying next to it.  With a shaking hand she reached for the paper and picked it up zeroing in on her name. 

Yep, that was definitely her signature.

Dropping the incriminating evidence like it was on fire, Carm spun around and yelled at Marek.  “How could this be?  I
can’t
be married to you, I don’t
know
you! And why are you so fucking calm?  Say something dammit!”

On the verge of a panic attack, Carm shook violently and clenched her fists as she waited for Marek to say something, anything.  She barely remembered the guy, how could he be her husband?

One night of trying to live a little and look what she does.  She up and throws away everything she thought she stood for.  So guess what that made her?  A hypocrite.

Carmen Hogue was a cheap, pathetic hypocrite.

Tears streamed silently down her face as she gazed helplessly at Marek.  What was she going to do?

She watched Marek sit up in bed and rake a hand through his thick hair.  Concern etched his brow in a low, firm line as he stared at Carm.

Heaving a great, heartfelt sigh Marek finally spoke.  “Calm down, Carmen.  Don’t get your panties in a bunch.  Oh right, you’re not wearing any.  We’ll figure something out,
cheri
.  If we even slept together—which I’m almost positive we did.  We’ll find a way to take care of this.”

Carm wiped at a tear and ignored the panty remark.  “I’ve never been with anyone, Marek.  How would you feel if you had no memory of your first time and discovered you’d just given it away to the first good looking stranger that came along?”

Surprise lit his face and Marek mumbled, “You’re a virgin?
Oui
?  You don’t look like one.”

“Oh really?  And just what are virgins supposed to look like Marek?” Carm retorted, her voice swimming in sarcasm.

Holding out a hand Marek apologized, “Sorry that was crass of me.  Why are you still a virgin?”

“Why is your accent stronger when you first wake up?  Some things just are.  They’re part of you, who you are.  And choosing to be a virgin is simply part of who I am.  Or at least a part of who I
was
.  I don’t know who I am now.”

Marek cocked his head to the side and studied Carm.  “But why choose virginity as your statement?  Surely you had opportunities before now?  Any man would love to bed you,
cheri
.  Why hold out, unless you’re afraid of sex.”

Indignation burned hot in her eyes as Carmen glared at Marek.  For a moment she couldn’t speak then she snapped, “I chose to be a virgin because
I’m
worth it.  Not for any other reason.  I value myself and wanted to wait for love, damn it.  Not just give it away on a whim.  Which is
exactly
what I ended up doing anyway. But I don’t have to justify myself to you.”

Marek remained quiet for a moment, a look of contemplation on his face.  Carm skimmed her eyes over his torso and waited for him to speak.

“You have a tattoo.”  Carm said before she realized it.

Eyes locked on his lower abdomen, Carm couldn’t take her gaze from the exotic art.  She could only see part of it from the way he sat cross-legged with the white linen sheet pooled at his waist.  Intrigued Carm stepped closer to get a better look.

Marek must have understood her need to change the subject because he grinned wickedly at her at leaned back on his arms to give her a better view.

“And you, Carm, have a sexy little birthmark on the inside of your left thigh right where it meets your ass.”

Carm whipped her eyes to his face and sputtered.  Before she could speak Marek laughed, “I don’t know how I know that, sugar.  So don’t ask.  And don’t get all offended, either.  We’re both in this mess together.”

He was right. Damned if he wasn’t.

Carm glanced back down at the image half hidden by the sheet and asked, “What is it?”

Marek motioned her closer.  “Why don’t you pull the sheet back and look.”

Hesitating, Carm held her hand in mid-air.  Realizing he was testing her, she clutch her sheet tight around her with her other hand and reached for the linen obscuring the tattoo and slowly tugged it down.

Holding her breath Carm revealed the expanse of golden skin on his lower abdomen.  The tattoo was placed in a very risqué spot, directly below his bellybutton and just above his pubic hair line.

Before she could chicken out, Carm ripped the sheet away to reveal the rest of the tattoo.  A trio of blue dolphins arched in a circle stared back at her.   

“It’s dolphins.” Carm whispered lamely.

Marek snorted, “What’d you expect, sugar?  A butterfly?”

Carm’s pulse beat heavy and strong with arousal as she gazed at the skin just above Marek’s privates.  A hint of dark springy curls peaked out from the confines of the sheet begging for her attention.  Staring hard at the ring of dolphins Carm steadfastly ignored the tempting thatch.  Or at least she tried to. 

Instead of giving in to the increasing urge to skim her fingers over the patch of hair, Carm released the sheet and traced her fingers around the circle tattoo.  She watched with fascination as the hard planes of Marek’s stomach trembled from her touch and delighted in his sharp intake of breath.

Lifting her eyes to meet his, Carm froze at the look of intensity on his face.  His pale green eyes burned into hers unflinching.  Snatching her hand back, Carm closed her fingers into a fist to keep from touching him again and broke eye contact.

Coward.

              “Ah, that’s what’s what I thought.”

Carm frowned at Marek’s softly accusing words.  What did he mean by that?  Choosing to put some distance between them before her curiosity about his anatomy got the better of her, Carm turned away.

Walking over to the window, Carm stared blankly outside at the perfect day.  Not a single cloud marred the crystal blue sky.

Her stomach trembled with uncertainty and fear and Carm needed a moment to sift through her options.  With her back to him Carm asked, “Why dolphins, Marek?”

Fabric rustled as she heard Marek slip out of bed behind her.  “I take it we’re not going to discuss us right now, are we?  If that’s the way you want to play it, fine.  Why the dolphins, you ask?  They’re very important to us islanders,
cheri
.  Many legends abound down here with tales of their heroic deeds.  Dolphins are known as protectors.  When I was sixteen I figured I needed all the protection I could get.”

Without looking at him Carm replied, “What was happening when you were sixteen that you needed such protection?”

She could hear him sifting through the mess of clothing on the floor.  Pulling on his pants, Marek finally responded, “Nothing you need to be concerned with now.  What you should be thinking about is how to remedy the fix we’re in.  I’ve some ideas I want to check in to.  One of the inn’s staff delivered that basket to us so I’m going to head down and see if they know anything.”

Raking a hand through her hair, Carm bit her lip and turned to face Marek.  While her back had been to him he’d dressed and now wore the clothing she’d first seen him in outside her window yesterday.  For a musician he certainly dressed well.

Wait a minute. . .

“Marek, don’t you work here at the inn?  Isn’t that why I saw you here yesterday?  You’re not just a club musician, are you?”

He shrugged his muscular shoulders and lifted his lips in a mocking half smile.  “And if I was
just
a club musician?  Does that make me less of a man?”

Carm let out a growl of irritation, “That’s not what I meant.  I just thought that if you worked here then someone would definitely remember you coming in with me last night, that’s all.”

With his eyes lingering on her, Marek buttoned his shirt in silence.  Carm had no idea what was going on behind those icy moss eyes of his.  The man was a professional at hiding his emotions.