In no time they dropped anchor at the mouth of a pretty little cove that was everything Rick had promised.
Embraced by rocky promontories on either side, picture- perfect turquoise water gently lapped at a pale crescent of sandy beach lined with coconut palms.
"How do we get to shore?" Stephanie asked.
"We swim for it. The cove is too shallow for us to get in any closer," Rick said. "The tour boat usually anchors here and the guests swim and snorkel in, play on the beach, whatever. Then they come back to the boat for lunch and head back."
He turned a smile on her. "You up for it?"
"Sure," said Stephanie. "Just let me get my suit on."
"Oh, right." Rick stepped to open the cabin door and gestured for her to enter. "It's all yours."
"Thanks." Once downstairs, she pulled her bathing suit out of her tote, and held it up. The lacy knitted monokini still looked good. It seemed to have survived the pool okay. Guess she'd find out today how it did in salt water.
She hurriedly slipped off her clothes and pulled on the suit. It might be skimpy, but it was constructed in a way that actually worked for swimming. She was growing to like it more and more, even though it often seemed to make her skin tingle. Like now. It wasn't actually itchy, more like an electric sort of buzzing.
She fished in her bag for the little disposable camera, that bane of her existence, and joined Rick on deck.
"Got any ideas for this?" She held the camera out to him.
He took it from her. "No problem," he said. "I've got a waterproof bag this can go into that you can swim with. Let me change and we'll be on our way."
In a few minutes, Rick rejoined her, holding snorkeling gear and wearing low slung black board-shorts that showed off his six- pack nicely.
Oh, baby. Stephanie pulled her gaze away and just managed not to lick her lips.
With a grin that told her he knew exactly what she'd been thinking, Rick handed her a mask and set of fins. He led her to the bow, where they could jump unimpeded into the crystal water below. "Ready?"
She smiled at him. You have no idea. "Let's do this."
With the small bag cinched at her waist on a loop of nylon string, Stephanie jumped into warm water clear enough to rival a swimming pool. Except this was a lot prettier than a pool. With the help of her snorkel mask, she had a perfect view of coral-covered rocks and patches of waving sea plants on the ocean floor fifteen feet below her as she swam towards the shore.
Rick tapped her shoulder, pointing towards the rocky outcroppings that bordered one side of the cove where he'd told her they could see some fish. He mimed for her to follow.
She nodded and paddled after him. She didn't know about fish, but he was mighty nice to look at. The sun dappled his gold- toned skin as he moved with effortless grace through the water. When they reached the rocks, it was all she could do to tear her eyes away from Rick long enough to feign polite interest in the wide variety of tropical life hanging out along the rocky walls under the water.
She was much more interested in the way his shoulder brushed hers as he pointed out some species or other of fish, the motion of his long, muscular legs as he propelled himself through the water, or hung easily in place while he talked to her. She itched to reach out and run her fingers over his tight abs and well-defined shoulders. God, the man looked good without a shirt. What a shame he ever had to put one on.
Rick turned to catch Stephanie gazing at him like he was a hamburger and she was a starving actress. He knew the feeling.
The more he saw her in that lacy white bathing suit, the more he wanted to get her out of it. Her full breasts looked even plumper in the water, that natural flotation advantage women had. His fingers itched to peel the straps down over her shoulders and free them to his gaze, his touch, his mouth...
Grabbing hold of a ledge of the rock wall beside him with one hand, he pulled Stephanie up against him with the other. She came willingly, hooking one arm around his neck, and one long leg across his thighs, pressing those tantalizing breasts all over his chest. He released her long enough to pull off his mask and snorkel tube while she did the same, and then took her lush, hot mouth in a kiss. He reached around to get a good hold on her firm round bottom and...spluttered and coughed as a wave of seawater hit them in the face.
She laughed. "Looks a lot more romantic in the movies."
He grinned. "True." His best bet was to get her onto dry land where he could concentrate on Stephanie instead of on not drowning. "I think it's time to hit the beach. What do you say?"
"Race you," she said. Readjusting her mask and tube, she turned and headed for shore with powerful strokes.
Rick was right behind her. He didn't mind letting her be ahead of him. He had an exceptionally nice view of her ass from here, and he indulged in admiring the way her bikini bottom rode halfway up her cheeks. He imagined running his hands over that smooth exposed flesh, and exploring other parts that were hidden by a tiny scrap of fabric.
"Oof." His knees hit the sand as he coasted into the shallows, telling him he'd made it to shore.
Pulling off his fins and mask, he watched Stephanie do the same. She untied the cord around her waist, releasing the waterproof bag that held her camera, dropping that into the pile with the rest of her discarded equipment.
In two steps, Rick had her in his arms. He cradled the back of her head with one hand to tilt her face to his. "Where were we?"
"Right about here, I think," said Stephanie, and met his mouth with hers.
Rick was instantly hard. How could he not be with five-foot- eight inches of voluptuous, eager woman pressed against him with her tongue in his mouth? He tried to hold back from grinding against her, hell, from throwing her down on the sand and having her right now.
Which brought up another point. Naked bodies, a sandy beach and no towels equaled to another no bueno in the romance department. Nobody liked sand in hard to reach places, and while thrashing around on the beach like a couple of horny teenagers held a certain appeal, it was bound to end in some definitely uncomfortable results. Lucky for him, he had the perfect alternative.
He pulled back from the kiss. "Come with me. I want to show you something."
Stephanie glanced down between them. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours," she said with a grin.
His knees almost gave out at the image that flashed through his mind. He swallowed hard and hung onto his self-control. "Believe me, you couldn't possibly want that more than I do. But I know a place nearby where we can be a lot more comfortable." He stepped back and held out a hand. "Trust me. You'll be glad you did."
"Aye, aye, captain." She took his hand.
Rick smiled. This was going to be great. He pulled her after him as he headed up the sand to the trees that bordered the beach. They ducked into the jungle on a well-worn footpath.
It was moist and a little cooler under the trees, but the bugs were worse, so he picked up the pace. "It's about a fifteen minute walk, but worth it, I promise."
"If you say so," said Stephanie from behind him. "Are you going to tell me where we're going?"
"There's a little cabin out here, off the beaten path, just for employees. I think you'll like it," Rick said, envisioning wrapping up with a warm, naked Stephanie in some fluffy oversized towels on the cabin's big comfy couch.
As he picked his way through the jungle along the trail he knew, he found many more branching footpaths than he remembered. He stopped at one junction where a particularly well- traveled path headed off to the left at a slight angle.
"What's the problem?" Stephanie stepped up beside him. "I thought you said you knew where this place was."
Rick gazed at the two trails disappearing into the brush. "I usually get there by boat, actually. But I've taken the land route a few times." It had been a while since he'd hiked out to the little cabin, but he had remembered the path being a fairly obvious one. "There used to be a sign that marked the turn-off, but I haven't seen it yet." Had he missed it? No trace of a sign here, that was for sure.
Stephanie smacked her hand at a spot on her shoulder. "Ugh. I hate bugs." She looked around. "If we're lost, maybe we should just go back to the beach. For an island that's supposed to be paradise, wandering around barefoot in the jungle and swatting at mosquitos is turning out to be a real mood killer."
Rick squeezed her hand. "I'm sure we're almost there, and it will be worth it, you'll see. I just don't remember there being so many other well-traveled trails." The trail to the right seemed to head definitely downhill, and he didn't think that was right. To the left, then. "This way."
"I hope you're right," Stephanie said. "I'm not sure how much more paradise I can take at this rate."
The path soon turned to take them up a hill, which he climbed with a sinking feeling in his stomach. It didn't really feel right, but he hoped that at the least they might come out on some higher ground where he could get a look at where they were. After what seemed like forever, they abruptly popped out of the trees onto the crown of a promontory cliff that overlooked a broad expanse of ocean. As he looked back the way they had come, Rick had an excellent view of two things.
One was the beach hut, nestled snugly in its secluded little cove at the base of the two hundred foot cliff they were currently standing on.
But it was the second thing that instantly commanded his full attention, and caused Stephanie to gasp beside him.
And that was the vertical wall of churning gray clouds racing towards them like a locomotive on the ever-capricious wind.
"Oh my God," said Rick. They were already out of time. There was no outrunning a storm like this. There was only reaction. "We gotta go." He turned and tugged Stephanie after him, his feet already obeying the primal instinct to run for cover.
"Where?" shouted Stephanie as she trotted behind him, double-time, down the same hill they had just spent the better part of a half an hour slogging up.
"We've got to get back to the boat and try to get it to a safe place to wait out the weather," he called over his shoulder. "The soft sand where we anchored won't hold it for long if the wind and waves get high enough."
"Hold it right there." Stephanie dug in her heels and forced Rick to stop. She glared at him, eyes wide and arms crossed. "What do you mean the anchor won't hold it? It could just float away? Leave us stranded with no food, no dry clothes, no radio?"
The air crackled with the electricity of the coming storm, urging him to action. He met her gaze squarely. "That's exactly what I mean. The longer we stand here debating about it, the more likely it is to happen." He turned and pulled her after him. "Let's go."
"Un-freaking believable," muttered Stephanie. She had no choice but to follow.
She hadn't taken more than three steps when the storm broke over them. It hit hard with a howling wind that drove an instant, torrential downpour. It didn't give any warning and it didn't take any prisoners. Stephanie was pretty sure it was out to kill them.
At first she thought the trees would provide them some cover, but within minutes the rain poured down off the canopy of leaves overhead in continuous buckets, quickly transforming the dirt path into a muddy river. The wind whipped leaves and palm fronds into their faces as they slipped and slid along the muddy trail, tripping over roots and rocks.
In front of her, Rick stumbled and went down hard.
This was no fun at all anymore.
"Are you okay?" Stephanie shouted over the roar of the wind as she grabbed his hand and helped him to his feet.
"Found the sign." He pointed at the wooden "No Trespassing" sign lying flat on the ground. "Tripped right over it."
"Wow!" Stephanie eyed the muddy abyss the crossroad had become. The bushes that had concealed the fallen sign were all but washed away. She clenched her teeth together to keep them from chattering. She couldn't believe how fast she'd gotten chilled. "Maybe we should just find the cabin and wait this out."
Rick looked torn. "You're probably right. I don't know if I'd even be able to swim to the boat in this storm, let alone maneuver it safely. Damn." He shook his head. "This is bad. I really don't know if the anchor will hold it where it is. It might rain for an hour, or it might rain all night."
"Well, since there isn't anything we can realistically do about the boat at this point, I vote we find some shelter and wait out whatever happens."
Rick's shoulders slumped. "Fine," he said. "Let's try the downhill trail this time."
Stephanie followed him. She had a good feeling about this trail, it seemed to be going the right direction from what she had seen at the lookout point.
She tried to feel some sympathy for Rick, but was a little too cold and miserable to dredge any up. Her bathing suit had been an appropriate clothing choice when she was just going to splash around in the ocean a little and lie on the beach. It turned out not to be a good choice for jungle exploration, especially in a major storm. Hiking barefoot hadn't been such a wise decision either. Sharp little rocks and protruding tree roots along the trail had taken their toll on her bare feet, leaving them cut and bruised. She was muddy and dirty and water-logged. She thought longingly of her comfy room back at the resort with its Jacuzzi tub and big soft bed.
When she followed Rick out of the cover of the trees onto the exposed hillside, she was hit with the full force of stinging, horizontal rain. She shielded her face from it as well as she could, and focused on getting down to the bottom as fast as she could.
Torrents of water rushed straight down the hill across the zig-zag path, forcing them to step, or sometimes jump over them, or risk being swept off their feet by the gushing flows.
She didn't notice that Rick had come to a dead stop in front of her until she bumped right into him. She put a hand on his shoulder to steady herself.
"My boat!" His body was rigid beneath her palm as he squinted against the rain that blew into his face. "Oh my God, there it goes."
"What?" Stephanie pushed wet hair out of her face and shielded her eyes to try and see where Rick was gazing.
On the ocean below, the Paradise Regained, un- manned, and un-moored by the storm, drifted out in the open water past the small cove they stood above. And making pretty good speed by the looks of it.
"Oh no!" She clapped her hands to her face and watched, unbelieving, as their way back to safety and civilization bobbed, rocked and blew steadily away in the storm. In less time than she would have thought possible, it floated out of sight, to end up who- knew-where.
In front of her, Rick sank to sit in the middle of the trail.
"Wow, that's probably the last time that guy lets you take a boat out," she said. "If he had another one."
Rick rubbed his hands over his face and shook his head. "It was mine," he said in a flat tone. "I'm the one to blame, and I'm the one without a boat."
"What do you mean it was your boat?" She fisted her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at him. "What's going on here? What the hell's going on here?"
"Look, it's no big deal, okay? I've been meaning to tell you for a while now that I'm the owner. Of the boat and the resort. It's not a big secret, I just hadn't gotten around to it yet."
Stephanie stared at him, speechless, his words a sucker- punch to the gut. She felt betrayed and she felt foolish, two things she hated more than anything else. For the first time in a long time, she'd let down her guard with a man, and he'd lied to her like she was some stupid bimbo. She shook her head. Maybe she had been a stupid bimbo.
"Hadn't gotten around to it?" she finally managed.
Lightning flashed, sunburst bright. Rick jumped to his feet and grabbed her hand. "I'll explain later," he shouted as thunder boomed directly over their heads. "Right now we run like hell."