That wasn’t the only thing bothering him. He still had to figure out what they were going to tell the tribes when they went ashore tomorrow.
Maybe no one would even ask about Stevie. And if they did? What then?
He’d only been half joking when he asked Stevie if she was hiding a husband inside one of her suitcases. Because it would make it so much easier if there was one.
Or if Matt could simply say he’d gotten married again.
He blinked. Maybe he had. Or he could pretend he had.
No one had to know that he wasn’t bringing his new bride—who also happened to be a doctor—with him. Vickie had been a nurse, and they’d traveled together. No one thought a thing of it.
Would Stevie even agree to the ruse? He could tell her it was either that or she could go home. It was the truth, because he sure as hell couldn’t think of another story that would take care of any questions with one fell swoop.
And what about him? Would he be able to pretend to be Stevie’s husband, knowing he’d have to learn more about her to make their tale believable?
Putting his hands behind his head, he tried to go back to sleep and ignore what that would entail.
Matt Palermo, permanently grieving widower, might have to break his one iron-clad rule about women.
Don’t get too close—ever.
Her dad spun her around and around, holding her suspended by one arm and leg, while her other limbs dangled in space. She half giggled, half screamed and then thrashed around when she realized the swaying hadn’t been solely in her dreams. And her wiggling had just caused her to overbalance …
Scrambling, she clawed at the hammock with her hands, succeeding in grabbing the open woven fabric just as the whole contraption inverted itself. She found herself hanging upside down, her legs automatically wrapping around the center of the hammock and locking together at the ankles. She tightened her fingers to avoid dropping onto the hammock below hers.
Oh, no!
She blinked hard and twisted her head to stare at the bottom hammock before shuddering with relief. Abandoned. Matt was evidently already up and dressed.
Thank heavens. At least he hadn’t witnessed her utter and complete humiliation. Now, if she could just …
‘I didn’t realize you were part bat. Although you did mention having an aversion to the sun yesterday.’
Stevie froze. The words, murmured in a low voice that flowed through her like dark fragrant honey, could only come from one man.
She slowly tilted her head further back and, through the veil of her mosquito net, saw Matt. Upside down, but showered and fresh, while she was … well …
‘I had a slight accident.’
One side of his mouth quirked up. Or was it down? She couldn’t tell any more. ‘Yes, I can see that.’
‘Instead of standing there, staring, maybe you could help me figure out how to get down?’
‘I kind of like you the way you are.’
‘Hey!’ Her hair swung below her like a tangled skein of yarn, the lank strands almost brushing the lower hammock. ‘Stop fooling around and get over here. I’m starting to get dizzy. I don’t think you want a puddle of whatever’s left in my stomach all over your bed.’
That did it. In a flash, he’d ducked beneath the netting and was at her side. Two strong arms came out and settled under her shoulders and buttocks. ‘Okay, I’ve got you. Let go.’
‘Are you sure?’
He laughed. ‘Do you want to do this by yourself?’
The hard floor stared at her from a quite a distance away. Nope, she didn’t. She unhooked her legs first and felt the bulge of Matt’s biceps as he took the weight of her lower half. When she was certain he wouldn’t send her careening to the ground, she unfisted her hands.
And wound up right side up, in his arms. With her face way too close to his neck for comfort.
And the scent she’d caught yesterday as she’d passed him in the hallway?
Heavens, it was still there, headier than ever. Against her better judgement, she closed her eyes and leaned just a bit closer, allowing the air around him to fill her senses. Breathe, exhale, repeat … just like the shampoo commercials advised.
‘Better?’
She froze, her lungs ceasing all covert activity. Had she really been sniffing a strange man’s neck?
‘W-what?’
‘Your dizziness. I don’t want to set you down if you’re going to collapse on me.’
‘Oh. Um, no. I think I’m okay.’ Her voice came out shakier than she’d hoped, and she wondered if she might fall in a heap after all.
Seemingly oblivious to her confusion, he craned his head to the side and looked at her, making no move to put her down. ‘I see we should’ve reviewed the hammock safety video. If I had actually been in that bed and you’d dropped on top of me, things could have gotten rather ugly.’
No kidding. Especially since her T-shirt had been hiked to kingdom come as she’d dangled there. She glanced down, horrified to find a huge swath of her belly still exposed.
Keep talking, and he won’t notice. ‘No one mentioned that particular hazard when I applied for the job.’
A muscle twitched in his jaw for a moment or two and she realized how her words must have sounded. Especially when he pivoted away from the pair of hammocks and set her on her feet.
She yanked her Mets T-shirt down over her jogging shorts.
‘Not that I’m saying landing on top of you would be hazardous or anything …’
Oh, yes, it would be. Even saying it out loud did wonky things to her breathing which, in turn, had nothing to do with nearly falling out of her hammock.
Thankfully, Tiago appeared behind her, saving her from having to explain her meaning.
‘Nilson has breakfast ready, if you’re hungry,’ he said in Portuguese.
The man shifted from foot to foot as if embarrassed about something. Stevie wondered if he’d seen Matt holding her. Or if he understood enough English to know what they’d been saying.
‘Obrigada,’ Matt said, taking a step back.
‘Where do you want me to put your blanket and netting from last night?’ Tiago added.
Stevie glanced at the thin barrier surrounding the two hammocks. She would have thought they stayed in place at all times. What if someone wanted to nap? ‘Do you normally store this during the day?’ She moved the netting to the side and secured it with the bungee cord the way she’d seen it yesterday.
‘No.’ Color stained Matt’s neck, and the word came out halfstrangled.
Had she done something worse than hanging upside down from her hammock last night?
Tiago shook his head. ‘No, not this net, the one from the deck, where he slept.’
‘You …’ Stevie’s mind tried to work through what the man was saying. ‘You didn’t sleep here last night?’
‘Mateus said it was too hot.’
The fiery color moved from Matt’s neck to the tips of his ears. ‘What I said was it was cooler out there.’ He jabbed a thumb in the direction of the deck before turning away. ‘Let’s get that breakfast you mentioned.’
As he moved out of the room, Stevie wondered why he’d