‘You did that?’ Her voice was thick with need. She coughed, tried not to think about his body, lowered her voice an octave. ‘You injected oranges?’
‘Yes, to get the angle right. And practised my suturing on pigskin...then on humans...my classmates, myself...’ He put the oranges back, serious again. ‘Okay, you’re right. I hear you on the work issue. I have to catch up on some reading and there’s research I’m assisting with...’
For just a few minutes he’d been carefree and fun, and she didn’t want to lose that Jake to a serious Jake. But how could she go with him when she felt like this? ‘It sounds lovely...maybe another time. Tomorrow, if we get a chance. There’s a list of errands I need to do today. I can’t take off and play. Besides, we have the dogs to think about.’
‘Tina could have the dogs. I could help you with the errands when we get back.’
Lola lifted her smartphone from the countertop and scrolled through her task list. ‘Because finding a decent manicurist on Nassau who can drop everything and come over as Cameron requires is the kind of thing you do every day.’
‘Whoa. I didn’t realise it would be that kind of difficult.’ He looked horrified, eyes wide and panicked. ‘That sounds way out of my comfort zone. Give me something easier to do, I don’t know...negotiate world peace? But first snorkel?’
What could she say? I’d like to, but if there was ever a possibility of drowning in lust I’d be victim number one. ‘I just...’
‘You just what?’ He was scrutinising her face, his jaw taut, eyes narrowed. Then his whole body stilled. ‘Ah. I get it, now. You just...don’t want to snorkel with me, that right? Sorry I took so long to catch on.’ Grabbing his half-finished coffee, he started to walk outside to the deck and the mood turned decidedly dark. ‘I hear ya, loud and clear, Lola. I won’t bother you again.’
He’d gone way past serious Jake and was somewhere on the edge of angry Jake. She followed him outside, feeling hollowed out. ‘Jake, I do want to go snorkelling. It sounds fun. I’ll come. I was trying to be dedicated to my work... You of all people know how that is.’ Did he believe her?
‘Yeah, I do. But, you know, for one second there I thought, Let’s stuff work for a while. But don’t worry, I’ll go on my own.’
‘No. No, I’ll come. I want to, really. I’m sorry. Please.’
He looked at her, weighing up her words. She wasn’t sure what he was thinking and her stomach knotted. But eventually he nodded, his enthusiasm around twenty per cent of what it had been. ‘Okay. Let’s think time management, then. How about one-hour blocks? One hour to snorkel. One hour to travel there and back, shower... One hour for work?’
‘Okay. I’ll get my things ready.’
He nodded, but the oomph had leached out of him. ‘I’ll take the pups up to Tina, then meet you at the garages—apparently there’s every kind of vehicle we might need in there.’
Looked like she didn’t have a choice.
* * *
This was the worst damned idea he’d had in years.
Jake watched as Lola discarded her T-shirt and shorts and stood a little away from him on the sand, with a towel tightly wrapped around herself. Underneath, he knew, she was wearing a black bikini that covered her curves well enough, but did nothing to hide her great figure. He swallowed, trying not to look too closely...but in the end it didn’t really matter, as his body was hell-bent on reacting anyway. His mouth watered at the thought of her perfect mouth, and his fingers craved to smooth down her wind-wild hair. Never mind the tight clutch low down in his belly that had him turning away from her. Thank God there was cold water close by.
Working would have been a much better idea but here he was, instead, with a reluctant accomplice and a serious case of hot lust. Why he’d even bothered to invite her he didn’t know. Playing hooky for once in his thirty-three years had seemed like a good idea when talking to Tina. Harmless.
In truth, he should have stayed back at the house and tried to catch Cameron for that conversation he still hadn’t had with her. It had been such a temptation to talk to Lola about the pregnancy—obviously confidentiality meant he never could—but he got the feeling Cameron needed more than him looking out for her.
‘Have you got a wetsuit? Rash guard? The sun’s fierce, you don’t want to get burnt,’ he growled at Lola, taking a step away from her. He didn’t want to have to rub sunscreen on to that gorgeous body, or they’d never actually get into the ocean.
And what he needed more than anything was a dose of cold seawater to sluice away the physical ache he had for her—especially seeing her right now; lush red curls against creamy pale skin, breasts that threatened to break free from flimsy string masquerading as a bikini, and a waist that looked the perfect size for his hands to grip.
‘Yes, boss. Here.’ She turned and held up a pink neoprene jacket and put it on, zipping up the front. Thank God.
He couldn’t get his head around the fact that the kiss had seemed real and wanted on both sides, and yet now she wanted to be anywhere other than with him. But he’d got the message, and she was right. There were too many reasons to prevent him getting involved with anyone, let alone a woman who had such a serious effect on his equilibrium.
‘Tina said that over by the rocks was the best place to start. There’s some coral there, so take care not to stand on it, we don’t want to damage it.’ And with that he turned and made his way down towards the water, fins and mask in hand.
But she was with him in two strides.
‘So, isn’t this the best look ever?’ Laughing, Lola dragged her mask over her face and made piggy eyes at him as she pulled the mouth tube into her mouth.
Actually, it was a pretty damned sexy look, and he was shocked by how much he wanted to haul her to him, even with a plastic mask on. So he dived deep into the clear, cool water and got on with fish-spotting.
Jake was always surprised at the serenity of the ocean; all that busy activity down there, yet little sound save for the ebb and flow of waves and the echo of his heartbeat in his ears. The sun warmed his back as a whole new world opened up below him. The little underwater gardens were teeming with life and there was enough interest to grab his attention away from the hunger Lola had started in his gut.
They followed the curve of the bay out west, floating and bobbing with the tide, popping up for air as and when they needed it, agreeing on a course to follow, then swimming and watching and pointing at the sea life. Lola was an excellent snorkeller, easily excited by the large black manta ray gliding along the seabed and the schools of pretty purple and electric-blue fish that darted back and forth in front of them.
Then she kicked away to follow a shoal of bright yellow spotted ones, and for a few moments he was alone—just skimming along the top of the water looking down into the rhythmic swaying of the seaweed on the coral.
His heart rate slowed, and for the first time since he’d set foot in the Caribbean he began to relax. The cool water washed over him and with it his sense of equilibrium and purpose was renewed. It was only a few days in the Bahamas, they could rub along together for that, fill their days with activities and surround themselves with other people. Soon enough they’d be back to LA and their normal lives. After that, the filming would swiftly wrap up and he’d have no reason to see her again. With time, he hoped, this ache would die and she’d just be a quaint memory. Like the other women who’d flitted in and out of his life.
It