“That I can also do.” I wasn’t certain why it seemed the weight had been lifted from her shoulders, but I was grateful nonetheless. Her smile could light up a room, and I needed it to keep the darkness away.
At least for the time being.
As soon as the resort came into view, she was out of her seat and through the opening in the roof. “Oh, my God. You had this built?”
“We did. Painstakingly doing so over several years.”
“Wow. How much did this cost?”
I pulled the Jeep to a stop just beside the Las Vegas-style fountain, allowing her to take in the various outbuildings and cabanas. “Do you really want to know?”
“Maybe not. I’m sure it’s more money than in my trust fund.”
I laughed and after shoving the gear into park, moved into a standing position as well. “It’s funny. It was a pipe dream at first, my brothers and I discussing something fabulous over way too much tequila but a couple years later, Valerio got wind of a couple island sales and we decided to take a boat to see what all the fuss was about. I will tell you this, camping out isn’t my style. Plus, with the wild boars and other crazy wildlife, it was as if we were taking our lives into our hands.”
“Wild boars, eh? Do you have a spear so you can keep us safe?”
I wasn’t planning on mentioning I’d brought my weapon with me. It would likely scare her to death. I acted as if I was strangling something with my hands, shaking the imaginary beast. “With these strong hands, who needs a weapon?”
“Uh-huh. Whatever you say.”
“What? You don’t believe me that I can protect you against every demon?”
She slunk back into her seat, staring out the windshield. “I hope you don’t need to remind me all over again. Tell me about the resort. What do you offer?”
Exhaling, I placed my hand on her knee. I had a feeling she was just trying to change the subject all over again. As I told her about the various luxuries, she nodded her head.
“Fabulous. Let’s go to the beach.”
The woman could keep me in a good mood without trying. “Comin’ right up.”
As I headed out toward one of the more private roads, she crawled in between the seats, her adorable, rounded bottom suddenly right there. Why did I have the need to bite down?
“What are you looking for?” I asked as I stared into the rearview mirror.
“You’ll see. Patience, grasshopper.”
“I didn’t know they used that phrase down under.”
“Oh, please.” She huffed and continued digging. When she finally surfaced, in her hands were two bottled beers. After she popped the top, she rolled the bottom down my exposed thigh.
I growled. “You need to be careful or two can play at this game.”
“Sure, bad boy. Bring it.”
I took the beer from her, realizing I’d never driven as much as I did with her.
As I rolled into the more remote sections of the island, I had to admit the cold brew was exactly what I needed.
Even though it wasn’t noon yet. Oh, who cared. Valerio was always trying to tell me to live a little. Admitting he’d been right was a tough pill to take but maybe spending time with her was the key.
As I drove, she asked questions about the various tropical plants, explaining that in her native country, the foliage was completely different. She was animated, not bothering to use her seatbelt. The woman still enjoyed living dangerously.
Perhaps I’d need to break her of that.
The drive was spectacular, reminding me of the first time I’d stepped foot on the soil.
All three of us had had different experiences when we’d done so, what now seemed like a lifetime ago. We were young men with big dreams, acting as if our wealth management firm wasn’t enough. In truth, it hadn’t been for any of us.