Page 14 of Tropical Inferno

“You okay?” he asked, glancing over at her.

“Legs are putting up a bit of a protest,” she grunted. “But I’m good. I’ll settle in. Haven’t run in over a week and never on the beach, so I’m adjusting.”

“We can slow—”

“No.” She picked up the pace, pushing herself to find a comfortable rhythm. He stayed at her side, barely breaking a sweat and she admired his endurance. His legs were muscular like the rest of him, but when he ran, she saw the distinct lines flexing in his calves and thighs. He had an easy gait, a fluidity in his stride that she didn’t yet feel when she ran. Swimming came easy to her, biking was harder, but running was going to be the thing that did her in if she didn’t up her game.

“Don’t push so hard,” he advised softly. “You’re not going to build strength and stamina the first day. Move past the initial discomfort, but when you get to the next struggle, back off. Otherwise, you’ll overdo it and won’t be able to run at all tomorrow.”

She nodded in agreement. “Yeah, okay. But you can go on ahead when I poop out. I don’t want to ruin your workout.”

He shook his head. “I’m good. We can go for another marathon swim this afternoon, which is my weakness, and it’ll balance everything out.”

Maddie slowed down at three miles, unable to keep up with Garrett’s longer stride. If she pushed too much she would be sore and need a day to rest, and she didn’t want to rest while she had someone who understood what she was doing and could share one small part of the journey with her.

“I wish I had someone like you in my life,” she said ruefully. “I mean, someone who understands what I’m aiming for, who would run and swim with me…who gets me.” She turned to him with a strange look on her face. “I’ve known you less than three days—how come you get me?”

He slowed to a walk and fell in beside her. “I don’t know. Sometimes people just…click.”

“But we’re going our separate ways when I leave, right? We’re not even going to be friends.” Her voice was soft, without a hint of accusation; she was merely stating a fact.

He sighed. “Maddie.” He stopped walking and reached for her hands, pulling her close to him. “You’re amazing. You’re this crazy ray of sunshine with a backpack who raced past me a few days ago like a spinning top of fire, passion and light. You blew me away and every minute I spend with you, I like you more.”

“But?” Her expression was impassive as she stared deep into his eyes.

“There’s something going on in my life that’s ugly. Anyone I get involved with is going to be caught up in a shitstorm and after the year you’ve had with your brother—the nightmares and everything else—you absolutely don’t need to be caught up in my crazy.”

“Is your name really Garrett?”

He hesitated but nodded. “Swear to God.”

“But it’s not Garrett Raven.”

“Maddie, I already feel like a jerk…” He sighed. “Trust me when I say I’m protecting you. After you go home, you’ll figure out who I am and what I did, and you’re going to be grateful I let you go. I wish I was a big enough man to go now, to leave you here to enjoy the resort while I find a room somewhere else. And if you ask me to, I will. Say the word and I’m gone; the whole thing’s yours.”

She studied his face for a long time. The more she thought about it, he seemed vaguely familiar but she couldn’t place him. Rock star? Actor? She already sensed looking online for Garrett Raven would be a lesson in futility so she had two choices: Take him up on his offer to send him packing or spend a couple more days with the most amazing guy she’d ever met. It was likely she’d go home with a broken heart, but how could she live with herself knowing she gave up the chance to know him, even if she didn’t know his secrets? She firmly believed everything happened for a reason.

Monique had bailed on their trip so Maddie could meet Garrett; of that she was positive. She wasn’t going to miss out on this, whatever it was. Whether his sole purpose in her life was to give her the support to focus on her triathlon dream or to just be the man who made her forget her nightmares for a few days, she was going to find out. Her heart had been broken before and she’d survived. If that’s what was going to happen, she’d get over it this time too.

Without a word, she leaned up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. The pressure was light, a whisper against his mouth as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “We have three days. Can you hold off your shitstorm until I get on the plane back to Toronto?”

Something inscrutable flashed across his face as he nodded—surprise? Concern? Delight? She had no idea, but as he slid his hands around her waist and lifted her until she wrapped her legs around him, she didn’t care.

“You sure, baby?” His voice was thick, portraying emotion she couldn’t read.

“I don’t care about your secrets, I don’t care about whatever you did—wait, you didn’t kill someone, did you?”

He shook his head solemnly. “Didn’t rape anyone or molest a child either. This is more…professional. Leave it at that, okay?”

“Then I’m sure. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before and you know that saying about it being better to have loved and lost than to have never been loved? And I’ve never felt this loved… Does that make any sense at all?”

* * *

Her words hit him like a physical blow and he almost staggered backwards. He knew exactly what she meant, because he felt the same way, he just hadn’t been able to articulate it. It wasn’t true love, of course—they barely knew each other—but if love at first sight existed, this was it. It was usually short-lived, but it was always the sweetest, most exciting kind, leaving you with memories that lasted a lifetime. She wasn’t playing a game or trying to change their circumstances; she recognized the special opportunity they had and was willing to risk getting hurt to experience what it would be like for them to be together. He fell a little in love with her just for that—her spunk, her huge heart, her willingness to jeopardize her soul for a man who’d already told her he would leave.

He found her mouth with passion he didn’t know he had. This wasn’t sex—this was a merging of destinies. Hers and his. It was a little bit ridiculous and a tiny part of him wondered if it was this good, this special, because he knew he couldn’t have her. He refused to believe it because she was special and the feelings they were already sharing were different. He’d had vacation hook-ups before and that’s not what this was. This was the stuff sappy romance novels were made of, except it didn’t feel sappy and this wasn’t fiction. He already had genuine feelings for her and he wasn’t physically capable of letting her go until it was time to put her on that plane. Until then, she was his.

Her moan of pleasure told him she thought so too, but he forced himself to lower her to the ground. “Not here,” he muttered. “When I make love to you, baby, no one will be watching but me.”

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