Page 49 of Natural Temptation

"You have?"

"I can't stop thinking about you. These past few weeks have been...incredible. You've awakened something in me I thought was long dead."

I can't help but grin. "Well, I am pretty amazing."

"That you are," Ryan chuckles, his eyes crinkling at the corners in that way that makes my heart flutter. "But it's more than that. You've reminded me what it feels like to be alive, to want something—someone—so badly it almost hurts. In a good way."

I wrap my arms around his neck. "So, what are we going to do about it?"

He pushes a hand through his hair, a gesture I've come to recognize as a sign of his inner turmoil. "I don't know. This isn't exactly a normal situation. You must have a life back home with your parents, and I have responsibilities here."

"But?" I prompt, sensing there's more.

He gazes directly into my eyes. "But I can't bear the thought of you leaving. Of never seeing you again."

"Oh, Ryan, I feel the same way. I can't imagine going back to my old life after everything we've shared here. Our families would want us to be happy, wouldn't they?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He pulls me closer, his strong arms enveloping me. The familiar scent of scent of him fills my senses. "What if..."

"What if what?" I prompt, my heart racing.

His mouth puckers for a moment, then all the tension washes away. "What if you stayed? Just for a little while longer. We could figure things out, see if this is real outside of the island bubble."

I can hardly believe what I'm hearing. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. I've never been more serious about anything in my life, Mer. I know it's crazy, but I can't let you go without at least trying to make this work."

"Oh, Ryan, I want that too. Let's give it our all and see what happens." I brush my fingers through his tousled hair. "I already love you, and I know you feel the same. This is going to work out. But you're right, we should give ourselves this time to be sure."

Ryan returns to the cleanup efforts, but he insists that I should have lunch with my friends to tell them the news about us. Their enthusiasm is contagious, and I feel a surge of affection for these amazing women.

"You guys aren't weirded out?" I ask. "Ryan is nine years younger than I am, after all."

"Are you kidding?" Lila grins. "We're thrilled for you! You deserve some island romance with a hot stud, and maybe something more will develop. Who knows? Wedding bells might be calling soon."

I glance back at Ryan, catching him looking our way. He gives me a small, almost imperceptible nod before turning back to his work. And even that small gesture makes me feel like I'm flying above the clouds.

"So, what's the plan?" Zara asks, her voice softening. "Are you going to stay?"

"We're taking the last week of my vacation to sort things out and decide if we want to be more than a holiday fling."

"That's a smart plan," Zara agrees. "Whatever you decide, we've got your back. You know that, right?"

"Of course I do." I feel a lump form in my throat. "God, what would I do without you guys?"

As we stand here, surrounded by the aftermath of the storm, I realize that no matter what happens with Ryan, I've already found something precious here on Heirani Motu. Something that will stay with me long after my friends and I leave this paradise. If I leave.

But I'm not the same woman who arrived here, desperate for a change and a steamy fling.

"Remember when you zip-lined across that gorge?" Maya reminds me. "You were terrified, but you did it anyway. And afterward, you couldn't stop smiling."

"This is your chance to zip-line into love," Zara adds with a grin. "Take the leap, Mer. You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain."

Laughter bubbles out of me, and I clasp each of my friends' hands one by one. "You guys are phenomenal. I never had friends like this until the day I walked into that group grief counseling session. It changed my life—for the better."

Emilio approaches our little group. "Ladies, we could use some help distributing refreshments to the cleanup crews. Any volunteers?"

Lila, Maya, and Zara exchange a look. Then Zara declares, "You've got three recruits here. What about you, Meredith?"

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