Page 83 of Escape to the Sun

“Sara. Tell me nothing happened.”

Her grin was wicked. “I can tell you anything you want.”

Ash shook his head and ran a hand through his hair before trying again. “Nothing happened between us.”

“Are you telling me or asking me?”

“Dammit, Sara.” He paced across the room and grabbed a T-shirt from his pile. “You’re not helping.”

“That’s not what you said last night.”

He shot her a look. “You were very helpful with the supplies,” he said after a moment. “Thank you. Now put this on. You have to leave.”

Ash tossed the T-shirt at her but she let it fall on her lap. She crossed her arms and the sheet slipped farther. “I don’t think this is a very nice way to treat me after I—”

“After you helped me? Yes. That was great. Thank you. But nothing happened between us. Right?”

She didn’t answer right away and the frenzy within him started to build. He would not betray Heather. He wouldn’t. It didn’t matter that they weren’t official. As far as Ash was concerned, they were and he was not going to destroy that. Not with Sara. Not with anyone.

“Right?” he asked again.

This time she nodded. “Right.” Sara grabbed the shirt and pulled it over her head. “Why are you so worked up about it? I honestly didn’t expect that this was how the morning would go. Not at all.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and stuck her bottom lip out. “You don’t have to play so hard to get, you know?”

“I’m not playing. I’m kind of seeing someone.”

“You’re seeing someone?” Sara stepped from the bed and stretched her arms overhead, causing the shirt to slide up dangerously short. Ash looked away, not even tempted. “That’s fresh.”

He shook his head; he didn’t have time to engage in this. Although he did feel bad if she’d somehow gotten the wrong idea, he couldn’t spend his entire morning trying to make her understand that it was all a misunderstanding. He had to pick up the new guests and get the boat loaded and get back. To Heather.

---