Caught on Camera (17 page)

“Don’t get me wrong,” he said. “I want to make love to you in the worst way possible, but that’s not why we’re here.”

“Yes, it is.” She shifted her gaze to the hand he still held.

“No.” He touched a finger under her chin and nudged her back to him. He needed her to see the truth in his words. “We’re here because I want to spend the day with you. Because I want you to spend the day with me. I knew you wouldn’t give me that in Atlanta.”

She nodded as if believing him, but her eyes remained lost.

“How about if I promise not to touch you again? Will that prove it?”

Her brown irises deepened to a rich chocolate—half flirt, half resignation. “What would be the point, then?”

JP didn’t know what to say. Since he’d met her, though she might not have been too thrilled with the chemistry that burned between them, she’d at least acknowledged it was a two-way street. Now she acted as if he intended to use her while giving her no choice in the matter.

And then it hit him. He closed his eyes with frustration, afraid Vega would see it as something else. When he had the anger under control, he cracked open his lids. “Whatever happened in your past, sex played a role, didn’t it?”

Her eyes turned black. She remained silent.

“What happened? Did he use sex against you somehow? Force y—” Pain ripped through his chest. “Because I’ll—”

“No.” The word barely sounded. “I slept with him voluntarily.”

Relief came close to smothering him. The thought of another man’s hands on her was bad enough, but hands that’d had no permission to be there was unthinkable. If that had been the case, he would have to personally hunt the man down and take care of the situation.

He removed the hat from her head and pulled her to his chest, wrapping his arms around her. “Then let me in,” he muttered. “Let me help. Did something happen here? Is that it? I’m sorry. Say the word, baby, and I’ll take you back home.”

Vega enjoyed being pressed to JP’s chest so much she almost forgot the man was waiting for her to speak. She felt cared for and protected in his arms. Something she couldn’t remember feeling since her dad had died. And she didn’t want to wonder if there was an ulterior motive, but she couldn’t help it. He’d made it clear more than once that all he wanted was to take her to bed. Heck, until she’d stepped out of the plane, that’s all she’d thought she wanted. A day of hot sex and wild passion, then back to her normal life. Her normal, boring, about-to-lose-her-job life.

But when she’d caught sight of the water, felt the salty air touch her skin, she’d been transported to the past and had suddenly been angry that JP was just like
him.
Not married—she was smart enough to make sure of such things these days. But he only wanted her for a good time. When would she be more than that to someone?

The last time she’d thought she was, she’d been gullible and apparently desperate for love. That’s all she’d ever come up with for falling for the lies. Gullible and desperate.

Until this week, she’d been certain she’d overcome both those flaws. Looking at the man, though, who’d stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her, she’d realized she liked him. Not just the insane attraction, but actually liked him. From what she could tell, he wasn’t a bad guy. His sister loved him. His mother couldn’t be more proud.

But as he’d held out his hand to her, what she’d seen instead of the good guy was a man willing to humor her just to get what he wanted. He was used to women falling at his feet, and when she hadn’t immediately followed suit, he’d rolled out all the tricks to get her there. Not that he’d ever done anything to make her think he wanted more than a good time. He’d never promised her more. Yet she’d found herself suddenly hurt over the fact that today was all he was offering. When would it be her time to have more?

With determination, she pushed her maudlin thoughts away and reminded herself that whether she wanted more or not wasn’t what was important. Today was what she had. And today she wanted to make love to this man.

She wasn’t about to waste time worrying over what couldn’t be. Like him, she’d take what she possibly could and not look back.

“There’s no need to go home,” she murmured, finally bringing herself to answer his question, and trying her best to put a happy lilt in her voice. She pushed off his chest, his arms still looped around her. “I’m sorry I flaked out on you there. I’m okay.”

She tried to turn away, but JP wouldn’t let her. “What’s going on, Vega? You can’t just ignore this and pretend everything’s okay. I’m right, aren’t I? Something happened here?”

“Not here,” she slipped her fingers through his when he released her to reach for her face. “It was a different island, but I haven’t been in the Caribbean since.”

“And how long has that been?”

She believed he was asking out of concern, she really did. But the last time she’d trusted someone with everything, he’d not only broken her heart, he’d dragged her image through the mud, paid off her friends, and ended her dreams. She wasn’t ready to give over that power again. She might never be.

Leaning forward, she pressed a quick kiss to JP’s mouth. “It was a long time ago. How about those clothes? Let’s go shopping.”

JP didn’t immediately start the car. “I only want to help, you know.”

“I know.” Her smile was bright. “It’s just that it’s not worth talking about.”

Something passed through his eyes for an instant that Vega would swear was hurt, but that didn’t make sense. Her not answering his question wouldn’t affect him one way or the other.

She smiled again and leaned on the console between them, breathing in his scent. “Let’s go shopping,” she whispered. “I need a bikini.”

A short while later, Vega’s eyes widened behind her dark lenses as JP opened the double doors of the terrace. She crossed the white tile and took in the brilliance of the early-morning sun sparkling over Maundays Bay. It was simply stunning.

He’d rented a suite at an exclusive resort and had convinced her that it made more sense to shop in the resort boutiques and then change their clothes in the room before heading out for the day. In fact, given the activities available on the grounds there, she wasn’t sure at this point if there was a need to go anywhere else. They had everything she could possibly want.

She dropped her purse on the chaise, then pulled off the hat and glasses and tossed them down with it. She stepped to the edge of the patio. The crystal-clear water was almost too perfect to be believed. It was as if the sand beneath was painted the most beautiful shade of aqua.

“Do you like it?” JP stepped to her side, his voice so smooth she almost felt as if she could melt into it.

“It’s…” She crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed a hand back and forth over her upper arm, nervous to voice how much she liked it. When she’d left the Caribbean for the last time eight years before, she’d honestly never thought she’d return. There was nothing quite like looking out over the tranquility of a white-sand beach and slow, lapping waves. The sailboat in the distance framed by the mountains of St. Maarten added the finishing touch. “I must say, I was prepared for the beauty I knew I’d find here, but this is sheer heaven.”

He handed her a champagne flute and she raised her eyebrows in question.

“Mimosa,” he answered.

Perfect
. She couldn’t believe she’d been worried about whether JP was or was not like Ted. She had a charming companion, a location to die for, and nothing but a day of luxury stretched before her. She would make the most of it, and would not expect more from it than it was. “Thank you for bringing me here.”

Eyes very similar in color to the waters fifty feet from them glistened back at her. “I’m glad you said yes.”

So was she.

“So.” He sipped his own drink, then motioned to the beach before them. “How about we get changed into our swimsuits? The first activity I have planned begins in less than twenty minutes, so we should get going.”

He’d held off on sharing what he had laid out for them to do today, and she found she liked that. It added to the adventure. She tilted her head back and finished her drink, then smiled up at him. “I’ll be ready in five.”

You watching the news this morning? You’re leading the way on all stations, little brother.

JP read the text from his sister as he waited for Vega to join him. It had been over five minutes, but he didn’t care. As long as she remained relaxed and happy, he could wait all day. He’d been a nervous wreck since she’d gone a little weird on him in the car earlier, but he hadn’t seen another sign of that side of her since. They’d shopped and laughed, and he’d caught more than one intentional flirt. He couldn’t be happier with the way the day was turning out.

His thumbs moved over the keys of his phone.

Out of town at the moment. Why have I made the news this time?

The auction. The stations are smitten by the young camera lady who didn’t quite win the prize. They’re as taken with her as you seemed to be.

Well, who could blame them?

He shared most things with his sister, but he wasn’t about to tell her the young camerawoman had won in her own way. Or more aptly, he had won. He also had no intention of telling Vega she was apparently the big story of the day. He suspected that would not go over well.

Cat sent another message before he could reply.

Where are you? And who are you with?

He shook his head. Not on her life.

None of your business. Let me know if the media gets out of control.

Cat replied that she would, then tacked on another comment to address his “None of your business.” Something a proper lady shouldn’t say. He laughed, then looked up as Vega stepped out of the bedroom and almost dropped his phone. The woman was a goddess in a white bikini.

“Wow,” he murmured. At least, he thought the word passed his lips. At this point, he couldn’t be sure. Tanned skin and perfect curves had definitely been hidden under her baggy cargos. He wasn’t sure he could stick to his plans and not ravish her at the first possible moment.

He swallowed. The bikini wasn’t as revealing as what most women he spent time with would wear, but even with its slight modesty, it couldn’t hide what she typically concealed. “You look amazing.”

A timid smile crossed her lips before she glanced down at herself. “Thank you.”

“No, seriously.” He shoved the phone in his pocket and crossed to her, then turned her around to face the mirror on the other side of the room. “Look at yourself.”

He stood behind her, his body bigger and stronger than hers, and watched her take in the two of them. They looked good together. They both had dark hair, his slightly darker than hers, and both had a nice, tanned color to their skin, but that was where the similarities ended. She was soft where he was hard, and she was thin and shapely in all the places he wanted to explore. He was broad behind her, and though only a few inches taller, seemed to take up twice the space she did.

His hand came up to skim along the edge of her hip where a purple wrap hid part of her from his view. The fringe from the swath of material tied at the other hip dipped down over a long, toned thigh, and he gritted his back teeth to keep from begging her to take it off.