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She’d left no room for argument when she’d walked out, and Will Rowling wouldn’t put up with that. Too bad. She was done talking. It was time to move on.
Too bad her body was still humming a happy tune and tingling in all the areas he’d touched, tasted.
Figuring he’d grab her when he caught up to her, Catalina turned, ready to face down whatever he threw her way. Will took a few more steps, stopping just in front of her. He was clutching his wadded up shirt at his side. Catalina couldn’t help but stare at his bare chest and the mesmerizing tattoo as he pulled in deep breaths.
“You think we’re done?” he asked as he stared her down. “Like we’re just heading back to the yacht, setting off to Alma and that’s it? You think this topic is actually closed? That I would accept this?”
Shrugging, Catalina forced herself to meet his angry gaze. “You brought me here to seduce me. Wasn’t that the whole plan for getting me alone? Well, mission accomplished. The storm has passed and it’ll start getting dark in a couple hours. Why wait to head back?”
“Maybe because I want to spend more time with you,” he shouted. “Maybe because I want more here than something cheap and easy.”
As the misty rain continued to hit her face, Catalina wanted to let that sliver of hope into her heart, but she couldn’t allow it...not just yet. “And what do you want, Will? An encore performance? Maybe in your bed on the yacht so you can have a more pampered experience?”
His lips thinned, the muscle in his jaw tightened. “What made you so harsh, Cat? You weren’t like this before.”
Before when she’d been naïve, before when she’d actually thought he may love her and choose her over his career. And before she discovered a secret that he still knew nothing about.
Beyond all of that, she was angry with herself for allowing her emotions to get so caught up in this moment. She should’ve known better. She’d never been someone to sleep around, but she thought for sure she could let herself go with Will and then walk away. She’d been wrong and now because of her roller coaster of emotions, she was taking her anger out on him.
Shaking her head, Catalina turned. Before she could take a step, she tripped over a piece of driftwood she hadn’t seen earlier. Landing hard in the sand, she hated how the instant humiliation took over.
Before she could become too mortified, a spearing pain shot through her ankle. She gasped just as Will crouched down by her side.
“Where are you hurt?” he asked, his eyes raking over her body.
“My ankle,” she muttered, sitting up so she could look at her injury.
“Anywhere else?” Will asked.
Catalina shook her head as she tried to wiggle her ankle back and forth. Bad idea. She was positive it wasn’t broken—she’d broken her arm as a little girl and that pain had been much worse—but she was also sure she wouldn’t be able to apply any pressure on it and walk. The piercing pain shot up her leg and had her wincing. She hoped she didn’t burst into tears and look even more pathetic.
So much for her storming off in her dramatic fit of anger.
Will laid his shirt on her stomach.
“What—?”
Before she could finish her question, he’d scooped her up in his arms and set off across the sand. Catalina hated how she instantly melted against his warm, bare chest. Hated how the image of them in her mind seemed way more romantic than what it was, with Will’s muscles straining as he carried her in his arms—yeah, they no doubt looked like something straight out of a movie.
“You can’t carry me all the way to the yacht,” she argued. “This sand is hard enough to walk in without my added weight.”
“Your weight is perfect.” He threw her a glance, silently leaving her no room for argument. “Relax and we’ll see what we’re dealing with once I can get you on the bed in the cabin.”
Those words sent a shiver of arousal through her that she seriously did not want. Hadn’t she learned from the last set of shivers? Hadn’t she told herself that after they slept together she’d cut ties? She had no other choice, not if she wanted to maintain any dignity and sanity on her way out of his life for good.
As they neared the dock, Will was breathing hard, but he didn’t say a word as he trudged forward. Her ankle throbbed, which should have helped shift her focus, but being wrapped in Will’s strong arms pretty much overrode any other emotion.
Catalina had a sinking feeling that in all her pep talks to herself, she’d overlooked the silent power Will had over her. She may have wanted to have this sexcapade with him and then move on, but she’d seriously underestimated how involved her heart would become.
