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Was it pathetic of her to give him an out? Did it show her lack of confidence that she could be what a man like Cash wanted for more than a few teases and kisses? He’d said she was the most beautiful and exemplary woman in the entire world. She’d never felt or heard such a stunning compliment. His eyes had said he meant it. She didn’t sense deception in Cash, but she’d been given the gift of knowing he was hiding something painful. She was grateful for the insight and prayed for more faith, even knowing the path would be difficult.
Maybe she wasn’t being pathetic at all. She’d cling to that peace and her faith as she tried to find a path for them to develop a relationship. She wanted to be with him in a way that didn’t threaten him and whatever issue he was hiding from her. She was hacking that path through what appeared to beimpenetrable emotional pain. He did the same in real life with that machete, fighting his way through thick green growth to help her win the money.
Brylee wanted to be with Cash, grow closer to him, talk easily with him, and kiss him. Kiss him a lot. She couldn’t let herself think about the fact that he obviously wanted to keep her out of his heart.
In three days, if they didn’t find the money before then, they’d be living on opposite ends of the country, him almost as far north as he could be and her south. Could their worlds ever come together? Was he simply being practical and realized they couldn’t have a lasting relationship with different locations and different goals in life?
Forget practical. Love could conquer all.
Brylee pushed away all the worries—they couldn’t help right now—and tromped after Cash, happy to be with him in this tropical paradise searching for a million dollars. They found two more flags. No money, but finding the flags was good news. It at least eliminated those areas.
She should be focused on the money for her charity. But right now, she was hyper-focused on one enticing, retired Green Beret right in front of her. How could she not notice the vision that was Captain Cash Trapper? Larger than life, tougher than Zeus, more beautiful than Henry Cavill, more fun than Brian Regan. Things were incredible between them. She wanted to build on that. Maybe someday soon, he wouldn’t apologize after he kissed her.
Cash cut a trail from the spring they’d played and kissed in at lunchtime. It was a steady decline to the beach. Their daylight was almost gone. It was crazy how fast their days went.
They double-timed it back along the beach to the camp. Near the waterline, the sand was hard-packed and mostly covered with kelp and seaweed. Cash had her run there and he took thesofter sand, his shoes sinking with each step. She hadn’t been on a lot of tropical vacations, but they always showed the beaches as clean and pristine in pictures or ads.
Many of the immigrants she’d met from Mexico, Belize, and Dominican Republic had worked in all-inclusive resorts. They’d explained that a troop of workers started before the sun rose each morning to rake the beach perfectly clean and then a tractor churned up the sand to make it all soft and perfect.
She and Cash reached the stream that headed up to the camp and slowed to a walk. He took her hand and tugged her to a stop near the tree line, pulling her in close to his chest and sheltering her with his arms and body.
He’d initiated the contact. Brylee’s heart sped up.
She wanted to say something funny or use one of her accents on him, but she was catching her breath from their run and him pulling her close didn’t help the lack of oxygen or her ability to think straight.
Tonight. She could envision all the happy possibilities that were open to them. They could eat a delicious dinner, bathe in the waterfall pool, kiss in the waterfall pool, kiss outside the pool, snuggle in the camp chairs and kiss, snuggle in the tent and … they probably shouldn’t snuggle or kiss in the tent. Would he at least bring his mat, sleeping bag, and pillow back inside the tent and talk to her? They could solve any issue together. She knew they could. Them against the world.
Brylee blinked up at him.
Cash’s jaw was tight, and he wasn’t looking at her. He was gazing down the beach, out at the ocean, and then up the stream. His eyes took everything in, his body tight against her as if he would defend her from a troop of evil people.
Oh.
She was envisioning love and light when he’d pulled her close, but he’d wrapped her up to protect her from something, or someone.
“What’s wrong?” she whispered.
“There’s a large boat anchored offshore and a small raft down the beach.” He tilted his head down the beach. “And the lights are on in camp.”
A boat? She squinted, but in the dark evening light she couldn’t see … Wait a minute. She could see part of a decent-sized white boat.
The lights in camp. They had definitely shut them off last night, and they weren’t automatic like the cameras.
“Who would be here?” she whispered against his neck.
“Let’s get closer to camp,” he said quietly. “Maybe it’s just Shawn bringing us supplies and checking on us like he was supposed to. But why would he anchor his boat that far away, and why not just bring a helicopter?”
She had no answers and didn’t think he expected any. Releasing her, he put a finger to his lips and then slid his backpack off, pulled out a pistol, inserted a clip, checked something on the gun, and shoved it into the back of his waistband. Then he pulled out a couple of knives. He put one in his pocket and one inside his sock.
Watching him, Brylee felt like she was in the middle of an action movie. Her pulse quickened. It was more attraction to Cash than fear. She couldn’t see anyone to fear yet, but she could definitely see Cash. Even if the people in that boat meant them harm, she had no fear with Cash around. He was a one-man army. A Green Beret who was tried, tested, and true.
Brylee loved him. She realized in that moment that she loved, trusted, and wanted no man but Captain Cash Trapper.
If her telling him she liked him had him saying he wished she wouldn’t, what would he do if she admitted she loved him? Shecouldn’t tell him. Not now. Maybe not ever, if whatever he was hiding from her was as dark and terrifying as she feared.
He straightened, the muscles in his chest, shoulders, and arms bulging in a reassuring way. She’d touched that chest, those shoulders and arms. She got warm just thinking about it. And … this was not the moment to dwell on his physical perfection.
He gave her a confident smile. “I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about. Natural over-preparing. Too many years in the military.”
