Page 21

Chapter6

We heardthe falls long before we saw them.I expected it to sound like deep thunder or maybe the drums in a band, but it wasn’t like that at all.From the distance the sound had a high pitch and the closer we got the more it overtook everything until it felt more like the falls were vibrating the air than creating actualsound.

Maybe they were.Sound did that, didn’t it?That’s how we got sonic booms and stuff.Sound that was so powerful it actually changed everythingaroundit?

Well, that’s what this was like.It was as if Colt and I stepped through some sort of force field and slipped into an alternate reality where we were the only two people in theworld.

“It’s all ours,” he murmured against my ear, wrapping his arm around my waist.His loose t-shirt hung damp around his muscles.The tendrils of his hair flattened against his brow beneath hiscowboyhat.

“Guess that’s the benefit of a private island.”Limited numbers of guestsandall...

I craned to try and see the top of the falls but the sunlight blotted it out.A wall of water tumbled down into the pool in front of us.Smooth rocks jutted here and there separating the green tropical jungle from theoasis.

“I was right.Worth every penny.”He dropped his pack and stripped off his shirt so he was wearing only his trunks.“Are you up for trying something,Annie?”

How could any woman say no to a smile like that?Pure mischief lit up his eyes.“I don’t know.Can Itrustyou?”

He took me in his arms, pressing his firm body flush against mine, his voice dropping into a growl.“You trusted me last night.Trust meagain.”

A shiver of want raced down my spine.Wantto be with him, sure, but also aneedto let everything go and drown in the possibility of itall.“Okay.”

His hands dropped to my hips and began gathering my sundress.Inch by inch the fabric slid along my skin until I felt the air cooled by the falls.I lifted my arms, giving him permission to strip me down to mybikini.

Strip my clothes, my thoughts, my fears.Takethemall.

It was almost as if he could hear the words running through my mind because his eyes darkened with worry.Then he dipped down to my throat and began to nuzzle, dropping soft kisses until he reached my lips.“No tomorrow, Annie.Just today.”He kissed me again.“You and me.Here.Now.”

I held him, memorized every curve and dip of his back as we kissed reality away.Then he took my hand and led me to the ledge that ran up to the falls.From the distance it didn’t look that high.Boy was I wrong.Perspective was a tricky bitch.Up close the ledge was at least thirty feet from the water.And with the falls crashing beside us, it was a terrifying placetobe.

Alsothrilling.

At least that was what the blood thumping through my veins seemed to bescreaming.

“Have you ever done this before?”he yelled above thenoise.

I shook my head.“No!Have you?”Dear god, I hoped so.Someone should have a clue.What if this was dangerous?What if the falls took us under and drowned us?We were alone.No one would rescue us and they’d find our bloated, dead bodies daysfromnow.

“We’re not going to die,” he laughed.“I recognize that shade of green.”He ran a finger along my cheek.“There are a lot of cliffs where I’m from.I’ve been jumping my whole life.I promise I’vegotyou.”

For some reason that sent a thrill through me.I’ve got you.I didn’t think most people understood how precious a sentiment like that could be.They probably had lots of people who had their backs.Maybe to them it was just anexpression.

But not to me.I’ve got youwas a precious commodity, even if he didn’t really mean it the way my silly heart took offwithit.

“Just tell me whattodo.”

His eyes lit up and my heart beat even faster.I liked the mischief, but even more, I liked this.The excitement.Yeah, that’s what it was.Excitementthat I’d agreed to match hischallenge.

All right, Mr.Cowboy.I see howyouplay.

“Make sure you have a steady foothold,” he instructed while demonstrating, “then leap.Feet first, toes pointed.You can cross your arms like this if you want to.”He crossed his arms over his chest, fingers on his shoulders.“Then swim to the surface.I’ll be right beside you thewholetime.”

And he would.It was probably a sad comment on the people in my life, but usually when people said that what they really meant wasI’ll be here doing the same thing but I won’t be thinking about the fact I just asked you to do something you’ve never done before, and I’ll leave you behind to fend foryourself.

But then again, that was how I learned to be so fucking good at everything I decided to do.So maybe I should focus on thanking everyone for helping mold me into the womanIwas.

Yeah, I was going to gowiththat.

“Let’s do this before Ichickenout.”