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While the other part of her knew they had to try to get off that island at some point, at least back there they’d had shelter, fire, and food and water. Here in this little boat, they had none of those comforts.

As November slowly approached, the weather continued to get colder, and although they’d been blessed with sunshine all afternoon and evening instead of pouring rain and howling winds, there hadn't been enough warmth in the sun’s rays to fully dry her clothes.

They were damp, and after wearing them for days, and with all the hours she’d spent in the water and the sand, the material felt scratchy and irritated her skin.

Plus, she was freezing cold, her stomach grumbled with hunger, she would sell her soul for a glass of water, and the soles of her feet throbbed from the dozens of tiny cuts she’d gotten running through the woods.

After they’d rowed for a while, Jake had used a little seawater to clean away the blood and bits of dirt and sticks embedded in the wounds, and while so far none of them seemed to be infected, they both knew that could easily change.

Despite rowing for hours, all that surrounded them was the ocean.

Miles and miles of ocean.

All the way out to where the ocean met the sky.

Whatever boat the two men Jake had killed had come from, they hadn't spotted it, and if they’d come from another island or even the mainland, if it was nearby they were yet to find it.

The longer they drifted aimlessly in the wildness of the ocean, the more the optimism she’d had when they first left the island began to dwindle.

It was hard to stay positive when death felt like it was creeping ever closer.

“I can hear you thinking … and worrying.” Jake’s voice suddenly rumbled through the otherwise quiet night.

One thing she’d always loved about being out on the water was how quiet it was. It was like being in another world. Now, though, the silence broken only by the lapping of water against the sides of the motorboat just seemed to torture her, reminding her of how alone and vulnerable they were.

“Can't sleep,” she said, rolling over so she was facing Jake. The boat was long enough only for her to stretch out completely flat. Jake was much taller than her and had to keep his knees bent. He must be so uncomfortable, and after everything he’d done to keep her alive these last few days, he should be relaxing in a huge, comfortable bed, with his belly full, safe and sound.

Tears sprang to her eyes and Alannah fought not to let them fall.

She’d been the one to talk up the idea that they could do this, and she’d vowed to herself not to fall apart and give Jake another problem to worry about.

“Hey, what's wrong? What are these tears for?” One of the calloused pads of his fingers touched her cheek, catching a stray tear that wouldn't follow her orders and stay put.

“Guess everything is just catching up with me,” she whispered.

Tenderness shone in his eyes, visible even in the thin light of the moon and stars.

When he opened his arms, she didn't even hesitate to snuggle into his embrace. Slowly, warmth seeped back into her body. How Jake managed to be so cozy when he’d been on the boat as long as she had, Alannah had no idea, but she wasn't complaining.

She could lie against his big body forever, soaking up his warmth and strength.

Forever.

Was that really what she wanted with Jake?

Her feelings were changing, of that she was sure. What she felt for him now was different than what she’d felt before that first fire at her gym.

Or was it?

Had this attraction always been there and she just hadn't let herself see it?

Of course, she’s always seen how hot Jake looked, you’d have to be blind not to notice all those muscles, but it had never affected her before because he’d just been Jake, her best friend since she was four.

He’d always been more than a hot body as well, she’d seen through his grumpy exterior to the big heart he hid underneath.

He was loyal and protective, he would do anything for the people he loved.

Just because he didn't always show how he felt didn't mean that she didn't see it anyway.

Now she had to decide if she was willing to take the biggest step of her life.

Decide if she was willing to risk losing the best friend she would ever have by admitting that she no longer saw him as just that best friend who had always been there.

Whether they made it off this boat or not, Alannah knew she had to tell him.

If they were going to die alone at sea, she didn't want to take her last breath holding onto that secret.

And if they were rescued and got back home, she didn't want to spend the rest of her life wondering what could have been, if she’d let the best thing to ever happen to her slip through her fingers.

There was never going to be a perfect time to shake up her entire world and potentially turn it on its head in either the best or the worst way possible, so she may as well just do it.

“I know now isn’t the best timing, but—” her words died abruptly when a bright light suddenly cut through the darkness, and the unmistakable sound of an approaching boat had them both jerking up into sitting positions.

A boat was coming.

But was it help or death that approached?

“What do we do?” she asked, turning to Jake. As much as she wanted to support him, help him, and work as his teammate, he was the one with training and experience, she brought nothing to the table except a willingness to do anything he asked of her.

Clear indecision marred Jake’s handsome features as he stared at the light growing steadily closer.

As they both watched, they saw that it was a search light, roaming backward and forward across the water in a slow, even, methodical pattern that said whoever the people on that boat wanted to find they were invested in it.

Jake’s family or the people out to kill them?

There was no way of knowing without letting themselves get found.

If it was Jake’s family, then they were only minutes away from the clean, dry clothes, hot meal, and warm bed she’d been dreaming about. If it was the people who wanted to silence the Charleston Holloway family, it was suffering and certain death.

Two sides of the coin.

Good or evil.

Rescue or death.

Hope warred with fear inside her.

“We have to take the risk, sunshine,” Jake finally said, and she could tell by his tone he was already second-guessing the words the moment they were out of his mouth.

“If we don’t, we’re just going to remain lost out here.

We could find our way to help, but we just as easily could not.

We have no food and no water, no protection from the weather.

If we don’t take this chance, we might not get another. ”

“You don’t have to convince me, Jake. I trust you,” she assured him.

It was true, she did. Even if this wasn't help they had to give it a try.

Their choices were severely limited, and they were already living on borrowed time.

If this was help, they were saved, and if it wasn't then they were only speeding up the inevitable end anyway.

“I don’t know that I deserve your blind trust in me, sunshine.”

Managing a genuine smile, she pulled Jake in for a tight hug. “Too bad, grumpy, because you have it. I know this could be the people we’re running from, I'm not na?ve and I'm not stupid. I get that we’re risking our lives, but you're right, we’re out of choices.”

“So lucky to have you in my life, sunshine,” Jake whispered before crushing his mouth to hers in a fiery kiss.

Then side by side they stood and shouted and waved their arms to attract attention, unsure whether they would face family or a deadly foe.