Page 83 of Rio

His eyes widen.His lips part.“I’ll see what I can do next time.”

I smile then, because I feel ridiculously happy.Then I do something even more risqué.I lie down beside him, snuggling up against him, tucking myself into his chest, as he wraps his arm around me.

We lie our breaths slowly calming down, naked and hot, on the uncomfortable floor, listening to the storm wreaking havoc outside.

Chapter 25

RIO

I open my eyes, and everything looks unfamiliar.Then I remember.

The lamp’s gone out.The hut is quiet, and dim, with enough light coming through the rickety old window.I feel my arms around someone, warm and soft.When I turn to look, Raquel is staring up at me.

“I was waiting for you to wake up.”She looks unsure, even though we’re lying tangled up in each other and neither of us moves apart.

“You should have woken me.”

“You were sleeping like a baby, I didn’t want to disturb you.”

This is sweet.I was worried things would be awkward in the morning, that Raquel would turn back into the feisty lawyer, but she’s not like that.She’s sweet, and a little vulnerable, and she still likes me.I like this version of her.

“Sleep well?”I ask, because I sure did.Too well, given where we are.

“On and off.The floor’s hard.I couldn’t get used to it.”She presses a kiss into my chest, and when she presses another one, I settle back, smiling lazily, like a contented lion.I could get used to this.“Don’t stop.”

She makes a dreamy sound.“I’ve been drawing little invisible circles all over your chest.”

I like that even more.I bask in how wonderful and natural this feels, me and Raquel, lying like this, after a night of intimacy, is even better.

Who is this creature?

“I know someone who has a nice big, soft, comfortable bed, and AC, and Wi-Fi, and the most incredible shower,” I murmur softly.

“The most incredible shower?”she cries, quickly moving to a sitting position.“I could do with a good shower.”

I sit up and place my hand on her bare back.Her skin is warm to touch, soft, like satin.I lean in and rain kisses along her shoulders and neck.

She squirms and giggles.“Ticklish.”

My hand stays on her back, sliding down along her spine, to her base.I quiver at the thought that’s she still naked.That I’m with her.That maybe we can carry on from where we left off.

“This doesn’t change what I’m doing,” she says, pulling on her bra.My insides freeze.The old Raquel is back—interrogator, judge, lawyer, attorney.

“I don’t expect it to.”She’s got clear boundaries, and last night she blurred them.I try to find the words to win her back.To make her think with her heart instead of her brain.

“The storm’s gone,” she states, sliding her tank over her head and pulling it down.“Alma will be worried.I couldn’t text her to let her know I was okay.”

I reach for my phone, but my battery is also now dead.“Even if I’d had the presence of mind to give it to you last night, I didn’t have a signal.”

She stands up, and rolls on her panties, then her shorts.Casual, yet cold.It feels like a dream, how intimate we were only a few hours ago.

“She’ll be worried,” she says.“I need to let her know I’m okay.”

I don’t like how quickly she’s reverting to the other Raquel.

“She might even have sent out a rescue party,” I add, wondering how to get the conversation back around to us.Not work.Not the eco resort.Not business.I’m not ready to leave yet, and I want for us to talk.To say something, about what happened last night and what happens next.I try to get my cue from Raquel but she’s sliding her sneakers back on.

It’s suddenly become awkward.