Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 24119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 121(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 121(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
He starts another fire and cooks up our meal while I gather some flowers and fresh water for the makeshift table. It’s only a flat rock but Ethan says that he’ll make a proper one with a panel from the plane. Something tells me that plane is going to be completely ripped apart by the end of the week.
When we sit down to eat the freshly grilled fish, raw vegetables, and boiled crayfish, my stomach is filled with excited butterflies. This kind of feels like a date.
I tuck my wild hair behind my ears as I look at him shyly. He smiles back and it makes me blush.
Unfortunately, he’s put his shirt back on and I’m already plotting out ways that I can make it disappear forever.
“What about you?” he asks after I make a big fuss about the delicious food.
“What about me?”
“You said you were alone on the cruise ship,” he says with a tight expression on his face. “But what about at home? Is there a guy waiting for you?”
I look up from my arugula salad and have to fight back the smile that’s trying to burst out of my mouth. He looks jealous. Actually jealous.
His arms and shoulders are all tight and he’s fidgeting with his right hand as he waits for my answer. His eyes are locked on me with such an intense look that it gives me shivers. This man is a territorial alpha and he’s starting to see that his territory is me. He’s looking at me with a sizzling possessiveness in his gaze that’s wrapping around me like a warm blanket and pulling me in.
“No, Ethan,” I say as I stare back at him. “I’m not attached in any way.”
The look of relief on his face is both sudden and palpable. The tightness releases from his muscles and he no longer looks like he’s about to swim across the ocean, find my non-existent boyfriend, and strangle him to death.
It’s so obvious how he’s feeling that it makes me giggle.
“Are you laughing at me?” he asks with a grin. There’s a lightness in his eyes as he watches me.
“Just having fun,” I say with a flirty smile. “It’s nice to have company.”
Our dinner lasts hours because we get lost in conversation and have an amazing time. He tells me all about his time in the Air Force and how he started his business making telescopes. I’m on the edge of my seat whenever he speaks. It’s like I can’t get enough of him and don’t want to miss out on a single word.
He asks me a million questions and I end up telling him practically my whole life story—about growing up in Indiana, my family, my dog that I miss terribly, starting my own business, and how terrifying it was.
We’re so completely engrossed with each other that we barely notice the stars coming out. The nights on this island are truly spectacular. You can see every star in the universe and the sky goes on forever.
Normally, I can’t fully enjoy it because the darkness always freaks me out, so I’m a little on edge, but it’s easier tonight with that roaring fire and with a strong protective man keeping his eyes out for me.
I stand on a large rock and stare up at the sky, knowing that Ethan is watching me. I can feel his heated eyes roaming over my body and the feeling is just pure happiness inside.
“So, if you make telescopes,” I say as I turn to him. “Does that mean you know the names of all of these stars?”
He’s sitting beside the fire on the scavenged airplane seats and the orange glow of the flames is lighting his face up in the most spectacular way. I didn’t think he could get more gorgeous, but here we are. His brown eyes look like they’re glowing. He’s the sexiest man I’ve ever met and that’s not just because I haven’t seen any others for a while. I’d be saying the same thing back home. He’s a true stunner.
“I know most of them,” he says as he gets up. My heart starts galloping faster as he walks over. “Want me to teach you?”
“How about you teach me two a night?” I say as I smile up at him. “Hopefully I won’t learn the entire sky before we can get out of here.”
“Lesson one,” he says in that smooth silky voice as he stands behind me. He reaches over my shoulder and points up at the sky.
I have to fight back a moan as I lean back into him and feel his chest on my back. His extended arm is right beside my face and I have an intense urge to lick that sexy bicep, but thankfully, I’m able to wrestle the urge into submission.
“That bright one,” he says as he points into space. “Follow my finger.”