Page 23 of Taking the Heat

‘Then stop talking!’

‘Okay, okay, take it from when you sat down. You’re all alone …’

‘I’m all alone,’ I muttered.

‘No, you’re not,’ said a shadow, moving across the sand towards me.

Chapter 9

‘Chris …’ My throat swelled and the words caught inside me, sounding thick. He looked smoking hot as usual, in his midnight blue shirt. Unbuttoned, it framed his sculpted chest and stomach, which called to me like a siren song. His strong brow was lowered and intense and I waited for him to speak next.

For a moment, the only sound between us was theshhhof the waves. Then he said, ‘Why are you out here?’

‘Just building mood with the cameraman, you know how it is.’

‘Are you okay?’

His gentle question broke me. ‘I saw Babette between your thighs,’ I said, hotly.

‘I saw Henry leaving your room. And you were wearing a towel.’

‘Robe.’

‘Still.’

‘So, what? Are you playing up with Babette as revenge?’

‘Of course not.’ He dropped to his knees in the soft grains, face stricken. ‘I just meant, I was talking to Babette, for the same reason you were speaking to Henry. We’re on an island full of interesting people from around the world—it would be weird if we all didn’t talk to each other.’

‘Oh,’ I said, feeling petty and jealous.

‘What did Henry want, anyway?’ Chris asked carefully, just a hint of envy in his voice.

Smiling, I guessed that Chris wasn’t quite as relaxed about my socialising as he was trying to be. ‘He came to speak to me.’

‘About?’

‘You, actually.’

He tilted his head in confusion. ‘Really?’

‘He thinks you’re too intense when it comes to me.’

‘What do you think?’

His pale eyes, shining in the dim moonlight, were too much for me. I pushed out of the swing and turned away from him. ‘I don’t know.’

‘That’s not an answer,’ he said, from close behind me.

‘I don’t know! I literallydon’t know, okay? You are too intense … but that’s how I feel about you, too. And I don’t know what that means!’

I covered my face with my hands, unable to meet his gaze. Emotion raged, while I fought to stay rational.

‘Tara … look at me.’

‘No.’

‘Tara … please.’

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