I had no response. Just awe. Awe and lust and amazement and...I could go on and bloody on.

Her gaze fell to my bag. “What did you guys get up to?” She glanced over her shoulder. “And why is Pippa soaking wet?”

“Uh, I have a good reason for that.” Unhooking the bag from my shoulder, I passed it to her. “It so happens your fire attempt couldn’t have come at the more perfect time.” My heart warmed as she took the weight of the heavy bag with surprise. “Otherwise, we would’ve been eating these raw, and I can’t imagine that would be nice.”

Her mouth fell open as she lifted the flap. “Oh, my God.” Without warning, tears burst from her eyes and she dropped the bag. Leaping toward me, her arms slung over my shoulders and her lips graced my stubbled cheek. “Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Shit.

My arms snapped around her. My balance teetered in her sudden embrace but nothing would make me let go of her. I buried my face in her hair, inhaling the faint scent of salt and sunshine and castaway. There was no hint of shampoo or perfumed products anymore.

I was glad about that.

This way, I got to smell the real Estelle, and she smelled goddamn gorgeous.

My arms banded tighter.

She gasped as my nuzzling turned to kissing. I knew I shouldn’t but she’d just thanked me as if I’d changed her life. She’d made me feel so damn good when she was the one who’d created a miracle. The fact that she didn’t resent me. That she accepted me, limp and all. That she didn’t try to pry into my unsavoury background. That she liked me for me even in our imperfect circumstances.

I could never repay her for that.

That kindness.

That generosity.

That faith.

I kissed her collarbone, breathing softly with restrained need. “You’re amazing.”

She shuddered as I licked her ear lobe. Salt exploded on my tongue, snarling my stomach for more, confusing itself on food it could eat and passion it could only torment with.

It took a lot of effort but I managed to let her go. My cock had thickened and I subtly placed my free hand in front of my board-shorts. “What do you say we cook these babies and eat?”

Her smile was pure bliss. “I say that’s the best plan I’ve ever heard.”

“I’ve got a better plan—after food, of course.”

Her eyes hooded. “Oh?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

“Because my plan isn’t exactly approved by you.” Mindful of being watched by Pippa and Conner, I murmured, “It includes finishing what we started. The last time we kissed, I didn’t want to stop, and you had no intention of letting me continue.”

Her breath picked up. “You want to kiss me?”

My stomach clenched. “More than anything.”

“More than clams for dinner and fresh water from your invention?”

“More than lobster tails dripping in butter.”

She moaned dramatically. “Well, I don’t know. That’s a hard choice. I do really love lobster.”

I growled, playing along. Knowing we could finally have a decent feed put all of us in a happier mood. “What if I promised you’d like me better than lobster?”

“That’s a big boast to make.”

“I never break my promises.”

“Is that a challenge?”

I leaned closer, our noses almost touching. “Do you want it to be?”

“A challenge of letting you kiss me?”

I shook my head. “No, a challenge of making you fall in love with me.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

...............................................

E S T E L L E

......

A door closes, a window opens.

A window closes, a car arrives.

A car stops, a plane flies.

A plane lands, a helicopter soars.

A helicopter crashes, life ends.

Life ends, a new world begins.

A new world ends, a person evolves.

A person evolves and finds

fear

terror

hunger

questions

desperation

struggle and strife and sadness

true happiness.

Taken from the notepad of E.E.

...

MY SKIN BURNED.

Not from too much sun or getting too close to the fire.

But from him.

I burned.

Everywhere.

Galloway’s lips still tormented my flesh, even though minutes had passed since he’d kissed my neck, my collarbone...my ear.

I was starving.

For both food and him.

I was confused.

For both help and privacy.

I was hurting.

For both rescue and desire.

Two extremes.

Both as strong as the other.

“No, a challenge of making you fall in love with me.”

Galloway’s voice repeated over and over, spindling my heart until it became a blur.

Who felt like this? Who willingly let sex fill their mind when they’d been helicopter-wrecked with no way of being free?

Me, apparently.

I’d become someone I didn’t like. Someone who let her needs control her rather than common sense.

My stomach growled, taking centre stage with rumbling cymbals.

At least, I had another need. One more acceptable in our current condition.

Hunger.

I couldn’t stop looking at the messenger bag full of delicious clams. My body demanded I fall to my knees, crack open a shell, and slurp out the raw meat that very second.