Tempt (Take It Off #3)(9)
Author: Cambria Hebert

When it became apparent that there was nothing out there and darkness threatened to consume all the light of day that remained, we turned back, heading for the plane. My stomach rumbled as we walked and I struggled to remember the last time I ate. I glanced at Nash, who had fallen quiet. His jeans were rolled up above his knees, one falling slightly lower than the other. He walked in the water as it rushed up over his feet and ankles. A breeze blew off the ocean, pulling at his T-shirt, plastering it against his torso, which was clearly well defined.

He must’ve felt my stare because he looked up.

“When we get back to the plane, I will try to radio for help. Maybe we’ll get lucky and have a signal.”

I nodded. “Maybe we can find one of our phones.”

“I think staying near the plane is our best bet right now. If someone comes looking, they might spot the wreckage.”

“And the plane is good shelter,” I added. Even if the tail end was missing, it still provided a barrier from the elements and the sun. Not to mention we really had no idea what kind of predators lived on the island.

“Do you think we’re close to Puerto Rico?” I asked him.

“I couldn’t say. The plane was blown farther out into the sea… If I had to guess, I would say we’re closer to Bermuda.”

“We crashed in the Bermuda Triangle?”

He nodded, his expression grim.

I wasn’t sure what this could mean. Sure, I’d heard all the tales and rumors about the triangle and how planes and boats often went missing. Were we just another victim of the esteemed black hole of the ocean? Were we going to fade into something of a mystery? Would we fall victim to a myth?

I pushed those thoughts away, telling myself it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered right now was that we were alive.

The plane came into view in the distance, an all too vivid reminder of what we just endured. Both of us trudged on, me wishing I had some kind of pain medicine to dull the throbbing in my head and Nash saying nothing at all.

It was completely dark when we made our way inside the wreckage. I was exhausted and felt like crying. We both plopped down in two wayward chairs. Nash was nothing but a blur of color in the darkness.

“Let’s just rest tonight. We’ll figure out what we’re going to do in the morning.”

“Good idea.”

He stood and pried open the overhead compartments above the row of seats. He pulled something down, shaking it out and then draping the blanket over me. Then he handed me a pillow.

“What about you?”

“I’ll get one for me too.”

I snuggled down into the seat with my blanket and pillow, telling myself things could be far, far worse. And then I closed my eyes. My thoughts drifted to Nash and the way I felt earlier when his lips were upon mine.

*    *    *

Sleep was rather easy to obtain… but it was hard to keep. I kept hearing the crunch of metal, the sound of the tail being ripped away. And then I would somehow break free of the pile of debris burying me and stand, wind whipping around me evilly, trying to pull me from the plane. And then I would see him. See Nash. He would reach for me and I would hold out my hand…

And then the wind would claim him, would suck him right into the darkened sky outside.

His scream rang through my head.

I jerked awake.

“Ava?” His voice reached me through the dark.

“Nash.” Just the sound of his voice washed away the worst of the dream.

I heard some movement and then he appeared above me. “Did you have a nightmare?”

I nodded and realized that he likely couldn’t see the movement. “Yeah. I’m okay now.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

“The plane was crashing all over again. But this time… you didn’t make it.” I couldn’t help the way my voice caught at the last part.

He made a soft sound and reached for me, picking me up and sitting down with me in his lap. My skin felt cold against his and I sighed at his warmth enveloping me.

“Where the hell is your blanket?” he asked, feeling around the ground around us. He found it and dragged it up, tucking it around us both.

“I must have kicked it off when I was sleeping.”

He grunted. “Those shorts of yours aren’t going to keep you warm.”

“What’s wrong with my shorts?”

“Not a thing,” he said, his voice a little thicker than before. “They just don’t offer much warmth.”

They were short. And I was cold.

“Like your jeans are any warmer.” I snorted, reaching down and fingering one of the many holes. My fingertip slid in and brushed against the skin of his leg. Heat fizzled along my nerve endings, zapping up my fingers through my arm and toward my chest. I jerked back, a little frightened about the sudden surge of desire.

He chuckled.

I felt my muscles stiffen slightly, a little shocked at my response from an accidental touch.

He seemed to sense the change that came over me, and his hand slid upward and rubbed slow circles over my back, coaxing my body into relaxing once more. It worked. My eyes closed and I submitted to the feel of his palm massaging me.

I snuggled a little closer, not even realizing what I was doing until his arms tightened around me. I might have been embarrassed about my body’s automatic reaction to get closer if he hadn’t felt so damn good. I’d never been held like this before. Sure, I’d seen women and men on TV embracing and oh-so-close, but I didn’t really think it would feel this way. This secure.

Maybe it was that sense of security that caused the one secret fear that had been gnawing at me since we crashed to pass through my lips.

“Do you think anyone will come for us?” I whispered. The words were captured by the darkness around us, creeping in the empty space, almost taunting us.

He was silent a moment and then he replied. “Yes. I really do. We’re going to be just fine.” His lips grazed the top of my forehead as he spoke. Hot chills raced over my skin.

I desperately wanted to believe him. Still, there was a taunting voice inside me that whispered we would never get off this island.

I spent the rest of the night in that place between sleep and consciousness. Usually that state annoyed me because it wasn’t actually restful, but this time I wasn’t annoyed. I was so comfortable it was like I didn’t quite want to surrender to sleep, because then I wouldn’t be aware of his breathing, of the steady rhythm of his heart. I wouldn’t feel the way his skin brushed against mine when he moved.