Make Me Crazy: An Older Man Younger Woman Steamy Stranded Romance Page 3

  “Yeah.”

  “Do you think they went ahead with the wedding without me?”

  “No. I’m sure they got straight to work trying to find you.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right.” There is nothing convincing about the way she says that and it makes my heart hurt for her.

  Soon, she drops off to sleep and I close my eyes. I can still smell her from when I was carrying her, and there’s never been a scent that pleased me as much as hers. I’m in deep trouble here, because after only a day, I’m feeling all kinds of things that I shouldn’t be, and who the hell knows how many days we’ll be alone together…

  Chapter 5

  Paige

  When I wake, the sun is high in the sky and the air is stifling hot. I yawn and stretch before I realize I must have kicked my covers off sometime in the night. I yank them up around me, feeling totally exposed. I turn toward Mac, but he’s gone. Standing up, I look out the window, expecting to see him nearby, but he’s not there. I dress quickly, throwing on my bra, my flip flops and yesterday’s pants, then climb down to find Mac. I walk up and down the beach, calling his name, but there’s no sign of him anywhere.

  After a few minutes, I start to worry. Where would he have gone? What if he walked to the other side of the island and found a resort or something and decided to leave me behind? I call out his name a few more times, feeling panic rising in my throat. Without him, I have nothing to eat. It suddenly occurs to me that I’m depending on him for everything, which is not something I ever do.

  I don’t rely on anyone, let alone some stranger, no matter how hot he is. I jog back to the helicopter and grab my phone, realizing that I didn’t even try to get reception yesterday. It’s almost dead, and there’s no signal, but I hold it up and walk along the beach, searching for higher ground. If I can get a signal, I’ll call 911 and they can trace my location.

  “Come on, come on…”

  I climb the biggest rock I can find and hold my phone up, but get nothing. Not even one bar of signal strength. I’m stuck here. I’m completely alone and I’m stranded. Not one person other than Mac knows where I am. This is bad. Very, very bad.

  “Okay, calm down, Paige. Mac told you he wasn’t going to leave you, and you have to trust him. He must have a good reason for being gone. Maybe he found help and he’ll be right back on a boat or something to get me and take me to Lover’s Cay.”

  Am I seriously talking to myself already? It’s going to take me about another ten minutes before I draw a face on a coconut and name him.

  I find a spot in the shade and sit down while I wait. He’ll be here soon.

  It’s not long before I see Mac coming over a bluff in the distance. He’s carrying a bag in one hand. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”

  I jump up and hurry toward him. “Did you find a store?”

  “Not exactly, but I did find us some food.” When we reach each other, I want to throw my arms around his neck and kiss him. I’ve never been so happy to see anyone in my life. Not just because I’m scared to be alone out here, but because it felt so good when he held my hand and when he carried me in his arms last night.

  He pulls a couple bottles of juice out of the bag.

  “Where’d you find those?”

  “I walked the perimeter of the island. There’s a fishing cottage on the other side.”

  My heart pounds in my chest. “Was somebody there?”

  “No, but it looks like someone’s been there recently. I think we should gather our things and go stay there until whoever it is that owns it comes back.”

  I jump up and down a couple of times. “We’re going to get rescued!”

  “Yup. It’s just a matter of time.”

  ***

  Ten minutes later, we’ve written a note in case someone finds the helicopter, and we’re loaded with what we need. Mac has his fishing gear and a small bag of clothes and energy bars. I have my big makeup case, even though he made fun of me for wanting to bring it. Well, not so much made fun of me as said, “You don’t need any of that. Not with the way you look.”

  My entire body gets warm when I think about it as we hike along the shore. I’m already really hot actually because the sun is beating down and my hand is totally sweaty as I hold onto the handle of my case. I know it’s silly to bring it and it makes me seem high maintenance, but, hey, I am kind of high maintenance. And somehow, having my Bobbie Brown with me lets me feel more connected to civilization.

  We turn the corner and find ourselves in the shade.

  “That’s better,” Mac says, turning back to me. “You doing okay there, twinkle toes?”

  “Twinkle toes?”

  He glances at my toenails, which are bright pink with gold sparkles.

  “Oh, I get it.”

  Mac grins, causing dimples to pop on either side of his mouth. His very kissable mouth. I blush at the thought of kissing him and hope he can’t read my mind.

  “I can slow down if I’m going too fast for you.”

  “I’m good.” I’m not, but I can’t very well admit that I can’t keep up even though he’s carrying a case of water bottles and a very heavy-looking backpack, while I pretty much just have my makeup. I huff and puff along behind him, my feet sinking into the sand as we make our way around the island.

  When we finally reach the cottage, my mouth falls open. It’s nothing much to look at, but to me it’s paradise. It’s a small white house with a red clay roof and a wrap-around porch. A hammock sways between two palms and a couple of lounge chairs wait in the shade for us.

  “What do you think?” He asks.

  “I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life.” Except you, maybe.

  “How’d you get in in the first place?”

  “The door was unlocked. I imagine whoever owns the place doesn’t worry about thieves.”

  “Huh. Imagine that. I’m always worried about someone breaking into my apartment,” I say, following him into the house.

  “Really?” Mac sets his bag down on the floor, then puts the water on the small kitchen table.

  “I live in Brooklyn, and not the nice part either.”

  “Sounds awful.”

  “It’s not awful. It’s just not that safe. It has its perks.”

  “Like what?”

  “I’m right in all the action. Right in the center of the universe.”

  “So New Yorkers think.” Mac opens the fridge and puts the bottles of water inside. The fridge is empty other than some condiments in the door, a couple of six-packs of beer, and a few bottles of white wine.

  “Agree to disagree,” I answer, feeling irritation rise in my throat. No matter how drop-dead sexy this guy is, I seriously need to get off this island and back where all the normal people are. “You didn’t happen to find a phone or one of those old timey radios or anything here, did you?”

  “Sick of me already?” He asks, looking amused.

  He must be some type of mind reader. “No, just thinking about my family.”

  Mac stops smiling and his face fills with concern, melting me just when I want to be annoyed with him.

  “Right, of course you want to get to your family,” he says. “I’m afraid there’s no phone or H.A.M. radio. I have a feeling whoever owns this place comes here to completely escape.”

  I walk around examining the kitchen, opening cupboard doors to see what we have to work with. “Bingo. Found a box of pancake mix.” I take it out and hold it up. “Just add water.”

  “Nice,” Mac walks over and takes the box from me. “If you want, I’ll cook, you go shower. I turned on the hot water tank before I came back to get you, so the water should be ready by now.”

  The thought of a shower and some soap sounds like pure heaven to me. I put on a teasing grin. “You just can’t stand the smell of me.”

  “Not at all, you smell like daisies. I just thought you’d want one right away.”

  “Liar. I reek.”

  Mac chuckles. “I
’d still do you.”

  My eyes pop out of my head and I watch as he looks a bit panicked. It’s the first time I’ve seen him anything other than cool as a cucumber.

  “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

  I laugh, then turn away from him and start toward the hall. “Don’t worry about it. A girl could use a little ego boost every now and then.”

  “I’m sure you get compliments all the time.”

  I turn back to Mac. “Not really.”

  He shakes his head. “Well, that’s a crime. You should be complimented wherever you go.”

  Chapter 6

  Mac

  I should not have said that. I need to stop hitting on Paige, no matter how much I want her. I hear the water turn on in the bathroom and my cock twitches at the thought of her naked on the other side of the wall. Trying to ignore the thoughts running through my brain, I mix up the pancakes and heat up the pan.

  My mind should be on figuring out a way off this island, but at the moment, all I care about is eating some food and then maybe eating her. I can imagine the taste of her, she’d be sweet, I just know it. Like honey that I want to lap up with my tongue. Dammit, Mac, stop that! She’s too young and she’s not meant for you. You don’t need some high maintenance city girl with a ten-year plan. You need a nice laid back woman who’ll want to hang out once in a while without expecting anything.

  I hunt around and find some coffee and make a pot while I cook up a double batch of pancakes. Just as I’m setting the table, she comes out, combing out her long hair, dressed in a plaid button-up shirt. Fuck me, that’s a hot look on her. She looks a little shy as she makes her way to the table and sits down.

  “I hope whoever owns this place won’t mind that we’re eating his food and I’m borrowing his clothes.”

  “I’m sure he’ll understand. Besides, we can pay him back.” I sit down across from her and dish up, then hand her the syrup that I found in the fridge.

  “We should keep a tally so we’ll know exactly how much we owe him.”

  I shrug, digging into my pancakes like a starving man, which I sort of am at the moment. “Or, we could just give him a hundred bucks and call it even.”

  She has a bite and grins while she chews. After she swallows, she says, “You and I are complete opposites.”

  “I noticed.”

  “Am I making you as crazy as you’re making me?” she asks.

  “Am I driving you crazy?” I smile because there’s a thin line between love and hate. And in my experience, some of the best sex comes from the latter of the two.

  “Pretty much. When I first saw you, I figured you for a real diva. So far, you haven’t disappointed me yet.” I take another bite.

  “A real diva?”

  “Yeah, you know. Fussy. High maintenance. The type of woman to clutch her enormous makeup case and carry it for miles even when she’s shipwrecked on a deserted island.”

  “Okay, I get the picture, thanks. You can stop now.” She gives me a sassy look. “Well, when I met you, I thought you were a real arrogant prick.”

  “I am one.”

  “No, you’re not. That’s what you want people to think, but you’re not.” The way she’s staring at me is so intense, it’s like she can see inside my mind.

  The crazy thing is that I like it. For reasons I can’t explain, I want her to see who I am. I stare back, not at all sure what to even say. She’s right about me. I like to keep people at a distance. I’ve been like that ever since I got back from Afghanistan. I keep to myself and try not to get close to anyone because getting close to anyone ends in disaster. But, when I look into those blue eyes of hers, I can suddenly imagine letting someone in again.

  We eat the rest of the food in silence, but something has shifted. There’s a tension between us now—an attraction that I know is going both ways.

  When we’re done eating, she gets up and starts gathering the plates. “You cooked, I’ll do dishes.”

  “Thanks. I think I’ll go hit the shower.” I get up and fight the urge to clear the table with one sweep of my arm and then lay her down on it so I can have my way with her.

  As soon as I get into the shower, my cock goes rock hard, begging for release. Being around her for the past twenty-four hours has been torture. I grip my dick and tug hard over and over, thinking about her this morning sleeping with only my t-shirt on, those long, sexy legs of hers splayed open after she kicked off her covers. I wanted so badly to lift that shirt and suck on her breasts that I had to go for a long walk and relieve myself of that urge before I did something stupid. And now, here I am again, only a few hours later, trying to stay quiet while I come, her gorgeous face flashing through my brain.

  When it’s over, I wash up and throw on my shorts, then go in search of Paige. I find her laying on the hammock outside, one foot on the ground as she rocks herself from side to side. She looks so calm which is a sharp contrast to how she was yesterday.

  She turns her head and her eyes pop open and land directly on my abs. The look on her face gives me a bit of hope that maybe if we’re here a while, I’ll get what I want. But only if she wants to give it to me.

  “You look relaxed,” I say.

  “I realized there’s no point in fighting it, is there? We’re just going to have to wait until someone finds us, so we might as well enjoy ourselves.”

  “Agreed. We’re stuck here in paradise, so we might as well enjoy it.” I hold out a beer to her and she takes it with a smile.

  Feeling like a fool to stand here staring at her, I make my way over to the lounge chairs and stretch out, watching the tide come in and roll out as I sip my cold beer. Paradise. A cold beer, an ocean view, and a beautiful girl to enjoy it with. At this exact moment, I don’t care if we ever get rescued. After a minute, her shadow crosses over me as she makes her way to the lounger next to mine.

  She lays down and turns to me with a grin. “I say we play a game.”

  “What kind of game?”

  “It’s called massage. I lay here and you rub my feet til I fall asleep.”

  “Did that beer go to your head already, lightweight?”

  “Maybe a little. I think it’s the heat.”

  “I’d say it’s the beer.”

  “That too.” She giggles. “I don’t drink much, to be honest. It’s too expensive.”

  “Right, I almost forgot, you have to pay for that apartment in your crappy neighborhood.”

  She rolls her eyes at me. “It’s not going to work, Mac. You’re not going to bait me like a fish on your hook.”

  I grin at the analogy. “Are you sure? I bet I can.”

  “Bet you can’t. I grew up with two older brothers and one older sister. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s how to not get sucked into a fight.”

  “Is that a challenge?”

  “Call it what you want, you’re going to lose.”

  “Oh, I think I can get you.”

  “No, you can’t.”

  “What are you going to give me if I win?”

  “What do you want?” she asks coyly.

  “That’s a loaded question.” I cannot wipe the grin off my face and I know she knows what I want.

  “I think I know what the answer is.”

  “Doubt it. I have a pretty big…imagination.”

  Paige bursts out laughing at my stupid joke, and it’s a sound I think I’d like to hear every day for the next forty years or so.

  When she stops laughing, she has a sip of her beer, then gives me a curious look. “How big? Like are we talking anaconda big?”

  Now, it’s my turn to laugh. When I get myself under control, I give her a mock-sexy look. “It’s hard to describe really, it’s kind of something you have to see to believe.”

  “Sounds intimidating.” She licks her lips and it’s all I can do not to grab her and pull her onto my lap.

  “Why intimidating? I thought most women liked big.”

  “Well, I don’t exactly have a lot
of experience.”

  “How is that possible? Certainly not from lack of opportunity.”

  “I had a boyfriend back in college, but it didn’t last. He got what he wanted, then moved on.”

  “Oh, so a real stand-up guy, then.” My tone is pure sarcasm to hide the fact that I would like to punch the shit out of whoever the hell he is.

  “Yeah, totally. Turns out his frat was competing for most ‘beaver pelts’, so it was more of a quantity thing.”

  I shake my head. “I’m sorry, Paige. Men can be such assholes.”

  She shrugs. “I should have thanked him. It was a good life lesson for me. I never got fooled again and I never will.”

  “Smart girl. Wait for the right guy next time.” I sigh, knowing I’m not the right man.

  “How will I know when I find him?” she asks.

  “He’ll put you first. Always,” I say, glancing down at her lips. “No matter what.”

  Suddenly overcome with frustration, I down the rest of my beer and get up. Raking a hand through my hair, I say, “I need to cool off. I’m going for a swim.”

  I walk down to the water and straight in. When I’m up to my knees, I dive under the surface and feel the ocean surround me, hiding me from my feelings.

  Chapter 7

  Paige

  I watch as Mac swims, his powerful body cutting through the strong tide like it’s nothing. My head is swimming almost as fast as he is, thinking of all kinds of naughty things I want to do with him. I want to wrap my legs around him and feel him sink his anaconda into me, and grind my hips over his lap, and…and…oh, my. I haven’t felt like this with a guy for so long, I can’t even remember who he was. It was all I could do not to jump him when he came out of the bathroom in only his shorts. His chest and abs and back are like a work of art, complete with just the right amount of tattoos. His tanned, taut skin looks like it is barely about to contain all those muscles that I want to lick.

  No, Paige. We’re totally wrong for each other, but I can’t help wanting him. And I think he might want me, too. The way he looks at me, it’s like he’s devouring me with his eyes. I think about his words, about finding a man who will put me first. Isn’t that what he’s done since I met him? I know it was only yesterday, but I think of all the ways he’s taken care of me before himself. First, he came back and agreed to fly me to the wedding, even though the storm was coming. Then, he fed me and made a bed for me so I could rest, when he could have easily been angry about the accident. Then he made breakfast so I could shower first. Huh. Maybe he isn’t so wrong for me, after all…