Exposure - Kelly Moran Page 0,87

of insanity. Savor every inch of her skin and make that perfect red mouth part in gasp after gasp. Watch her eyes cloud with passion until she was blind to anything but the two of them.

Looking in her dark eyes, he carefully swallowed. "There's still time." He tried to grin, but failed. "And I've never felt better." Closing his eyes, he sucked in a breath. "Come on. There's a place I want to show you." And once they were anchored, he'd make good on that fantasy.

They wove around a few glaciers and into open water before he sliced a harsh right and reduced speed near the cove he'd found by accident years ago. A tiny inlet island, probably once a glacier like many of the land embankments, was no more than two miles in circumference. Near the northern tip was a cluster of rock formation that resembled a cave, but other than trees, there was nothing.

The shore was rocky and made docking difficult, so he pulled off to the east where there was more of an immediate drop off. Raven would be able to step right from the boat to land. He dropped anchor and tied the boat to a boulder just in case.

Then he studied her profile, wondering how open she would be to making love outside. The temperature had hit twenty but, on the water, the windchill felt like ten degrees. The boat cabin had thermo blankets and sleeping bags, plus the cave would block the wind and he could start a fire for warmth. His dick swelled as he imagined her underneath him, hair fanned around her head, while they created their own heat.

She glanced at him and did a double-take. "I know that look. What naughty things are you thinking about?"

His throat tightened as he took a step closer, pulled her into his arms and said the first thing that came to mind. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Her smile fell. She cupped his jaw, brushing her thumbs over his stubble. "You don't have to, and the feeling is mutual."

Maybe so, but she still hadn't reached the point of no return yet. Not like he had. He was pretty damn sure his heart would stop dead if anything happened to her.

He kissed her forehead and stepped away. "How adventurous are you feeling today?"

Her mouth opened and closed as her eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Unable to help it, he grinned. "I know you hate surprises, but this is a good one. I promise."

Before she could argue, he grabbed a sleeping bag, two blankets, and gestured for her to carry the small cooler. He slung his camera bag over his shoulder. "Ready?"

She eyed the items and shrugged. "Sure."

As they climbed off the boat, she took stock of the private property signs and raised her brows in question.

The wind whipped his hair over his brow as he contemplated his response. He'd bought the island four months after spotting it six years ago. It had taken a lot of legal maneuvering to even find out if it was buyable, followed by land surveys to investigate whether it was stable property or if it would eventually sink or drift away. Turned out plates, below the ocean surface connected it to the mainland. It had cost him a mint, but he never regretted it. As he watched Raven, he knew why.

"You own this island, don't you?" She stared at him like he had three heads.

"Yeah." Intuition said this might not go over as he'd intended. He shifted his weight to the other foot. Silence stretched. "Say something."

She didn't, not for the longest time. "You own an island."

Shit. She wasn't going to start freaking out about money again, was she? He'd give it all to charity if it--

She tilted her head back and laughed. Rich and throaty, the sound drifted over to him on the wind and warmed his gut. "You own an island." Throwing her hand up as if to say, of course you do, she laughed harder.

Shifting the sleeping bag in his arms, he frowned.

She sighed, sobering a fraction. "What did you name it?"

"What?"

"This place. What did you name it? I mean, you can't buy an island and not name it."

Well, hell. She was giddy, why not burst that bubble? "I call it Raven Crest. That's what the official tax documents say. It has it's own decree, being an island." He paused. "And it's in your name."

Her grin fell entirely. "Are you serious?"

He nodded slowly, awaiting her panic attack. "We could,