“No, that’s just gorgeous, darlin’.”
“Well, I think you’re smart.” She went up on her toes, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. “But you need retraining, too.”
“C’mon… I’m not as smart as Cooper and Dane.”
“That’s crap. You may not have read as much, but you can fix that over time. Just don’t say you’re not smart. In fact, I happen to know you can be a manipulative bastard.”
“Really? You think so?” A smile broke out on his ridiculously handsome face.
“Absolutely.” She ran a hand across his chiseled cheek. It was so much easier to touch them now.
“Fine. I’ll try not to talk about it again.” He leaned over and kissed her swiftly before they started back through the foliage.
And then Alea saw the reason he’d made her trek through the jungle. Before her was a gorgeous pool of clear water. Cooper stood on a rock fifteen feet above the water, not wearing a single stitch of clothing. He put his hands over his head, every gorgeous muscle in his body on display. He was a thing of beauty. His c**k hung out, long and thick even relaxed, his testicles heavy.
From where she stood, Alea watched as he executed a perfect dive and disappeared beneath the blue surface with a splash.
“You’ll love it, darlin’. The water’s fresh and so warm.” Landon toed out of his sneakers and scrambled up toward the rock from which Cooper had dived. “Come on. Let’s have some fun.”
She watched as he shoved off his boxers and dived in.
As Lan surfaced, she looked around in awe. This was paradise. Beams of golden sunlight shone down on the crystal water. Black volcanic rock formed the edges of the pool, but the water looked inviting and deep. A soft bed of grass surrounded the lagoon, and flowers made a colorful landscape just beyond. This little nugget of paradise was utterly perfect.
Cooper surfaced, his big hand slicking back his dark hair. He let out a long, joyful howl. Alea laughed. Despite everything they had been through, Cooper had kept a smile on his face. It made frowning in his presence damn hard.
In fact, everything was different here. She was different. Relaxed and positive. Happy. And she was ready to shed fear and embrace change.
Her hands went to the back of her bra. Was she really about to bare herself, cast caution aside and see where the moment led? Yes. Her fingers shook, but she managed to unhook the clasp.
Lan sprang up from the water next to Coop. They were waiting for her patiently. But her patience was at an end. She wanted them. But more, she was coming to need them. They’d taught her to be this Alea she’d discovered on the island. This woman cooked, cleaned, and did laundry. She had purpose. This Alea had shed her past here and now refused to let the past rule her life anymore. This Alea knew what she wanted.
Her men.
This island was her haven. Being here with Lan, Dane, and Coop had opened her soul. With a deep breath, she pulled her bra off.
A big smile broke across Landon’s face. “You coming in, darlin’?”
“Join us, Lea!” Cooper shouted.
She let her bra drop, and as quickly as she could, she shoved her panties down her hips, then off her legs. God, she was naked. She was completely naked. Alea shivered but not in fear.
“Hey now, gorgeous.” Cooper made his way to the side of the pool with a leer and pulled himself up to reveal his chest. “You’re a damn beautiful sight.”
Landon edged toward her, too, with a hot stare. “Holy shit.” Then he frowned. “Sorry. I lose my head when I see something that beautiful.”
They genuinely thought she was beautiful? They’d spent days telling her so. They’d shown her with their hands and their kisses. They seemed determined to make her believe she was gorgeous. It wasn’t easy after her captors had told her repeatedly how ugly she was and how little she was worth. But those pigs had been criminals, horrible human beings. Dane, Cooper, and Landon were heroes. Why should she listen to ass**les more than true men?
That rationale made logical sense, but sometimes emotions—fears—weren’t logical at all. She was realizing that it was going to take time and patience to break through those barriers.
She forced her hands to her sides and walked to the edge of the pool. Without clothes—even the little bit she’d been wearing—made her feel so naked. She was more aware of the air on her skin, the cool grass at her feet, the perfume of the flowers, of just how alive she could be.
All she had to do to let herself truly be a part of everything was take one simple step.
Alea closed her eyes and turned her face up to the sun, letting it warm her skin. Then she stepped off into the void.
Water enveloped her, surrounding her utterly in warmth. She opened her eyes, shocked that she could see everything in the crystal water. Life surrounded her. Fish swam all over the pond, both alone and in small schools. A turtle with its eyes open observed the humans as it swam by. Alea watched, drinking in the sight of nature teeming. That was what she wanted—to be wide awake and alive. Unafraid.
With a smile, she broke the surface, and tropical air caressed her skin. She smoothed her hair back and sank into the moment. She’d been missing this, a deep awareness of every moment. Life would always be filled with hope and sorrow, thrill and pain, fear and bliss. And love. It was impossible to truly understand love without knowing those other emotions, without enduring loss. Everything seemed so clear now.