Lena’s. Not even as he fumbled behind him for the knob and slipped out into the comforting darkness.
A KNOCK ON THE DOOR HAD LENA bolting up in the bed. Her hair hung limply into her bleary eyes. She pushed the mop away, clearing her vision, and then regretted it when the bright morning sunshine speared straight into her brain. Squinting, she mumbled a curse and stumbled for the entrance to the bungalow.
To anyone else it probably appeared as if she’d been on a five-day bender. The reality was that she’d gotten barely a few hours’ sleep, and those had come in random snatches between crazy nightmares and erotic dreams—both featuring Colt.
She had no idea where he was, but he definitely hadn’t shared the bed with her last night. If he was the one on the other side of the door it was entirely possible she might kill him.
Somewhere during the night she’d gone from relief that he’d had the forethought to stop what they’d started, to anger that he’d walked out without a word, to worry that he’d do something stupid such as hike into the jungle in the middle of the night and fall off a cliff.
The pounding increased, joined by the cheerful sound of Georgie’s drawl. “Wake up, sleepyheads. We’ve been waiting on y’all for a half hour.”
Lena’s right eye began to twitch, but she opened the door anyway.
Georgie leveled a knowing, conspiratorial look in her direction as she brushed past into their bungalow. “Someone had a fun night.”
Lena self-consciously patted her hair, trying in vain to smooth out the knots.
“Honey, you look like you’ve been rode hard and put up wet. At least tell me the ride was worth it.” Georgie took in their bungalow. “Well, this is…interesting. A little different layout than ours.” The frown on her face said she wasn’t impressed.
“Marcy moved everything around. We had a photo session last night.” Lena couldn’t stop the hot flush that burned her skin at the memories. A stinging heat settled between her thighs and she shifted from one foot to the other, trying to find relief.
“Where’s Colt?” Georgie asked, her puzzled eyes looking around the space as if he might pop out from beneath the kitchen sink.
Lena opened her mouth to tell a lie—although she wasn’t sure which one—but the dark rumble of Colt’s voice stopped her.
“Right here,” he said, leaning against the open doorway out to the patio and private pool. Had he been out there the whole time?
Arms crossed over his chest, he lounged there, looking for all the world like a relaxed—sated—groom. His wide chest was naked, a tempting V of hair running in an arrow down his body to disappear beneath the low-riding band of his jeans.
Lena swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry and useless. Colt’s eyes flashed for a moment as they ran over her body, rekindling what he hadn’t been willing to finish last night.
Lena’s hands crumpled into fists at her side, although she wasn’t sure who she wanted to use them on more—Colt or her unruly libido.
Georgie reached out to pat her arm, grinning slyly. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. Looks like someone has enough stamina for both of you.”
Colt’s lips twitched. Lena’s eyes narrowed in warning. Clearing his throat, he said, “Why don’t you give us time to get ready, Georgie? We’re obviously running a little late.”
“Twenty minutes,” she said, swinging a perfectly manicured nail to point at both of them. “Or we’re leaving without you.”
“Promise?” Lena muttered beneath her breath. It was Colt’s turn to flash her a warning glance, ushering Georgie out with promises that they’d be there.
Not waiting for him to return, Lena went into the bathroom and rummaged through her toiletry bag until she found some aspirin. Thanks to her restless night, her brain felt as if it was trying to push straight through the top of her skull. Not bothering with water, she swallowed the tablets dry and then regretted it when Colt asked, “Everything all right,” and the chalky lump stopped somewhere in the middle of her throat.
Pushing past him, she made a beeline for the fridge and the Diet Coke Marcy had stocked there. Popping the top, she swallowed several gulps.
“Slow down,” he said, propping his hip against the counter, pulling the edge of his worn jeans down far enough that she could see the jutting tip of his hip. She gulped some more, tearing her eyes away from his body.
“Caffeine. I have a headache.”
Colt frowned. “Maybe we shouldn’t go.”
A few minutes earlier, Lena would