She glanced up ahead, and the big doors that looked like they belonged in some fantasy movie set had come open and a large man stepped out. He was dressed in khakis and a lightweight shirt that didn’t quite hide the gun on his belt. “Butler?”
“I guess he’s more of a manager. Eddie isn’t here year-round, so Mateo runs the place. It’s a big house, and the grounds need tending as well,” David explained. “I know the manager who was here when Ricardo was alive recently retired. Ricardo called him a butler, so I still do, too.”
“He’s got a gun.”
David stopped and shrugged. “It’s the jungle. There’s a population of predators out here. I suspect there are many guns.”
Yeah, but she would think a rifle would work far better than a handgun, though she would allow it wasn’t practical to carry around a rifle.
Another man stepped out, this one shorter than the big “butler.” He was in shorts and a T-shirt, sneakers on his feet. He wore a Yankees hat and waved. “Hey, Professor!”
David raised his hand in greeting. “Luis, hello!”
She had a decision to make, and though she’d had a long bus ride to make it, she’d spent all her time watching David. Actually, she’d made the decision. She’d decided to play it safe and be open and honest about why she was there. It was the best way to protect herself.
He’d surprised her when she’d laid out her plan. She’d expected him to jump on her and maybe do her on the boat before they even made it to the island. Then she would be able to think and he would be just one more guy she’d had decent sex with.
Instead he’d challenged her. Like they were playing a game and he wanted to win.
And maybe she was the prize he thought he would get at the end. He was willing to be patient, to compromise, but only so far.
He was dangerous, and putting walls between them at night would be a good idea.
“The butler guy wasn’t on Kyle’s list,” she pointed out.
David stopped at the beginning of the circular drive that led up to the house. “We’re on the island. We’re safe here. I didn’t think I had to give him a staff list. I think Eddie might be offended if I try to vet his employees.”
She thought about telling him they were leaving, like turning right around and marching back to the bus stop. “I wanted to vet everyone you come in contact with, Professor.”
“That would be hard to do.” He was frowning at her. “Tessa, Eddie’s a smart man. He lives in this world. He’s fine.”
Luis was a friendly-looking man in his mid-twenties. He was smiling widely as he jogged down the steps. “Hey, it’s so good to see you, but wow, man, where did you pick up the lady?”
David started walking toward his grad student, a hand held out. “She’s…”
It was instinct, she told herself. Something felt off. Something about the big guy still standing by the door was wrong. He didn’t look like the kind of guy who was into land management. There was something about the way his jaw was tight, as though he was waiting for trouble.
Why would he expect trouble from a college professor?
“I’m his girlfriend.” She slipped her arm around David’s waist and cuddled up to him. “Sorry about the surprise. I’m afraid I got a last-minute chance to sneak away, and I took it.”
They were alone on an island, and she had no idea who was working here and where they came from because David had convinced Kyle this was paradise.
Had the man not read the Bible because even in paradise there were snakes waiting to pounce.
She felt David go still, but then his arm wound around her shoulders and she couldn’t help but notice how perfectly they fit together. “We’re a new couple, so we’re really into each other. My brother thinks it’s gross. We are very affectionate.”
She gave him an inch, and it was obvious he’d decided to take a mile. And steal kisses.
Luis’s brows had risen in obvious shock. “I didn’t know you were dating anyone. The last time we talked, you were hung up on that woman you met at your stepdad’s restaurant.”
Score one for her. David’s skin had flushed. At least she wasn’t the only one feeling the heat. “That would be me. Tessa Santiago. I finally got some time and called him back. I think he was worried I would run again, but here I am. Don’t worry. I know he needs to work. You’ll barely know I’m around.”
The big guy on the verandah had visibly relaxed. He’d been caught off guard by her appearance, but now that she was nothing more than some chick David had brought along, he chilled out.
She didn’t like that either.
“Well, that’s a surprise.” Luis shook his head. “I thought you had ghosted him.”
She had, and it made her feel guilty since he was a genuinely nice guy. Still, she had a part to play and a cover to put together really freaking fast. David hadn’t known who she was until the night before. He’d had a name and what she’d told him. Which was very little about her work. It had been a breath of fresh air that night to not talk obsessively about open cases and what was happening in the security world. Now it gave her some cover because he couldn’t tell Luis what he didn’t know. “I was working. I work at Malone Oil, and I was on a business trip. Some of our sites are pretty remote, so I didn’t have a signal for a couple of weeks. I felt bad when I got back and realized he’d actually called me. Lucky for me, I now have some time off, and I get to spend it with him.”
“I thought we were working.” Luis looked to David. “We only have a week here. And I only brought two tents. They’re not big.”
“We’ll make do.” She had no idea how she was going to convince David to share one with Luis now that she’d introduced herself as his girlfriend.
She wasn’t. She was going to let herself fall into this trap. Now that she thought about it, she worried that maybe that was precisely why she’d done it.
David was looking down at her, his lips curled up in the sexiest smile. “I suspect we will.”
Oh, she was in trouble, but she also suspected he might be in trouble too, and it was her job to make sure nothing happened to Sean Taggart’s stepson. Ian’s nephew. She needed to remember that at all times. Especially when she was in the same room with this man tonight and there was only one bed.
Had she really told him they should throw down? She’d been awfully bold in that moment. Or maybe she’d simply underestimated him.
What had he done with Betsey Ross’s sewing needles? She’d been thinking about that a whole lot, thinking about what the buttoned-up professor did when class was over.
David looked back to his research assistant. “She’s good at entertaining herself. Don’t worry about Tessa. We’ll get everything we need. Where’s Eddie?”
Luis seemed to force himself to focus. “He’s taking a nap. He hasn’t been feeling well the last couple of days. Nothing serious. He’s had some kind of bug, but he’s been better today. He promised to join us for dinner. I can show you around and get you settled in. Mateo prepared two rooms since we were expecting you to bring your brother, Dr. Hawthorne.”
“I dumped Kyle when Tessa said yes. We only need one. Like I said, we’re very affectionate.” David had the sexiest, evilest grin on his face as he dipped his head down and kissed her.