“Preston,” she said.
He extended his hand and she shook his briefly. His eyes went to her scars and lingered. Her stomach dropped in horror. It was the exact reaction she’d dreaded since seeing the scars herself. It reminded her of the long recovery, the horrifically painful process of peeling off the skin layers to reveal new skin underneath and hoping each time it wouldn’t be as ugly, but it always seemed to be more puckered and repulsive to her.
Would Abe react the same? She didn’t think so and she was sick of hiding. She tilted her chin imperiously and straightened her shoulders. Preston finally dragged his eyes from her left side, though it seemed to take enormous effort for him to refocus on her face.
He cleared his throat, shifted his feet, and murmured, “How are you enjoying your stay?”
“It’s amazing. This island is the most incredible vacation I’ve ever been on.” The second best was a camping trip with all of her siblings through Glacier National Park a year before Eve had rushed into marriage with a snake and Paisley had been born. They’d roughed it, but loved every minute being together in the beauty of nature.
“That’s saying something.” He smiled more fully. “I’m sure the Jewel family has been on some incredible vacations. Doesn’t your brother Joshua own resorts all over the world?”
“Yeah.” She nodded. “Don’t tell him that Luke beat him on this one.”
He chuckled, finally not gawking at her scars. “I won’t, but I’m glad to hear it. Anything I can do to make your stay more pleasant?”
“No. Thank you for asking. It’s been just about perfect.” She wondered what he knew about her and Abe. The two men were friends. She realized as she stared at Preston that she’d been negligent in not only scoping out his personal and work life more diligently, she’d never Googled Abe Bradford to see what skeletons might be in his past. She smiled to herself, doubting there would be any. Abe was good through and through. She didn’t think she would Google him as the only thing she’d probably find was his path to success and women clinging to him. She had no desire to see him with another woman. In her mind, Abe was custom made to be all hers.
She focused back on Preston, wishing she knew how to bring up the woman she’d overheard him with the first night she’d been here. His “angel love”. She’d semi-forgotten about the interaction and seeing him again piqued her curiosity, especially wondering who the pair were trying to steal money from. She’d texted the info to Luke, but he hadn’t had any idea who the two might be scamming.
“I’ve got to run but hope to see more of you.” He smiled. “I told Abe, and I’m assuming you’re on your way to his bungalow …” He let that linger in the warm air.
She nodded, no reason to hide it, but she didn’t like the innuendo behind his words.
“There’s a tropical storm blowing in. No reason to worry, but maybe just stay hunkered down tonight.” He gave her a knowing smile as if she’d hunker down with Abe all night. She wanted to explain that she’d kiss Abe aplenty, but she’d spend the night in her own bed.
Instead, she simply waved a hand and murmured “thank you” before walking away. As she turned onto the path to Abe’s bungalow she felt eyes burning a hole through her back. Glancing around, she saw only a shadow flitting away. A chill ran through her. Was that Preston or someone else? She’d felt completely safe on this gorgeous island. If it had been Preston, why had he stayed and watched her walk away when he’d claimed to be in a hurry?
She ignored those worries and knocked on Abe’s door.
Abe swung the door wide, his grin even wider. His eyes swept over her face and dress but then he did a double take at what she was revealing. His gaze slowed down and traveled carefully over every inch of her face and neck. He focused in on her eyes and the tenderness and appreciation she saw written there made her legs turn to mush. If there could be a complete opposite reaction to Preston’s, this was it.
“Rachel,” he breathed. He swallowed and then murmured, “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?”
Rachel’s legs got even weaker. “Thank you,” she managed through a throat filled with emotion.
Abe gently wrapped his hands around her hips and tugged her into the open main area of his bungalow. He toed the door shut, fully focused on her. Rachel’s heart thumped faster and she was having a hard time catching a full breath.
Abe took his time, as if he had all night to appreciate her. He slid his hands around to her back and gently stroked them up her back and across her shoulders. His touch was feather light as he ran his fingers across her neck and then cupped her cheeks with his palms, touching her scars and not seeming repulsed at all. In fact he appeared to be savoring the feel of her.
Rachel didn’t want to cry right now. She wanted to simply enjoy his touch, but emotion was welling in her throat and stinging at her eyes.
“So beautiful,” he murmured, placing a soft kiss on her lips.
Rachel cleared her throat and had to know. “I appreciate you accepting the scars but you can’t mean that they’re … beautiful.”
“I do, Rach,” he said earnestly, staring at her with determination and tenderness in his gaze. “The scars aren’t the smooth, perfect skin of the rest of your face, but they give you character, strength, and they make you even more appealing and beautiful to me. You’re gorgeous, perfect, tantalizing, attractive, appealing—”
Rachel kissed him then. She kissed him long and hard and she was transported to the light and beauty that she’d longed for this past eight months.
She pulled back and smiled at him and immediately Abe started saying, “Charming, sexy, striking, irresistible, enticing—”
Rachel laughed and interrupted him by kissing him again. Abe smiled against her lips but then the kisses picked up in intensity. He ran his hands down her neck, along her shoulders, and then down her sides. She shivered as delicious goosebumps erupted everywhere he touched. He wrapped those large hands around her waist and picked her up off the ground, pushing her up against the wall and kissing her passionately. Rachel was glad he was holding her because she couldn’t have supported her own weight at this point. She was head over heels for him and only wanted more of this, more time with him, more of Abe.
When neither of them could catch a breath he set her on the ground and stroked his fingers over her skin.
“It smells good,” she said, teasing him. The dinner was apparently ready and waiting. “Were we planning on eating sometime tonight?”
He chuckled but then grew serious. “Being with you, seeing all of you. Ah, Rach. I can’t think of food, I can’t think of anything but you. I just want to look at you, kiss you, hold you.”
Rachel smiled, loving his sweet words. She leaned closer and challenged him, “Go for it.”
He grinned and started with the kissing. She knew eventually they’d have to stop and eat and sometime tonight she’d have to go back to her own bungalow. As a strong breeze swept through the open windows and doors, she thought she’d wait until the storm got really awful. Nothing was going to pull her away from this man. Nothing.