Chapter 22
CHAPTER 22
I zzy walked into the hotel room and flopped down on the bed. "I'm so exhausted, I can hardly move." She caught a whiff of herself and frowned. Saltwater, adrenaline, sweat, fear, and dirt clung to her like an unwelcome second skin. "But first, I need to take a shower."
"I'll go after you," Viper said, his voice tense.
He hadn't looked her in the eye since she'd booked the two rooms. The awkwardness was palpable, more so than the fatigue weighing her down. Up until now, they'd always had adjoining rooms. He'd been next door, a shout away if she needed him.
God, how she'd taunted him, calling him to help her choose an outfit. It seemed ridiculous now, in light of all that had happened.
Still, she didn't regret her decision. She was keeping him close to her until this fiasco with the mine was over.
"I'm sorry about what's happened," she said suddenly.
He frowned. "It's not your fault."
"Well, it sort of is. It's my inheritance that's causing all this trouble. That's why they're coming after me. You didn't ask for any of this. You and Phoenix nearly got killed because of me."
"Actually, I did ask for it." He took a step closer, his presence overwhelming. "That's my job. It's what I'm trained to do."
She digested that. "Okay," she admitted with a thin smile. "I suppose it is."
They stared at each other for a long moment. Despite her exhaustion, her pulse raced like the inflatable boat they'd left on the beach.
"Thank you," she blurted out. "For saving me. Twice."
He gave an embarrassed nod. "Like I said, Miss Beaumont, I was only doing my job. This is exactly why you hired me."
She couldn't work him out. The gentle giant was gone, replaced by a controlled, polite demeanor that irked her so much she'd made a fool of herself trying to budge it.
"Why do you do that?" she asked.
"What?" His blue-green eyes flickered. In the hotel light, they looked like the water in the swimming pool.
"Act so distant."
He looked confused. "I'm being professional."
She sighed. "I think we're past that, don't you?"
He didn't respond, just gazed at her, deep and blue.
She put a hand on his chest. His heart beat slow and steady, not racing like hers. "Please call me Izzy." He had done so in the jungle, when it had meant something.
A flicker of a smile. Another tiny nod. He reached into his pocket. "This belongs to you."
She gasped. "My necklace! How did you?—?"
"I picked it up off the deck of the yacht," he said. "The night you were taken."
"Thank you." She took the pendant and stared at it. "I can't believe you found it."
"You're welcome." He turned away.
Still in a daze, Izzy took herself off to the bathroom. When she got back, Viper was standing topless in the middle of the room, his shirt discarded on the floor. She gazed at his sculpted, godlike torso, unable to peel her eyes away.
"It was covered in blood," he said, by way of explanation.
She nodded and walked past him to the bed. She wore a fluffy robe she'd found hanging behind the bathroom door. It felt blissful after her damp, dirty clothes. "I don't have anything to wear." She gestured to the robe.
"We'll sort something out tomorrow." He strode toward the bathroom, hardly looking at her.
She sighed. This took awkward to a new level.
But what was she supposed to do? She was terrified of being alone. He'd made her feel so safe on the boat, holding her in his muscular arms, warming her with his powerful body. She wanted to feel that again.
Pulling back the covers, she climbed into bed. Her whole life she'd been on her own. Her mother had passed away when she was in her teens, and after that, her workaholic father had put her in boarding school. She'd seen him on holidays, but he'd always been in some exotic corner of the world, and soon she'd opted to stay with friends rather than travel to Mexico to see him. It had been her against the world.
Then Viper had appeared, and while she didn’t want a bodyguard, she had to admit, it felt good knowing he was always there, looking out for her. She'd never had that before.
Then, that moment on the boat. For the first time in her life, she'd felt well and truly protected. Safe. Like nothing could touch her. It was addictive.
Viper emerged from the bathroom in the second robe, part of his tattoo visible where the material met over his chest, a puff of steam billowing out behind him. With his hair slicked back, his rugged, tanned face and piercing aquamarine eyes that looked everywhere but at her, he was Neptune incarnate.
"I'll sleep on the floor," he said gruffly.
"Don't be silly. This bed is big enough for the both of us. It's only for a few hours, then we're going to go home, right?" He hesitated. She could tell he was on the point of refusing.
"Please, I feel bad letting you sleep on the floor after all you've done for me. I wouldn't have gotten us one room if I'd known you were going to do that."
He gave in and sat down on the bed, his back to her.
She smiled.
"You should call Robert," he muttered. "He'll be worried."
"Shoot, I forgot. You're right. They'll be frantic."
Viper didn't reply.
She picked up the hotel phone and dialed a number from memory.
Nothing between them. Yeah, right.
"Robert, it's me."
"Izzy, thank God. I've been so worried. We all have. Are you okay? Where the hell are you? Tell me, I'll send someone to get you."
"I'm fine, Robert. Don't worry. Please tell Emily I'm okay."
"But where are you?"
"I—I'm not sure. Mexico, I think."
"Jesus Christ, what are you doing there?"
"The fishing trawler brought me here. But Viper and Phoenix rescued me."
"Viper? The bodyguard?" She heard the incredulousness in his voice, along with more than a touch of irritation.
"Yes. I just wanted to let you know I'm safe. I'll call you in the morning."
"Wait! Izzy, where are you now?"
"I'm tired, Rob. I have to go, but I'll call you back in a couple of hours. Don't forget to tell Emily I'm okay." And she cut him off.
"You didn't tell him where you were?" Viper held her hostage with his eyes, probing.
She shook her head. "No way, I didn't want him sending a SWAT team after me. Robert always goes a bit overboard when it comes to me." She smiled softly. "I'm safe here with you and Phoenix. We'll have plenty of time to answer questions once we're back home."
He didn't immediately respond, just looked at her thoughtfully. She was too tired to try to decipher his thoughts.
"Let's get some sleep," she said.
He lay down next to her. Heat radiated off him, along with a clean, masculine scent that stirred her senses.
He switched off the light, plunging the room into darkness. The heavy drapes blocked out the encroaching dawn.
"Viper?" she whispered.
"Yes." He didn't move.
"Will you hold me?"
Silence.
"Please," she pleaded. "Hold me like you did on the boat."
Without waiting for him to reply, she shuffled over and rested her head on his chest. His robe had fallen open and a smattering of chest hair tickled her cheek.
He felt so good.
She wrapped her arm over his stomach, rock-solid beneath the robe, and snuggled up to him. After a long moment, he adjusted his arm and wrapped it around her.
She sighed. This was perfect. Just what she needed.
Within seconds, she'd fallen asleep.