No. If Ari wanted to play games, he’d just have to prove that he was always the winner. Instead of sending a response, he picked up his other phone and made a call.
His plans for the evening had just changed.
Chapter Sixteen
Lia
The rain wasn’t just coming down; it felt as if the heavens had opened up and God was unleashing his fury on the small island. Lia could see only a couple of feet in front of her as she staggered through the bushes and trees, fear starting to escalate.
What if she was completely lost? What if she broke through the bushes just as a tidal wave was surging from the ocean and it carried her back out to sea, where she’d never be found again?
Her temper was going to end up causing her untimely death. There was a point when stubbornness was just plain stupid, and she’d crossed that line, and then redrawn all new boundaries.
Staggering along, hoping she was headed in the right direction, Lia prayed to make it through this somehow. As another horrendously loud clap of thunder sounded right above her head, she felt as if she’d gotten a big fat no in answer to her prayers.
* * * * *
Shane had sulked long enough. Emerging from the surprisingly deep cave, he came up out of the water and immediately searched for Lia. Looking up at the sky, he grew worried. It was going to pour at any moment. He’d stayed inside the small cavern for far too long, a couple of hours, perhaps. Maybe more.
“Lia!”
He couldn’t see her anywhere. There was no way she’d be so irresponsible as to wander off alone — not with a storm brewing. But what if she’d gone off far earlier, after their tiff, perhaps to get food? After all, that had been a major point of this expedition, and he’d blown off thinking about what had to be done because he was pissed off. All in all, this was a disaster ultimately of his own making.
Shane quickly climbed from the water and grabbed the bag, rushing it over to the cave behind the waterfall so it would be safe.
Then he hurried back and dressed, his temper flaring when he realized that she had indeed wandered off. Part of it was her fault, her stubbornness, but he couldn’t absolve himself of all blame. She could be anywhere and the sky was about to unleash its wrath. He hoped Lia hadn’t gone back to the beach. He had no idea what the swells would be doing right now.
As the wind picked up, he made his way through the brush, shouting her name every minute or so. Suddenly, the rain came down, and it wasn’t showing the least bit of mercy as thunder boomed and lightning slashed across the sky. He had to find her and get back to the safety of the cave.
Passing a fruit tree, he almost didn’t stop, but knew they could be stuck for a while. He took less than thirty seconds and filled his pockets, then continued his search.
As the torrential rain poured down, Shane pushed ahead, feeling the sting on his face as the brush and low tree branches whipped past him in his fervent pursuit. Not giving the sting a second thought, he continued on. Unsure how he was going to find her, but knowing there was no way he’d give up, he continued calling for her as the light faded.
Just when he thought he would be wandering the woods in the thick of night, he spotted a flash of pink ahead. It had to be her shirt. His heart stalled as he made his way in that direction. Please, he prayed.
It had to be her. When he got closer, he found Lia hunched down on the ground. Terror gripped him at her stillness, but then he saw her move and his temper flared. How dare she frighten him so badly!
“What in the hell were you thinking?” he shouted.
Lia’s body jerked as she turned to look at him. Defiance shone in her eyes — she wasn’t going to back down an inch.
“I was thinking about getting away from you, you overgrown pig,” she replied, her words slightly garbled as the pouring rain dripped into her mouth.
“We need to go now. This storm is only getting worse,” he said as he gripped her arm and lifted her to her feet. They could fight once they were in the safety of the cave.
Shane was astonished when she dug in her heels. “I would rather stay out here in the rain than have you dictate to me, Shane Grayson!”
This was pure insanity. Maybe she’d eaten some of the inedible plants and was having a reaction. It was the only thing that made any sense to him. Whatever it was, this was ending now.
“Lia, I’m giving you to the count of three…”
“And what exactly are you going to do then?” she snapped as a streak of lightning flashed far too close for his comfort.
“Try me and find out. One, two… Screw this,” he snapped as he grabbed her by the waist and threw her over his shoulder, her head hanging down his back and her ass high in the air.
“Shane Grayson, you put me down this instant,” she demanded as he began quickly moving back the way he’d come. All he could think about was the dryness of the cave and getting food in his stomach. Well, that was all he could think about until he noticed her tight rear end so close to his face. His temper was evaporating as lust began to fill him again.
“I’m not putting you down, so just shut up and enjoy the ride,” he said.
“Shane!”
“Ah, baby, your thrashing around is only turning me on more,” he called, his mood changing as he carried her through the woods, walking down the path he’d forged earlier. He felt a bit like a caveman who had just claimed his prize. Thunder boomed, and he picked up his pace.
When he turned the corner and saw the path down to the water and the cave, he breathed a sigh of relief. Shelter was needed. Even though he knew that the moment he set Lia down, she would fly at him with her claws extended, it was worth it.
She was light as a feather, and he’d enjoyed feeling the warmth of her body as he carried her through the storm. It was all leading up to one hell of an explosive night. Having had a couple of hours to think on it, he would take her any way he could get. She’d soon be begging him — he didn’t need her to make the first move this time.
Shane reached the cave, and he could have gone around the waterfall, but they were already soaked, and that was the quickest way in. So, without warning, Shane stepped down into the waist-deep pool and walked through the thick stream of pouring water.
Lia’s shouts turned to a gurgle as she inhaled a little of the sweet water. Setting her down on her feet, he backed up quickly, hoping to get enough time to brace for impact.
“I’m going to bloody you,” she snapped as she flew at him.
With her eyes flashing in the fading light that was seeping through the veil of water, and her T-shirt molded to her heaving br**sts, Shane was more than ready to play.