They might part ways soon but that made her even more determined to make the hours, and if she was lucky, days, she had with him memorable.

A small grumble in her stomach sent her to the fridge where she found a tiny bottle of champagne and some chocolate-covered strawberries. The man absolutely nailed the way to her heart. Popping the cork on the champagne, she filled one of the gla.s.ses he left on the counter. Biting down on the strawberry, she savored the mix of chocolate sweetness and the tart juice as they slid across her tongue.

Finding her watch in her bag, she saw that it was nearing seven. That gave her plenty of time to get ready.

Jackson's bag was under the counter near the fridge and she was tempted to snoop. Her nosy disposition was the one thing she had inherited from her mother. As she was about to reach down, she made herself stop; whatever she found wouldn't change how she felt about him. And how much did she really need to know other than he was gorgeous and seemed intent on pleasing her?

Nothing.

Maybe he was dangerous, but he wouldn't hurt her-at least physically. Emotionally, she wasn't so sure. Their short time together already left her with a craving for the man's kisses.

"You knew going into this that it was short-term, so don't go getting any crazy ideas." She said the words out loud as if that would make her more accepting of the statement.

While he might think she wasn't the most perceptive woman in the world, she had deduced he was much more than a detective who traveled the world on cases. He'd mentioned the military and he had that air about him. Then there were the scars. She'd noticed the bullet wounds on his shoulder and back. There was what seemed like a knife wound near his heart, and he had a mult.i.tude of scars on his thighs.

Yes, he'd most definitely led a dangerous life, but he had only treated her with kindness. Normally, Mariska didn't go for the protective type, but she liked that he wanted to take care of her. And she honestly wanted to take care of him.

Every time she asked about his past, a haunted look came over his face. More than anything she wanted to clear away those cobwebs of sadness. She'd noticed it when he talked to Gladstone about his father, and then again when she'd mentioned the pets.

She wouldn't make the mistake of delving back into his childhood. He masked the pain well, but she could tell the memories hurt.

She felt a sort of compulsion to make him happy. They had such a wonderful chemistry, a connection she wasn't sure she'd ever experienced with another man. She wondered- Be a big girl and don't let those fantasies of happily ever after get in the way. Live in the now. There's nothing wrong with having fun and allowing yourself the freedom to enjoy life with a s.e.xy man for a few days.

After eating the berries and taking a few sips of the champagne, she ventured into the bathroom. It smelled of Jackson. Warm and sensual with a hint of amber and sandalwood, the mere scent of him made her pelvis tighten with need.

Catching sight of herself in the mirror, she let out a yelp. "Thank G.o.d he isn't here to see me." Her hair had fallen out of its ponytail and stuck straight out from her head. Luckily Jackson must have carried her in before she had too much sun. While her skin was dry, she hadn't turned pink.

The steamy shower helped to wash away her sleepy mind and brought her back to being human. The hotel had provided an array of soaps and lotions and she used the freesia-scented shampoo and conditioner. Once she finished, she lathered her skin with the same scented lotion. She felt like an exotic flower when she walked out of the bathroom.

Leaving the towel wrapped around her, she went in search of her clothes. Her large backpack had been emptied and she found Jackson had hung up her sarongs along with her jeans and T-shirts, and he'd carefully placed everything else in drawers at the bottom of the armoire. It didn't bother her that he'd gone through her things, because she could tell he'd taken special care in making sure everything was done right. He'd also saved her some ironing.

Mariska was grateful she'd only picked her s.e.xiest lingerie to make the trip. That's when it dawned on her. She had meant to buy condoms at the hotel in Bangkok, but didn't have time.

"c.r.a.p. I hope the gift shop is still open." She'd noticed the small alcove with sundry items when she'd checked them into the hotel. Surely they have some. At least she hoped so. After their bit of fun in the ocean, making love to the man had become a priority for Mar.

Dressing quickly, she threw on a touch of makeup. She intended to dash to the hotel and back before Jackson returned from his walk.

Using the path they'd taken to get down to the villa, she scrambled her way up the slight hill to the hotel. Luckily the little store was open. The condoms came in small boxes of six.

Mar stood there contemplating, her fingers tapping on her chin.

I have no idea what to do? How long will he be here? Will I look like a vacation ho if I buy all of the stock?

After chewing on her nail for a minute, she bought five boxes.

To his credit, the elderly clerk didn't even show the slightest hint of merriment that the crazy American was buying his place out of condoms. Mariska tried not to be mortified. She was a grown woman, for goodness' sake. Still, she'd never purchased quite so many. After she'd signed the ticket to charge everything to her room the clerk put the items in a discreet bag along with some sunscreen she needed.

Before leaving the lobby she glanced into the restaurant. She hadn't brought anything dressy to wear, and was relieved to see that though the surroundings were beautiful and formal with linens and crystal, everyone dressed casually.

As she stepped out of the lobby onto the beachfront she noticed the sun as it sank deep into the ocean. She couldn't have picked a more magical place to rest and relax. That she had a gorgeous, if somewhat mysterious, man with her was one big, handsome bonus.

Thinking of him, she hurried down the path.

"Going somewhere?" A voice came out of the shadow of the trees.

Mariska squeaked and dropped her bag.

Jackson stepped out from behind the trees lining the path. "We really do need to practice you being more aware of your surroundings." He bent down to pick up the bag and the few things that had fallen out, including three of the five boxes of condoms.

Mariska looked away.

Jackson put the items back in the bag without commenting on her purchases. "You're beautiful, by the way."

The comment took her so off guard Mariska didn't know what to say. "Thanks," she finally whispered.

The man was beyond awesome when it came to manners. One of the many reasons she adored him. That list grew by the minute.

He leaned down and sniffed her neck and hair, leaving small kisses as he did. The sensual moment sent instant heat between Mariska's legs.

"Maybe we should skip dinner in the restaurant and order room service." Jackson moved his mouth to her lips.

"I think that's a really great idea," she whispered, her voice hot with need.

A horrible gurgling sound came from her stomach.

Jackson stifled a laugh.

"That was so not glamorous or romantic," she said, mortified.

"I think I'm going to have to feed you first, after all." Jackson kissed her again. "But I still like the room service idea."

AS SOON AS THEY HIT the villa door, Jackson had a plan in mind that called for some wine, steak and shrimp. They'd both need the protein for the long haul. A large salad and every dessert on the menu finished off the room service order.

There was a slightly awkward moment when he hung up the phone. She stared at him strangely. He'd been worried when he checked the room and found her gone. Racing up to the hotel, he'd stopped himself when he caught a glimpse of her in the gift store.

He'd delighted in the look of concentration on her face as she tried to figure out how many condoms they'd need. He didn't have the heart to tell her that he'd taken care of that problem earlier in the day.

"You must have a really big sweet tooth." She teased him about ordering so many desserts.

He walked across the room and held her hands in his. "I do." If she only knew she was the real dessert. "Let's go walk on the beach."

The surprise on her face amused him. She'd obviously thought they would make love immediately, but once they began tonight he had no plans of stopping.

Confusion drew her brows together.

"There's something I want to show you," he said as a way of explaining. Then waggled an eyebrow at her. "Did you think I would pounce on you as soon as we made it into the room?"

She gave him a sly grin. "I kind of hoped so, but you're right. Food is always a good thing, and a walk on the beach is-kind of sweet. I had no idea you were such a romantic. The champagne, strawberries and now a walk on the beach."

Oh, you have no idea. Jackson took her hand and led her out the door.

"Wow, the moon's as big as the sun was earlier, but much easier to look at. And don't start talking to me about the pollution." She laughed softly.

The glow of the orb turned the ocean a silvery black. Jackson squeezed her hand. "I wouldn't dare. Now, listen carefully." They stood at the edge of the water.

It took her a minute, but then he knew she heard it. "That's beautiful, what kind of bird is it?"

"A robin, and it only sings at night. You hear it as the moon comes up and then it stops. Can you see it there a little to the left in those palm trees?"

Mariska gave a tiny gasp. "It has a red breast like the ones at home, but what's that weird thing on its head?"

"That tuft of yellow feathers is what attracts the females, well, that and his call. The bigger the feathers, the more endowed he is." The bird flew away, his song complete for the night.

"Wow. I bet he has some pretty happy lady friends, because those are some big feathers," Mar said.

Jackson guffawed as he put his arm around her shoulders. "You are funny."

"You must have a special interest in this stuff," she said.

Jackson hugged her. "I read a lot as a kid. I thought at one time I might be a scientist of some sort, maybe a biologist or an oceanographer. That's how I knew about the sharks this morning. I read everything about animals and creatures I could when I was a kid. I was absolutely fascinated by them."

Jackson surprised himself by how easily he shared his previous life with her. Usually anything to do with his past was off-limits, but she was so easy to talk to. Standing on the beach with this woman, he opened up to her more than he had in years. Oh, he knew it wasn't much, but it was a lot more than he'd given anyone else.

These memories weren't painful like those from this morning. The books about the animals kept him in school. When he graduated he planned to go to college and study to be a scientist, but he needed money. That's when he joined the army, and his life went in a much different direction.

"I really love animals, too, except for reptiles and sharks. When I was seven, I decided I had to have a horse," Mar said wistfully. "I was consumed by the prospect of galloping around on daily rides, and braiding its mane and tail." She rolled her eyes. "I blame it on those crazy My Little Pony toys.

"We lived most of the time in Austin, but my mom was an investigator and traveled a lot. Dad had his company but he let me travel with him in the summer. Me and Layla."

"Layla?"

"She was part nanny and part tutor, and she became a dear friend. She lives in Florida now with her family, but she took great care of me when I was a kid." She waved a hand. "I digress.

"My dad could tell I wouldn't let the horse thing go, so he sent me to a dude ranch for three weeks that summer. He thought the hard work would turn me off. It did at first. The 5:00 a.m. wake ups and shoveling horse manure in the barns wasn't my idea of a five-star vacation-even back then I liked to be comfortable when I traveled."

"There's nothing wrong with that." Jackson waved a hand toward the villa. "Some people like to be pampered, some like adventures. To each his own." Not that he'd ever been on a real vacation, but he'd thought about it a lot the last few years. Funny that those thoughts actually had been about a beach with a beautiful woman and crazy umbrella drinks.

"True." She pushed her hair behind her ears. "I eventually fell in love with those horses. Funny thing is, my dad's plan worked, but not in the way he expected.

"After caring for the animals I realized it wouldn't be fair to a horse because I wouldn't be able to ride every day, and we didn't have stables close to the house so someone would have to drive me to wherever we boarded him. I'd already named him Wind." She snorted. "That's such a dumb name, even for a fictional horse. It wasn't practical and I knew that. I cried when I left that ranch, even though I was beat up and bruised from all the work.

"My dad was surprised when I told him that I didn't want a horse after all, and I explained why. I was so practical about it all, that my dad bought me a puppy. Enter Terry the Terrible."

Jackson squeezed her tighter. "That name still cracks me up."

"At first he traveled with us, but he hated it. That's when I decided to stay home with Layla, and began going to a real school." She stepped away from him. "There I go again telling my life story."

"I like hearing about your past," Jackson told her and he meant it. "I want to hear more, but it sounds like the food is on the way." He'd heard the table rolling down the hill a few seconds ago.

She turned around to watch as the waiter moved everything into their villa. "How do you do that? I saw him rolling that cart and I still didn't hear it. Maybe I need to get my hearing checked."

He kissed her ear and nibbled at the lobe. "Your ears are exquisite."

She giggled. "I'm serious. Really, you have to teach me how you do that. On the beach this morning, I could hear those people talking but no way could I concentrate enough to understand the conversation."

"I promise I will impart as much wisdom as I can, but for now, let's go eat." He playfully patted her b.u.t.t.

Her stomach chose that moment to growl again, and Jackson couldn't help but laugh. Wrapping his arm around her he guided her back toward their villa and the specially ordered feast. She had no idea what was in store and Jackson's body tensed with antic.i.p.ation. She wanted a s.e.xy tropical vacation with a stranger and he was the right man to give it to her.

They were both in for the night of a lifetime.

11.

A BEAUTIFUL TABLE WITH white linens, silver, crystal, china and tiny votives had been set in front of the windows of the villa where a gentle breeze cooled Mariska's skin. A romantic dinner fit for a queen, but she had issues with the man across from her.

"Okay, Jackson, really. Did you learn nothing from breakfast?" She stuck her fork into a piece of lobster and dipped it in b.u.t.ter. Savoring the tasty goodness, she closed her eyes.

"If you don't stop moaning like that every time you take a bite, we're never going to make it through the meal." His voice was tight with need, and Mar liked that she was responsible for his lack of control. "What do you mean about breakfast?"

"We stuffed our faces at breakfast, and I fell asleep. I refuse to let that happen again." And if they didn't make love soon she would go insane. Or explode from desire. Either way it would be messy.

His blue eyes raked across her face greedily, down to her chest and then back. "Do you really think I have any intention of letting you sleep?"

"I hope not." Her voice came out a whisper. The promise of his words sent her libido into overdrive, and she no longer trusted herself to speak. She took another bite of lobster, licking the b.u.t.ter from her lip with her tongue.

Jackson gave her a strange look. "It's getting chilly in here." Standing, he closed the doors and pulled the curtains closed.

Mar took another bite of lobster and pushed her plate away. "That's it for me. I can't eat any more," she complained.

"I needed to make sure you had plenty of protein to sustain you the next few hours." Jackson's voice was low and s.e.xy.

"Hours?" Mar couldn't hide her excitement.

"Yes. In fact, that's a beautiful dress, but I think it's time you took it off." The words were said so nonchalantly that she wondered if she heard him right. Mariska's heart stopped for a second, her nipples hardened.

"Is that an order, Jackson?" Her voice was deeper and s.e.xier than she'd ever heard it.

His eyes widened with surprise, but he recovered quickly. "Yes, Mariska, it is." His husky tone sent a shiver of delight through her, and it was all she could do not to hop on his lap and ride him into tomorrow.

Standing wasn't easy since her legs had turned to liquid rubber, but she did what he asked, hands shaking slightly as she undid the knot holding up her dress. It fell into a pool of fabric at her feet. She stepped out of it and reached down to put it on the back of the chair. She stood before him, bare-breasted in a lacy black thong and nothing else.