Page 53 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8
The smallest flash of his teeth made her hold her breath in anticipation of the full works, but a nanosecond later he was turning, opening the door to the sleek cockpit of the chopper, hand out to assist her.
She took it and hopped up onto the seat, then exhaled sharply when he hung on to her, his thumb caressing back and forth, almost contemplatively over her knuckles. For another eternity, they remained caught in yet another charged bubble as the sun blazed down on them.
‘Something on your mind?’ she ventured when the silence stretched her nerves tight.
His free hand dropped to her exposed thigh, then slowly slid beneath the hem of her white-and-turquoise sundress. ‘You have no right to be this stunning. To keep me this knotted over you.’
Her mouth gaped, her face flaming so bright she feared she would catch fire. ‘Am I supposed to apologise for the way you feel?’
Jaw clenching, he dropped a hard kiss on her knuckles before rounding the aircraft to take his seat beside her. With sleek headphones in his strong hands, he sent her another brooding look. ‘For making me fight two battles instead of one? Shaking foundations you shouldn’t? I’m minded to make you pay for it one way or another,pequeña.’ He handed her the headphones.
Willow was still grappling with that unexpected exchange when he eased back the cyclic, and the chopper lifted into the air. Threat or promise? She couldn’t tell, because a minute after they’d left the yacht behind, his voice flowed like warm honey over gravel into her ear as he pointed out the first landmark.
And for the next hour, he showed her a spectacular piece of the Island of the Gods, with its stunning Hindu temples, rice terraces and unique black sand beaches. She marvelled over the semiactive rumblings of the Gunung Agung volcano, then suffered stomach-churning anxiety when his gaze rested on her for long, nerve-shredding moments.
It was clear Jario, far from being able to compartmentalise what was happening between them, was perhaps attempting to wrestle with the not so tidy ramifications of their connection.
And yes, she was half-ashamed to admit she liked him as unnerved as she was. Because maybe, out of that confusion, they could chart a different course? That maybe she wouldn’t have to step off her crossroads alone?
That notion stayed, steeped and grew stronger legs as the tour progressed, as he pointed out little-known places on the island and exposed for her a deep well of interest of his surroundings.
Grasping that she could listen to him forever wasn’t akin to the wide-eyed yearning of a giggling teenager but an appreciation for the complex, compelling man his circumstances had moulded him to.
And if the way he did everything with intense passion deepened her appreciation? She fought the way her heart lurched at that thought.
Because all too soon they were landing and he was helping her out. His mouth pinched as he stared down at her for an age.
Then, sliding both hands into her hair, he took her mouth in a deep, erotic kiss, leaving her completely breathless before pulling back. ‘I have guests coming tonight. Join me at seven?’
She’d barely nodded before he was gone.
Willow stepped onto the designated deck and stopped in her tracks.
So far, Jario had favoured casual wear, albeit allGQ Magazine–worthy.
Seeing him in a formal dinner jacket, his dark silk shirt open at the throat and matching trousers, the hem of which rested on highly polished shoes, was an unguarded punch to her solar plexus.
Dear God, but he was beautiful. And why did seeing him with a glass of cognac in his handalwaysdo silly, feverish things to her? When had she developed this insane fetish?
He turned as he took a sip, then he froze, too, at seeing her.
Arrows of self-consciousness stabbed her as his gaze raked over her.
Besides the swimsuits and various accessories that had been appearing in her room steadily over the past couple of days, the dress she wore had been the most surprising.
It had been laid out on her bed when they’d returned from their helicopter ride. Her belly had flipped with a mixture of excitement and apprehension, but the overwhelming feeling that despite his gruff resistance, he wasn’t ready to end this fling yet had made her heart pitch and race. Also, she’d already crossed several lines by sharing his bed. What was one more step?
The one-shoulder orange charmeuse gown had an exquisite ruffled, rose-petalled hem that ended just above her knee and billowed softly with her movements, showing off her tanned legs. The gold hoops in her ears, a thick gold bangle and matching gold-heeled pumps topped off her confidence, helped square her shoulders at the prospect of joining the twelve influential guests arriving shortly for Jario’s business dinner.
‘You wore the dress.’ He handed her a glass of champagne.
‘Yes.’ God, could she sound any more breathless?
‘You look magnificent.’ The deep throb in his voice made her heart race even faster.
‘Thank you,’ she said, then on a silent prayer and remembering the battles he’d referred to earlier, she took a deep breath. ‘We have time before your guests arrive. Tell me about your father.’
He stiffened. ‘Willow.’ A rumble of ominous thunder, his body vibrating with intense emotion.