Free Mission: Seduction by Candace Havens Page B

Adrien and, now, Rafe. He’d been out of his mind the night before when he’d admitted he liked her. If he’d been the least bit clearheaded she wouldn’t have been able to keep her hands off him.
    â€œWhy are the waves so big this morning?” Rafe asked as he sat on a stool in the kitchen and watched Adrien clean the small wound on her head.
    â€œThere’s a tropical storm a few hundred miles away,” Kelly answered. “Will probably hit landfall in the next forty-eight hours or so. And Adrien, if you think I’m staying out of the water tomorrow, you’re nuts. I don’t get to practice that much and I’m not going to miss out on a chance like this.”
    The chef gave her an evil eye.
    â€œHey, I forgot to ask. How is your leg doing?”
    â€œAbout a hundred times better than it was yesterday, thanks to you. Sorry for passing out last night.”
    â€œThat was all part of my evil plan,” she said, “so I say it worked out just fine.”
    Adrien pronounced her ready to go.
    â€œWhat classes do you have to teach today?” Rafe asked.
    â€œThe guests have left, so we won’t have any classes for a couple of days.” She scooted off the bar stool she’d been sitting on. “I let you sleep this morning, but I thought maybe a Pilates workout for you.”
    She grinned when he flinched. “It’s not that bad, although we could do something really fun instead. If your leg is up to it, there’s somewhere I’d like to take you. It’s a short hike, and a pretty easy one. But if you are in pain at all, we can do it another day.”
    Rafe pushed a damp curl off her forehead. The intimate gesture sent a frisson of heat through her body. “I’m up for whatever you want to do, Kelly.” His voice was soft and seductive.
    Excuse me while I melt here.
    Kelly cleared her throat.
    â€œYou’re in Fiji so you have to visit Colo-I-Suva park. It’s a rain forest with beautiful pools and waterfalls. The wildlife is pretty spectacular.”
    â€œSounds good. I’ll get cleaned up. What time do you want to leave?”
    Though the park had been her suggestion, she was a bit disappointed. They could have just hung out on the beach all day, especially if his leg was sore. Still, she reminded herself of the main reason for this expedition. They would be in the middle of the forest when she told him about her deception—they’d at least have to share a ride home while she begged him to forgive her.
    Rafe was a sweet guy. He’d understand.
    She hoped.

9
    â€œT HIS IS PARADISE , Kelly.” Rafe tried to take in everything before him. A waterfall with some of the clearest water he’d ever seen poured into the pool next to where they stood. Surrounded by lush vegetation and a spectacular array of colorful birds and other sights and sounds, it was like something straight out of a movie.
    She smiled knowingly. “I thought you might like it.” Dressed in a powder-blue bikini with her blond curls framing her face, she appeared to be a forest nymph prepared to do magic.
    In truth, she had worked magic on Rafe in a mere few days. The muscles in his leg were improved and his depression had eased. He wanted to get out and move, which had been a real problem the past few months. The doctors said he had PTSD, but he hadn’t believed them—at first. He did now. While he was in the hospital, his anger had become hard to control at times, and he wasn’t himself. The nightmares that continued to plague him were proof that he’d been far from over his ordeal.
    Yet, since he’d met Kelly, his nightmares had gone from causing him to jump up in the middle of the night to seeing the nightmares but only from a safe distance. He wasn’t actively involved in them any longer. He bet his shrink at the hospital would have a field day with that one.
    But Rafe was here. And he was with the most