Free The Billionaire's Island Romance (The Romero Brothers, Book 3.5) by Shadonna Richards Page B

nothing but have fun. Selfless, unadulterated
pure “me” time. He was glad he could be a part of it all. Seeing her smile,
giddy with excitement and just relaxing brought a radiant smile to his heart.
    “So…um…what about you?” Ari turned to him.
“Do you have fears?” Her voice was low, breathless from the ongoing hike up the
falls.
    “’Course I do.”
    “Such as?” She playfully arched a brow.
    “You.”
    “Me?”
    “Yeah. I was really messed up when we were
apart, Arianna. I was really afraid of losing you—for good.” And, man
that was the truth! He was going crazy out of his mind, not being able to reach
her. Not knowing the real reason she left him high and dry.
    He didn’t know what he would have done with
himself, if Arianna had refused to see him when he came back to Jamaica.
    “We all have fears, Arianna,” he said over
the thunder of white foaming water smashing against the smooth boulders, as it
spilled over the enchanting Dunn’s River.
    “I know.”
    “Seriously, I’m afraid of…never having the
love of my life with me and dying alone.”
    She looked surprised. She was caught off
guard by his frankness. What was wrong with him? Why was he opening up to her
like that? Was it the effect of being amidst one of nature’s most awesome
spectacles? Was it the effect of the hot sun scorching overhead? Having another
chance to be with Arianna?
    “Wow,” she said quietly. “I don’t know what
to say, Christian.”
    “Don’t say anything. Just know that I want
us to always be together, Arianna. I’ve never felt this way about anyone
before,” he confessed to her as they rested on a boulder with the water
splashing down on them from all over. The cooling effect of the gushing
waterfall over them was refreshing as the sun burned hottest at that time of
the day.
    “Afraid of dying alone? I never even
thought about that,” she considered, looking over the falls. They were pretty
much midway now. Probably another half hour and they’d reach the top of this magnificent
nature wonder. Christian enjoyed the salty spray of water as it showered them.
What a day it was.
    “Yeah, well, believe it or not. I think
about it sometimes.”
    “Why? I mean, Christian, look at you.
You’re so…hot!” And he was! Her heart raced hard in her chest whenever her eyes
were treated to his lovely physique. There he was dripping with charm and
sexiness. The man made her heart throb every time. He was so good with those
soft lips of his. Everything about this man oozed sweet sexual power. Her body
got aroused more often than not whenever Christian was holding her. His
nearness alone caused a sensuous reaction in her body. Hot probably wasn’t even
good enough a word to describe Christian Romero.
    He grinned. “Yeah, so are you,” he said,
arching a brow.
    “It’s not easy finding your perfect soul
mate. And when you do, you don’t want to lose her. It’s that simple really,” he
said, looking out into the distance. Tourists were climbing nearby filling the
atmosphere with laughter and chatter as they made their collective way up. Christian
saw an older couple with graying hair holding hands.
They were dressed in blue bathing suits. The man in his
trunks and t-shirt. They looked fit for their age—whatever ages they
were. How nice it must be. The dude looked pretty happy. He figured they must
be retirees who worked hard all their life, probably had a few kids and
grandkids and probably great-grandchildren, too. Who knew? They were having
fun—together, in their golden years.
    “A dollar for your thoughts?” she said,
playfully leaning into him, bringing him back to reality.
    “Just a dollar?”
    “Yeah. Better than a penny.” Ari grinned.
    Man, Arianna was really something, wasn’t
she? He drew in a deep breath. Why now? Why was he so intent on letting this
beautiful woman into his heart and his mind? It wasn’t like he was the type to
spill out what was in his gut, his deepest fears or