Free Stranded in Paradise (The Blake Boys Book 13) by Rhonda Laurel Page B

vacation?”
    “So? Don’t tell me you haven’t been thinking about work or the wedding since you got here.” He gave her a knowing look.
    He saw her bite back a smile. “I tried to get some work done, but Summer stopped answering my calls.”
    “The nerve of her. At least I have an excuse. I’m doing some work for my friend Derek’s restaurant and we’ve been playing phone tag.”
    “Looks like Gustavo left something.” She pointed at the box sitting on a huge rock.
    “Let’s see what it is.”
    He grabbed her hand as they scurried back down the path. They immediately began rifling through the box. “Here’s a note.”
     
     
    Dear Jared and Autumn, everything you need to survive the next twenty-four hours is in the box. And no worries, a boat will pick you up tomorrow around noon. I have it on great authority that Mr. Reed is more than capable of capturing dinner for tonight. You may want to get an early start. The sunset has a habit of sneaking up on us in paradise.
    Amber
     
     
    “Someone is going to get choked when I get back to Texas.”
    He looked at the fishing poles next to the box. “They did leave us essentials. Vegetables. Some seasonings. All we have to do is catch dinner ourselves.”
    “I swear if a volleyball washes up named Wilson, I’m going to lose it.”
    “Don’t worry, we won’t be going full Cast Away . I know how to handle my pole.” He grinned. “I can rustle us up some fish in no time.”
    “And let me guess? You catch it, and I clean it and cook it?” She rolled her eyes.
    “On the contrary. There’s no bigger crime than improper preparation and cleaning of a freshly caught fish. Besides, I have the feeling I’m a better cook than you.”
    “How so?”
    “You ordered that filet mignon medium well-done the other night at dinner. I’m surprised the chef didn’t pass out in the kitchen.”
    “I like to make sure the cow isn’t still mooing when I eat it.”
    “But when you cook it within an inch of its life, you make it tough and ruin the flavor.”
    “Moo!” she bellowed.
    “I know it’s less than ideal, but where’s your sense of adventure? Don’t you design video games with premises like this? An impossible situation the player has work through to win?”
    “Summer designs the games. I come up with marketing campaigns to convince every gamer on the planet they should be playing her games.”
    “OK. That’s just a different type of creativity. Imagine you have to pitch this scenario as a future bestselling game. Look for the good points and go from there.”
    “I guess.”
    “We have a few hours of light left. Let’s go catch us some dinner.”
    Jared gave Autumn a quick tutorial on fishing, putting the bait on the hook for her. The most effective way to show her how to maneuver the pole was to get behind her and grip it with her so she could feel the way he was angling it. He’d taken off his shirt, so as he enclosed his arms around her, their arms touched. They cast the lines, but an hour later there were still no nibbles.
    “This is boring,” she huffed.
    “Well, fishing isn’t an exciting sport. It’s more about patience.”
    “I’m just about all out of patience.” She took out her phone again to see if she could pick up a signal. “I’m going to salvage what’s left of this day and enjoy the waves.”
    Jared’s mouth went dry when Autumn lifted the sundress over her head to reveal a stunning turquoise bikini. Like he imagined, she had full breasts and hips. “Just—” he swallowed hard, “—try to keep away from my fishing line. I’d hate for you to tell anyone I tried to get my hooks into you.”
    “Will do. And by the way, your stalker status has been reinstated. I had that steak when I had dinner with Graham.” She stuck her tongue out at him then slowly waded into the water until she was waist-deep.
     
    * * *
     
     
    Autumn swam a few laps to cool off, but it had been equally satisfying to see the way Jared’s eyes