CHAPTER 26

"Oh my God!," Nadine screamed as she ran barefooted on his private beach, the loose grains of sand slipping between her toes. She was loving every moment of their trip already.

They had landed in the airstrip on the island. Nadine had gotten off to take in the scenery around her. Trees surrounded them and the gleaming glass house on the island sat atop a hill like an angel on a Christmas tree. Everything took her breath away.

She had taken off her shoes and ran for the beach, laughing and screaming with joy.

Nicholas watched her, grinning like he had accomplished something really great. He couldn't stop the impulse to smile when he saw her race off just after their landing, she looked so happy with her hair down with the wind wiping it around her face.

He raced after her, feeling free and truly happy for the first time in a very long time.

"Catch me if you can," she called back at him, racing as fast as she could in the powdery sand that slowed her down. He was up to the challenge as he raced after her in long strides. He had a lot he wanted to do to her when he caught her.

He caught up to her in no time and dragged her down with him on the sand. She went down laughing.

"That wasn't even close to being fair, your legs are longer and you didn't have your feet sinking into the sand because you have your shoes on," she managed to say in between chuckles as he tickled her on the sand.

"Excuses," he replied, loving the atmosphere around him.

"They are reasonable ones. Stop tickling me!"

"I should kiss you instead," he went ahead to do just that right there on the beach.

"What do you have planned? Anything we are going to be doing apart from kissing?," she asked some minutes later.

"More kissing and love making," he replied, bending his head back to take her lips. He just couldn't get enough of her.

"There should be something we'll do for fun. We can't spend the whole of three days in bed. What's the fun of being in the Bahamas and not even doing any sightseeing?"

"We can spend every one of our minutes here in bed, I wouldn't mind," he replied grinning.

"Oh stop it. I want to be able to walk when I leave here."

He laughed, he was really enjoying himself at her expense.

Nadine watched him laugh, the happy sound washing over her like the fresh air of the island. It had been so long since she saw him laugh, he hadn't done that sound her since he came back to Folks. She realized she missed the way his eyes crinkled at the corner when he laughed. She missed so much about him.

"A speedboat should be somewhere around, probably behind the house. We can leave the island whenever we want to, maybe visit one of the popular straw markets around," he finally answered, watching her slightly swollen lip curve slowly into a smile.

"I can't wait to do just that," she said eagerly.

"Or we could just stay on the island all day, do some snorkeling, you'll love it," he said, hoping she'll never leave the island.

"I'll love that too," she said, her voice dripping with anticipation.

"Better still, you could just swim all day in the house, it comes with a swimming pool you know," he proposed, loving that option better.

Nadine didn't waste time declining "No thanks, I didn't come with a swimsuit." She had no plans of being seen in a swimsuit around him, despite the fact that she came with one but he wasn't going to find out about that.

"You don't need a swimsuit honey, it's just you and me," he said giving her a hot look that did things to her stomach. "Besides, I've got the issue of a swimsuit covered."

"Can you stop grinning like that?,"

"Like how?," he asked innocently.

"Like you've got something up your sleeve," she replied.

"I've got nothing up my sleeve baby," he said with the grin still plastered on his face.

"Let's go check out the house," he said rising from the sand and extending a hand down to help her up.

It was bigger than she imagined, extending far back and gleaming with the glass walls reflecting the sunlight. The surroundings of the villa were lined with pine trees that provided a shade where lounge chairs and a beautiful hammock were arranged. She felt like she was in a paradise.

The interior decor took her breath away. Everything was pristine white from the walls that weren't glass to the marbled floor.

She followed him into the bedroom they would be using, bursting with so many questions but afraid to ask him. She didn't want to ruin the mood with any questions he deemed personal.

The bedroom wall of glass overlooked the beach. She moved to them and gazed in awe at the scenery.

"It's so beautiful here," she said. He moved up behind her to wrap his arms around her.

"That's the reason I got the place and its a good investment. I did some renovations to suit my taste," he said,resting his head atop hers.

"Your taste is amazing," she said turning to face him.

The look in her eyes took his breath away. He withdrew from their embrace before he did something stupid.

"I want to show you something," he said before he turned into an adjoining room. She followed him, sensing his change in mood.

She soon discovered it wasn't an adjoining room but a walk-in closet, brimming with clothes and shoes and bags and what not.

"Oh my God!," she exclaimed in surprise, moving from rows of clothes to shoes.

"Are these all mine?," she asked, turning to look at him with her eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"As you have probably observed, I'm not into heels and dresses," he replied sarcastically, feeling pleased with himself that he had really surprised her.

She walked into his arm to give him a hug. Nicholas felt his chest constrict, his voice failing him as he hugged her back. He didn't know what to make of how he felt at that moment.

"I'm so happy. Thank you so much," she said in his arms. Although she wasn't big on such materials, she barely even owned more than two dresses and she didn't really care about shoes and designer bags but she was still a woman after all being said and done and she loved being spoiled.

And Nicholas was spoiling her silly at the moment. She almost confessed her love for him then and there.

"You are welcome," Nicholas murmured when he could finally speak after clearing his clogged up throat several times.

They remained hugging each other for minutes, luxuriating in the pleasure of just hearing their heart thumping against each other. Nadine felt her heart was going to burst with love for this man. If only...

"I need to go make some phone calls and reply my mails. You should take the time to get some sleep or look around. Whatever you want to do. I'll be back in about an hour or two," he said, not quite meeting her eyes.

"I think I'll love to look around," she said, not wanting to waste a minute of her time on the island sleeping. She had the rest of her life to sleep all she wanted.

"That's cool. And the closet comes with a variety of swimsuits and lingeries," he said finally looking into her eyes with a lascivious grin.

She blushed deeply "How did you know my size for all these?," she asked gesturing around the closet.

"I've seen, touched and kissed every inch of your perfect body. Knowing your size wasn't a problem. It's too late asking me that question," he said as he drew her back into his embrace.

"Just shut up already," she said blushing furiously.

"You know how to shut me up if you want to," he said, giving her a hot look.

"Shouldn't you be off making those phone calls and replying your mails," she said breathlessly.

"Those could wait if I'm persuaded," he said wrapping his arms around her.

"Persuasion in what form?," she asked, loving their sexual banter.

"Whatever you have in mind honey."

"This should do," she said rising on her toes to kiss him. He swooped in like a bird and kissed her deeply, making her feel lightheaded. The kiss seemed more than just their passion, it was like he was trying to tell her something.

Nicholas raised his head from hers moments later, gazing deeply into her green eyes. The tender look she was giving him made his chest constrict again. He felt....

He couldn't describe his feelings.

"I should go now," he said but making no move to do so.

"You should," she said but reluctant to let him go. The moment was so poignant with a lot left unsaid.

"I'll see you soon. And I'll love to see you model for me in every single one of those swimsuits," he said, steering the conversation towards safer grounds. He didn't want to say something he'll regret later.

Nadine wasn't for him. She was not as innocent as she sets out to be or was it just his thoughts?. He was having his doubts. She couldn't possibly be that good of an actress to feign all her reactions or could she?

"You wish, I'm not wearing a single one of those," she said as she drew away from him to check them out. She held up a sheer lacy one-piece swimsuit that was barely there. She couldn't imagine wearing it. It was too sexy, definitely not her kind of thing. She wasn't that confident to wear it. She held up another one for her inspection and dropped it back, giving up on the lot.

"Even if I beg?"

"I still won't wear them," she replied.

He moved to take his leave then said "Alright by me, I get to see you walk around the pool totally naked. Makes it easier to have my wicked way with you," he said grinning.

"Leave!"