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Chapter
Eight
Belinda’s heart was in a whole heap of trouble.
She and Paul had run around like monkeys, switching cars, changing clothes, going off grid on different hiking trails, then back into an Uber for a different location. He’d seemed confident and she’d just followed along, but the dang head cams probably gave them away to everyone who saw them. Jagger had found and tagged them quick.
The reassuring thing was they only needed to survive until six p.m. on a single day to win. Paul was confident he could make that happen. It had been unnerving to know they were being chased, but honestly thrilling to know Jagger was chasing her. How many hours and days had she longed for Jagger to chase after her? He hadn’t chosen this impossible chase, but he was pursuing her in every which way right now.
That made her ecstatic and angry at the same time. If he loved Mercedes, he couldn’t just love Belinda too. She’d never put up with a two-timer. If—and it was a big, fat if—they ever did get to a point where they could hash out their past, it would be long after things were over between Jagger and Mercedes. Heaven forbid that happened due to Mercedes’s death.
Hays found them and they had lunch at a great barbecue place and then paddled kayaks up a peaceful and scenic river. Belinda kept forgetting to paddle, too busy staring at the lush greenery lining the banks and the wonders of nature around them. Kauai sparkled almost a fluorescent green. She couldn’t get enough of the tropical flowers and the scents of plumeria, jasmine, and rich soil. Incredible.
Everything felt brighter, more vibrant, more thrilling today. Maybe it was having Jagger around. They all laughed and teased together. She felt comfortable with all the men, but Jagger was still the most special man in the world to her. What was she going to do about him? Why was he so intent on her now when, for the past fourteen years, he couldn’t have cared less if she dropped off the edge of the earth?
The hike to the waterfall was semi-level and easy, with only a few roosters on the trail. As they approached, she heard the splashing water before she saw the absolutely exquisite falls.
“Uluwehi Falls,” Hays said. “Also known as Secret Falls.”
There were about twenty people laughing, climbing, splashing in the pool, or lounging at the sides.
“Not so secret,” Belinda teased. “But absolutely beautiful.” The water wasn’t gushing, but a decent amount fell over moss-covered rocks. The spray from the falls gave a mist that looked ethereal. Sunlight intermittently beamed through the thick trees and made everything glow.
Jagger stared at her. His dark eyes said she was absolutely beautiful. She could either launch herself at him or find a distraction.
“Let’s swim,” she declared, impressed with her own self-control. She hurried to the edge of the boulders that lined the pool. Unlacing her shoes, she slid out of them and tugged off her socks. She propped the GoPro up on a rock. Maybe it would catch some of their swim. She was already sick of wearing it. Pressing her hand to the necklace and ring underneath her shirt, she knew water wouldn’t hurt her gold-bee band. What if Jagger saw it? What would he think or do then?
The men followed her, taking off their socks, shoes, and T-shirts. Paul and Hays had beautifully built upper bodies, but her eyes were only drawn to Jagger. He’d always been lean, with wide shoulders and the potential to be thickly built. He’d reached that potential and beyond during their years apart. His muscles were pronounced, rounded, big, and appealing. He made her feel small and feminine. Protected.
Trying not to stare, she scrambled over the boulders and into the cool water. It felt wonderful as it was probably eighty outside and she’d been sweaty from all the running around and the kayaking up the river. She pushed in until the bottom was a little smoother, but it was still only waist deep. Glancing around, she realized nobody was deeper than shoulder level.
Jagger eased through the water and smiled at her.
“I guess we can’t really swim,” she said, pointing around.
He chuckled. “Not in this one, but we’ll plan on Wailua Falls tomorrow. It’s not much of a hike, more a slide down the side of the mountain clinging to roots.” He winked. “Don’t worry, I’ll help you. Hopefully we can hike the Na Pali Coast to Hanakapi’ai Falls before the week is done.”
Hays and Paul were up under the falls, letting the water pound on their heads and shoulders.
“Are you trying to keep me from winning the million dollars this week or playing tour guide?” she asked him.
“I don’t know that either is my top priority,” he said huskily, easing closer.
Belinda’s heart raced. She loved the intensity in his eyes and the timbre of his voice, but she wanted to call him out. She obviously hadn’t been his ‘top priority’ when he had blocked her calls and stopped responding to her emails. So many questions surfaced from his comment. Was kissing her this week a ‘top priority,’ or did he have bigger plans? But she wasn’t going to start into the questions in a chilly waterfall pool with dozens of people around.
She splashed water at him. He startled, then quickly recovered, sweeping her off her feet and against his chest with a wide grin.
Belinda had no problem slinging her arms around his neck and cuddling into his warm chest. She loved being closer to eye level with him, not a foot shorter like usual. Him holding her in his arms was reminiscent of far too many fun experiences that year they had dated. Especially going to the lake near her ranch. Her face flushed just thinking of those kissing sessions.
“Are you too hot, Bee?”
“I’m not hot in this cold water.”
“Your face is red.”
“Oh, you!” She tried to yank on his neck and wrestle him down under the water. Seeing as his large chest muscles weren’t even submerged in the water and he was like an oak tree, it was more of a protest than anything.
He chuckled at her efforts, then carried her straight into the flow of the waterfall. She almost cried out but luckily shut her mouth. The water covered them, pushing her hair into her face and giving her head a massage. Jagger moved her into position to give her neck and shoulders a massage. She couldn’t see him clearly with the spray from the falls and her eyes blurry with moisture, but she could certainly feel him. His strength surrounded her, and every part of his warm chest and arms pressed against her felt incredible. Oh, how she’d missed the fire his touch created, the way he could make her feel like the most important person in his world. Sadly, they both knew that wasn’t true.
