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“You won’t sleep anyway.”
“Exactly.”
“Good night, Mr. Sterling.”
“Good night, Ms. Fox.”
16
Pancakes, Bacon, and Unwanted Girl Talk…
Gwen
Is this happening? All of this crazy, wonderful, sexy stuff? With the last person I would ever have thought it could happen with? It’s got to be because of the near-death experience. That happens in movies all the time. The couple is about to be killed so they confess their love to each other only to survive and live happily ever after. Side note: I’ll be getting back on a helicopter in exactly NEVER days.
But, back to the problem at hand, because it is a giant one that needs solving, like right now. I can’t have feelings for him. I simply can’t. And I’m sure I don’t. It’s just exhaustion from the last few days. Or maybe, they pumped something into the air in that helicopter because there is no way this is actually happening. I’d sooner believe that I got knocked out somehow back at the airport in Lima and I’m actually in a coma having weird, lucid, steamy dreams than think for a minute that this is real.
Yet, it all feels pretty damn real. I check my phone again to see if it’s time to get up yet. I’ve been awake since four o’clock, having managed about three hours of solid sleep before a very spicy moment with my arch nemesis woke me up all hot and bothered. We were right back in that hot spring about to kiss, only instead of swimming away, I wrapped my arms around his neck and planted the mother of all kisses on him. I can still feel it now, even though it never happened. And in my dream, it was amazing. He pulled me close, our bodies pressed against each other, as we kissed some more, his tongue doing all the things I needed, my legs finding their way around his waist. His swim trunks miraculously dissolving in the water. My bikini bottoms yanked out of the way. Just as the first big thrust was about to happen, I woke up with a gasp.
And haven’t slept since. That was over an hour ago, so I might as well just accept that that was the start of my day. A sexy dream about a man I love to hate. Seriously, hating Ty Sterling has been my favorite pastime for years. If I stop now, I don’t know what I’ll do with my free time.
I take a quick shower, eager to go in search of some coffee. After getting dressed in my new jeans, a long-sleeved tee, and my hiking boots, I decide to throw on my poncho. What the hell? I’m in Peru and that lady in the store said red was my color. So did Ty, but obviously that’s not why I’m wearing it. It’s because ponchos are surprisingly practical, especially up in the mountains when the sun is barely up and the air is cool.
Making my way down to the lobby, I smell the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. It’s too early for the full breakfast buffet to be out, but I’m pleased to see there is already a table set up against the wall with carafes, juices, muffins, and fruit. I walk over and pour myself a steaming cup, adding lots of cream and sugar so I can get some carbs, sugar, and caffeine to make up for my lack of sleep.
Honestly, I’m a little peeved. Stupid sexy Sterling stealing my sleep. That’s just like him. The original version I have of him in my mind, that is. Making us poor unsuspecting women feel … whatever it is I’m feeling so we can’t sleep or think straight. That’s how he gets what he wants. In this case, it’s to prevent me from stopping him from ruining my life. Asshole.
That’s better, Gwen. Get mad. Anger will fuel your brain. That, and this deliciously sweet nectar of the gods. Aahhhh…
Okay, all I need is a plan. With any luck, the team back home will soon be searching for Skip and trying to find out about this mysterious club Ty’s buying. (My current theory is it’s some sort of secret billionaire’s club where they make poor people wrestle for dimes.) Aside from trying to get any information I can on the club, my main job is to stay close enough to Ty so I can influence his decision, yet far enough away that I keep my heart safe. That shouldn’t be a problem, right?
I’ll be polite, but slightly aloof so he knows that what almost happened last night is not going to almost happen again. Then I’ll spend the rest of the trip looking for an opportunity to pry open his very closed mind. He responds to logic and reasoning, both of which I can do. He has already admitted when he was wrong more than once, so I know he’s not an impossible wall of a human. I hope.
An hour later, the rest of the group starts to trickle down to the lobby, all looking a little worse for wear. That is, except for Ty, who looks completely refreshed and ready to take on the world. Bastard.
Okay, Gwen, artfully avoid him without making it seem like you’re avoiding him.
I wait until he’s nearly done loading up at the buffet table before making my way over to do the same.
He glances up from in front of the scrambled eggs. “Good morning, Ms. Fox. I trust you slept well.”
Ms. Fox? Oh, I see he’s going for polite-but-aloof as well. “Yes, thank you. That soak in the hot springs put me right to sleep.” Oh, I am such a liar. “I trust you didn’t sleep at all.”
“Not a wink,” he says before walking away.
Adding a stack of tiny hot cakes, fresh fruit, and bacon to my plate, I then go in search of somewhere to sit, only to see Ty settling himself at a table with Niles, Rohan, Thiago, and Dr. Napper’s urn.
I guess it’s girls versus boys at breakfast this morning. Suits me just fine. I make a beeline for the table that Karen and Savannah are at. “Mind if I join you?”
“Sure,” Karen says with a smile. I know she’s basically an expert at smiling, but honestly, she really does seem to mean it. Canadians are so nice. Also gullible. Well, this one anyway.
“Thank you so much for your leggings,” I tell her, pulling them out of my backpack and placing them on top of hers. “You’re a real life saver.”
“You’re welcome. How’d it go at the store last night? I see you found at least one nice outfit.”
My face heats up at the mention of my shopping trip with my ‘husband.’ “I managed to find a few things that should work.”
“I see that,” Savannah says. “Cute poncho.”
