Behind The Proposal novel Chapter 7

"Soph, look," he almost yelled over the sound of the engine as he pointed out one of the amazing waterfalls on the island. She dropped his hand, leaning over Jasmine to point out the sights to the little girl. He took the opportunity to admire her figure once again. The tell-tale pink straps of her swimsuit peeking out from under her long flowing white shirt were teasing him, as was the long expanse of shapely legs in her navy shorts. His mouth ran dry and his body instantly responded to the images that flashed in his brain of the two of them together, her naked legs wrapped around him.

"Wow," she exclaimed, her voice barely audible over the noise in the cabin. Then she looked up at him again with those expressive blue eyes sparkling in wonder, a smile tugging on her lips, and he was a goner. She leaned over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder as she spoke loudly next to his ear. "Thank you so much for this, Tom, this is absolutely incredible."

"My pleasure," he shouted back. Despite his better judgement and the fact they were in a small plane, he cupped her chin in his hands and drew her closer, close enough to press his lips to hers. She was with him all the way, her hands moving around his neck as she opened her mouth to his. He ran his hands through her hair, holding her to him as he deepened the kiss and closed his eyes. Everything but the feel of her silky soft hair and the taste of her warm sweet mouth just faded into the background. Even the sound of the noisy engine disappeared as her tongue brushed against his desperately. His blood heated and he would have dragged her onto his lap if they hadn't been restrained by the seatbelts. Heaven help him, he was drowning in her. She tasted like honey and smelled like coconut. He couldn't get enough.

"Ah hem," Tristan's voice broke through the fog. "We'll be landing soon," he yelled at them.

Tom reluctantly broke the kiss and slowly drew away, staring into her bright blue eyes that were as dazed with desire as he knew his would be. At least he wasn't alone in the feelings she was stirring in him. She took her lip between her teeth and blushed as she glanced toward the front of the plane and his best friend, who Tom knew would've seen the whole thing.

"Somebody had a good time," Tristan chuckled as he lifted Jasmine out of the plane and put her on her feet beside Sophie on the tiny wooden pier.

"Yes, thank you so much," Sophie murmured, only briefly meeting his amused gaze, but feeling her cheeks heat anyway. She was mortified that he'd witnessed that moment of passion in the back of the plane. In her defence she'd been so awed by the sights and by Tom's nearness that she hadn't been thinking straight. She'd been drawn into a spell when he looked at her, his grey eyes darkening to almost black with desire, that she had needed to feel his mouth on hers. She'd forgotten where they were and even the fact that her daughter had been sitting beside her.

She'd gone from being the one who everyone walked all over to someone who had people to do things for her. It was exhilarating. But she knew she had to be very careful. This wasn't real life. Not for her anyway. They'd shared a few kisses, but that was all it could be. He lived here and she lived on the other side of the world. She couldn't afford to start feeling anything for Tom.

Sophie handed Jasmine her pink hat and rubbed more sunscreen onto her chubby little cheeks and arms before the little girl sat down to play in the sand on the secluded pristine white beach. Sophie had never been anywhere like it before. It was the kind of place that featured in travel brochures, with the palm trees rustling gently in the breeze and the crystal clear blue water. She stood for a moment to soak it all in, listening to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach and smelling the salty tang of the ocean. There was something incredibly soothing about it all. It was quite literally paradise.

Except that Sophie could feel the heat of the sun on her pale skin and was concerned she would get burnt. She lifted her hat off and pulled her shirt over her head to apply some more lotion around her pink one-piece swimsuit.