was willing to trek for two hours. He discovered several other paths of various lengths, which led to points of interest, along with tennis courts and numerous water sports available to entertain the guests.
The private beach stretched the length of the resort golf course. At the end of the beach, a river mouth emptied into the sea, the sand changing to thick river mud. Hundreds of mangrove trees grew in the oozing sludge. They were full of bird life but not very hospitable for humans.
The resort covered a lot of ground—a fact that made Jack’s life difficult, because it would be easy for a drug ring to operate without detection. He made a mental note to check for day guests.
Jack turned toward the beach to search for Emma. The sand crunched under his sandals once he stepped off the footpath. The surge and retreat of the waves lulled him as he scanned the vicinity. Halfway along the beach, four males crowded around a beach towel. He caught a low drone as one of them spoke and the answering feminine laugh.
Emma.
Jealousy struck hard and without warning. His steps lengthened, and his taniwha growled in displeasure, ready to kick butt.
“Emma, there you are.” He kept his voice low and even—or tried to. His dragon let loose with a roar that squeezed past his control before he could blink.
The four men visibly backed away from Emma.
She sent him a chiding look and pursed her rosebud pink lips. “Darling, this is Carlos, Daniel, Justin and Doug. They wanted to know what I’d won in my prize.”
Jack made a concerted effort to contain his displeasure, but unsuccessfully since the four men retreated farther from their previous huddle around Emma.
“We’d better get back to the bar. The girls should have finished in the spa by now,” one of them said after they’d exchanged wary glances.
“Nice to meet you.” Emma beamed. “And thanks for the hints. I’m sure they’ll come in handy.”
“See you ’round,” another of the men said.
Jack managed a brief nod of acknowledgment and waited in broody silence until they left. He yanked his shirt over his head and dropped onto the sand beside her. All it took was one look and he almost drooled. She smelled of coconut lotion and her skin gleamed, drawing his gaze to the red top and her plump breasts.
“You could have been a bit more polite.”
“Why? What hints?” If she wanted sex tips, she should ask him.
“About the best way to use some of the toys I won. Do you have some input for me?”
Jack went from pissed to boiling hot in seconds flat. The woman had a smart mouth and he was just the man to cure her of the malady. He sprang, pushing her down until she lay full length on her towel. A small oomph escaped her as he covered her, squashing her breasts against his bare chest. He thrust his thigh between her legs to hold her in place, ignoring the squeak of surprise.
She opened her mouth, probably to complain, but he halted any protests by plundering her lips, sliding his tongue into the moist cavern beyond, just as his taniwha demanded.
She froze, then softened beneath him, her hands gripping his shoulders to hold him closer. Her fingers slid across his back then lower to cup his arse.
Jack ripped his mouth away from hers. “What the devil are you doing?”
“I’ve wanted to cop a feel of your butt for ages,” she confessed a trifle breathlessly. “It’s…ah…very nice.”
The sensation of her hands sliding over him, even though he wore shorts, sent his libido soaring into overdrive. His cock hardened with painful intensity until it felt as though his shorts were several sizes too small. A groan formed deep in his chest and without conscious thought, he started a little exploration of his own.
Smooth skin greeted his touch. He trailed his fingertips across her rib cage and higher to cup one breast. The hands on his butt stilled and when their gazes connected, he saw her wide eyes held a trace of shock. Jack traced the edge of her