Ship Happens

by Eve London

  Ship Happens

  Eve London

  Contents

  Foreword

  Preface

  1. Nova

  2. Max

  3. Nova

  4. Nova

  5. Nova

  6. Max

  7. Max

  8. Nova

  9. Nova

  10. Max

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Also by Eve London

  Copyright ©2020 by Eve London

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, or stored in any storage or retrieval system without written permission of the author. Violating these rights is forbidden and punishable by the fullest extent of the law.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, person living or dead, locales, or other status is entirely coincidental.

  All brand names and product names used in this book are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of their respective holders. The author is not associated with any product or vendor in this book.

  Dear Reader,

  Thanks for taking a chance on my Summer Lovin’ Series! It’s full of fun in the sun and falling in love. I hope you enjoy reading about my heroes and heroines as much as I enjoyed writing them!

  If you haven’t picked up your free first book, Life’s A Beach, you can grab it here: https://geni.us/LifesABeach.

  SWAK!

  Eve

  SHIP HAPPENS

  Getting beached is a dream come true...

  When a late season storm forces my sail around the world off course, I'm forced to batten down the hatches at a private island resort. The change in plans sucks until I come face to face with the sultry-as-sin manager. One night with her puts the wind back in my sails. I've only got until the sun starts to shine to convince her to join me for the trip of our lives.

  If you're a sucker for a scorching, stranded, one-night stand that turns into so much more, sail away with Ship Happens for a guaranteed happily-ever-after.

  1

  Nova

  “Get inside. Come on, hurry up.” I ushered my calico kitten into the bungalow we shared. The weather guy had predicted a storm heading our way, but it looked more like an off-season hurricane based on how the wind had kicked up and the sky had darkened.

  “You sure you’re okay?” My best friend, Shenae, had called to wish me a happy birthday and check in. “Sounds like things are getting bad out there.”

  “I’ll be fine. This place was built to withstand a lot worse than this.”

  “What a way to spend your birthday. I sure hope the storm doesn’t delay the special delivery I sent over.”

  “What did you do?” Shenae had a history of sending totally inappropriate gag gifts for my birthdays. Last year she’d sent me a delivery of cockies—penis-shaped cookies—all the way from a special bakery in Denver. Two years ago she’d sent a Dirty Diva basket filled with all kinds of naughty novelties. Each year she seemed to get more daring.

  “You know me. I couldn’t let your twenty-ninth birthday pass without something big to acknowledge it.” She tried to stifle a giggle.

  “Nae Nae, ‘fess up.” I thought she’d let this year slip by. But evidently not even moving to an island in the middle of the ocean could deter my best friend.

  “You’ll know it when you see it. Or maybe I should say him.” She didn’t even try to hide her laugh. “Listen girl, I’ve got to go. The sun’s actually shining here and we’re taking the snowmobiles out for a bit.”

  “Figures. You’ve got sun in January in Alaska while I’ve been hunkered down for two days in the pouring Florida rain.”

  “Sounds about right. Call me when you get your surprise. Although it’s getting late so he might not show until tomorrow.”

  I groaned. “I’m sure you’ll be hearing from me.”

  “Happy Birthday, Nova.”

  I made a kissing sound through the phone, and we disconnected. The storm had picked up in the few minutes we’d been chatting. As I looked out the window, a big gust of wind blew a lounge chair right off my patio.

  At least we didn’t have any current guests at the private island resort I managed. The owners typically operated year-round, but they’d closed down for a couple of weeks to finally take their long-overdue honeymoon and give all the employees a break. Now it was just me, the groundskeeper-maintenance man, and the kitten who’d shown up out of nowhere a few months ago.

  My grandmother had been the wife of a sailor, and she always said the sea delivered gifts to those she deemed worthy. So, I’d decided to call the cat Triton. The sea must have known I needed someone to keep me company.

  Triton scampered across the tile, leaving a trail of tiny wet paw prints. I grabbed a paper towel and cleaned up after him. With nothing left to do but wait out the storm, I flipped on the TV and settled in to watch one of my favorite rom-coms. At least I had electricity thanks to the solar panels used to power the island.

  Triton sunk his front claws into my yoga pants and climbed up onto my lap. I ran a hand over his back as the opening scene of “Splash” played across the screen. It was an oldie but a goodie and had been one of my grandmother’s favorites as well.

  I managed to keep my eyes open right up through the final credits. Seeing Tom Hanks get his happily-ever-after in the form of being able to swim underwater next to his mermaid love always gave me the warm fuzzies. Watching that movie made me crave a long, hot bubble bath.

  I grabbed a bottle of wine and the romance novel I’d bought myself for my birthday, then headed for the oversized tub.

  2

  Max

  I peered into the darkness ahead. According to the radar, this storm should have hit south of us. But somehow, we’d sailed right into it. Not a good start to the fifteen month journey my crew and I had planned for our first attempt to sail around the world.

  The catamaran could handle the swells. I was more worried about figuring out where we were and how long it would take us to ride out the storm than anything else.

  “Radio working yet?” Chase, my right-hand man, stuck his head into the cabin.

  “Nope. Just a bunch of static.” We’d spent the past year and a half planning this trip. The three of us… Chase, me and my younger brother, Reese.

  I’d spent most of my life on or around the water but hadn’t attempted a sail around the world yet. We’d met up in St. Lucia with a half-dozen other boats making the same trip. There was safety in numbers and the guides leading the rally had a hell of a lot more experience than any of us.

  But not even they’d been prepared for the sheer power of this storm. Now we were separated from the group with no way to make contact.

  “Hey, what’s that up ahead?” Reece had been working on the radar but he came to stand next to me, his finger pointed at a dark shape rising in the distance.

  Before I could answer, an enormous wave crashed over the boat, hurtling us toward whatever was sticking up out of the ocean.

  “Shit!”

  The effort we’d spent working our asses off to train for this trip didn’t matter. Like a toy boat being batted around by an angry toddler in a bathtub, the waves tossed us every which way until we came to an abrupt stop.

  The impact sent all three of us flying across the cabin. Chase hit his head on a cabinet and fell to the floor.

  “Chase, you okay?” I’d wedged myself against the wall, so I’d only been knocked around a little. But even in the dim light I could see the gash on his forehead.

  “What the fuck?” Reese pulled himself up from where he’d landed on his ass against a bunk. “Is he al
l right?”

  “I don’t know. Get the first aid kit.” At least we’d stopped moving. “I’m going up to see where we are.”

  Reese fumbled for the kit as I opened up the door. The catamaran sat half beached on a rocky section of shoreline. At least we’d missed crashing against the huge rock a few yards away. Rain pelted down as I tried to get a handle on where we were. A strip of sand stretched in front of me. The wind blew hard enough to bend the palm trees at an unnatural angle. I couldn’t tell much with the rain coming down in sheets.

  “I don’t think we’re going anywhere for a while.” I ducked back under deck.

  Reese had cleaned up Chase’s cut as best he could. Chase appeared to be coherent, just pissed as he held a washcloth to his forehead.

  “You okay?” I asked.

  Chase nodded. “Where are we?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. The two of you stay here.” I grabbed a raincoat and some gear. “I’ll be back.”

  With no access to the radio, I’d never felt so fucking helpless. It had been my idea to put our lives on hold and take this trip. Damn if I’d let a little hurricane-like weather force us to change our plans.

  3

  Nova

  I sank into the tub up to my chin. Nothing like a nice, hot bath to put my mind and body at ease. Though the storm continued to rage outside, I was nice and relaxed thanks to the lavender-scented candles and the birthday-girl-sized glass of wine I’d poured.

  “You want to come in?” I asked Trident.

  He was an odd cat who actually loved the water. But evidently not tonight. He swished his tail and hopped off the ledge of the tub to the ground. A few seconds later, a banging sound came from the living room.

  “Triton?” I leaned over the edge of the tub, trying to see if he’d knocked something over. The noise came again.

  I knew I wouldn’t be able to relax if I thought he’d gotten into something. So, I stood, wrapped myself in one of the resort’s thick, fluffy towels and tried to locate the cat.

  “Hello?” A deep voice came from outside the French doors that opened to the beach. A male voice.

  My heart skipped a beat. The only other person on the island was Xiao, the groundskeeper, and he didn’t sound like that.

  Another knock sounded. “Anyone there?”

  I tiptoed toward the sheer curtains that covered the windows, but provided little privacy. Holding the edge of one panel, I lifted it just enough to peer outside. A man stood on the patio. I couldn’t see anything through the rain except for a bright yellow jacket. I let the curtain fall back into place.

  “Hey, I know someone’s in there.”

  I was going to kill Shenae. She’d gone too far this time. I reached for the handle, flipped the lock, and yanked open the door.

  If I’d had my wits about me, even just one, I might have thought twice about opening the door in a towel in the middle of a raging storm. But I must have left all of my wits in the tub because by the time I realized it wasn’t a good idea, the wind had ripped the towel from my grip and sent it sailing out into the storm.

  The drenched man’s gaze raked over me. Every naked inch.

  Attempting a delivery during a storm like this was insane, but I couldn’t leave him standing outside in the downpour. I grabbed the sheer panel and tried to wrap it around me with one hand as I motioned for him to enter with the other. “Come in.”

  Max

  Even though my catamaran had been beached… even though my best friend was injured… the only thing I could think of as I passed through the doorway was running my hands over the curvy goddess in front of me.

  Her cheeks flushed as she closed the door.

  I stood on a mat just inside, water dripping down my slicker and splattering onto the tile floor.

  She’d plastered herself against the door, still wrapped in the curtain. If I hadn’t been desperate for help, I might have cracked up at her dazed expression.

  “Do you have anything for me?” she asked.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Are you going to sing or strip?” Her lips pursed. “It’s got to be one or the other since you don’t have a package.”

  I tilted my head, feeling a bit like I’d just entered an episode of The Twilight Zone.

  “Well?” She thrust out a hip and planted her hand on her waist. “Let’s get this over with. Either open your mouth or take off your pants.”

  “I’m sorry, I have no idea what you’re talking about. My catamaran just washed up on your beach. I’m with a couple of friends, and we can’t weather out the storm where we are.” I paused, hoping for some kind of reaction.

  “You’re not a stripper?” Her eyebrows slid up.

  “Uh, no.”

  Her grip on the see-through fabric tightened. “Who are you then?” she asked, a hint of fear in her eyes.

  My first concern was to make sure she knew I wouldn’t hurt her. I put my hands up, palms first. “I’m Max Richardson. A couple buddies and I got caught up in the storm and blown off course.”

  “Someone didn’t send you here? Someone named Shenae?”

  “I don’t know anyone named Shenae.”

  “Are you sure?” Her voice came out a little higher pitched, almost like a squeak.

  “I’m pretty sure.” Hell, at that moment, between the shock of the crash and the site of the half-naked, gorgeous woman in front of me, I might have forgotten my own name. I couldn’t help but check her out through the flimsy curtain. Her nipples perked, two pink peaks that I could just make out under the fabric. “Do you want to grab a robe or something?”

  “Oh.” Her eyes went wide. “Of course. If you’ll excuse me for a moment.”

  She made a move to drop the curtain then changed her mind.

  “Sorry, I’ll turn around.” As much as I wanted to set my sights on her, all of her, unencumbered by that swath of fabric, I was ninety-nine percent a gentleman and I wouldn’t let that other one percent take advantage of a fucked up situation like this. I turned around and faced the wall. Lucky for me the wall held a giant oval mirror.

  She dropped the curtain and my dick rose. Her reflection confirmed a svelte, curvy figure, the kind of shape I dreamed about at night. Before I could enjoy the view, she disappeared. A few moments later she returned, her body covered by a loose robe that had been secured by a tight belt.

  “Start over. Tell me everything.” She handed me a towel.

  “Thanks.” I wiped off my face first. She’d been gorgeous with water dripping into my eyes but now, with my vision cleared, she was divine. Light-brown hair, a heart-shaped face and the most perfect pair of full, swollen lips. I tamped down the instant attraction and focused on the facts. “We just started the first leg of our sail around the world and hit this storm. Where am I?”

  “You’re at the Wedded Bliss resort. On a small private island just west of the Keys.”

  “Florida?” I ran the towel over my hair. If we’d hit fucking Florida, we were farther off course than I thought.

  She nodded making her hair slip from where she had it tied up on top of her head. It floated around her shoulders in a cloud. I wanted to run my fingers through it. We’d barely shared a couple dozen words but my attraction for her, for this complete stranger, hit me deep.

  “Shit.” I raked my hands through my hair.

  “Where’s your boat? We should get your friends to shelter.”

  She was right. Chase would be okay, the cut looked superficial, but we needed somewhere else to hunker down and ride out the storm.

  “We’re just over on the other side of the beach. I saw your light on, that’s why I came this direction. I’m surprised you still have power.”

  “It’s solar. As long as the sun comes out eventually, we ought to be okay. Let me grab a raincoat and I’ll help you.”

  No way was I going to have her exposed to the storm. “I’ve got it. Can I bring them back here, though? We don’t have anywhere else to go.”

 
“Of course.”

  4

  Nova

  My hands shook as I put the kettle on. Had I actually propositioned a complete stranger to take off his clothes? I’d have to deal with that later. If it were me coming off of a shipwrecked boat, through the freezing cold rain, I’d want something warm. But what if they preferred coffee over tea? I set up the 4-cup coffeepot, so I’d be covered either way.

  While I waited for the water to come to a boil and the coffee to brew, I changed into a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. If I was going to have three strange men in my bungalow, one of them hotter than Hades, it would probably be best to have clothes on.

  By the time the kettle whistled, Max was back at the door. I held it open as the three of them staggered inside. I’d set a pile of towels by the door and handed one to each of them.

  “Thank you.” Max shed his raincoat and dried himself with the towel.

  His long-sleeve shirt was soaked through and molded to his chest. He had broad shoulders and stood almost a foot taller than my five-foot-five-inch frame. With dark eyes, and thick unruly hair, he was my type. Totally.

  “Here, let me take your coats and I’ll hang them in my shower.” I reached for their coats, wrapped them in a towel and hung them from the line stretching over my shower that usually held swimsuits and towels.

  I returned to the living room with three of the hotel’s robes in my arms and handed one to each man.