by Debra Fisk
Good to know. He made a metal note to avoid the island gossip, Charity Grambling.
“When people like you visit this island, they want something.”
Noah waited for Charity to give his total. “How much?” A minute more, and he was leaving the drinks and snacks sitting on the counter and walking out.
“Huh?” Charity looked stunned that he didn’t buckle and state his business when she pressed him.
Now who was deaf? “Total, please.” He said it much louder this time to make sure she heard him clearly. It was his turn to be a smartass.
Reluctant to concede defeat, she pressed a button on the register, and then sneered. “Thirty-four ninety-five.”
Was this a convenience store or a Mafia shakedown? “For a Gatorade, water, and a few snacks?” He pulled out a second twenty and handed it to her.
“Inflation,” she murmured. Placing the money on the counter, she pulled a marker out of her pocket and slashed the two twenties. Charity pffted out a “They’re real.” Then she pressed a key and placed the bills in the drawer when it opened, made change, and handed it to Noah with a warning: “I’ll find out the real reason you’re here.”
“So being on a vacation isn’t a good enough reason to stop at your store?”
She gave him a you’ve got to be kidding me stare. “No.”
Noah balanced the bags and bottles in his arms, and as he turned to leave, he heard Charity whisper, “I’ll find out what’s going on.”
With gritted teeth, he shouldered the door open, hustled over to his car, and rested the drinks on the roof, looking through the glass of the Super Min at the busybody inside. If she persisted, she could blow his cover and, with it, his chances with Ana.
*****
Ana changed out of her uncomfortable business outfit and into a two-piece swimsuit. The icy air in the villa helped cool her overheated skin. The sun and stress had caused her face to become flushed. She hung her suit in the closet and mentally recapped the day’s events. Feeling relieved but slightly overwhelmed, she dialed the resort spa from her room and scheduled a massage and facial for the next morning.
With the first day of the contest over, she wanted to dive into bed and toss the covers over her head. It would be a safe place to hide until the social media voting was over. What if she didn’t get any votes? What if her sportswear was voted off in the first round? As her competitors’ products were exposed, she felt the feelings of doubt and insecurity creep in. Would hers go in the hall of shame?
Her phone buzzed with a text.
Meet me for a drink?
The message from Noah sent her heart sputtering for a different reason.
Where? she texted back.
You pick, he shot back.
The pool bar?
She was about to go for a swim, and after today, she needed a strong drink to calm her nerves, something tropical that went down easy and took the edge off of her day.
Be there in 5.
Every part of her body tingled with anticipation. One text from Noah and she’d gone from wilted to wowed in a split second. This was exactly the pick-me-up she needed in her life. Someone to distract her from Marco and the cutthroat contestants. It wasn’t in her nature to be like the majority of the other women. They were, in plain English, bitchy, though Melonie and Whitney didn’t fall into that category.
She walked over to the mirror and tried to make herself look decent. Running her brush through her hair, she piled it high on her head. After adding a little pink passion gloss to her lips, she grabbed her stuff and went down the stone pathway toward the bar.
Caribbean music played, and the scent of coconut suntan oil hung in the air. The sun flared like an orange fireball in the sky. Noah sat at the bar, muscular and shirtless in board shorts, a white towel hooked around his neck. She halted her steps and allowed herself to drool over him for a minute. He looked like a glorious lifeguard perched on the barstool.
Drowning in his hot looks and her amped-up emotions, she fantasized about him giving her CPR and almost swooned when she visualized his hot lips crushing down on hers. Black sunglasses masked his eyes, but when he flashed her a smile, her lips slid into an answering grin.
Once she was in earshot, he announced, “I’ve waited all day to hear how your Golden pitch went. You look amazing, by the way.”
Heat rolled up from her waist to her cheeks. “Thank you. I can really use a drink. Something cool and tropical.” Or maybe an ice bath. She had to put out the fire down below when she was around him.
Noah slid to the seat next to him and motioned for her to sit down. Ana snapped her mouth shut as his muscles rippled. His hand brushed hers, making her shiver.
“Margarita, daiquiri, mojito?”
A gentle breeze tossed his shiny hair, and she wanted to grab a handful and run her fingers through it. All three suggestions sounded wonderful. “A frozen pineapple margarita sounds perfect to start.”
He arched a brow. Like everything else on his body, it was perfect. Well, she hadn’t seen everything, but she could imagine, right? The bartender placed two drinks in front of each of them. Noah had a frozen drink called a Hurricane.
She looked at the bartender, confused.
“Happy hour,” he said.
She reached for the straw and took a long draw on it. “Wow, this is delicious.” To Noah, she said, “Thank you for inviting me. It’s been a tough, emotional day.” She had to raise her voice a few decibels to be heard over the music.
“There seems to be a lot of that going around,” he replied. “If you don’t have any dinner plans, I thought maybe you’d like to join me. I can make a reservation wherever you want.”
“I don’t have plans for this evening.” She took another sip of her margarita and felt the icy lemon lime cool off her insides and shoot a brain freeze behind her left eye. Pressing her flattened palm against her eye, she asked, “How was your day off here?”
“Interesting. I went into town, but I don’t know how often I’d visit that convenience store. The owner is a real piece of work. Definitely the official town gossip.” He placed his hands behind the back of his head and stretched. Biceps flexed in her direction, and she bit her lower lip. Something about him made her desire him to her core.
Regaining her composure after a few moments, Ana contemplated how much damage gossip could do to the contest and finding Marco. “I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side.” She let out a nervous laugh. Reaching for the fresh fruit adorning the top of her drink, she used two fingers to pick up the plastic sword and slide a chunk of pineapple off of the end with her teeth. She was so hungry that the small piece of fruit made her crave food all the more.
He chuckled, and when he did, a few golden muscles rippled, and she swallowed hard. Her spine quivered with delight from the warming sound and the superb masculine view.
“Somehow, I think you can only be on Charity Gambling’s bad side.”
Worried out of her mind, she hadn’t searched though her suitcase, afraid of what she might find. Trying not to allow her MIA brother and his unsavory business dealings to interfere with her future, she pressed down the urge to contact him. That was if he answered the phone number he’d called from. As much as he was a chronic family problem, and he didn’t care about anyone else but himself, she didn’t want to see him injured or worse—dead. He was her brother, and the old saying that blood was thicker than water was true.
“Good to know. Avoid the local convenience store,” she joked, and her stomach growled. Embarrassed, she turned several shades of red. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. We can order something here if you like, or finish our drinks and then go to dinner?” He removed his sunglasses, and she melted under his intense gaze. “Pick a place, and I’ll take you there.” He grinned, and her heart slipped a few more notches, teetering on the border of love. “We can eat at the hotel or go into town. Your choice.”
She was fidgety, hungry, and determined to reach Marco somehow.
“I don’t know. I have so much to do.” The uneasiness of wondering what happened to her brother made it difficult to focus. Where was he? She drained the last of her margarita and moved on to the second glass.
Noah flattened her with a hard stare. “You still have to eat.”
Her empty stomach protested, and he raised his eyebrows as if to say, See? By now, her hunger had escalated to starving. “Okay, okay, but the thought of going out makes me want to collapse from exhaustion. After wearing a skirt and heels and shouldering a lot of tension today, I’d like to be as comfortable as possible.” Images of her feet elevated, her pajamas, and a glass of wine flashed through her head, and she sighed. The longer the tequila sat in her bloodstream, the less and less she wanted to move.
“I’ve got an idea about how we can eat and relax without leaving the resort, if you like. Why don’t we order from Junonia and have it delivered to my villa? We can eat out on the patio and go for a swim. Relax and unwind.” Noah waved the bartender over, signed for the drinks, and said, “What do you think?”
“Sounds like heaven.” Ana slipped off of the barstool and stumbled forward, right into Noah’s bare chest. Again, with her face, her lips on hot, sun-seared masculine skin. There she was in a bikini, her skimpy-top-cradled breasts squeezed up against a mass of rock-hard muscles. No, this was heaven.
She was embarrassed at her clumsiness. This was not the impression she wanted to give. His strong arms circled her waist firmly, stopping her fall, and she slid hers around his neck. Slowly, she lifted her head, and their eyes met. Irises of smoky blue melted her insides when her gaze locked with his. Every cell in her body hummed with excitement.
*****
Call it fate, destiny, or a strong margarita, but whatever magic was at work thrust Ana right into Noah’s arms. His heart bounced all over the inside of his chest as he stared into her sparkling eyes, her lids hanging lower than usual. Her lips were only a few inches from his. He did what every turned-on hot-blooded guy with a revved-up pulse would do. He pulled her tighter and crushed her mouth with his.
Her knees buckled, and he held her up. She didn’t pull away, instead leaning into him even more. He pressed closer, tasting the lime and a hint of salt from her margarita. Her hair, smooth like silk, smelled like citrus and blossoms.
Noah kissed her more deeply, parting her lips with his tongue. Every part of his body grew rock hard as the blood pulsed through his veins. She turned into a siren, luring his mind and body astray. He wrestled the urge to continue, not wanting to put any distance between the soft curves pressed snugly against his body.
Forcing himself to break free, he wanted to keep their attraction private rather than make a public spectacle of themselves. Her eyes remained closed, and her mouth was swollen from his lustful kiss.
“Why don’t we go back to the villa and order in?” His voice was hoarse, and his chest heaved like a marathon runner’s. Ana just might be the death of him.
Her eyes fluttered open, and with a shy smile, she nodded yes.
Not wasting any time, he helped to steady Ana on her feet, placed a firm grip around her wrist, and guided her onto the stone path to the villas. Neither spoke a word until they spotted Melonie and Whitney walking toward them. Noah released his hold, and Ana shifted slightly away from him.
Melonie covered her mouth and whispered to Whitney. Then the two women burst into giggles. Both were dressed as if they were going for a swim. Noah nodded and gave them a polite smile.
Melonie spoke first. “Hey, why don’t you join us for a swim? We can make it a little getting-to-know-you party.”
Oh, there was going to be a private party with only him and Ana. “I’m sorry, maybe another time.”
Dressed in a lavender print bikini and carrying a matching bag and towel, Melonie looked to Noah like a plastic Barbie who’d just stepped out of a box. She reminded him of a Monet. Attractive from a distance, but when you looked much closer, you could see things were kind of messed up.
“Was I the only one who spent every ounce of energy today?” Ana asked. “I’m so tired. I could use an early night’s sleep.” She sounded believable, enough that Noah thought maybe they should reconsider their plans so she could get the rest she needed. As much as he wanted to hunt down Marco and get some answers, he also wanted Ana in a way he hadn’t wanted a woman in a very long time. The very thought unnerved him.
Whitney raised her hand in a slight wave. “Count me in as a member of the exhaustion club too.”
Taking charge of the conversation, Noah commented, “I think it’s been that type of day for all of us.” With a curt nod, he continued, “Ladies, enjoy your evening. See you in the morning.” He smiled at Ana, who took his cue.
“Have a great time,” she said. “See you tomorrow.” She moved around the two women to stay in pace with Noah.
They continued down the path a bit before he decided to speak again. “Look, Ana, if you’re too tired, we can catch up in the morning.” He stopped walking and turned to face her.
She looked surprised and joked, “Are you trying to get out of buying me dinner?”
“Absolutely not.” He placed his arms around her and pulled her close. “I want to be with you, but I don’t want you to be uncomfortable or feel forced.” Warning bells went off in his head. He should steer clear of her. He liked her. A lot. Too much. Far too much, and therein lay the problem. He knew that once she found out he had been searching for Marco all along, their time together would be over. He didn’t care. He couldn’t stay away from her, and he couldn’t stop searching for Marco. He couldn’t stop seeking justice for the death of his friend and partner.
She nervously laughed. “Don’t be silly. I want to. I need to be with someone.” He shot her a stare. Her expression was pleading, and she continued, “I need to talk to someone. You know, confide in someone, and I feel like I can trust you.”
He sucked in his breath as each word punched him in the stomach. His conscience crumbled, and he felt like a piece of garbage for deceiving her. He didn’t want to think about it—not now—not tonight. All he wanted was to be with her. To get lost in her and somehow lose himself in the process.
Chapter Six
The scent of eucalyptus, crisp chilled cucumber, and grapefruit sugar filled the air while tranquil meditation music played softly in the background. A tall, slender woman with a model figure and big brown eyes looked up when Ana entered. She was dressed in a kimono-style outfit, her long, dark hair pulled back in a tight ponytail.
Moving from behind the desk, the woman asked, “Luciana Talarico?” She smiled, showing her perfect white teeth.
“Yes, but please call me Ana.” After last night, did she even need a spa treatment? Every inch of her body had been loved and relaxed, thanks to Noah’s magic, in a way she’d never dreamed possible. They’d dined in after room service delivered a marvelous meal from Junonia. They’d ordered the fresh catch of Pompano with seasoned vegetables, wine, and had skipped the lemon crush dessert until after—
“Welcome, Ana, I’m Jocelyn Palmer.” Her warm voice shook Ana from her fog and placed her at ease. “Would you like something to drink? A mineral water, fresh-squeezed juice, tea?” she offered.
“A mineral water, please.”
Looking around the luxurious spa setting, she took in the gorgeous floral arrangement, several plush chairs, and the treatment rooms. From where she was standing, Ana could see a refreshment counter.
“I’ll get the mineral water, while you take a few moments to look over the menu of our services.” Jocelyn handed Ana a colorful glossy card with a description of each of the amenities offered. Ana read each one in great detail, anticipating how wonderful the treatments would be.
A buzz vibrated in her purse, signaling a call. She grabbed it and stared at the strange number. She clicked to answer, not caring where she was or who might hear her. “Marco, where are you? What’s going on?”
This time, she was going to get some answers. She wasn’t
going to let him get away with cryptic messages. He was going to answer her, or she was going to contact the police. Ana was tired of the mental torment. Every time she started to have the slightest piece of happiness, he disrupted her life. “Marco, if you don’t talk to me, then I am going to contact the police.”
There was silence on the other end, but she could still hear him breathing, along with the sounds of birds and a breeze.
“Did you check your bag yet?” he finally asked.
No, because she was terrified of what she might find hidden in it and how it might change her life in a way she wasn’t prepared for. “I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Tell me where you are. Please, I’ll come see you. We can talk.”
“It’s too late for that. I need some money to be able to get out of the country. I’m counting on you to win this contest. Ana, I need your help. I’ll call you later.” Just like before, the line went dead and, with it, her happiness from the night before. Damn him.
Tears of frustration trickled down her cheeks, but they were quickly replaced with anger as she stifled a sob. Marco had a way of twisting her emotions, tossing them on the ground, and stomping on them. Guilt prevented her from turning her back on him.
A slender arm wrapped around her shoulder, and she heard Jocelyn whisper, “Husband trouble?”
She turned toward Jocelyn. “No, nothing like that.” Ana scanned the spa counter for a box of tissues.
Jocelyn followed her gaze and said, “Wait here.” She slipped around the corner and reappeared with an entire box. Handing Ana a tissue, she took her by the hand and led her over to the fluffy high-back chairs. “Now, do you want to tell me what’s wrong? Relationship issues? A boyfriend?”
Ana shook her head, then let out a laugh. “I haven’t had one in years.”
“Well, I’m here if you need to confide in someone. Now, you probably need to unwind with a massage and facial.”
