by Rye Hart
“What the hell does that have to do with anything? And how do you know? You were over here flirting with some piece of island ass. You didn’t even know who I was talking to.”
“I didn’t need to know who it was to know he was hot,” she said with a grin.
“Of course not.”
“Come on. Tall. Brown hair. Blue eyes. Chiseled abs with water dripping down his strong chest. Swollen arms and veins protruding from his—”
“Okay, okay. I get it. Kevin’s a good-looking man.”
“And exactly your type,” she said. “I don’t know how you kept from jumping him then and there. That’s some serious self-restraint.”
“I can’t believe he’s here,” I said.
“Want me to punch him in the dick?”
“First you wanted me to talk about how hot he apparently still is, and now you want to punch him in the dick for me?”
“All I’m saying is if you decide not to fuck him someone here had better.”
“Well, you’re not fucking him.”
“Ah, so we’re possessive. Still in love with the older man who broke your heart?” she asked.
“I was never in love with him.”
“Keep on telling yourself that. But we all knew you were. What happened with you two, anyway?” she asked. “You know, besides never making you a priority and always forgetting about your dates?”
“That isn’t enough?” I asked.
“Of course it is.”
“He was too focused on that business of his. I spent more time in restaurants waiting for him to show up than anything else. I waited for phone calls that never came and dressed up for dates he never picked me up for. That man’s head was in the clouds and he had eyes for nothing but the company he was building. He didn’t give a shit about me, unless he wanted to get laid,” I said.
“Yep. Punching him in the dick, it is!” Morgan said.
“Why did I have to run into him here?”
“Look, we’re here to get your mind off one scumbag ex, so we’ll just make it two. We’ll look hot every day in case we pass by Mr. Old Well-endowed Guy again, and we can make him drool and regret not treating you better.”
“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” I said. “I don’t know that I want to see him again.”
“Yet you swam over to him the second you recognized him,” she said.
“Well he looked right at me, I couldn’t very well be rude. He has kids now so that means he has a baby mother. I think it’s best I keep my distance,” I rationalized.
“Uh huh. Anyway, my plan is awesome so we’re going with it. So we gotta make sure we’re constantly on our A-game. Which means hiking up those tits of yours every chance we get.”
Morgan grabbed my tits and shoved them up, making me laugh.
“Get your hands off me,” I said, giggling.
“If we do our job right, you’ll be saying that to what’s-his-face, too,” Morgan said.
“You’re relentless.”
“And you need to get your mind off the last dickhead you dated. Man you really know how to pick ‘em’.”
I rolled my eyes at her, but I couldn’t necessarily disagree. “Yeah, I guess my bullshit detector needs some repairs,” I said.
“At least we can agree on that. I still don’t know what you saw in that last guy.”
“I don’t know either, honestly. I’m just glad I’m out of it.”
“Come on. I’m starving and the shops are still open,” she said. “Food and shopping always does me a world of good.”
The two of us took a small cab to the other side of the island. We ended up in a quaint little hut that sold the most amazing island food I’d ever tasted. They had whole fish roasted in leaves and all sorts of butters and spices, with fresh-made breads, and crispy vegetables. I ate until I couldn't move before Morgan and I decided to walk around and do some shopping.
Out of the blue, I heard a familiar voice that shot electricity down my spine.
“Brooke?”
I looked over at Morgan and her jaw dropped.
“No fucking way,” she said quietly. “Is that him?”
I whipped my head around and saw Kevin, walking down the road toward us with his children at his side.
Fatherhood suited him.
“Kevin,” I said. “What brings you to this side of the island?”
“Adventure,” the little boy said.
“That’s a very good reason to come,” I said with a smile.
“You’re pretty,” the little girl said.
“Not nearly as pretty as you,” I said.
“These are my kids. Daniel and Sydney,” Kevin said.
I fluttered my eyes up to his before I crouched down to their level.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Brooke.”
“Daddy says you’re a friend,” Sydney said.
I looked up at Kevin and found him staring down at me.
“Yes,” I said. “You could say that.”
“So can you come over and play?” Daniel asked.
Morgan snickered and I shot her a look.
“Well, I haven’t been invited,” I said.
“That can be arranged,” Kevin said.
I stood up as my eyes connected with his.
“We’ve already had dinner, but there’s coffee, wine, and cake back at my place,” Kevin said.
“Did someone say ‘wine’?” Morgan asked, coming to stand at my side.
“Kevin this is my best friend Morgan,” I said, formally introducing the two.
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Morgan said, shaking his hand and giving him a once-over.
“I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not,” Kevin said.
“The jury’s still out.”
Kevin released Morgan’s hand with a smile that set my heart slamming in my chest.
“I deserved that,” he said.
“So?” Daniel asked.
“Will you come play?” Sydney asked.
“Yeah, we have a waterslide,” Daniel said, trying to sweeten the pot.
“Twins that finish each other’s thoughts. Can you get any darn cuter?” Morgan asked.
I looked down at the two kids holding Kevin’s hands as my mind swirled around. This wasn't a good idea. I wasn’t going to deny the obvious hold Kevin still had on me; how my body rose to attention when he was around and how his eyes still drew me in. I tried to pretend I didn’t remember how good his soft lips and strong hands had felt on my body. I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath as everyone stared at me. But it was Morgan who jumped in.
“I’m down for wine and cake. We’ll be there,” she said.
“Yeah!” both kids squealed in unison.
“We’re the vacation house on the other side of the island,” he said.
“I remember,” Morgan said. “The one with the waterslide.”
“You can come down it too,” Daniel said.
The look on his adorable face was too much to say no to.
“Thank you for the invitation,” I said with a smile.
“But you have to wear floaties,” Sydney said.
“Then I’ll make sure to bring them,” I said, giggling.
“Would you guys like to come over around eight?” Kevin asked.
“But that’s bedtime,” Daniel said, pouting.
“We wanna play, too,” Sydney said, her bottom lip sticking out to match her brother’s.
“I’ll let you guys stay up late. How does that sound?” Kevin asked.
“Yeah!” his kids said.
“See you then,” Morgan said.
Then she dragged me away as I stumbled over my own two feet.
“What the hell was that?” I asked. “Cake and wine? Are you insane?”
“Look, if you want to make him drool then this is a prime opportunity,” Morgan said. “We’re gonna get dressed up, go eat his food and drink his alcohol, he can stare some more, then he can watch you walk away. Over and over
again. Like you had to watch him. Besides, you’ve been complaining about writer’s block. Maybe a change of pace will help you finally get your creative juices going again.”
“But—” I started before Morgan cut me off. “Woman, I want wine and cake. And since you won’t stop gawking at him, I think I did you a favor,” she said.
“So, wait. Do you want me to stick it to him or do you want me to sleep with him?”
“Which gets me to wine faster?” she asked.
“If you want wine, I can buy us wine.”
“But he’s rich. Did you see that vacation house? He’s got the good wine.”
“You’re absurd, you know that?”
“And you still have some writing to do. Come on. We’ve got a couple of hours to burn,” she said.
We headed back across the island and walked down the pier to our private hut. It had taken all the money we had saved up while at college, but this trip was worth it. Not only was I going to rid myself of my cheating ex, but I was going to get my creative juices flowing again. I had a book I wanted to write and market to publishers, but I’d hit a mental block that wouldn’t let up ever since my ex and I had started having relationship issues.
I sat down at the small desk in my room that overlooked the ocean. I was hoping this vacation would prove to inspire me after my broken heart and ugly break up. I stared at the blinking cursor in front of me, hoping that the words would flow from my fingers. There was a time in college where I could write an entire manuscript in under a month. Where I could sit down at my laptop with just coffee and my glasses, whittling away until an entire world was in front of me.
But even the beautiful sea surging in front of me didn’t inspire me past the first line of text.
Her fate was determined the moment she arrived on the island.
I scoffed and shook my head before I closed my laptop.
I got up from my chair and began to get ready for the evening. I rifled through my clothes, trying to find something decent. Unfortunately, I hadn’t packed for this trip to socialize. I’d packed a bag that would allow me to do two things: swim and write.
Which meant I had nothing to wear that would impress anyone, let alone a guy like Kevin.
I settled on a pair of faded jeans and a flowing blouse. My shoulder-length brown hair was tousled with the salt of the sea and the humidity pouring in from the horizon. I splashed on a bit of waterproof makeup so it wouldn’t run with the dampness of the Caribbean night, then I met Morgan outside.
“Really? Jeans and a shirt?”
“I don’t have anything else,” I said. “I didn’t pack to impress anyone.”
“At least the jeans are tight around your ass. Come on. Let’s go,” she said.
Then my best friend dragged me down to the end of the pier and we started walking all the way over to the private beach with the decadent vacation home that sat on the shore.
Yep. It looked like all that work he put in during our relationship had paid off.
Too bad he couldn’t spare some of that attention on us.
CHAPTER 3
KEVIN
It had been just a few days back that I found myself wishing to see Brooke again, and here I was preparing to host her and her friend for the evening.
Don’t screw this up.
DON’T screw this up.
The five-star chef I had hired to whip us up some drinks and desserts was rushing around my kitchen. The kids were bouncing off the walls, excited for a visit from ‘Daddy’s first friend.’ I rolled my eyes at them as they ran around, trying to keep them from bothering the chef.
My nerves had me on edge waiting for the girls to come by.
I wanted the evening to go perfectly. They were both on vacation and my kids were jumping down their throats. I had the ability to entertain them, so I figured some quality drinks and desserts would go a long way in trying to smooth things over between Brooke and I.
We didn’t have the best past, but I’d give anything for a chance to prove what she meant to me even after all these years.
No one compared to Brook. She was one of a kind. A diamond. My kids could even see it.
Memories of our time together always brought me back to three of the best months of my life.
She was a hot, incredibly smart and sexy twenty-year old co-ed, and I was a twenty-six-year-old millionaire. I was on the hot track to make my first billion before I turned twenty-seven and her curves called to me in spades. I had spotted her from clear across the room. Those beautiful kaleidoscope eyes that wouldn’t settle on a color, drew me in. Her small waist flared out into a thick pair of hips, while her breasts poured out the top of the strapless dress she wore.
Her lips were ruby red, and her brown hair brushed her shoulders. Her legs were thick and toned, boasting of how she took care of her body. Her cheeks had rosy little apple peaks when she smiled, and I could smell the desire radiating from her that night.
She grabbed my attention with her beauty, and once we spoke I was hooked. She had serious brains and grand ambitions.
I fucked it up.
It was a three-month fling that went nowhere because I was way too busy with my company.
Even so, those three months I was with her were the most memorable of my life. She was wild in bed and we could talk about just about anything. And we had a damn good time doing so. Unfortunately, the timing couldn’t have been worse.
The age difference had been hard enough, but my company had been on the cusp of something grand. I’d started it in my garage at eighteen years old, foregoing school and using my intelligence to build something worthwhile instead. I sold my security equipment on the open market, competing with some of the greatest in the industry. In my first year of business, I secured a business loan that enabled me to build my own headquarters in Los Angeles. In the second year of business and with a second launch of high-end security products, I’d paid off that loan and was able to hire a full-time staff. My success climbed exponentially as I developed new technologies, and by the time I was twenty-two, I was able to hire my own staff to develop my ideas for me.
When I met Brooke, my company had been about to launch internationally. Time was more precious than ever, and I spent more hours in the office than I did at my home.
Which meant I spent a lot of time forgetting about dates I had set with her.
I wasn’t ready for a relationship. I wasn't excusing what I’d done, but I’d made a clear choice. I chose my company over the woman I was falling for, and I paid the price for it. I met Sarah a couple of months later, her birth control failed, and that started us on a roller coaster ride that almost did me in.
Once I knew I could become a father, it was like I had a fire light up inside me. Until then, all I gave a damn about was my career and success, but that quickly changed when the pregnancy test came out positive.
I grew up with a father that I barely knew and had always vowed to be the best damn dad I could be to my own children. I’d convinced Sarah to marry me and to carry the pregnancy to term because it felt like the right thing to do, but things quickly imploded once the twins were born.
One morning I woke up and she was gone. Her shit was packed, the kids were still in their cribs, and there was nothing except divorce papers in my mailbox waiting for me to sign. She was all too pleased to get her 50% share of my wealth. Once I got over the shock of it, I couldn’t sign those fuckers fast enough.
I’d make my money back easily enough.
We were better off without a woman that didn’t want to be in our lives.
My phone rang in my pocket and I pulled it out. It was from a number I didn’t recognize. I swiped at my screen and opened up the message, figuring it was from Owen.
He was always breaking his cell phones.
Didn’t know if you had my new number. It was nice seeing you on the island. Maybe we could get together for a drink? -Sarah
Nope. Definitely not Owen.
What the hell was Sarah doing? I
hadn’t spoken with her in years, and now she wanted to fucking get drinks? The woman was delusional, and the last thing I was going to do was open that door back up. My children were at stake in that situation. And she already had a reputation of walking out and taking as much money with her as she could in the process. There was no way in hell I was getting drinks with that woman unless she wanted to specifically talk about the children.
Other than that, the door was staying closed.
For good.
I placed the cell phone in my back pocket, ready to erase Sarah’s memory from my mind for the rest of the night. I had better things to do.
The doorbell ringing pulled me from my trance. The kids went running down the hallway and pulled open the door, and my eyes fell directly onto Brooke. Focusing for a moment on the tight jeans that clung to those thick thighs.
The same thighs I could remember her wrapping around my face.
Her shirt fluttered nicely over her chest, where her prominent cleavage was exposed, revealing a sneak peek of her breasts, round and tanned from the sun.
But the flowing material of her blouse left a bit to the imagination.
I’d always loved that about her. How her clothes showed her off as well as covered her up.
Clearing my throat, I invited them in before Daniel shut the door behind them.
“It smells good in here,” Morgan said.
“If you want to come into the kitchen, I’ve got plenty of wine for us to drink,” I said.
Brooke walked past me, and I could tell she was impressed with the best. My home may have been a bit much to take in at first, but it was home-sweet-home to myself and my kids.
Fuck.
It’s going to be hard to keep my eyes off that ass.
“You have a chef in here?” Morgan asked.
I grinned as I ushered Brooke into the kitchen.
I picked up a glass of wine and handed it to her before turning to give Brooke hers.
“Daddy? Can I have some milk?” Sydney asked.
“Me too!” Daniel said.
“Of course. Let me get you guys some cups. Why don’t you go sit at the table?” I asked.
They scurried off and I could feel Brooke’s eyes on me. I was pretty sure Morgan was making some sort of joke behind my back, but I didn't care. I knew dessert was almost done and then all of us would be sitting at the same table, trying to act like this history didn’t exist between us.
