Island Stars

by Elin Wyn

  Island Stars

  Elin Wyn

  Contents

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Epilogue

  Thank You

  Copyright

  Introduction

  Island Stars is the ninth release in a series of 11 Island books written by 6 different authors, all taking place on the fictional Catica Island.

  If you would like to read the other books as they are released over the summer of 2016, go now to CaticaIsland.com for more information…

  Island Stars

  By Elin Wyn

  *A sweet science-fiction romance*

  Despite her joy at her best friend’s wedding on Catica Island, Elissa Haddad can’t help but wonder if she’ll ever find the same happiness for herself.

  A disastrous relationship has left her doubting everything – herself, her future, and any chance of love.

  A chance encounter with Krysdotares Gianopoulous, a handsome stranger with unearthly violet eyes, brings her out of her shell, only to be caught up in intrigue and danger.

  Krys may have captured her heart, but can she trust herself, and him?

  Chapter 1

  “It's your turn next!” Megan shouted, giggling as the ferry pulled away from the dock.

  Elissa forced her smile to stay plastered on her face, even as her stomach knotted.

  "Who knows!” she replied, waving at her best friend, now snuggled into the arms of her new husband. “It’s the right place for it.”

  The boat moved out of the harbor and Elissa turned away. As she walked back along the pier she let her eyes drift close, smelling the salt spray, listening to the tide rumbling in.

  Catica Island would be a perfect place to find a new love. She grimaced. She wasn’t looking for happily ever after, not anymore. Happy for now would do. Hell, just not miserable for now would be fine, if she were totally honest about it.

  She had been on Catica Island for a week to help with Megan and Greg’s wedding, along with their ‘third musketeer,’ Deidre. The ceremony had been breathtaking, every detail exquisitely planned, and the location couldn’t be beat. But all of that was overshadowed by the love she saw between the happy couple.

  And Catica would be a perfect place to figure out what she was going to do next. She ambled up the short walk from the beachfront to the line of tiny cottages perched on a gentle cliff overlooking the ocean. After the disaster at the university, she’d frantically called the hotel the day before she was due to arrive. The staff had been more than accommodating, helping to arrange for another week on the island.

  With enough space between the cottages for privacy, but not so far away that she felt she was the middle of nowhere, this was the perfect choice for figuring out what the she was going to do with the rest of her life. She pushed the door open and out of habit looked for her laptop.

  I guess that’s one habit I’ll need to decide if I want to break. She perched at the edge of her bed and slipped the sandals from her feet, bare toes cool against the tile floor. She flopped back and stared at the slowly rotating ceiling fan. “One week,” she muttered as it slowly hypnotized her into sleep. “In one week I’ll have a plan.”

  She woke to the night cries of birds. The breeze coming into the cottage open windows from the sea chilled her skin, and she rubbed her arms as she closed the shutters.

  9 o’clock. She’d slept the afternoon and evening away. She should go down to the Blue Moon and see if she could rustle up a bite to eat, but the thought was exhausting. It been a whole week surrounded by happy laughing people. Solitude had a certain appeal.

  She looked around the cottage. If she didn’t want to go to the Blue Moon, didn’t feel like dealing with people, and didn’t have any work with her, what was she going to do?

  The crash of the sea answered her and a slow grin crept across her face.

  A good swim was always the right answer.

  Minutes later she slipped beneath the waves, the bright moonlight across the water glittering like diamonds. She struck out with sure, confident strokes. The water around Catica Island was clean and pure. She had considered contacting the Sunset Lagoon, the island’s dive shop, for gear earlier in the week, but caught up in the wedding festivities it slipped her mind.

  That’s what she would do for her week, she decided. Just be out on the water, let it wash over her, carry everything away.

  Past the wave break she paused and floated on her back, staring into the endless starry night. Alone with her thoughts for the first time, memories came rushing in. Alexander’s smile, the way he said her name as his fingers brushed her cheek. His whispered words in her ear, his breath sending shudders down her spine. And then the coldness, the hateful notes and disparaging remarks.

  And realizing her own stupidity. She should never have gotten involved with the chair of her research committee. She’d kept their romance a secret at his insistence, his so-called concern that others wouldn’t understand their relationship was special. He’d called her his muse, declared over late night glasses of wine that the ban on student-teacher relationships shouldn’t matter when it was a love like theirs. But in the same breath he’d poured poison in her ears, reminding her that all of her work and research would be tainted if other oceanographers knew she was in a relationship with her professor.

  The secrets and the lies had made it so easy for him to stop everything, to turn his back on her, to declare her work sub-par, even as he re-directed his attentions to the new research assistant in the lab. Her stomach soured watching him hang over her. Had she and Alexander been so obvious?

  Angry with herself for letting the bastard ruin even this quiet moment she rolled back over and struck further out into the ocean, arms and legs moving mechanically, almost of their own volition, driving her away from the hurt. But even as she swam, arms aching, she knew she carried the pain with her, an aching void she couldn’t escape.

  Finally, exhausted, she stopped. She bobbed in the water looking around, as reality crept back in. The distant lights of the island seemed impossibly far away and slowly she turned back. There was no escape, not this way. She’d have to face everything, decide what to do now. Stay, and try to continue her research? Or move on, leave academia behind and find a job?

  As she made her way back towards the island, her thoughts running in tired circles, she slowly became aware of a tugging sensation dragging at her legs.

  A surge of adrenaline rushed through her as she tried to picture the tide map around the island. Had she wandered into the riptide zone and not realized it? How could she have been so stupid? She tried not to fight it, to turn her body to roll with it as she’d been taught by her grandparents in the warm waters of California’s coast so long ago. But she couldn’t keep her head up, relentlessly it dragged her down, crushing her lungs, driving the air from her. She thought she could hear her grandparents’ talking quietly, echoes of those long-ago summers when all was right with the world, their softly accented voices the constant background of her childhood.

  And as the water took her, strong arms enfolded her.

  For the first time in months she felt safe.

  Chapter 2

  The next day Elissa woke to the screeching of gulls wheeling overhead. Her eyelids were gummy, gritty.

  She stretched and instead of cool linen sheets from her comfortable bed in the cottage, her hand brushed against a clump of seagrass.

  She sat up, heart racing.

  She was on the beach, not too far down the coast fr
om the cottages.

  I can't believe I did that. How could I have been so careless! She ran her hand through her hair and winced as her fingers caught in the tangles.

  The sea was dark blue in the early morning light. Small waves rolled in, slowly receding from the beach.

  I could've died out there, she thought. But what happened?

  She shook her head. She could remember the tides tugging at her and the wave of panic. But that was all.

  “And that needs to be the end of it,” she said aloud to the gulls who hopped towards her looking as if they wondered when she planned to throw them a bite of bread.

  Trying to move much more decisively than she felt, she stood up and tried to brush off the dried sand stuck to her skin.

  She looked at the beckoning water thoughtfully. I could go in and give a quick rinse. But the thought of the tide pulling her under stopped her.

  Never before had she been unsure of the ocean.

  She stood under this warm stream of water from the shower, rubbing conditioner through her hair to try to flush out the saltwater and let it dry into some semblance of control. Luckily it had been early enough that she didn’t have to answer any embarrassing questions on the way back to the cottage.

  She threw on a loose sundress and eyed herself critically in the mirror.

  Little bit of lipstick, tiny hint of mascara and nobody would guess that she had spent the night on the beach. Would they?

  She headed down to the coffee shop, listening to the sounds of the island coming to life around her. Other people on the island, the jingling and the jostling of businesses starting in the morning, of people getting their coffee, of happy brides and grooms waiting for their big day. All around her life moved on.

  She grabbed a table outside Sweet Temptations and sipped a large cappuccino as she gazed out at the morning light playing over the waves.

  This was it. Megan was right. Time for a new day.

  “May I join you?”

  Elissa jumped slightly, pushing her mug away from her so as not to spill coffee on the white skirt of her dress. A flustered retort sprung to her lips, but she silenced it as she peered over her sunglasses at the owner of that deep, silky voice, with a hint of a familiar accent.

  Oh my.

  This was exactly what Megan had wanted, wasn't it?

  He stood, still waiting as she gathered her thoughts, a slight smile dancing on his lips.

  And polite too. Grandfather might even improve.

  She dabbed a napkin on the table and waved with her other hand. “Yes, please do. I'm not usually so clumsy.”

  He grinned, white teeth flashing against his olive skin, his dark wavy hair like spilled ink. A simple black short sleeved button down shirt was untucked over khaki shorts. The only jewelry he wore was a dark silver cuff on his left wrist.

  “The fault is mine. Nothing should disturb so lovely a lady this early in the morning.”

  Elissa cocked a brow. “I'm not one for flattery.”

  “I did not mean any. You are lovely and it is early in the morning.”

  Elissa had no answer for that so sat drinking her coffee while the waiter came and took the stranger’s order.

  She almost had her composure back when he took his dark glasses off and looked at her.

  Oh my. His eyes were of the deepest purple. If he hadn't been in the sun she would've sworn they were black, but she could see the true shade, with lighter streaks of gold through the iris, highlighting the deep color.

  She'd never seen anyone with eyes like that. She realized she was staring.

  “So,” she said to fill the silence that didn't seem to be bothering him in the slightest. “What brings you to Catica Island? Are you here for a wedding?”

  He frowned slightly and shook his head. “No, I was in the area collecting samples. I needed to pick up supplies, and it’s less disturbing than going all the way to the mainland.”

  Elissa's ears perked up. I wonder what he's working on? she thought. No. I'm not going to ask. With my luck, he’s a dear friend of Professor Alexander Thaler, or at least knows him from conferences.

  Vague and polite was the safest course. “Sounds like a nice way to break up some work.”

  He smiled again warmly, but any other words he might have said were lost as Kennedy brought over morning pastries, fresh from the oven.

  “I've tried something new and you’re just in time to be my guinea pigs,” she said with an evil gleam in her eyes.

  Elissa eyed the flaky, buttery confection in front of her warily. She'd never had a single thing that Kennedy had prepared that wasn't absolutely scrumptious, but the thought of being anyone's test subject made her a little nervous.

  The violet eyed stranger broke off a corner of the pastry in front of him. He sniffed it and then popped it into his mouth, with a grin like a misbehaving child.

  “I do not know what it is, but if you are not going to have yours, I'll make sure it doesn't go to waste.”

  Elissa took a delicate forkful, encouraged by his reactions. The wave buttery, chocolatey goodness melted on her tongue and she had to stop herself from taking a second bite before she had finished the first.

  “Good grief, Kennedy,” she said. She took a sip of her coffee, forcing herself not to bolt the entire confection down. “I have no idea what you've made, but nobody's going to be able to fit into their wedding dresses if you keep baking like that.”

  Kennedy gave a bright laugh and then went back inside to take care of other customers.

  “When I made arrangements to come here, I did not realize this island was primarily for weddings,” he said. “Are you here for a wedding as well?”

  She nodded as she took another bite. “I was, but now I'm here for a little vacation.”

  He looked confused.

  “I wasn't the one getting married, it was my best friend. Or one of them. Anyhow she and Greg are perfect for each other and it was a lovely time but now I'm looking forward to getting in a little rest and relaxation.”

  His smile flashed again. “Then perhaps you would be willing to show me around the island? I would not mind spending a little rest and relaxation time myself. If you've been here for your friend’s event, surely you would know where everything is?”

  Elissa thought for a minute. Playing tour guide hadn't exactly been on her list of things to do, but she spent the entire week on Catica mostly in the shops and running around helping her friend with all the little last-minute details before any wedding.

  The island itself was beautiful with hidden coves and sleek wind kissed hills a little further out of the town. She really wouldn't mind exploring.

  Besides, Megan had wanted her to meet someone. And mister tall dark and handsome with the amazingly stunning eyes was certainly someone. There would be worse ways to keep her mind off of things back home.

  “Sure thing, she said. “Let's go have an adventure.” She stuck her hand out. “Elissa Haddad. And you are?”

  He took her hand gently, as if he was afraid he might break it. “Krysdotares Gianopoulous. Please, call me Krys.” For a moment she thought he was going to kiss her hand but then he simply shook it.

  Elissa ran back inside Sweet Temptations to settle up with Kennedy.

  The redhead waggled her eyebrows at her. “Looks like you found a mystery man. What’s he like?”

  Elissa blushed. She hadn't quite meant to be so obvious but may be on an island where everyone thought about weddings all the time that wasn't going to be possible.

  Then she stopped. “Mystery man? I know he's not here for a wedding, but it's not like the island is closed off to other visitors, is it?”

  Kennedy made another cappuccino. “Not exactly, but most people come over by the ferry. We don't get a lot of folks sailing out on their own steam.” She paused hands near the cup. “Hunter said he docked at the cove near the top of the island. We haven't actually seen his boat. He just wandered into town yesterday. Everyone is a little curious about him, a
nd you’ve got him!”

  Elissa rubbed her forehead. No, she was not going to have a mystery man, even if he did have the sexiest smile she'd ever seen.

  The door jingled behind her and a soft touch brushed her hand as he paid for his bill.

  “Is everything all right?” his deep voice started tingles in her she had thought dormant.

  Elissa met Kennedy's eyes. The other woman had a soft smile on her lips.

  The hell with mysteries and with overthinking everything. It had never done her any good before. She turned up to face him.

  Wow.

  When he walked up to her table she'd known he was tall, but she'd written that off to the fact that she was already seated. Now, standing side-by-side she realized he was a full head and a half taller than her and broadly muscled.

  “Everything is just perfect.” She wrapped her hand around the crook of his elbow and tugged him towards the door. “Come on, let's go exploring.”

  She waved at Kennedy on the way out and they set off into the day.

  Chapter 3

  They stood on the boardwalk and Elissa looked around. The bustling front street was lined with shops facing the sea while the boardwalk vendors were still shuttered. She frowned and thought.

  “Is something wrong?”

  She shook her head. “I just don't think you'd be really that interested in bridal dress fittings and while the florist here is amazing, her shop isn’t going to take that long to browse. At this time of the morning, I'm just sorting through what might be available.”

  “Why don't we just take a walk and see what we find?” he asked. “I didn't mean to force you into planning a full itinerary for the day.”

  Elissa rolled her eyes at herself. There she was, overthinking things again.

  “The beach is always pretty this time of day. Actually, the water here is always pretty.”