Tropical Tryst: 25 All New and Exclusive Sexy Reads

by Nicole Morgan

  “I’m sure my grandpa appreciates it,” Carter soothed. “Wendy, this is my friend, Anna. She’s from Savannah. Wendy and my grandfather are close friends.”

  “Welcome to the islands,” the woman smiled warmly at Anna, her deep dimples showing, as she waved toward a box on the counter. “I got your cookies all ready to go. Now shoo so I can get started on this batch.”

  “Knew I could count on you,” Carter beamed. He peeked into the box and blinked. Anna raised on to her toes to peek into the box at the vaguely turtle shaped green cookies, each individually wonky. Carter bit his lip, “Well, they look sort of like turtles, if you squint.”

  “We didn’t have many sea turtles in New York,” Wendy answered, a hint of defensiveness in her voice.

  “Wendy used to run a bakery in Park Slope.” Carter explained to Anna. “She retired here about a year ago.”

  “A dog bakery,” Wendy clarified. Anna glanced at the racks of cooling cookies. This close, the shapes of dog bones and paw prints became apparent. “I’m not used to fussy icing cookies. Turtle cookies, what next?”

  “They’ll be perfect,” Anna said, in her best soothing nervous brides tone. “She’ll love them.”

  “You have any of those dog bones baked already?”

  Wendy pointed at a shelf near the door and Carter plucked a small brown paper sack, tied with twine from a basket. He dug through his pockets and tossed a five dollar bill on the counter.

  “Your money’s no good here, boy,” Wendy shook her head. “I’ll send the bill for the turtle cookies to your grandpa though. Can’t wait to hear what Oliver Prescott has to say about turtle cookies for the first wedding in Carter’s folly.”

  “Send it to me, Wendy.” Carter ordered before leading Anna out of the house, Wendy’s laughter trailing behind.

  Anna followed Carter through the maze of streets. He had his hands full with the bakery box full of treats. She missed the simple pleasure of holding hands as they strolled along together. They stopped outside a yellow shop, painted with green shutters. After handing her the bakery box, Carter tapped the gate and a pack of dogs came dashing over, tails wagging. Anna counted five as Carter distributed the dog treats among them. When the dogs were occupied, Carter took the bakery box back before heading for the front door.

  “Hey, Karl!” Carter called as they entered a flower shop, the showroom bordered on three sides with refrigerated glass-front cases, humming loudly in the tiny shop. A young man slouched out of the back room and broke into a wide grin when he caught sight of Carter. They exchanged the same fist grab and shoulder slapping handshake she’d observed guy friends exchange in Savannah.

  “Anna, my friend, Karl. Naomi is his sister,” Carter explained. “Anna’s from Savannah. She’s helping with the big wedding.”

  “Naomi told me that the chapel is beautiful. She’s hoping to wrestle that no-account Jimmy up to the altar there before the baby arrives.”

  “I told her she can use it any time.”

  “Just gotta get him there.” Karl’s expression darkened.

  “Got a few last minute changes for the flowers tomorrow,” Carter deftly changed the subject. Anna drifted around the tiny, charming shop, peering at the beautiful arrangements and trying to guess the different plants. Her grandmother used to love to garden but Anna didn’t inherit her ability. Still, she liked looking.

  As Carter concluded his business she met him at the counter. Karl held out a blossoming hibiscus flower to her and Anna took it. She tucked it behind her ear as they left the shop. As they strolled down the street, Anna caught a glimpse of her reflection. Who was that smiling, happy girl with the flower in her hair? She felt much more relaxed and free than she did in Savannah, scurrying and hurrying from errand to appointment back home.

  “So what were you thinking for souvenirs? Jewelry? T-shirts? Alcohol?” Carter asked.

  “I think necklaces for Erin and Abby.”

  “Who’s Abby?”

  “She’s one of the other bridesmaids,” Anna answered. “T-shirts for the guys, I think. I saw some nice ones back at the hotel gift shop but I wanted something more personal for my friends.”

  “Okay, I know just where to go.”

  Carter led her back down toward the harbor, with a brief detour into an open air market. He wound his way through the tables to a small stall at the very back, laden with necklaces and piled with brightly colored fabrics. Colored glass wind chimes tinkled in the slight breeze, similar to the ones hanging in on the wedding chapel porch.

  “Good morning, Linda!” He called to a young girl minding the shop. “Where’s Mama Rosemary this morning?”

  “Home with her aching hips.” Linda answered.

  “Tell her I hope she feels better,” Carter said. “This is Anna from Savannah and she needs some gifts to take home.” After a few moments thought, Anna found a braided freshwater pearl necklaces in shimmery peach for Erin and pale pink for Abby.

  “Don’t you want anything for yourself?” Carter asked as Linda wrapped her purchases. “Linda helps her grandma design our wind chimes.”

  “They’re gorgeous,” Anna complimented the girl. “Each one is unique.”

  “You should get one to take home, Anna,” Carter bent close to suggest, his warm breath caressing her skin. “Pick one and I’ll buy it for you so you’ll have something to remember your time in Eden Isle.”

  “I’ll remember.” Anna assured him. After all, she’d never forgotten her first trip to Eden Isle. “Besides, I’ve got nowhere to put it. I live in the carriage house behind my mom’s place.”

  “I thought you were starting a design firm. You could hang it in your new office.”

  “Which would just be my current living room.” Anna chuckled. “That’s okay.”

  “If you’re sure?”

  Anna nodded and they headed back towards the dock. Carter checked the time on his phone before saying, “The next ferry is in about fifteen minutes. We could grab some lunch from my favorite place and eat it onboard.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Carter led them to the waterfront, to a small hut the color of a Tiffany’s box. He ordered the food and chatted with the locals. Carter was comfortable as part of this island world, a lush paradise. He clearly loved it and belonged here.

  Anna didn’t belong here. Though she wished she did, instead she’d go home to Savannah. But she didn’t think she’d ever feel as comfortable, as at home as Carter did here.

  She’d made the mistake of marrying too young and when her starter marriage collapsed, she’d let her life freeze there. Her friends, all knee-deep in toddlers and onesies, had passed her by. She didn’t have much in common with them anymore. Life alone as a 34 year old divorcee was not what she’d had in mind.

  But, she’d enjoyed today, this relaxing errand run with a handsome man. There was no use hoping for a future in it, if Carter would even want that with her. Anna pushed away the thought and focused on enjoying the moment.

  They boarded the ferry back to Eden Isle, Anna carrying their lunch since Carter still carried the cookie favors. They found seats on the ferry and eagerly tucked into conch fritters, pastries stuffed with a spicy meat that Carter called patties, and johnnycakes. After they ate, Anna twisted her hair up in a loose bun to let the breeze cool her skin as the day had become warm.

  “Thank for taking me with you, Carter,” Anna finally said. “I had a good time. It was nice to escape the bridal craziness for a bit.”

  “They won’t be back until 4 and the rehearsal’s not until 6,” Carter said. “Wanna go for a swim? I know just the place.”

  “Sounds great,” Anna agreed, not looking too closely at her desire to spend even more time in Carter’s company. “Let me go change and I’ll meet you at the pool.”

  “I’ve got an even better idea.”

  CHAPTER 8

  A fter they disembarked onto Eden Isle, Carter commandeered one of the hotel golf carts parked near the dock. He secured their purchas
es in the cargo area and climbed in. Anna swung in next to him. Instead of turning toward the resort complex, he turned onto the narrow gravel road that wended through the interior of the island. They drove past a small cluster of villas, bougainvillea and other flowers trailing down the sides. Carter waved at several of the on-islanders but drove on.

  Anna’s dress, a sky blue sundress printed with magnolia blossoms, flapped in the breeze, revealing several inches of her luscious tanned thighs before she hastily tugged it down. Carter pushed away the pure lust that slammed through him. He parked in front of his treetop cabin, in the shade of a gently swaying palm tree, and hopped out.

  “What’s this?”

  “My house.”

  “You live in a tree house?” Anna followed him up the steps.

  “Not exactly. It’s built into the side of the mountain.” Carter followed her onto the deck and waved at the horizon. “But I liked the view.”

  “It’s amazing.” As Anna took in the view of the harbor far below, the sailboats bobbing in the mid-day sunshine and the endless horizon, Carter looked at her. He’d enjoyed spending the day with Anna and getting to know her, though he refused to look too deeply at what that meant. She was a mainlander, just here for a few days. Though he’d grown up in the rolling hills of Tennessee, Eden Isle had become first his refuge and now his home. He felt at home on the island, in a way he never had anywhere else. She would go. He would stay. Nothing could come of this simmering attraction between them.

  Once upon a time, Carter enjoyed the constant influx of gorgeous women, arriving on Eden Isle and looking for nothing more a good time. Over time, he’d realized that those quick, often nameless encounters left him as empty and hollowed out as the booze did. After his grandfather’s intervention and the hurricane, Carter stopped indulging himself. He hadn’t even felt tempted in ages, as he’d been busy and preoccupied with his work.

  But now, with Anna here, he wanted to indulge in a little fun. He took her hand. “Come on, I haven’t even shown you the best part yet.”

  He led her through the house and up the indoor staircase. They walked past his bedroom and out another door, facing the back of his house. Outdoor stairs led to another landing and then a wide natural stone lip. He led her down stone stairs cut into the rock to a small grotto, where what he thought of as his own private pool lay hidden behind a waterfall.

  “This is amazing.”

  “Wanna swim?”

  Anna plucked at her skirt, twining her fingers in it uncertainly, and then folded her arms over her midsection, shaking her head. He pulled his shirt off.

  “Do you always swim naked here?”

  “Usually. It’s pretty private,” Carter teased, waving a hand to encompass the stone walls around the shallow pool. The waterfall splashed into the lip, going over into a second shallow pool in the sunlight. “You can keep your undies on though.”

  Her cheeks pinked and she glanced away as his trousers hit the ground. He tossed them on top of his discarded shirt. Usually, he swam without even his briefs but, since Anna was still chewing her lip uncertainly, he stepped into the pool and sank under the water to his shoulders.

  Anna took a deep breath and squared her shoulders before grabbing the hem of her dress and yanking it over her head. She hesitated a moment before unclasping her bra and tossing it on top of the clothes pile, before covering her small breasts with her hands.

  “Coming in?” Carter held out a hand to her but she stepped into the pool on her own, sinking to shoulder level to match him before removing her hands from her chest.

  “The water is warmer than I thought it would be,” Anna commented. “It feels great.”

  They bobbed together in the pool for a bit until Anna shivered a bit. “Want to go through the waterfall? The sun should have warmed the water out there more.”

  She twined her fingers with his and he tugged them both through the waterfall. She laughed as the tumbling water drenched her hair and, losing some of her self-consciousness, tilted her shoulders back and dipped her head to drench her hair. She straightened again, the water beading on her skin and dripping down her chest. She looked like a goddess or a water nymph, all enticing sensual pleasure. Carter’s mouth ran dry and he wrenched his gaze away.

  “What a view from here too,” Anna said and Carter wondered if he imagined the slight huskiness in her voice. “You should have built the resort up here.”

  “No room for a resort,” Carter answered. “But, if I get my way, this is the future of Eden Isle. We own all this land and the natural pools. If we could just build villas here, I think we could attract tourists looking for something a bit different.”

  “I can see that,” Anna nodded. “The wedding pavilion is just the beginning of your plans then?”

  “My grandfather doesn’t see the potential,” Carter said. “He wants it to be a luxurious escape.”

  “Feels pretty luxurious to me,” Anna smiled.

  They shifted constantly to keep from bumping into each other as the current in the pool eddied around them. He realized how close they were, crouched together in the pool. Anna’s foot slipped on a rock and he steadied her with a hand on her hip. His simple touch sparked the banked desire they’d danced around all day to flame. Her dark gaze met his, her hands sliding up his biceps as she stepped closer to him.

  He waited, allowing Anna to take the lead. She tilted her head, her lips brushing over his, a gentle, soft kiss, once and then again. She wrapped her legs around his waist as they pressed against each other, the kiss turning heated but still slow exploration.

  When they bumped against the wall, Anna lifted her head, fighting to catch her breath, as Carter’s hand skimmed up her sides. They pressed together from shoulder to waist, his skin warm in the cool water, as they rocked together, all but naked.

  “Wanna go upstairs?” He whispered, his eyes dark with lust and his lips swollen from her kisses. Anna nodded, surrendering to her body’s urgent, insistent demand for this man.

  They swam back through the waterfall together, stopping to kiss again on the other side but the much colder water chased them both out. Carter popped open a plastic storage container near the stairs and retrieved two over large beach towels, printed with the Eden Isle logo. He handed her one before wrapping one around his waist. She wrapped herself in it and slid off her sodden underwear. They gathered their clothing and dashed back up the stairs. On their way through the house, Anna saw a wide, king sized bed that she couldn’t wait to explore with Carter.

  When they reached the deck though, Anna paused at the railing overlooking the gorgeous panorama below.

  “I can picture it, villas peeking from the treetops, enjoying the view, but still compatible with nature,” Anna said, wishing she could see it in real life. “It will be beautiful, Carter.”

  “Right now, it’s just me that sees the potential though.”

  “And me.”

  Anna huddled in a towel as the breeze dried her skin. With courage she didn’t know she had, she dropped the towel and let the breeze caress every inch of her. Carter stepped up behind her, his hard warmth along her bare back and his hands at her waist, for a heartbeat, than another.

  Despite their heated kiss at the pool, he waited for her to make the next move. Slowly, Anna leaned back, until her bare shoulders pressed against the silky skin of his muscled chest. He nuzzled her neck, dropping kisses along her shoulders, as his warm hands slid up her sides to cup her breasts. He caressed the sensitive undersides until her nipples stiffened to hard, aching points before slowly circling the tips with his thumbs.

  Her breathing ragged, Anna started to turn toward him but he dropped one hand to her hip to hold her in place. His evident arousal pressed against her bottom, but he tended to her first.

  She dropped her head onto his shoulder, a low moan escaping as his fingers brushed the curls at the apex of her thighs. She shifted her feet, opening for him, and he skimmed his clever fingers over her heat. Anna tilted her face towar
d him, her eyes falling shut as he traced clever patterns over her most sensitive spot, slick with desire for him. When her knees weakened with desire, she grabbed the smooth wooden railing in front of her to hold herself up.

  He expertly stoked her desire for him, each gently circle of his fingers bringing her closer, as his other hand teased her sensitive breasts. Carter dipped his fingers into her, his thumb still teasing her, as tension coiled in Anna. Finally, he captured her mouth with his just as she released in long spasms around his fingers.

  He supported her weight as her breathing slowed. Anna opened her eyes, wrapping her fingers around his and tugging him toward that inviting bed. Just as they stepped through the door, his phone trilled. Carter ignored it at first, kissing her deeply but the phone beeped again.

  “Yeah?” Carter answered, his breathing ragged as he raked a hand through his still wet hair. “Fine, I’ll be right there.”

  “They’re heading back in a bit early. Kim wants to relax before the rehearsal.” Carter’s face was a picture in frustration. “Can we resume this later?”

  “Weddings can be inconvenient like that,” Anna nodded.

  He pulled her close and gave her a quick, smacking kiss. “I’ll hold you to it.”

  CHAPTER 9

  L ater turned into the next day because by the time they got back to the hotel, the groom had finally arrived with three extra guests. After spending the rest of the afternoon and evening coping with last minute crisis after crisis, by the time Anna fell into bed that night, she was far too exhausted to do more than fall instantly into a dreamless sleep. The following day, Anna spent waiting on Kim hand and foot while Carter rushed around, ensuring that every last detail was perfection.

  About a half-hour before sunset the next day, Anna took her place in front of the bride, clutching a stunning bouquet of tropical flowers in her hands. As the music swelled and guests found their seats, she waited at the back of the church, standing next to Carter who manned the doors.