Tropical Tryst: 25 All New and Exclusive Sexy Reads

by Nicole Morgan

  “Thanks guys, but please call me Hunter. Mr. DuVall is my dad.”

  Besides, everyone called him by his proper name all day every day at work. He was tired of hearing it. The people he met here he’d never see again anyway. What were the chances of running into someone from home?

  “We will get these fish cleaned and packaged up for you and the resort dining room will cook them any night you want, you just need to let the concierge know.”

  Hunter turned to respond when the pier under his feet gave way and his legs dropped through. He fell hard against the slats, his arms slapped the wood and stopped him from going all the way through to the water. He was unable to stop the gut-wrenching moan starting to erupt from deep within. His legs burned like they had been ripped to shreds. He heard the two men yelling his name and felt them grasp at his arms but he was light headed, most likely from shock. The men continued to talk to him but he was having trouble understanding what they were saying. He tried to explain not to move him because it only hurt worse.

  He then heard another voice join in the conversation but this one was female. She’d asked the gentlemen what his name was and then started talking to him.

  “Hunter, my name is Bree, I’m a doctor from the states. Can you hear me?”

  She used her fingers to open his eyes wider which helped him focus more on her. She probably needed to check his pupils or something. She told one of the men to get down into the water under the pier to see if there was any way to support his legs. They also needed to watch the amount of blood he was losing in the water. They didn’t want to attract any unwanted predators.

  There was a lot of commotion and movement on the wooden dock and then he felt something wrap around each of his legs.

  “Hunter, are you still with me? We put a wrap around your legs and they are going to stay down underneath to help steady you while we try to pull a few boards off of the dock. Hopefully that will let us get you out of that hole. Then we’ll lay you onto a back board we have waiting here and get you up on the beach so I can take a better look at your injuries okay?”

  When she asked if he’d rather them find a doctor from the island to look at him he shook his head furiously.

  “I want you, please stay.”

  “You got it, I’ll be right here with you all the way.”

  She grasped his fingers and he squeezed hers. That gesture gave him more comfort than she could imagine. As the men carefully worked on the dock boards, she kept up the conversation. They’d already established she was from the states but he didn’t know if she was just visiting the island or lived there full time.

  “Where are you from Hunter, can you tell me?”

  Of course, he knew where he was from but he felt so groggy that it was hard to talk. He tried to mouth New York but it wasn’t sounding the way it should.

  “Maybe we should just keep the conversation light for now. We don’t want you to waste any extra energy. I know it’s got to be difficult holding yourself up with your arms. How about I ask you a few questions and just nod for yes or shake side to side for no.”

  Head movement was much less strenuous, he could probably handle that.

  “Water.” It was just a whisper but she’d heard his plea.

  “Oh gosh, I’m sure you’re thirsty. I have a bottle up on the beach. I’ll be just a few seconds, let me go grab it for you.”

  When she rushed away, he caught a whiff of coconut and the ocean. She smelled like the islands. The thought of her living here on the islands was a bit of a letdown.

  “Here we are Hunter, a full bottle of water but I only want you to take small sips okay? No need to rush.”

  Not that he was in a bed, but she had a very good bedside manner. She could take care of him any day.

  Hunter could tell when they’d successfully removed the boards around him and he wasn’t able to hold himself up anymore. The men below had a firm grip on his legs and waist and carefully lowered him down until he was laying on something hard, then they floated him the rest of the way to the beach. They positioned him on top of a picnic table and he heard Bree tell someone that she needed first aid supplies and a stitch kit if possible. He would need to be sewn closed after she had a closer look at the wounds and cleaned them.

  “I’m sorry to say this process might hurt a little.”

  “Eh, no pain, no gain.”

  “Oh, that’s very sportsmanlike of you.” She laughed and placed a hand on his chest. “I don’t have anything to numb you with so when I stitch those wounds, you’re going to feel that.

  “Unfortunately, this isn’t my first rodeo with stitches. On occasion, I tend to be accident prone.”

  “Wow, glad you’re talking better. I think getting you out of that up and down position helped a little. We’re still going to need to get you to the medical center on the island. I don’t have any meds to give you and I’m guessing in a few hours, your legs will be throbbing a bit.”

  “I’m not going to turn down meds so if I have to go then so be it. As long as they don’t keep me there. I’d like to sleep in that comfy bed.”

  “I doubt they’ll need to do that but we’ll just wait and see.”

  A man from the wait staff brought a crate full of supplies and Bree looked in her element.

  “Ok Hunter, let’s get you fixed up, shall we?”

  Hunter closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, hoping beyond hell this beautiful American doctor knew what she was doing.

  CHAPTER 4

  Bree’s afternoon had been eventful to put it mildly. She looked on as the island doctor checked Hunter over thoroughly while the nurse hooked him up on a saline drip. He’d been stuck in that precarious position for longer than he should have in that kind of heat. It wouldn’t be a good thing to have him get dehydrated, that’d mean he’d have to stay in their medical center overnight at least and from his remark earlier, he wasn’t too keen on that idea. He may have lost a little blood as well. The cuts on his legs looked a bit deep.

  “Excuse me ma’am, who are you? We don’t allow anyone in the operating room except immediate family so you’ll have to leave.”

  “Oh, I’m the doctor from…”

  “She’s my girlfriend, I want her to stay.”

  Hunter cut off her answer and spoke for her at the same time. She looked inquisitively at him and mouthed girlfriend with a confused expression. He motioned for her to keep quiet.

  “Is that correct ma’am? Are you his girlfriend?”

  “Uh yes I am, sorry.” She was afraid to say any more. If she didn’t agree that she was with him, they’d kick her out and she wanted to make sure he was going to be okay.

  “Then you can stay. And did you say you’re a doctor?”

  “I am.”

  “You did the clean up on his leg wounds then?”

  “I did but there wasn’t much to work with, we were on the beach at the resort. They only had a first aid kit so I did what I could.”

  “You did a superb job, without your help he could have bled too much, they are very deep cuts.”

  She looked at Hunter who had a horrifically pale expression. She didn’t think he had any idea how much damage had been done. Between the loss of blood and the blistering heat, he had gotten weak and a little delusional. Maybe that could be the reason for telling them she was his girlfriend.

  “We’d like for him to remain her for the next little while on the IV and pain medication, then we’ll check him again. More than likely he’ll be able to leave after that.”

  “Thanks so much, is it okay if I stay with him?”

  The doctor agreed to let Bree stay with Hunter while he waited to be rehydrated and hopefully released. She moved to his side when everyone had left.

  “Thanks for staying.”

  “It’s no problem. I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

  “I don’t want to keep you from your husband, he can’t be happy to have you here with me.”

  Everything happened so fast, she did
n’t even think about them not knowing each other. They were in a strange place too and her guess was that by him telling the hospital staff she was his girlfriend, that he didn’t have anybody in the islands with him.

  “I don’t have a husband. And before you ask, no boyfriend either, besides you of course.”

  She giggled but when he did too, he emitted a moan and a pained expression. Hard telling how bruised his ribs were from being stuck in between the slats of the pier up to his abdomen.

  “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to make you laugh.” She felt horrible. She’d never had that pain personally but had seen plenty of it in the Emergency Room.

  “It’s okay.” He had to breath between words. “I won’t hold it against you.”

  “So, what about you, a wife or girlfriend in your life?”

  “You mean besides you?” He started to laugh but thought better of it, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “No, no one special.” He shrugged, suggesting it wasn’t a big deal.

  “What brings you to the islands?”

  “That’s a long story unfortunately.”

  “Well we have the time, they aren’t letting you out of here anytime soon.”

  “True. This wasn’t what I had planned for my day for sure. I actually didn’t plan to take this trip in the first place.”

  “Then why are you here?” Bree grabbed a chair from behind the curtain and pulled it beside the bed.

  “I’m here because my best buddy had a stupid hair-brained idea. Apparently, I wasn’t happy in my personal life so he signed me up for a dating service.”

  “Oh boy. Why didn’t you just say no?”

  “He was very convincing. He called and conspired with my secretary and miraculously I had a week off work. Both thought they knew better and that I needed to find a wife because my biological clock was ticking.”

  “Are you kidding? That’s ridiculous. Men don’t have biological clocks.”

  “Ha, that’s exactly what I said. But, she gave him my credit card and booked the trip, which was non-refundable so I just bit the bullet. I’d be out the money either way and I did need a vacation but it’s the dating game part of the trip I’m not looking forward to.”

  “Dating game, what does that mean?”

  “Exactly what it sounds like. They have a whole group of people here that also signed up with the matchmaker service. There is supposed to be some mixer party tonight where we all socialize and basically find someone to hook up with. Not my idea of finding a spouse.”

  “That’s horrible. I didn’t realize they still did stuff like that. Are you going to go?”

  “I was trying to forget about it while I went on a fishing excursion but now I may not have to worry about it. Even if they do let me out of here, I don’t really think I’m in any shape for a party.”

  “I agree, you will definitely need to be in your room relaxing.”

  “I was thinking though, I might really need a personal nurse to keep an eye on me through the night. Know anyone that might fit the bill?”

  Oh, my lord.

  PROBABLY NOT THE smartest thing he could have suggested after this woman he doesn’t really know helped save his life. He should just be thankful she was there, but if they were single and both on vacation why not stick together. Of course, he had an ulterior motive too, it would keep him from having to go to that stupid matchmaker mixer.

  “So, you never said, what brings you to the islands?”

  “A girl’s vacation actually.”

  “Oh, so you have a friend here?”

  I should have known she wouldn’t be alone. Damn it.

  “No, I don’t. She couldn’t make it but I was already half way here and it would have cost me more to change my ticket to take me home so I just decided, with her encouragement, to continue with the plan.”

  “Well my legs are glad you decided to keep going.”

  “I’m sure someone else would have been able to help you had I not been there.”

  “Yeah maybe, but you were there and I owe you. How about when I do get out of here, we get some dinner?”

  “Shouldn’t you go to that mixer though? If you’re good enough to go out to dinner then you could manage that event.”

  “The way I see it, I agreed to go on this trip but I never said I’d follow through with all the matchmaking stuff. That was all my buddy’s idea but I’m not in favor of someone else picking women for me. It’s just not natural.”

  “I agree, I’d never willingly agree to one of those sites. I have heard many people have success with finding their perfect match but I’d rather not. I’m too busy with my job, I don’t have time to date.”

  “Same. My client load has tripled this year. I do have a good secretary though, so I felt a little more comfortable leaving, knowing she was in on the planning. She would have called any appointments I had and rescheduled. Plus, I’m only a phone call away.”

  “An expensive phone call. I don’t’ even want to see my phone bill after this trip. My best friend has called me multiple times.”

  “Why wasn’t she able to come with you? Do you both do the same kind of job?”

  “We’re both in the medical field but we have different jobs. She is a hospice nurse. Takes a special kind of person to do that job. I don’t have the heart for it. I’m a doctor, which you know already, but I work in the ER.”

  “Wow, kudos to her. My family had a hospice nurse in when my grandmother passed away. So where is it that you do this work?”

  “I work out of Phelps Memorial Hospital in Sleepy Hollow but I have a condo in Briarcliff Manor. That’s a suburb of New York City.”

  “Oh sure, I now right where that’s at. I have a couple clients that live in Briarcliff.”

  “You’re from New York?”

  “I am actually. My office is on the northern side and I have a small apartment about fifteen minutes from my office.”

  “What exactly do you do?”

  Before Hunter as able to answer, a nurse came into his room to check his vitals.

  “Does this mean I get to leave?”

  “I’m sorry I can’t authorize that, you’ll have to talk to the doctor. He’ll be in soon.”

  She didn’t sound at all reassuring. From the look on Bree’s face, she didn’t think so either. When the nurse was done marking in the chart, she hung it at the end of the bed and left the room.

  “Please tell me she means he’ll be back in five minutes?”

  “Afraid I can’t tell you that. In our hospital, soon means from five minutes to five hours. We aren’t ever able to predict when we’ll get from one room to the next.”

  “That’s what I was afraid of when I saw the look on your face. Is there anything you can do to get me out of here quicker? Look at my chart maybe?”

  “Technically I’m not allowed to do that Hunter. I’m not a member of the staff for this hospital, heck I’m not licensed to do anything in this country.”

  “I won’t tell if you don’t.”

  Please, please have a little sympathy for me…

  “Ugh, I could really get in trouble for this but, I’m kind of tired of sitting here too so maybe I’ll just take a peak. However, that doesn’t mean I can get you out any faster.”

  Yes! I knew I liked this woman.

  CHAPTER 5

  A fter scanning the notes on Hunter’s chart, Bree was convinced they didn’t have much else to keep him for. The nurse had noted he’d been hydrating well and didn’t have another bag of saline ordered. The wounds on his legs were all stitched and seemed to be holding well. When the doctor reappeared, Bree suggested they release him if she promised to keep him immobile once they were back at the resort and that she would watch him overnight. They hesitantly agreed and after signing all the papers, Hunter paid the small fee. Technically the resort should have taken care of it because the boards were faulty on their pier and who knows, they may still.

  When the cab pulled into the circle in front of the resort,
Hunter handed the driver cash. Bree got out first and went to the concierge office to see if there was a wheel chair available so Hunter didn’t have to put any more pressure on his legs than he should. The medical center didn’t have any crutches to spare and ordering them wouldn’t get them there til they had already left the island after their vacation was over.

  “Okay sunshine, let’s wheel you inside.”

  She locked the wheels and helped Hunter out of the back seat and into the wheel chair. The medical center had completely gauze-wrapped both of his legs to keep them clean and gave Bree a stock-pile to change the bandages two or three more times. She handed the supplies to him.

  “Hold these for me while I push you.”

  They made their way to the elevator where the manager of the resort joined them for the ride up to Hunter’s room. He’d apologized profusely, more than once and reassured both that their room fees would be taken care of by the resort and that Hunter would be reimbursed for the hospital visit as well. The man accompanied them to Hunter’s room where inside they found a three-course meal being laid out for them. He offered any other services they might need at any time and gave them his card and private cell phone number before he left.

  “Wow, I guess you rate huh.”

  Bree helped Hunter stand so that he could maneuver into one of the dining chairs and left the wheel chair by the room door for now.

  “Looks like we both rate. A private dinner with no matchmaking. Sounds perfect to me.”

  “Guess you got your wish at least this time. Are there other things planned for the rest of the week?

  “Honestly I’m not sure. When I checked in this morning, there was a note waiting for me to go to a specific room and check in with the service so they must have a representative here on the premises to keep track of everything.”

  Bree pulled the metal cover from her plate to see what they were being served.

  “Oh geez, prime rib is my favorite.”

  “Mine too, and look at this lobster bisque. I think we’re eating like kings tonight.”