by Nana Malone
The doors opened just as her legs parted and her dress inched up further.
“Ahem. Mr. Hendrix, sir?”
She tore her mouth from his and pushed against his chest. But he wanted more. Infuriated, he glanced back to see Pedro, the maintenance guy, staring in at them.
“Excuse me,” Deja said as she escaped him. He tried to go after her but Pedro got in the way. When he did make it into the hall she was at her room door with her key card. And in a flash she was gone.
“Everything okay?” Pedro asked.
“Back off!” he snarled.
The man blinked, shocked, and turned away. Jon touched his lips. Never in his life had he burned as much with the need for more.
Chapter 1
The Anniversary, Two Years Later
“Miss? Miss?”
Deja blinked awake. The flight attendant smiled down at her. It was a nice warm smile from a red-haired lady in her midthirties with green eyes. “I need you to bring your seat up and fasten your seat belt. We’re about to land. Thank you.”
“Oh? Okay,” Deja felt her cheeks burn hot with embarrassment. She hoped she hadn’t been snoring. She brought her seat upright. The passenger next to her smiled. He was an older man who had told her he was on his way to the island to meet up with his daughter and wife for vacation. She nodded to the man and turned her gaze to the window. Below she could see the deep blue waters of the Pacific.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We are making our approach to the Abaco Islands and would like to ask that you remain in your seats for the remainder of the flight. The temperature today in Abaco is a lovely 77 degrees. Welcome to paradise.
The intercom clicked off. Deja sighed. The word paradise swirled in her mind. She needed this vacation. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d taken one. As she stared at the islands’ lush green trees and white beaches upon their approach, her memory conjured the dream she’d had just moments ago. Two years later, and the kiss in the elevator by the world’s most talked-about and photographed bachelor still made her heart race.
She had only seen Jon Hendrix twice since, at family functions hosted by her sister. Both times she’d shied away from any contact or conversation with the man. But she’d caught his stares from across the room. Now she was joining her sister and the Hendrix family for their second anniversary. This one was special because Dee was pregnant. The first baby to be had between the sisters and even her father was overjoyed at the thought of the little boy who would soon join their family.
Deja put on her sunglasses. The wheels of the plane bounced on the paved runway and then the aircraft braked hard, causing all the passengers to jostle in their seats. She exhaled.
“Welcome to paradise,” she mumbled.
* * *
“Jon!”
Someone kicked the back of his chair and his feet crashed from the coffee table to the floor. He shot up alert and awake. The sunglasses shielding his bloodshot eyes from the sun dropped to his chin.
“What the hell is your problem?” He adjusted his sunglasses and turned his head slightly to acknowledge his kid brother.
“I need you to go to the airport and pick up—”
“No!” Jon answered. He slumped down in his chair and recrossed his legs at the ankles. It wasn’t his baby brother’s fault that he was hungover and existing on less than twenty-nine minutes of sleep. The celebration for the star NBA player under Jon’s management company was a four-day hard-drinking party in Miami Beach. Why he even thought he could come to the islands and coast through this anniversary event was beyond him. Well, he knew why. It was her. He’d jumped at the chance to see her. Though he doubted she’d give him a single hello.
“What I was going to say is can you go to the airport to pick up Deanna’s sister. Deja just landed.”
Jon sat upright. “Deja?”
“Got your attention, huh?”
“What? No. I mean I barely know her.”
His brother pulled out the chair next to him. “Mom is worried about you. Dad and she both think...well, they think you need to slow down. Every time they turn on the news you’re out there doing whatever it is you do.”
“Not this again. I won’t hear it from the old man and I’m not going to listen to it from you.”
His brother heaved a deep sigh. “They think you’re a self-centered bastard with no focus.”
Jon arched a brow, amused.
“Dad thinks you have a drinking or drug habit.”
“Is that so, baby brother? And what do you think?” Jon asked.
“I think you’re a brilliant businessman. I think it takes more than fancy clothes and fast women to manage some of the world’s top athletes. They don’t give you enough credit.”
Jon snorted. “They never have.”
His brother leaned forward. “The problem is you give them no reason to. You need to slow down. And I know you got a thing for Deanna’s older sister.”
Jon’s gaze glided left under the cover of his sunglasses. “I told you I don’t know her.”
“Hmm...well, do me a favor. Go pick her up. Make her feel welcome.” His brother stood.
“Cliff. Wait.” Jon sighed. “I’m not an alcoholic and I don’t do drugs. But...well, Dad is right. I can’t keep going at this pace. I need to slow down. Been thinking of it a lot lately. The company is doing good. I got plenty of contracts and agents on the ground. Maybe I should shift my focus.”
“Shift it, huh?” Cliff smiled. “You got someone in mind?”
Jon shrugged. “What time did you say her plane landed?”
“Who?” Cliff chuckled.
Jon punched him in the arm. Cliff winced. He shook his head, smiling.
“She just landed,” Cliff smiled.
“I’ll pick her up. Needed a break anyway.”
* * *
Deja struggled. She yanked hard on the handle of her carry-on luggage and dragged her larger suitcase with the other hand through the doors of the airport. The wheels squeaked and she glanced around, embarrassed that she was too cheap to invest in something more modern and convenient. But that was how she managed everything in her life. The hard-earned way. She strolled out into the muggy heat of the island and surveyed the cab drivers. Her sister had said she would meet her. She missed Dee. Her other sister, Dina, and her husband, Darren, couldn’t make it to the island because of their work schedules.
Deja frowned. “Where is she?”
“Deja!” She heard her name being called. She turned and saw a man approaching fast. She wanted to run. It was him. Jon wore khaki cargo pants and a crisp white shirt. He looked tan, tall and yummy. Damn it! She had told Dee specifically that she didn’t want to be paired with him. Why was he there?
“Hi?” he said.
“Hi,” she managed to smile.
“May I?” he asked.
“Oh, uh, sure,” she said as she let go of the handle to her luggage. He dragged it with ease.
“My car is just over there. How was your flight?” he asked as he walked and stared at her. Deja sucked down a confident breath. She kept up with him and managed to appear calm.
“Long. Had a layover in Miami. Glad to be upright and walking in sunshine,” she joked.
“I understand. Have you ever been to Abaco?” he asked her.
“No. Never. Deanna said your family owns a part of the island. Is that true?” she asked. He stepped off the curb. She stood by the car watching him. She had to admit she loved the sight of his muscled arms as he lifted her luggage and placed it in the trunk of the car.
“We own quite a bit of land but not the island or the politics. We also own a few of the smaller islands off the coast. You’ll have a great time.” He slammed the trunk down and stepped around her. He opened t
he passenger-side door. “I plan to see to it,” he said.
Deja wasn’t sure how to respond. The teasing smile on his lips was sexy. But she couldn’t see his eyes behind the dark lenses of his sunglasses. You could always tell a person’s intentions by their eyes. So instead of commenting she eased inside the car and he closed the door behind her.
You can do this. Play it cool. He’s like family or something. And the kiss was two years ago. The man has definitely moved on. She knew that for a fact. Thanks to social media, tabloid blogs and websites, she had unlimited access into Jon Hendrix’s life. The bachelor lifestyle he led was broadcasted constantly on the pages of every media outlet. From the movie-star dates and the flashy parties with sports figures. He was just as well-known as his clients.
“Buckle up! I want to get you there safely,” he said, smiling.
Deja hadn’t realized her seat belt wasn’t buckled. She fastened it across her chest while he observed her. He didn’t start the car until she was done. It was going to be a long ride.
* * *
Jon fought against his own urges and kept his eyes trained on the road. He sensed that he made her uncomfortable. And the bastard in him secretly enjoyed her uneasiness. She had snubbed him twice since their elevator kiss. It was as if she looked right through him. As if she didn’t feel what he had felt between them in that elevator. Now she stared straight ahead silently, with her hands clasped in her lap as if unable to make conversation. Deja felt the attraction. He knew it. He shook his head, smiling.
“Music?” he asked. Maybe some island tunes would calm her and make her feel less pressured to communicate with him.
“Yes, please,” she agreed.
He found a calypso station and they coasted out of the city into the mango groves. She gripped the inside of the door twice. But he caught the way her head rocked slightly in time with the rhythmic beat.
Deja was lovelier than he remembered her. She’d cut her hair. And she had done something else to it. It was more crinkly than curly. It had a puffy flair to it. He considered it a nice style that revealed more of her natural beauty. She wore wooden hoop earrings and wooden bracelets on her right arm to match. Her yellow summer dress was strapless but her short-sleeve sweater was closed to cover her bosom. However, he had a good memory. He recalled how thick and soft her thighs were and the warmth he’d felt when her breasts were mashed against his chest. He remembered everything.
“To hell with this,” he mumbled under his breath, so low she didn’t hear him. He turned the radio off.
She shot him a curious look. Her sunglasses were in her hair so he could see her long-lashed brown eyes.
“Why don’t you like me?” he asked.
“What?” she asked.
“Me? Why don’t you like me?” he asked again.
“I don’t know what you mean.” she looked away.
“Oh, come on. You gave me the hottest kiss I’ve ever had and have treated me like I was invisible since. Did I do something to offend you?”
“Could we not talk about the kiss,” she said, sighing.
“Ah, no. I want to talk about the kiss. Damn. I want another one,” he challenged her.
This time her gaze slipped to him under lowered lashes. “Well, that’s not going to happen. The kiss was a mistake, okay? I don’t know you enough not to like you. I just wanted to avoid the awkwardness.”
“Didn’t feel awkward to me when you were in my arms.”
“Oh, my God! Enough already! I’m sure you have hundreds of girls to give you a kiss.”
Jon steadied his driving. Her comment stung. “What does that mean? I have a hundred girls?”
“Forget it. Never mind. It’s none of my business who you sleep with.”
“Let’s be clear, sweetheart. I don’t collect women or have them on speed dial. No matter what you have heard from my brother!” he snapped.
“Are you kidding? Do you think I’m an idiot?” she sassed him. “I can’t turn on the computer or pick up a magazine without seeing you with some movie star or big-breasted blonde trophy!”
Her remark hit him hard. He nearly swerved out of the lane. He sped along the winding road that inched closer to his family’s resort, with his hands tightly gripping the steering wheel. When he spoke he did so through clenched teeth. “That’s bullshit! That’s my business, not my life!”
“Whatever,” she rolled her eyes. “Looks like one and the same to me.”
She was busting his balls with a hammer now. He’d had enough. He hated having to explain himself. So what if he loved women and dated many? It had nothing to do with their kiss. But at least he had his answer. The truth was living the fast life had left him quite lonely. Every woman he enjoyed had left or was eventually pushed away by his restlessness. He wouldn’t bother telling her that. Forget it. He owed no one an explanation on his life.
The drive to the resort was shortened by his speed. He delivered her within minutes. Before she could offer an apology for her attitude, he had hopped out the car and was headed to the back of it. Jon had a problem with his anger. This he knew. Whenever he felt it swell in his chest and stun his breathing he did his best to escape the situation. He removed her luggage and pushed it over to her.
“Enjoy your stay,” he remarked and walked off. He didn’t look back.
* * *
Deja blinked. It was ironic, really. She’d spent half her flight thinking about the kiss they’d shared. But the moment he mentioned it, she’d attacked the man. Arguing with Jon Hendrix was frustrating but being dismissed by him disappointed her more. He stalked off to the left instead of up the stairs to the resort entrance. Chivalry was dead and Casanova was done. He probably wouldn’t say any more than the parting words he had left her with for the remainder of her visit.
“Damn it, Deja. You and your mouth.”
“Good evening, ma’am, welcome. Let me be of assistance,” a short dark-skinned man in a flowered resort short and white slack pants greeted her. He took hold of her luggage immediately. She smiled and started toward the resort. She wanted to find her sister first thing. However, when they entered she was steered toward the check-in.
“Welcome to the Oasis. Your luggage will be taken upstairs. The guests are expected to gather on the verandah in one hour for the festivities. Here is your room key.”
She accepted the key card and gift bag. “Festivities?” Deja asked.
“Oh, yes. We have a great time planned for all of you, including night sailing.”
Deja swallowed. No way in hell she wanted to get on a boat at night. “My sister. I want to see her. What is her room number?”
“She’s in our Commander Suite. Room 3200. I can ring her and let her know that you are here.”
“That won’t be necessary. I can find my way. I’d rather surprise her,” she said, then slid the key card into her purse.
Jon Hendrix was nowhere to be seen. It was just as well. They really didn’t need the embarrassment of another awkward moment between them.
When she arrived on the top floor to the Oasis she found the Commander Suite was the only door to knock on. She knew Dee lived well. Much better than Deja could afford, with her salary as a college professor. The extravagance and exclusivity of her baby sister’s life worried her. The three of them were drifting apart.
She knocked. No answer. She saw a buzzer next to the door and pressed it.
“Yes?” a familiar voice called out of the speaker system.
“Dee? It’s me! Deja!” she answered.
“Come in!” her sister said.
A buzzing noise preceded the lock’s disengagement and Deja opened the door without the need of a key card. She stepped inside.
“Back here! In the bedroom!” she heard her sister yell.
The space was very open. The windows g
ave a panoramic view of the sea. Startled by the beauty of the ocean she stared for a moment at the sapphire-blue waters with white sailboats anchored underneath a clear sky.
“Deja? I’m in here!” Her sister called for her.
She started off in the direction of her sister’s voice and found her room. Dee grinned from the bed. She stretched out her arms for a hug. She was huge. Seven months pregnant and swollen in the face, hands and feet. Deja’s heart expanded at the sight of her. She hurried over and kissed and hugged her sister.
“I’ve been waiting all day for you. So excited! I’ve missed you so much!” Dee gushed.
“Baby, why are you in bed? Is something wrong?” Deja asked, checking her over.
Dee waved off the concern. “My blood pressure. I have a private doctor here. He said I can’t do the sailing tonight. I have to stay in bed as much as possible,” she said with a pout. “But I’ll be at the pre-party to send you off.”
“Sailing? Blood pressure?” Deja glanced around the room. “Where’s Cliff?”
“Oh, he’s around. So did Jon pick you up from the airport?” Dee asked.
Deja’s gaze swung back around to her kid sister. She could see the light of mischief sparkling in her eyes. “Did you send him?”
Dee grinned.
“Why?”
“You know why,” Dee teased.
Deja crossed her arms over her chest. “Enlighten me.”
All these months and neither one of her sisters had ever commented on the incident at the wedding. She had only shared the experience with Dina. Now she suspected Dina had spilled the secret liaison and they were now conspiring against her. Trying to fix her up.
“Answer me, Dee!” Deja insisted.
“Oh, don’t get pissy,” Dee said. “Dina told me that you kissed him on the day of the wedding.”
