by Lauren Smith
“Sit down and hold on.” He laughed at the look on her face, her eyes wide and lips parted as he gunned the engine, and they took off across the water.
It was a little over an hour later when they reached the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, which protected the archipelago of cays slung like bright pearls in a twenty-two-mile-long line of islands south of Nassau. He stopped the engine and put the anchor out, mooring the boat close to shore. Blair was asleep, stretched out on the cushioned bench at the back of the boat. He had a moment to feast upon the vision she presented, her dark hair spilling out over the cushions and her skin glowing beneath the Caribbean sun. Denver hated to wake her, but he had brought her here to see this, and it was worth it.
He placed a palm on her shoulder. “Blair.” He spoke her name gently, reluctantly loving the feel of it on his lips. It made him think of other places he wanted his lips to feel, like her throat, the soft curves of her breasts, which he glimpsed beneath the neck of her blouse. She had a body ripe for tasting, and he was a man who enjoyed the unique flavor of a woman.
“What?” she murmured drowsily. Her long full lashes fluttered as she woke.
“We’re here at the Exumas.” He nodded at their surroundings. The turquoise-and-teal-tinted waters blended into light-salmon-colored shoals of sand before deepening into dense emerald forests.
Blair sat up and rubbed her eyes in childlike wonder at the beauty of the Exumas. Denver loved that look every time he saw it on someone’s face. He never got tired of seeing people fall in love with his home, especially this part. The nearly one hundred and seventy square miles of pavonine seas held the remote ecological preserve and wildlife refuge accessible only by seaplanes or boats.
“You ready for a swim?” Denver began unbuttoning his white linen shirt.
“A swim? What if I didn’t bring my suit . . .” Blair’s eyes locked on the chest he bared.
“You’re wearing a bra and panties, right? It’s the same thing as a bikini.” Denver couldn’t resist grinning. They both knew that wasn’t true at all. There was a difference between lingerie and bikinis. One usually led to sex . . . okay, for him, both led to sex.
“Lucky for you, I anticipated a swim, but I’ll need some privacy to change . . .”
“Don’t chicken out on me now, babe. I’ll be a gentleman and turn my back.” He meant the endearment is a joke, but it ended up coming out more affectionate.
Her eyes narrowed, and she stood, her hands pulling up the pink silk blouse to remove it. He distinctly heard the words “show him” amid her muffled rant before the blouse cleared her head and fluttered to the floor of his boat. The bra she wore was a nude-colored lacy contraption that cupped her breasts in a way that made his entire body grow rigid with the primal need to claim her. She was definitely showing him . . . and he was going to pay for it.
Blair removed her shoes and then shimmied out of her shorts to reveal a pair of pink lace boy shorts.
Jesus . . .
Denver cleared his throat and shed his clothes until he wore only his boxers. Then he put the ladder off the back of his boat and descended over the side and into the water, turning his back to give her privacy. The summer heat and currents left the shallow water around the Exumas warm and welcoming as he and Blair swam in steady strokes toward shore.
Neither of them said anything as they moved through the water. It was the first time he’d been like this with a woman while in the water. Despite his years in the Bahamas, he’d never taken a woman here to swim alone. It was intimate. The sea was his world, his solitary place of peace, but having Blair within his oceanic sphere was nice—more than nice. He had always embraced the solo nature of his swims, but with Blair here, he realized he’d been pushing down waves of loneliness. With her by his side, that loneliness was washed away with the tide.
As the water gave way to waves deepening on the sandy shoals, he reached for Blair, catching her by the waist to steady her as they found their footing and walked toward the shore. It felt good to have her by his side, her smaller wet, feminine form pressed against his.
“Are we the only people here?” Blair asked as they reached the beach and left footprints along the white sand.
“Today it seems so. It’s hard to reach, so not many tourists come here.” Denver watched the play of emotions on Blair’s face as she took in the cay.
The refuge was blissfully tranquil, the ivory sands clean, and the only sounds aside from the sea were a symphony of birds and the rustling of palm trees. He had dived here often and planned to show Blair the reefs nearby if they had time. The reefs teemed with marine life, including turtles, moray eels, and polychromatic fish.
Denver led Blair deeper into the lush tropical world and pointed out the rare sightings of Bahamian iguanas and curly-tailed lizards.
Her eyes were lit with wonder as she pointed to a furry little brown rodent that darted across their path.
“What’s that?”
“A hutia. It’s a native endangered species of rodent.”
“It looks like a guinea pig.” She grinned as she watched the hutia stop ahead of them and nibble on a bit of vegetation before darting into the darkened forest.
“We won’t see too many of them. They’re nocturnal.”
“They’re adorable.”
“Wait until you see the pigs,” Denver said with a laugh at her wide-eyed look.
“Pigs?”
He couldn’t help but revel in her innocent beauty. She was so effortlessly beautiful in that soft, romantic way that many people took for granted. She was, in a word, timeless, and he realized a man could get lost in fantasies of a woman like her.
“Come on, babe,” he teased her again.
“Yes, honey.” She smirked back at him when he slipped her hand in his. It felt right; it felt good. It felt like her hand had always been locked with his. And wasn’t that the best and worst feeling ever?
5
The Exumas were a paradise separate from the Seven Seas Beach Club. They were a natural haven free of man’s interference. There was something to be said about the exquisite purity of land left as nature had forged it.
She snuck a peek at Denver as they crossed through the light forest of trees on the island to another beach. He seemed relaxed; the hard line of his jaw was less rigid as he had ceased clenching it, and his lips were faintly curved upward, almost smiling. She was glad. As much as an angry, scowling Denver turned her on, she wanted, needed, to see this softer, sweeter side to him. The side of him that he might show more often if tragedy had not struck his life so early.
“Be ready,” Denver warned.
A moment later they stepped fully out onto another white sandy beach where a host of wild pigs meandered on the sand around them, completely tame. Most were white, some with half-black torsos. All were large, except for a few piglets running about.
“I thought maybe you were kidding.” She laughed as a few pigs trundled out into the shallows and began swimming.
“These pigs have been here so long that no one really knows how they got here. Now they are a staple of the Exumas, one of the more interesting tourist attractions.”
Blair marveled at the large animals who seemed so content in their tropical world.
“They’re good swimmers,” she observed.
“Want a closer look?” Denver headed toward the water, and she trailed behind. The pigs studied them expectantly, but seeing no food in their hands, went back to their business. Denver waded into the shallows, and several pigs joined him, seemingly relishing the simple act of swimming the way a human would.
“Don’t be shy, babe!” Denver called out when she lingered knee-deep in the water. She sighed and moved farther out, holding still as the waves buffeted her until she was waist-deep with him in the clear blue surf.
“Is that what you would call your girlfriend?” she asked as she reached him.
The next wave that came in lifted her off her feet, and he caught her by her waist, holding her agains
t him. The water was warm, but Denver’s body was even hotter as it pressed flush to hers. They held each other, his body braced to keep hers against him while the water made them sway. All around them, the pigs were happily paddling about, frolicking in the water. The air changed as Blair realized she was alone with Denver on a beautiful island in paradise. It was the start of either something beautiful or something terrible. Yet as he gazed at her, his hands gentle on her body, she sensed it was definitely a moment charged with heat.
He tilted his head as he looked down at her. “I think I’d call her darling.” His hazel eyes were dark, turning with storms as he studied her.
“You think? You’re not sure? Haven’t you had a real girlfriend?” she asked, her hands settling on his upper arms, linking her back to him in a way that made her shiver. She resettled against him, her skin flushing as his heat warmed her more than the sunlight.
“I haven’t,” he finally answered, his gaze turning hot. “And you? How many hearts has Blair Ashworth broken?”
“None,” she admitted.
Denver raised a single dark brow in challenge. “Not even one?”
“Nope. I date a lot, but it’s always . . . short-lived. I love my work, and I pour myself into it. I haven’t met anyone who matches that level of love and obsession. I feel like . . .” She trailed off, biting her bottom lip. She had nearly poured out her soul to a man who should despise her.
“You feel like what?” He pulled her chin up with gentle but firm fingers so she had to meet his gaze.
Blair wanted to be honest with him, even if he didn’t understand or still didn’t like her. It was important to tell him the truth about herself.
“Maybe it’s the hopeless romantic in me, but I feel like I can’t settle for just someone. I need fire, lightning, obsession, attraction, and love. I know all the rest will fade in time, and love is what remains, but I haven’t met anyone who started the fire in me, not a deep burning one that would lead to love.” She met his stare fearlessly, unable to deny the heat of his body and how it made her feel gloriously feminine. “Until I have that, I’m not dating anyone seriously because I don’t want to break anyone’s heart.”
His eyes were full of sensual fire as he regarded her silently. She slid her hands off his arms so she could pull away, but he stopped her, his fingers digging into her hips. She’d just opened herself up to him, let herself be vulnerable, and she expected him to answer with cruelty. Instead, he held her that much closer, that much more fiercely protective, which made her heart quiver with longing. It was scary and thrilling to let this man affect her so strongly.
“You’re brave to be honest with me,” he replied. His tone was impossibly gentle.
She glanced away, unsure how to respond. Only then did he release her hips. She drifted away from him and back to shallower water, then headed back onto shore and took refuge in the shade.
How did he have the ability to break down her walls like that?
Blair leaned against a palm tree and watched Denver walk out of the sea. He slicked his hair back with his hands, and the summer light flashed off dozens of water droplets clinging to his skin. His wet boxers clung to his muscled thighs and left very little to the imagination about his natural endowments. Her body responded against her wishes, and her nipples pebbled. She folded her arms over her chest and focused instead on the paradise of the Exumas. It was her safety mode to focus on work, and she let her mind drift right back to the new ideas for her ad campaign.
Nature had to play a bigger role; it needed to be emphasized. The Seven Seas was a place of nature and magic with all the comforts of a five-star resort. Yes, that would be her new approach on the ad creatives.
“We should get back if we want to make it to dinner. Besides, we need to discuss more of the basics about our lives if we plan to pull off our scheme.” Denver’s voice cut through her thoughts. His gentleness was gone, and in its place was an emotionless, matter-of-fact tone. It took Blair a moment to let go of the fantasy Denver, the man she was in very real danger of falling in love with. This Denver was all business.
“Right . . .”
She followed him back to the other side of the island, and then they swam toward the boat. He helped her climb in and retrieved two large beach towels, giving one to her. She dried off but didn’t put on her clothes. He didn’t either. She stretched out on the seat at the back of the boat to let the sun finish drying her off, while Denver drove them back to Paradise Island.
Something had changed between them, something she wasn’t sure she understood. Was it good or bad? She only knew she was more nervous than ever about meeting the Hudsons tonight for dinner and playing the part of a girl madly in love with Denver Ramsey. The scary part was that acting in love with him wouldn’t be that hard at all.
Denver paced the lobby, every nerve inside him strung tight. During the enjoyable afternoon with Blair on the island, he’d forgotten more than once that he was supposed to hate her.
He knew a dozen things about her, like how she liked oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and thought anything with raisins was a crime against all cookies everywhere. She had terrible springtime allergies but loved the smell of freshly cut grass and was obsessed with back-to-school shopping, even though she was past school age. He’d managed to share more of himself than he’d expected to. She’d been quite clever at teasing things out of him. It had felt . . . fun. He hadn’t expected anything with her to be fun, except maybe taking her to bed. But now their afternoon of the question-and-answer game was about to be tested.
Any minute now, the two founders of the Fawkes Group would arrive to evaluate him and his resort. He felt like he was back in high school and having one of those dreams where he was naked and stuck in front of the class. After spending the day with Blair, he felt more exposed and vulnerable than he was used to. Something about her and the way she’d spoken of being in love had struck a chord with him. There was a reason he preferred to play the field when it came to women. Someday he’d look for Ms. Right, but until he found someone who moved mountains inside him, he wasn’t going to settle down with just anyone. It was something they had in common, and he didn’t want to have anything in common with Paul Ashworth’s daughter.
The lobby doors opened, and a tall man came toward Denver. He had a lean but muscular figure and dark hair that held a hint of gray at the temples. A stunning redhead in a dark-blue cocktail dress was at his side. Denver recognized them immediately as Jack and Anne Hudson.
“Mr. Ramsey,” Jack greeted as they spotted him.
“Mr. Hudson, so glad you’re here. Mrs. Hudson.” Denver nodded politely at Jack’s wife.
“Please, it’s Jack and Anne.” Jack shook Denver’s hand.
“Then call me Denver.”
“Nice to meet you in person, Denver. I always prefer to meet someone in person. It’s hard to get to know someone on the phone.”
“Agreed.” Denver smiled and relaxed.
“Well, I hope we made it in time for the dinner reservations?” Jack asked. “Our plane was delayed out of Florida, and we had just enough time to check in, shower, and change clothes.”
“Not at all. The restaurant is open quite late, and it’s only eight now.”
“Is your significant other coming tonight?” Anne asked hopefully.
“Blair? Yes.” Denver pulled back his suit sleeve and checked his watch. She should have been here half an hour ago. Had she changed her mind? He had been a cold asshole on the way back from the Exumas, but he couldn’t let her get under his skin again. She was too good at it. So he’d shut down his emotions. It may have been the wrong thing to do.
“Honey, I’m sorry I’m late.” Blair rushed into the lobby, a colorful vortex as she swirled around Denver and spun to a stop, her hands circling his neck as she stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. He slid one arm around her waist, trying not to think about how the little red dress she wore gave him all sorts of ideas about what to do once they were alone.
“There you are, babe. I thought you might miss dinner.” He smiled brightly, keeping the reprimand out of his tone.
Blair fiddled with the gold bangle bracelet on her wrist and then blushed as she turned to Jack and Anne.
“You must be Mr. and Mrs. Hudson. I’m so sorry I ran late. Denver and I had a little romantic getaway to the Exumas earlier today, and I needed a shower. I’m Blair Ashworth. It’s wonderful to meet you.” She held out a hand.
“A pleasure,” Jack said and shook her hand.
“A romantic getaway?” Anne sighed dreamily and nudged her husband in the ribs. “You had better plan one of those for me while we’re here.”
“Already done,” Jack promised his wife with a bemused look.
“Shall we go in to dinner?” Denver offered.
“Yes,” Jack agreed, and Denver, his arm still possessively around Blair’s waist, led them to a table in the main area of the dining room.
Jack and Denver both pulled chairs out for the women before they sat down. A waiter came over immediately, proffering a wine list and menus.
“So tell me about the Exumas,” Anne asked Blair.
Denver watched her out of the corner of his eye, judging her performance. She was relaxed and gushed happily about their swim and the animals they saw, including the wild pigs. Blair’s beautiful brown eyes flitted to his every now and then, as though checking in with him silently. It pleased him more than it should have, and damn if it didn’t make him feel warm inside. His knee moved under the table, seeking hers, and when their thighs touched, she didn’t pull away; she kept her leg pressed to his. It made his heart kick up a few beats faster.
“Goodness, I’d heard about Pig Beach, but I can’t believe something like that’s real.” Anne laughed.
“It is. Several of the small islands have the pigs, and he ”—Blair jerked a thumb at him—“totally didn’t tell me about them until we got there. It was quite the surprise.”
“I bet it was.” Anne laughed again, and then her mouth dropped open as she looked at the aquarium. “Oh, honey, look!” She tugged on Jack’s sleeve. Jack lifted his gaze from the wine menu toward the giant aquarium behind Denver and Blair.