Their Festive Island Escape

by Nina Singh

  Alex was making another point. “And I’ve spoken with the entertainment committee to put together a showing of The Nutcracker ballet with you dancing the major roles.”

  Reid nodded. “That’s good, thank—”

  Wait a minute.

  Reid dropped his pen on the desk. “Ha-ha. That’s really funny, partner.”

  “Just checking to see if you were paying attention. Where is your head at this morning, man?”

  If he only knew. “I have a lot on my mind.”

  “Including the woman who’s been helping you pull together a potential marketing campaign?”

  Reid quirked his eyebrow. “Why do you ask that?”

  “Let’s just say you haven’t quite been the same since she arrived on the island.”

  So it was that obvious.

  Luckily, his partner wasn’t the type to delve into his personal life. Not usually, anyway. “How’s that whole project going anyway?” Alex asked, reverting back to business matters.

  Reid wasn’t quite sure how to answer. Where exactly did things stand now between Celeste and himself? “We just started yesterday.”

  Alex tilted his head. “And?”

  “And we have a couple more excursions on the schedule tomorrow. She’ll provide a written analysis and suggestions for each one we take.”

  Though, after the way yesterday had turned out, Reid wasn’t even sure if Celeste was even still on board with it. He was half-afraid she’d already made the decision to end their agreement. Something told him she wouldn’t do that. That she took her professional commitments far too seriously.

  In fact, he was banking on it.

  Still, she hadn’t called to thank him or so much as acknowledge the spa day he’d arranged for her. An image of her lying on a massage table with only a narrow towel draped around her luscious curves flashed in his mind.

  His partner was staring at him expectantly. Oh, yeah. He’d asked him a question, hadn’t he?

  Something about what he and Celeste were working on together. Reid decided to stick the truth. For the most part, anyway.

  “Things are complicated between Celeste and me,” he admitted, rubbing his forehead. “There’s a bit of a history.”

  “I see,” Alex responded. “And is that the only complication?”

  “Absolutely,” Reid lied. It wasn’t an egregiously big lie however. Because he’d made something of a decision last night. As he’d lain there thinking about Celeste and the way she’d felt in his arms, he’d come to the conclusion that his dealings with her had to change.

  From this point forward, he would maintain a safer distance. He would be at his utmost professional as they worked together. Though not technically his direct employee, Celeste was indeed doing work for him. He would treat her like the contractor that she was. No more touching, no more teasing. And definitely no more imagining her naked on a massage table or in the shower.

  “Good,” Alex interrupted that risky train of thought. “I’m interested to see what the two of you come up with. What’s next?”

  If Celeste didn’t withdraw from the project altogether, they were due for a rather sublime activity tomorrow. “We’re scheduled to visit the flower garden in St. Anne’s Parish.” An activity that would require no physical contact whatsoever, Reid thought with no small amount of gratefulness. The family owned and run botanical garden attracted tourists from all over the world to admire the striking flora that graced so much of the island. After a tour of the flower beds and exotic plants and trees, the excursion included some light shopping and a home-cooked meal.

  Surely, he could get through something like that without laying his hands on Celeste’s tempting body?

  Piece of cake.

  To make matters even better, they’d be fully clothed. No swimsuits involved for this outing. He wouldn’t have to force his gaze away from the tiny dimple in Celeste’s luscious thigh. Or the way her suit fit her like a glove and accentuated all those glorious curves.

  “You just drifted off again, my friend.”

  Reid uttered a small curse. Thank heavens Alex had no idea exactly where his mind had drifted off to.

  Who was he kidding? Celeste wasn’t even here and he couldn’t get her out of his head. He had his work cut out for him if he was going to maintain a professional distance tomorrow.

  “Sorry. I was just mentally going over my to-do list.” Another fib. He hadn’t been this slippery with his friend and partner at any other time before this. He was behaving uncharacteristically in so many ways, he’d lost count.

  Alex suddenly stood, apparently giving up on any kind of productive meeting given the state of Reid’s mental sharpness at the moment.

  “I should go get started on mine,” he said, then turned to leave. He stopped at the door and turned back with a playful smile. “You sure you won’t reconsider the Nutcracker gig now?”

  “I’m sure, my man. No one needs to see me in tights.”

  Alex released a bark of laughter before exiting.

  Reid turned to stare out at the glass wall behind his desk. In the distance, the ocean sparkled like a sea of precious gems. The sun shone bright in a clear, azure-blue sky. Another beautiful day in paradise.

  The building that housed the spa could be seen at the edge of the property. Was she there now?

  Reid stood and closed the lid of his laptop. Nothing wrong with taking a walk in that direction. He hadn’t even been outside yet today. Some fresh Caribbean air would do him some good right now. He definitely wasn’t trying to seek Celeste out. And if he did run into her merely by chance, what would be wrong with that?

  No harm, no foul, he reassured himself. He’d simply be checking on a contract employee. Fifteen minutes later, after catching no sign of her, Reid resigned himself to acknowledging that their paths would not be crossing this morning. He also had to acknowledge the disappointment he felt.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  RIGHT ON TIME.

  Celeste’s cell phone screen lit up with a text message as she was walking down the concrete pathway to the entrance of the resort property.

  I’m here a couple minutes early. See you soon. R

  She’d be arriving right at the time they’d agreed to meet at the bellhop desk to board the shuttle bus that would take them to the Flower Forest. Looked like Reid didn’t want to take any chances that she’d be late. Or that she wouldn’t show. If she was being fair, she would admit he couldn’t be blamed for being uncertain. She hadn’t so much as dropped him a thank-you text for the extravagant day of decadence he’d treated her to yesterday.

  Even worse, she’d seen him approaching the spa building as she was leaving but had ducked for cover and turned the other way. Not that she’d meant to avoid him. But she had just needed one full day away from him to regain her equilibrium.

  Truth be told, she was also a little embarrassed. Her reaction to the ATV ride weighed on her. Reid probably saw her as weak and fearful of new activities. It galled her to appear that way to anyone, let alone a man like him. The temperature dropped several degrees as she entered the air-conditioned concierge lobby. She spotted Reid right away, but then he was particularly hard to miss. A head taller than most of the people in the room, he was dressed in khaki shorts and another formfitting T-shirt, blue this time. She had no doubt the rich color would serve to heighten the golden hue of his eyes.

  Her conclusion was confirmed when she reached him. Yep, a girl could get lost in those beautiful golden depths if she didn’t check herself.

  Celeste would have to make sure to check herself.

  “You made it.”

  She wasn’t imagining the relief in his voice. He’d been afraid she wasn’t going to show.

  “All refreshed and ready to go,” she answered with a smile. “Thank you for my day of pampering yesterday. I feel like a new woman.”
/>   His responding smile sent a bolt of awareness through her core.

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

  “Shall we?” Celeste prompted, before another one of those awkward silences could ensue that seemed to be so very frequent between them.

  Reid nodded and led her outside to the waiting town car and held the back door open for her before climbing in the other side. Within moments they were pulling out of the long stone driveway and onto the main road. It always took Celeste a moment to adjust to the sensation of being driven on the opposite side of the street than what she was used to in the States.

  Reid flipped open a console between their feet to reveal an assortment of drinks and snacks. “Can I get you anything?”

  Celeste accepted some water and a rich chocolate bar that seemed to melt in her mouth when she bit into it. Between hours at the spa yesterday and this luxurious ride, she could get used to this lifestyle. City life was overrated.

  “So, tell me about this flower garden,” she said between bites.

  Reid uncapped a bottle of iced tea as he answered. “It’s called the Flower Forest. It’s one of the first excursions we contracted out after acquiring the resort. Owned and operated by the same family for generations. Now it’s just the matriarch and her son and daughter. All three are delightful people. A bit on the traditional side. You’ll enjoy meeting them.”

  “I look forward to it.” She realized she was looking forward to the whole day, in fact. Unlike the adventurous feats of the previous excursions, this one sounded low-key and relaxing.

  She’d have a chance to spend some time with Reid without a constant stream of adrenaline clouding her judgment. Maybe they’d even enjoy each other’s company.

  No. That was hardly the goal for today. She had to keep that fact in mind. They weren’t a couple out enjoying an island getaway. They were barely friends, if one were to be completely accurate. Boundaries were important here.

  Half an hour later, they pulled onto a gravel road and eventually came to a thick, green tree line.

  Celeste had to suck in a breath when she exited the car at the sheer amount of color that greeted her. A flowing river could be heard behind the trees. The fragrant scent of exotic flowers filled the air. The entire scene could have been painted by a talented landscape artist.

  Oh, yeah. This was much more up her alley than a jostling ride in an open-air vehicle as it straddled a cliff edge.

  “Oh! It’s so beautiful, Reid. Just lovely.” This would be the easiest write-up she’d ever done.

  A rotund woman who appeared to be in her early sixties appeared from behind a wooden gate and approached them. She was trailed by a young man and woman. Each had the same facial structure and eye shape. It was clear they were siblings.

  “Mr. Reid. So nice to see you again,” the woman said, giving Reid a hug and a small peck on the cheek.

  “Uma, the pleasure’s all mine,” Reid answered over her head.

  “You remember my son and daughter, Rinna and Theo,” Uma added. The siblings nodded in acknowledgment.

  “Of course.” Reid motioned to where Celeste stood behind them.

  “And I’d like you all to meet Celeste. She’s a colleague of mine. She’s going to help us bring some more attention and visitors to this lovely slice of paradise you have here.”

  Celeste reached out her hand but Uma ignored it and hugged her instead, as well. She mustered a smile as she returned the older woman’s embrace but it was forced.

  The word colleague had never sounded so disappointing.

  * * *

  “I have a confession to make,” Reid said in a low voice as they trailed behind Rinna and Theo, their tour guides. Uma had left for the kitchen to start preparing the meal.

  “What’s that?” Celeste asked, her curiosity peaked. What in the world could he be referring to?

  “I was a little concerned you’d back out of coming along today. After you know...the last time.”

  So he had been worried. Celeste felt a pang of regret. She had a stellar reputation as a competent and efficient businesswoman. To think that she’d given Reid the impression of unreliability would weigh heavily on her for some time to come.

  Her professional reputation was a matter she took very seriously and an accomplishment she had worked very hard for over the years. Just made for another reason why she had to suppress whatever this attraction was between her and Reid. She had too much at stake. Theo stopped in front of a tree and turned to face them.

  “This is Frangipani,” Theo explained, pointing to the small tree adorned with white flowers. Celeste could smell the rich perfume of the petals where she stood.

  They moved on. Theo and Rinna took turns pointing out and naming various flowers, bushes, and trees. Celeste was fascinated by the hibiscus flowers, which she’d seen on countless tea bag label ingredients but now had a picture of what the plant looked like.

  All in all, it was a fascinating stroll. The weather was perfect, warm yet not muggy. A gentle breeze fanned her skin. By the time their tour ended, she felt both entertained and educated. A perfect tagline to advertise the attraction.

  They’d reached the banks of the river when Uma came out to summon them to lunch. In moments, they were seated at a wooden picnic table by the water enjoying a mouthwatering meal of fried fish, rice and plantain.

  “You were right,” Celeste remarked between bites. “They are a delightful family. And Uma’s a wonderful cook.”

  “Do you think you have a good idea of how to frame the description of this place?”

  There it was again. Reid’s sole focus was on the mission at hand. She wanted to kick herself for feeling any disappointment at his remark. It wasn’t Reid’s fault that she kept forgetting the true objective here. If anything, she should be thanking him for leading her back on track.

  She nodded in response to his question. “I think so. The delicious food will play a major role.”

  Reid put his fork down and leaned toward her over the table. “Tell me something.”

  “Yes?” Celeste was fully expecting a question about her thoughts on the Flower Forest and what sort of features she would highlight in any summary she put together for him. So, his next words threw her completely off guard.

  “Have you moved on? From your engagement to Jack and how it ended?”

  Whoa. She had definitely not seen that coming.

  Reid had an almost uncanny knack for throwing her off her feet. She swallowed the last bite she’d taken quickly, before she risked having it lodged in her throat.

  She wasn’t sure how to answer his question. If Reid was asking her if she’d met someone else in the past three years, the answer was no. But in every other sense, she’d moved on.

  He suddenly looked away, out toward the water. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you that. It’s none of my business.”

  “But you did ask. Why?”

  “I’m not sure.” He gave her a tight smile. “Like I said. I shouldn’t have. I have no excuse for asking it.”

  Theo approached them before she could respond. He carried a sleek-looking professional camera. “Reid. Celeste. I hoped I might be able to take a few photos of the two of you.”

  Celeste couldn’t decide if she was relieved or annoyed at the interruption. A little bit of both probably, she’d have to admit.

  “I’m trying to do my own little bit of publicity for Mom. Just some photos to add to our website.”

  Reid looked at her in question. “That okay with you?”

  Celeste shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”

  They turned and smiled for Theo who snapped several shots in rapid succession.

  “Let’s do some by the water, yeah?” Theo suggested, and led them to the riverbank. “And I hate to ask...”

  Reid gave him an indulgent smile. “Anything for you, Theo. Wha
t is it?”

  “It’s just that we’re trying to appeal to a wider audience. Mainly couples. We seem to only get families with children. I was thinking it couldn’t hurt to emphasize the romantic aspects of this place.” He gestured around him.

  Uh-oh. Celeste could guess where Theo was headed. He confirmed her suspicions. “You two mind posing like you’re a real couple? You know, just so the photos look authentic?”

  Neither one of them could seem to come up with an answer. Theo must have sensed their mutual discomfort. “Uh... Never mind. Forget I asked.”

  A pang of guilt settled in Celeste’s stomach. What was the harm in a couple of photos? Theo, his mom and his sister had been the most perfect of hosts; gracious and accommodating. The least she and Reid could do was playact for a couple of stills.

  “I’m okay with it if you are,” she uttered, not quite able to look Reid in the eyes as she spoke.

  Reid gave a slight shrug. “Sure. Go for it, Theo.”

  Theo flashed them a wide smile. “Thanks! So, just step together closer and, Reid, put your arm around Celeste’s shoulders.”

  Reid did as instructed and Theo snapped away.

  “That’s great, you two. You both are naturals at this.” He looked at the camera screen with a pleased smile. “It looks real. Like you guys are really together.”

  Celeste had to suppress an internal groan. Then things went from bad to worse.

  “How about a pretend kiss?” Theo suggested.

  CHAPTER NINE

  REID HAD EVERY intention of simply dropping the slightest peck on Celeste’s cheek. At the most, he might have softly brushed his lips along the corner of her mouth.

  But somehow, after Theo made his suggestion, Reid’s lips found hers and he seemed to have lost control of his intentions.

  She tasted of berries and chocolate, her lips soft and luscious under his. Someone sighed heavily. He couldn’t even tell which one of them it was. Her arms went up around his neck and it was all the invite he needed to pull her closer, deepen the kiss. Time seemed to stand still, their audience forgotten. Nothing of the outside mattered for him now. His one and only focus was the woman in his arms and how it felt to hold her, to kiss her.