by Karen Booth
Zane didn’t let the disappointment get to him too much. Everything was a downer of one sort or another. He was used to it. “Okay. I guess I’m flying solo. Can you text me the info? I’ll call first thing tomorrow morning.”
Scott shook his head. “Just give me the dates and I’ll take care of it. It’s on me.”
“I do not need your charity. This isn’t high school.”
“Will you just shut up and let me do something nice for you? Plus, I gotta keep you happy. I would be ridiculously bummed out if you moved out of Falling Brook.”
Zane glanced over at Scott. He didn’t know what he would do without him. He was the thing tethering him to earth. Keeping him from going off the deep end. “I’m not leaving. I might desperately need a few days on that beach to clear my head, but I’m not going anywhere.” He knocked back the last of his beer. “I have to at least stick around long enough to avenge this loss.”
“Black Crescent?” Scott asked.
“No. Tonight’s game.”
* * *
When Allison Randall saw her ex-boyfriend’s name on the caller ID, she flipped off her phone. Juvenile, but incredibly satisfying.
“Let me guess. Neil?” Allison’s best friend and business partner, Kianna Lewis, was perched in a chair opposite Allison’s desk, flicking a pen back and forth between her thumb and forefinger. They’d been discussing the state of their corporate recruiting business, which frankly, wasn’t that great.
“I really don’t want to talk to him. Ever.”
“Aren’t the movers at his house right now? What if there’s a problem?”
Kianna was so levelheaded. Allison needed that. She could get tunnel vision. And a little spiteful. “You’re right. I’m just ready for one of these conversations to be our last.” Allison plucked her phone from her desk and spun her chair around to peer out the window of her office, which overlooked nothing more scenic than a sea of expensive cars in a parking lot. Such was LA—asphalt and BMWs. “What’s wrong now?” she asked Neil.
“You could have hired a normal moving company, Allison. Hunks with Trucks? Seriously?” Her ex-boyfriend was not taking her departure from his life well. That was perfectly okay with her.
Allison snickered under her breath. Neil was in ridiculously good shape, and he loved to flaunt it. He took any excuse to whip off his shirt in public. Allison had figured he might as well spend the afternoon with a bunch of guys who were even more buff and cut than him. Served him right for cheating on her. “They hire college students, Neil. These guys need the work. For tuition and books. Just forget the name, okay?”
“That’s a little difficult when their ten-foot-high logo is emblazoned on the truck outside my house. The neighbors can all see it.”
What a drama queen. She should have known better than to date a movie producer. “Sounds like good marketing on their part.”
“There’s a crowd gathering. A bunch of women from my street are outside taking selfies with these guys.”
This had gone far better than Allison could have anticipated. She nearly wished she’d been there to witness it, except that would have meant seeing Neil, and she couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t strangle him. “If you hadn’t cheated on me, you wouldn’t have to suffer this supposed embarrassment.”
“I made a mistake, okay? It happens. You need to get off that high horse of yours. Not everyone can be perfect like you.”
She choked back a grumble. “Not cheating does not make me perfect. It makes me a decent human being, which is more than I can say for you.”
“I’ve told you one hundred times that she meant nothing to me. It was just a few months of hookups. I was stupid for doing it, and I’m sorry.”
Allison clamped her eyes shut. She was not going to let him manipulate her anymore. “I’m done with this conversation, Neil. Unless there’s a real problem you need me to address, I’m going to hang up now.”
“I want my key back, Alli.”
“Change the locks. And don’t call me Alli.” She hit the red button on the screen and tossed her phone onto a pile of papers on her desk. The desire to scream was so intense she dug her fingernails into her palms.
“You okay?” Kianna asked, arching her perfectly groomed eyebrows.
“I’m fine.” Allison was a firm believer in fake it ’til you make it. She would keep saying she was fine until she was actually fine. Still, the Neil situation had her shaken. How had she not seen that Neil was an arrogant jerk? How had she managed to miss the signs? As an executive recruiter, it was Allison’s job to read people, but she’d clearly been all wrong about Neil.
“It’s okay to have a human moment. Your boyfriend cheated on you. No one would blame you for crying or throwing things.”
No, no one would fault her, but Allison refused to let this drag her down. Neil would move on with his life in his perfect house, with his suspiciously white teeth and 3 percent body fat. Allison was not going to let him be the only one to find happiness. “I’m fine. Let’s get back to work. We need to finish this up so I can head over to my new place and meet the movers.”
“Okay. If that’s what you want.” Kianna launched into a summary of their bottom line. It didn’t take long. The upshot was too many expenses, not enough income. “All of this makes the Black Crescent account that much more important. If we nail this first assignment for them, we should be able to go on retainer. That will put us safely in the black.”
Having a new client in her hometown of Falling Brook, New Jersey, was a real boon. Allison had pulled in a favor to make it happen, but she was sure it could translate into big things. “We can do it. I can do it. I will knock their socks off. I promise.” The best part was that it would not only bring in money, she could see her brother, Scott. Allison had been there for his birthday last month, but she always looked forward to their time together.
“How soon are you planning to go out there and meet with them?”
Allison flipped through her calendar. “I haven’t booked my travel yet, but I’m thinking next week. My plan is to walk into that meeting with the three amazing candidates we’ve been talking to for the position.”
“Can I make a suggestion?”
“You think I should go sooner?”
“I think you should leave sooner, as in go somewhere for a few days. Relax. Unwind. Meet a hot guy and let him rock your world. Get Neil out of your system.”
“But we have so much work to do.”
“And we need you on top of your game when you meet with Black Crescent. You’re wound way too tight right now.”
Allison had to laugh. “Have you been talking to my mom?”
“Please tell me your mom didn’t tell you to hook up with some guy.”
“She didn’t. But she did tell my aunt Angelique about Neil, and Angelique called last night begging me to come and stay with her and my uncle for a few days at their resort in the Bahamas. Bad news travels fast among the women in my family.” Allison was incredibly close to her mom, so much so that she felt suffocated sometimes. So of course, they’d had many phone conversations about the Neil situation, and it was only a matter of time before her aunt found out.
“That sounds perfect. I say you do it. As long as there are men available, of course.” Kianna got up from her chair, gathered her notes in her arms and headed for the door.
“A man is the last thing I need.”
Kianna turned and cast Allison a stern look. “I’m not talking marriage. I’m talking sex. A few mind-blowing orgasms and Neil will be a distant memory.”
“I’m not much for random hookups. I’m not even sure I can do that.”
“Have you looked at yourself? Any sane guy would be psyched to take you to bed.” Kianna turned on her heel and headed down the hall.
Allison wasn’t sure about that, but maybe it was time to do something nice for herse
lf—book a bungalow on the beach and fall asleep in the sun with a good book. She fumbled for her phone and dialed the number for her aunt.
“Tell me you’re on the plane,” Angelique said when she answered.
Allison smiled. She couldn’t help it. She loved her entire family deeply. “Not yet.”
“But you’re coming?”
“As long as you have room for me.”
“I have one bungalow open, so we have room. It’s all yours. I hope it’s okay if I put you next to one of your brother’s friends, though. Zane Patterson?”
That name started a long-forgotten hum in Allison’s body. Zane was the guy Allison had crushed on for every waking minute of her adolescence. “He’s not coming with Scott, is he?”
“Oh, no. By himself. Just for a few days. He gets here tomorrow.”
Allison’s heart was jackhammering in her chest. Visions of unbelievably sexy Zane rushed into her consciousness—thick dark hair with a hint of curl, piercing blue eyes that made her melt and a long, lean body she’d wanted to touch forever. She had a good dozen or so Zane fantasies she’d concocted over the years. Why had she never thought up the one where they both ended up on a secluded Bahamian island at the same time? “Oh. Funny. I was thinking I’d fly in tomorrow, too.”
“Do you know him?”
“I do. He’s a great guy. It’s always nice to see him.” Allison couldn’t ignore the way her voice had suddenly pitched to a higher octave. “Nice to see him” didn’t begin to cover it.
But there’d always been a massive obstacle with Zane—Scott. The only time she’d had any real physical contact with Zane was three weeks ago, when they were at her brother’s house for his birthday dinner. This was right after Allison had first found out Neil was cheating. Feeling hurt, reckless and pleasantly tipsy, she’d spent most of the evening testing the waters of flirtation with Zane. She knocked her knee into his under the table, brushed his hand with her fingertips when reaching for the butter and made a point of making eye contact when she laughed at his jokes. There was a palpable connection between them, a very real spark, and she could only play with fire for so long before jumping in headfirst. So as soon as Scott and his wife left the table to put their kids to bed, Allison had grabbed her chance. She gripped Zane’s muscled forearm, leaned in and kissed him. For a blissful instant, Zane was into it.
So into it.
He’d cupped her jaw with his hand like he was drinking her in. The years of wanting him day after day had been building for that moment, and she was overwhelmed by a deluge of heat and a rush of something she hadn’t experienced in too long—pure hope. She arched into him, and he followed her cue, wrapping his arm around her and pressing his chest against hers. It was really happening, and her mind had leaped ahead to what came next…a quick escape, a race back to his place, clothes coming off before they were even inside, lips and hands exploring the landscape of each other’s bodies until they were both exhausted. It was going to happen. Finally.
Then he froze. And everything else became a blur. He pushed her away, ashamed to look her in the eye. He blurted something about betraying Scott. He said he was sorry. He shook his head and muttered that it had been a mistake. He pushed back from the table and rushed out the door, leaving Allison shell-shocked. How could she have been so close and have it all taken away? It felt like a cruel joke life was playing on her. It hurt like hell.
For weeks, that painful scene played in her head. But once she got beyond the hurt, she realized that the real problem had been Scott. If they’d been truly alone that night, her fantasies would’ve come true. She and Zane would’ve been naked and sweaty in no time.
But hopefully, Zane wouldn’t be so worried about her hyperprotective brother if he was a thousand miles away. With close proximity to Zane and some privacy, she could finally go for what she’d always wanted—a night of pure abandon with Zane. She knew better than to hope for more than that. He was the ultimate ladies’ man, and she was okay with that. He was who he was, and she still wanted him more than any man she’d ever laid eyes on. If she played her cards right, she’d at least get to fulfill this fantasy, even if it was only a onetime thing.
“Do you want me to tell him you’re coming?”
If Allison had been talking to Kianna, she might have made a joke about orgasms, but that was not appropriate with her aunt. “No. Don’t. I’ll surprise him.”
“I’m so happy you’re coming to stay, Alli. It’s been too long.”
“I’m excited to spend some time unwinding.”
“Text me your flight details. I’ll have someone pick you up at the marina.”
“Sounds perfect. See you tomorrow.”
Allison gathered her things, closed up her office, said goodbye to Kianna and hurried out to the parking lot, feeling a new purpose in every step. She hopped into her Mercedes, cranked the stereo and headed toward her new apartment, where the guys from Hunks with Trucks would soon be waiting to move her into her new place. She wasn’t even going to bother to unpack. She was going to let them in to do their work while she turned around to go shopping for a hat, a sarong and the skimpiest bikini she could find. Then she was going to get a good night’s beauty sleep and get her butt on a plane tomorrow morning.
Next stop, paradise. Next stop, Zane.
CHAPTER TWO
The flight from Miami to Eleuthera Island was not for the faint of heart. Scott’s aunt and uncle Angelique and Hubert had booked a charter for Zane on the tiniest of Learjets. Still, Zane loved the freedom of hanging by an invisible thread over the jaw-dropping blue of the Atlantic.
Zane’s pulse skipped a beat as the aircraft floated down to the tiny landing strip and bounced its way to an abrupt stop. Another five hundred yards and they would’ve been in the ocean. Engines whirring, the plane taxied around to a modest outbuilding—yellow with a rust-red roof. The crew quickly opened the cabin door, and Zane whipped off his seat belt, sucking in his first sweet breath of Bahamian air. Sunglasses on, he surveyed the landscape from his vantage point at the top of the plane stairs. Palm trees rustled in the wind, and gauzy white clouds rolled across the seemingly endless stretch of azure sky. This was exactly what he’d needed. He knew it already.
A driver from Rose Cove, the boutique resort owned by Scott’s aunt and uncle, met him outside the airport building, and after a quick zip through customs, Zane was on his way to the marina in a golf cart. From there, a speedboat captain named Marcus took Zane for the two-mile trip to Rose Cove Island, off the southernmost tip of Eleuthera. The water was tranquil and clear, the wind buzzing through Zane’s ears as the boat sliced through the water and the sun blanketed him in warmth. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and powered it down. He had zero plans to look at it while he was in paradise. He not only needed to unwind, he wanted to disappear. Falling Brook, the Lowell family and Black Crescent weren’t even a distant thought—they’d evaporated from his mind.
Pulling up to the dock at Rose Cove, Zane was struck by the beauty of the pink sand beaches from which the tiny private island got its name. Marcus directed him down a crushed-seashell path through a tropical forest so shaded by palm trees that it was a good ten degrees cooler. Colorful birds chirped and flitted from tree to tree, while the occasional lizard skittered across the sandy ground to hide behind a rock. He eventually reached a clearing with a white single-story building of colonial architecture, with a porch that wrapped around the entire structure. Inside, Zane finally got to meet Scott’s aunt Angelique.
“Welcome to Rose Cove!” she exclaimed, rushing out from behind the check-in desk, wearing a beautiful turquoise sundress, flat sandals and her braided hair pulled up in a twist. Despite her enthusiasm, Angelique’s peaceful voice suggested that she lived her life at a pace far different from the rest of the world’s. “My nephew has told me so much about you.” She gave him a hug, showing the same warmth Zane had found in Scott’s e
ntire family. He already felt at home here. He wasn’t sure he ever wanted to leave.
“You can’t believe everything Scott says,” Zane joked.
Angelique smiled wide. “He had nothing but great things to say.” She bustled back behind the counter and unfolded what appeared to be a map. “Here’s all you need to know about the island. This is the main building, where my husband, Hubert, and I live.” She circled a picture of the building where they were. “The ten cottages spoke out from here and are a good distance from each other for privacy. You’re in cottage number eight. You have a quiet stretch of beach, a hammock and a private plunge pool. There’s a beautiful king-size bed, a luxury bath and a fully stocked kitchen. Or our staff will bring you breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Simply fill out the card waiting for you in your room. Until then, I invite you to relax and enjoy the island. Perhaps say hello to your neighbor in cottage nine. She’s been waiting for you to arrive.”
“A neighbor?” A she, no less? Perhaps this was Zane’s lucky day, although there was a part of him that knew his tendency to get lost in women was not his best trait. Really, he should be focusing on fishing and swimming while detoxing from social media and the internet.
“My niece, Allison. She arrived a few hours ago.”
Zane’s jaw dropped so far he had to make a conscious decision to close his mouth. He was flabbergasted. What were the chances that he and Allison would end up on the island at the same time? “Allison is here. On this island. Right now.”
“Is there a problem?”
He shook his head so fast he nearly lost his sunglasses, which were resting on top of his head. “Absolutely not. I love Allison. I’m just surprised. I’ll have to stop over and say hi.” He hadn’t seen Allison much in the years since he graduated from high school. He’d gone to college in North Carolina on a basketball scholarship, and when he returned to Falling Brook after four years, she was off to school in Los Angeles, where she stayed to start a business. She returned every Christmas, but Zane always seemed to be visiting his mom in Boston at the same time. But three weeks ago Scott’s wife, Brittney, invited both Allison and Zane to a surprise birthday dinner she was having for Scott. Allison flew in for the weekend. The instant Zane saw her, he knew exactly how good the years had been to Allison—almost too good. She’d taken a straight line from cute to drop-dead gorgeous. Her long and wavy black hair was pulled back in a ponytail, showing off the incredible depth and warmth of her brown eyes. The chemistry of the entire room shifted when she smiled or laughed. He’d always found her interesting and a bit otherworldly, with a style and vibe all her own, but that night he was transfixed.