“Drink up. Another round is coming.” Tracy interrupts my Zen moment with her demand, but I’m picking my battles. Having another drink on a tropical island isn’t on my list of worries.
When my glass is empty, she replaces it with a fresh one before we stroll along the pathway to the other side. “I already feel more relaxed. This was an excellent idea. Thanks for making me come with you.”
“Of course. I’ll always be your wing-girl, and you’ll be mine wherever we go. Someone has to make sure you have a little fun in your life. You can’t always be the responsible one.”
Her words strike a chord deep inside me, immediately conjuring memories I’d rather forget, but can’t. Instead of dwelling on them yet again, I intentionally turn my mind’s eye to the positive. “One of us has to be. We’d end up in the local jail for most of our trip if I rely on you to be the adult.”
Before she can hit me with her typical sarcastic comeback, two handsome men walk through the door behind us. The one in front is tall, obviously works out and takes care of himself, and has the most gorgeous blue eyes I’ve ever seen in person. The gold flecks around the center sparkle in the sun. His black hair is purposely messy on top and short on the sides, tempting any woman with a pulse to run her fingers through it.
The moment his gaze lands on me, his eyes darken, becoming more gray than blue, as I watch in awe. I’ve read about this happening but never experienced it firsthand. The reason behind the instant attraction I feel is apparent. This guy is all man and no boy, with a devastatingly handsome face and an air surrounding him that quietly, but undeniably exudes his powerful essence. With his perfectly pressed designer clothes, expensive watch, and name-brand shoes, I’d automatically say he’s a player, visiting a singles resort to add several more notches to his bedpost.
The worn bird pendant on the strand of leather around his neck is at odds with the rest of his attire and makes me think there’s more to him than what meets the eye. That worthless piece of jewelry conveys a story contrary to the rest of his clothes and demeanor combined. The sentimental value outweighs the importance he places on the more expensive material things, even if he hides it from the rest of the world.
None of that explains the way my soul recognizes his, or why I know instantly that somehow, he and I are kindred spirits, without even knowing his name or hearing his voice.
“Hello, ladies. Hope we’re not crashing a private party.” His voice matches his face—masculine and oozing sex appeal.
My reaction to him is entirely out of character for me. I’m not an inexperienced little girl who falls in love with the first guy who pays attention to her. I’m a grown woman who has lived through events that would cripple lesser people. My real-life experiences made me grow up, whether or not I wanted to. Being tongue tied in front of any man is not in my DNA.
And yet… I can’t speak.
“Not at all, guys. We’re just enjoying these amazing views. Can you believe this place? This is Daisy, and I’m Tracy.” She extends her hand to the second handsome man, not at all affected by their presence, while I want to wipe my hand on my clothes in case it’s sweaty and clammy. But I can’t because that would be too obvious with how close we are.
All I can think of is how to get out of shaking hands.
I wrap both hands around my frosty glass that’s still full of my frozen concoction, for just a couple of seconds, as I move it to my left hand. That’s all the excuse I need. Thank God for condensation. After I quickly dry my hand on my shorts, I extend it toward my soul mate and give him a smile that’s not too awkward.
“Nice to meet you.”
“It’s very nice to meet you too, Daisy. My name’s Rod, and this is Kevin. But you don’t have to remember his name—only mine.” He steps around Tracy to move directly in front of me.
The blush starts at the base of my neck and slowly creeps toward my face. I feel the heat increase with every blink. The way my name rolled off his tongue felt like a lover’s caress, filled with so many naughty promises whispered in the dark. When his hand slides into mine and his fingers curl around my skin, I feel the electric current flash through my veins and strike the center of my chest.
“Rod? I’ve never met anyone with that name, though I am a huge Rod Stewart fan.” I don’t know why I said that. Are there any holes around I can crawl into?
“I’ve never met a Daisy either. It’s obvious we’re both one of a kind.” His comfortable laugh puts me at ease. I appreciate a man who knows how to cover up a gaffe, rather than make fun of it.
“Oh, yes. You’re exactly right.” I laugh with him, and we forget the stupid comment, just like that.
“Have you seen the pool area yet?”
“Only on their website. We just got here, so this is as far as we’ve made it on our tour of the grounds. I bet the pool is more unbelievable in person.”
“They really went all out to make it a paradise oasis. Shall we?” His hands are in his pockets, but he extends an elbow toward me.
“Sure. Why not?” I wrap my hand around his arm, and we fall in step together. Tracy and Kevin follow several yards behind us, lost in their own conversation.
“Kevin and I arrived a few days ago with two other friends, Hunter and Jace. They’re around here somewhere. We’ve spent most of our time around the pool, listening to music and drinking beer by the bucket.”
“That sounds fun. You’re not dressed for the pool today, though.”
“No, Kevin and I went into Punta Cana to check out what it has to offer. We decided the resort has everything we need, so we came back. We were just talking about grabbing some dinner soon.”
“The reviews for the formal dining restaurant said it’s out of this world. I think Tracy already confirmed our reservations tonight. You should try it out.” Suggesting he should go to the same restaurant feels a little forward for me, but I’m enjoying his company.
This man would break my heart if I let him, I can tell by a single glance. And yet, I can’t make myself walk away from him just yet. There’s a kindness in his eyes that draws me in, compelling me to get to know him better. There’s a familiar air about him that encourages me to spend time with him, exploring his mind and finding out everything there is to know about him. Under his confident exterior and name-brand clothing, he’s a different man. I’m sure of it.
We reach the pool area, and the encompassing scene shocks me speechless. From the waterfall surrounded by palm trees, to the zero-entry pool that I’d swear was an actual beach, to the tiki hut bars with the massive sound system, this area is a tropical paradise. A group of women walk by, wearing thin pieces of floss for bathing suits, and I instantly feel inferior and self-conscious. I’ll never be one of them, walking with confidence and pride while wearing next to nothing. Judging by Rod’s handsomeness, I can’t help but think he’d prefer one of these beauties over me. When I chance a glance at him, his eyes are glued blatantly to the ass of one girl who just passed us.
“Well, thanks for the tour. We should see if our room is ready now.” I extract my arm from his and put a little distance between us. His ass-trance breaks, and he immediately notices my obvious move away from him.
“You know, you look so familiar. I’d swear I know you from somewhere. Do you work at Subway by any chance?”
“Um, no, I don’t.” I’m more focused on making my retreat than his ridiculous question.
“That’s funny because you just gave me a foot-long. What do you say to sharing it with me?”
He did not just say that out loud. Why did he have to ruin everything with his gawking and idiotic pickup line?
“What do I say?” I hide my disgust long enough to throw him off his game. Then I grab the waistband of his designer shorts, pull it toward me as far as it’ll go, and pour my icy drink on his crotch. “I say you need to cool your engines before you blow a gasket, Hot Rod.”
Tracy openly gapes at me for a few seconds, unblinking and unable to make any sound. Then she simultane
ously bends at the waist and releases the loudest laugh I’ve ever heard. It echoes all around us. I can imagine it floating on the wind, being carried to the rest of the resort so everyone else can join in on the fun.
Hot Rod jumps around on his tiptoes, trying to get the thick blended ice off his junk before he suffers from frostbite while yelling, “what the fuck,” repeatedly. The crowd around us breaks out into fits of laughter at his expense.
“Come on, Daisy, I’ll buy you another drink. You deserve one after that move. That was the funniest shit I’ve seen in a long time.” Tracy throws her arm around my shoulders and guides me past Rod and Kevin.
CHAPTER FOUR
Rod
“Did it freeze and fall off? Are you a eunuch now?” Kevin asks from outside the bathroom door. The fucker isn’t even trying to hide his laughter.
“You worry about your own cock and balls, and I’ll take care of mine. I don’t need your help.” I drop my wet, sticky shorts on the floor and jerk my shirt over my head before stepping into the shower.
Kevin opens the bathroom door so he can continue to razz me about my blatant strike out with the first girl I approached on the island. “Are you that rusty, man?”
“What are you talking about now?”
“That lame pickup line you used on that girl. That was terrible.” He bursts out in uncontained laughter again. “I mean, you’re lucky she only doused you with a cold drink. She could’ve kneed you in the balls and put you out of commission for the entire trip. That would really suck.”
I sigh and shake my head, the droplets of water flying in every direction. He’s right. It was a stupid line to use on her. Despite my obvious humiliation, I think of imaginative ways to run into her again, accidentally on purpose. “Yeah, I should’ve known better than to say that. It was supposed to be funny, like an icebreaker to move out of the friend zone, but it didn’t have that effect on her.”
“Uh, no, not at all. They bill this place as a chance to meet someone you can have a genuine connection with and possibly explore a long-term relationship. But we both know what can sometimes happen when men and women meet on an exotic vacation. They lose inhibitions. They throw normal standards out the window. But with a classy lady like her, that probably wouldn’t happen before you’ve taken her to dinner, though.”
“Dude, I had to wait forever in soaked, sticky shorts with wet, sticky junk before our maid finished cleaning our room. I’m not in the mood to be made fun of the rest of the day.” I turn off the water and run a towel across my wet skin.
“You’re exaggerating again. The maid wasn’t in here that long. Just be glad Jace and Hunter weren’t around to witness that.”
“Don’t you fucking dare tell them either.” I pin him with my don’t-fuck-with-me glare.
“Your secret’s safe with me.” He holds up his hands in mock surrender. “They won’t even be back in their room tonight.”
“Are they still with the same girls they met yesterday?”
“Yeah. Can you believe it? Jace sent me a text saying he’s officially in love.”
“After one night together? Come on.”
“Hey. When you know, you know.”
“Man, I barely believe love exists, so there’s no way love at first sight is real.”
“Is that right? Then why are you taking so long to get dressed for dinner? Hoping you’ll run into Daisy again to change that shitty first impression you made?”
“Nope.” Yes.
After I dress, we head out to grab some dinner. Daisy confirmed my suspicion that she’s the formal dining type, so the dress slacks and button-down shirt I packed came in handy for the on-site four-star restaurant.
Why am I even looking for her after the disaster earlier? I don’t have a solid answer for that question, but there’s no way in hell I’ll let Kevin know I want to see her again. She’s gorgeous and spirited and plucky. That’s a combination I haven’t encountered before in any woman I’ve met and one I’d like to get to know better.
We head to the resort’s more formal dining room and find our assigned seats for the evening. The resort switches the seats every night to encourage mingling and meeting other people.
While glancing over the menu, I take a moment to peer around the room. Since I first laid eyes on Daisy, I haven’t been able to think of much else. Okay, so I screwed up with my asinine comment, but I’m more than willing to make up for that blunder. I’m close to giving up on seeing her at dinner when she walks through the door wearing a black shift dress that hits mid-thigh and drapes off one shoulder. Those strappy black high heels she’s wearing make her legs look sexy as hell—tanned, toned, and flawless.
I wait until she and her friend find their table, then I approach the maître d’ with a hefty tip to reassign my table to be beside wherever she’s sitting for the rest of the trip. Thankfully, the party that occupies the table beside them tonight hasn’t arrived yet, so swapping our seats doesn’t cause much of a disruption. At least not until Daisy looks up and realizes Kevin and I are appropriating the table immediately next to hers.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She pierces me with those deep blue eyes. Anger mixed with intrigue swirls in the depths.
“I’m here to have dinner. What are you doing?” I keep my tone friendly, no hint of being bothered by the earlier altercation. I’m fascinated by how she takes me to task without losing her cool.
“Well, I was about to enjoy dinner, but maybe I should order room service instead.” She moves to push her chair back from the table, but I reach over and gently wrap my fingers around her wrist, stopping her in place.
“Give me just a minute to apologize. My earlier comment was way out of line and disrespectful. I was trying to be funny and charming and memorable, but I failed miserably. If I’d heard some guy use that line on my little sister, I would’ve beaten his ass for it. You don’t deserve any less respect. I’m sorry, Daisy. Can we start over?”
She stares me down for several seconds, weighing her options and considering her next move. “You achieved memorable, just not in the way you intended. Apology accepted. But, for the record, I’m not interested in a one-night stand with you, so don’t even try. Got it? You’re sitting beside us for dinner tonight, and there’s nothing I can do about your table. But I can just as easily tip the staff to change my table.”
You try to convince yourself of that, love. Your body gives me very different vibes—from the way you look at me to how your pulse jumps when I’m near. Two sixty-second meetings in one day tell me more than your words ever could. Now all I have to do is earn your trust.
“I’m only trying to apologize and have a friendly dinner. I’ll leave you alone now. You won’t be bothered by me anymore.”
Tracy cuts her eyes over to me and hides a knowing grin behind her glass of water. “That’s very thoughtful of you, Rod, to apologize like that. You didn’t have to go to the trouble of changing tables just to say that, though. Maybe there’s more to you than just a well-dressed douchebag.”
So, the best friend is an excellent judge of character and can read people at first glance. Her tone and smile are playful, telling me she means no offense by her insulting jab. It’s no worse than what the guys and I throw at each other. This dynamic should make the rest of our stay interesting, to say the least.
“Rod and I thought it would be an excellent idea to help protect you two ladies from any creeps on the grounds. We need to be close to you to be more effective.” Kevin jumps into the conversation with a smile and a wink for Tracy.
She nods, a smile still playing on her lips, and continues to hold his gaze. I wonder if there’s something there between them, brewing under the surface. If I fan that flame, maybe it’ll help convince Daisy she should spend more time with me. I’m even willing to try a couple of double dates while we’re here, if that changes her mind.
“Well, we appreciate your concern for our safety and well-being. Don’t think we can’t kick your asses i
f we need to, though.” Tracy playfully bats her eyes.
“We wouldn’t dare make that mistake.” Kevin leans in, giving Tracy all his attention.
It’s sickeningly sweet, to be honest. The man is already whipped.
Kevin continues to flirt with Tracy, so I block them out and give Daisy my full consideration. I don’t know why I’m compelled to win her over and rectify how I insulted her earlier. There are plenty of other beautiful women at this resort who have already shown an interest in me, even on the quick walk to the dining room. But Daisy is the only one who’s expanding my attention span. Right beside her is exactly where I want to be… for now.
“So, what do you do for a living, Daisy?”
“Rod, I appreciate what you’re doing, apologizing and being friendly now, but I think it’s best if we don’t share any details from our everyday lives. I’m not playing hard to get when I say this—,” she gestures between us, “isn’t going anywhere. You can drop the charade and go find someone more receptive to what you’re looking for. I assure you I won’t mind.”
“And what is it you think I’m looking for?”
What is wrong with me? I love how she tests me and calls me out on my bullshit, but I’m not looking for anything longer than this vacation will last. That’s not exactly a one-night stand, but it’s not a lifetime commitment either. I think what attracts me to her the most is her self-respect. She doesn’t pretend to be something she’s not to get attention.
“You’re looking for a warm body to heat your sheets and bid you a quick goodbye at the end of the trip. But that’s not what I want. I’m a grown woman, and I want more than just a series of short romances or one-night stands. Don’t misunderstand me because I’m not judging you for it. We simply have very different expectations and standards.” She shrugs nonchalantly while leaving me out in the cold.
“I’ll just have to work harder to change your mind then.”
“You won’t, so you shouldn’t even try. You can’t change first impressions, Rod, and I believe what you offered earlier was exactly what you want from me—or anyone—for that matter. No more, no less.”
All of Me: Rod & Daisy Duet Box Set Page 3