Caribbean Nights

by Tressie Lockwood

  Nic’s break came at the expense of Ann Marie, a photographer, and two of the models getting food poisoning. A group of them had gone exploring on the island when they stopped to eat at a place not on Keeta’s well-planned itinerary. The idiots had also not taken one of Nic’s security staff, so he felt they got what they deserved. Still, all shooting had been cancelled for the day, and it was just after noon. Nic took advantage of being off duty since the models were all resting, and his two men were watching over them.

  He arranged for a rental vehicle and checked the hotel’s front desk for a list of activities. After scanning the information, he went in search of Keeta. She would not get away from him this time. He stopped outside her room and knocked. Right away, the door to the suite next door opened, and Kite stuck her head out. He couldn’t fathom the idea that this woman’s parents had named her Kite, but to each his own. She was one of the ones who pushed herself on him every chance she got, to his annoyance.

  “Hey, Dommie, baby, wanna come in my room and have some fun? I know you’re off duty. We can play a game.” She bounced up and down, no doubt to entice him with her breasts. He wasn’t charmed.

  “Ah no, thank you. I have plans with Keeta,” he responded.

  She pouted and walked over to him to press her breasts to his arm. “You don’t want to spend time with that stick in the mud. Keeta’s sweet, but she’s a workaholic.”

  Nic tried to pull his arm free without hurting her. Like a leech, she hung on. “Plans already made,” he lied, hoping she’d get the hint.

  “Aw, don’t be like that, Dommie.”

  He grunted. “It’s Dominic, not Dommie. Please excuse me.” He got free and knocked again on Keeta’s door.

  Kite huffed back to her door. “Well if you have plans so much, why did Keeta leave to go walking like twenty minutes ago?” Kite stomped into her room and slammed the door.

  After he stood there blinking a minute, it hit him at last what she said. He pivoted and headed toward the elevators. If he hurried, he might be able to catch her. Would it be too much if he scooped her up into the Jeep and kept going? He grinned. She might be annoyed at his manhandling, but he’d make sure she had a great time.

  Within minutes, Nic found Keeta just as Kite said she would be, strolling along the side of the road. He guessed she liked it better than the beach during the day since she’d waited until night fell to visit there a few days ago. He’d staked it out hoping to see her, but she never showed again.

  Nic pulled up beside Keeta. “Need a lift?”

  She jumped and stared at him before speaking. “No, thank you. I’m just enjoying the nice day and the time off.”

  “We could enjoy it together.” Holding up the list of activities, he said, “I’m sure I can find plenty for us to do.”

  At first, Nic thought she would refuse him and he’d have to dig deeper to convince her to spend time with him, but then she shrugged and walked around to the passenger side of the Jeep. “Fine, I have nothing else to do.”

  “You make me feel so wanted,” he quipped.

  She grinned. “You’ve got to switch it up sometimes. I’m seeing a bit of swelling there around your ears with the girls hanging on you. My job is to stick a pin in.”

  Nic burst out laughing, pleased with her sense of humor. Something dirty relating to swelling came to mind, but he decided not to mention it. Keeta might want him, but she was scared to let herself feel what they’d both felt on the beach. He needed to get her comfortable with him first. He handed her the list. “So, what would you like to do, ma’am?”

  “Ew, I’d like to not be called ma’am.” She crinkled a cute nose that made him forget his resolve. When he came to a stop, he leaned over and kissed her. She put her hands up to push at his chest. Nic let her put space between them. “If I’m going to spend the day with you, you have to behave.”

  His eyes widened. “So I get the entire day? Nice.”

  She grumbled. “I didn’t say that.”

  “Too late to take it back.” Nic reached across to take her hand and thread his fingers with hers. He felt the small quake in her, but pretended not to. If he behaved naturally, his little doe wouldn’t have a reason to bolt like she did before.

  To his relief, Keeta didn’t pull away. Instead, she rested their joined hands on her lap, and it was all that Nic could do to keep the vehicle from veering of the road.

  Chapter Five

  “I can’t believe I chose cave exploring when you gave me that list,” Keeta said, taking Nic’s offered hand to climb over some uneven ground.

  He frowned. “You’re not enjoying yourself?”

  She smiled and stumbled into his chest, almost by accident. His arm came around her waist. Not knowing how long his attention would be on her, she’d decided to enjoy it while it lasted for the day. And a good brushing up against that sweet body didn’t hurt either. “Oh, I’m enjoying myself,” she assured him. “I’m just surprised I wanted to do it.”

  Natural light poured through an opening in the rocky ceiling, highlighting the color coral on the rocks below. Keeta stooped to get a closer look, and Nic, like the encyclopedia she began to think he was, recited to her a few facts. “It looks like an orchid, but it’s coral, and it is alive. If you touch it…” He took her hand, but she yanked it away. “Don’t be afraid. It won’t hurt you. Trust me.”

  She wrinkled her nose, but decided to try. The beautiful creature, or whatever it was, rescinded. Like small animals, the coral ran back into the crevices between the stone. Keeta’s eyes hurt they widened so much. “Wow, flowers can’t do that.”

  He laughed. “It’s not a flower. There are about fifty types of coral in Jamaica, some not found anywhere else. Did you know that?”

  She looked up at him. “How do you know so much?”

  He shrugged and pulled her up to her feet. “I’ve been here a few times, and I enjoy all aspects of the outdoors.”

  Keeta wanted to ask him who he came to Jamaica with, but that was none of her business, and it really didn’t matter. His previous women had nothing to do with her. Still, his admission took a little of the fun from her time with him. As if sensing her mood shift, he kept her from walking away and tucked her close to his long body.

  His mouth slanted over hers until he pushed his tongue between her lips. Keeta gave into the pleasure, wanting so much more. Nic nipped at her lower lip and kissed her eyes, her cheeks, and her chin, before returning to her mouth. A shudder passed through Keeta’s system. She clutched at his waist, and Nic’s hands explored down her legs to the hem of her dress. He tugged up, but she slapped his hands and moved out of his embrace. Nic chuckled.

  When she was picking her way farther into the cave, pretending to be braver than she felt, his voice stopped her. “Hey,” he called.

  She looked back at him.

  “I’ve had a few assignments that brought me here when I was in the military. If you can believe it, myself and a bunch of guys came down here to drag a sorry AWOL soldier back to the U.S. A couple other visits, as well, both work-related. At least one of my targets thought to hide out in these caves.”

  Keeta glanced away to hide her relief, but she waited for him to catch up to her. He didn’t have to tell her all that, but she appreciated it. His admission had her thinking about his career in the military and what dangerous experiences he’d had over the years. Had he ever been shot, or did he ever kill anyone? Who was she kidding? Of course he had if he’d ever done a tour in Iraq or Afghanistan. She’d seen the news reports, along with everyone else, how bad it was over there.

  “I guess you’ve toured in Iraq?” she asked.

  He clenched his fists at his sides, and his eyes hardened. “Yes, twice before I retired. I was fortunate to get out of that hell before I was injured. A few of my friends did not fare so well.”

  She laid a hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry. I can’t begin to imagine the horrors all of you faced. And I don’t have any brothers or anyone close to me who were
soldiers.”

  He lifted her fingers to his lips to kiss them, and he grinned. “So I’m your first soldier, huh?”

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re nasty.”

  He chuckled. “What did I say? That wasn’t nasty.”

  “Yeah, right. I know what you were thinking, and you’re not getting into my panties, Dominic East!” She put a little extra wiggle in her step, and Nic smacked her on the ass. Keeta shrieked and ran ahead of him when the path was smooth. She rounded a corner and came to a dead stop, catching her breath. Nic barreled into her, sweeping her back to his strong hold when she would have fallen. “Oh wow,” she breathed.

  “It’s a mineral spring, warm water,” he told her. “We can get in if you like.”

  Water trickled down along the rock wall and gathered in a natural pool. The rainbow colors on the wet wall, coupled with the beaming sunlight through a hole in the ceiling, both lit the space well and created a romantic atmosphere.

  She stooped to run her fingers through the water. “It is warm!”

  “There’s no one around. We can enjoy it all we want.”

  She stood up, suddenly shy. That night on the beach, there had been less light than in the cave, and she had a cover up to hide her plump thighs. Now, she wore a sleeveless sundress and sandals. Probably not the best attire for the cooler, rocky cave, but she’d managed fine with Nic’s help.

  “I can’t get in there. I don’t have a suit.” She cast the water another glance, longing to try it. So many times, she had read about hot springs, but had never even seen one in real life. Would she kick herself if she didn’t take this opportunity? Wait, no, she wasn’t planning on stripping.

  Nic moved around her and shed his shoes and socks. Her eyes widened when he grabbed the bottom of his shirt as if the remove it. She shrieked, and he paused. “What? You said you weren’t getting in. It’s a hot day. I’m off duty.”

  Keeta froze in place, unable to take her eyes off Nic’s amazing body. The man was all sinewy muscle, hard and sculpted to perfection. His chest and arms flexed just flinging his shirt to the ground. Keeta couldn’t have looked away if she tried. She’d seen plenty of sexy men. The male models and occasional celebrities that paraded through the magazine’s doors were great eye candy, but Nic’s realness, the power and danger that rolled off him, took it to another level.

  At the right of his navel, closer to his side, was a scar, jagged and darker than the rest of his skin. Without thinking, Keeta walked up to him and fingered the mark. Under her touch, Nic shuddered. “What happened here?” she murmured.

  “Enemy attack, a knife. The infection that set in almost killed me, but I guess it will take more than that to remove me from this world.” Keeta caught her breath and looked up at him. The thought of him dying scared her more than she thought it would being that they’d just met. He cupped her face, a smile curving his sexy lips. “Don’t worry. That was years ago, and I’m out of the business, as I said. But you touching me like this is giving me ideas.”

  Keeta put space between them. She figured Nic would stop the bluff of getting undressed, but the man had zero shame. And why would he need any with a physique like his. Keeta wanted to lick him from head to toe. He dropped his slacks, and his boxers followed. She barely kept herself from crying out at the size of his staff. His arousal was way too obvious in how it bobbed up from his body, thick and extending to what she guessed was almost eight inches.

  Nic read her mind. “Nine,” he quipped, a little too proud of himself.

  She wanted to tell him that much was unnecessary for any woman, but the man deserved his props. What could she say? She found an outcropping that would make a good seat and dropped down on it while she watched Nic. He waded into the warm water and sank deeper. “So, you’re just going to watch me enjoy this?”

  “The view is nice.”

  He smirked. His gaze dropped to her cleavage, just visible at the vee in her dress. “I bet the view is nice under there as well. Come on. You can’t convince me you’re a virgin.”

  “You don’t know,” she said with sass and a laugh. “Okay, no I’m not, but we just met.”

  “We’ve known each other weeks,” he corrected.

  “I saw you once or twice weeks ago. We’ve only really talked for a few days.” She would have gone on making excuses if Nic hadn’t marched out of the water with determination in his dark eyes. She shrank back. “What are you going to do?”

  He hoisted her up and curved her over his shoulder. Keeta wiggled and screamed. How the heck did he have the strength to lift her like this? Desire curled inside. What woman didn’t want to be accosted by a hot naked man in paradise? Still scared despite how wet she was getting, and not from water, she shut her eyes and dug her nails into his back. Nic didn’t even flinch.

  He got to the water’s edge and set her on her feet. With nimble fingers, he stripped off her sandals. When he straightened and went after her dress, Keeta fled. She ran around the edge of the pool and then slipped to fall face first in the shallows. Warm water soaked her dress, her bra, and her panties. Nic’s strong hands curved around her waist and lifted her up. “Are you okay?”

  She punched a fist into the water, making it splash up into her eyes. Spluttering, she shoved the hair out of her eyes, which was now plastered to her forehead. “This is your fault.”

  Nic tsked, still good-humored. “You know better than to run around the edge of the pool.”

  She burst out laughing. “Jerk!”

  Nic repositioned her, and she realized he was sitting on the ground with her on his lap. His erection pressed into the side of her ass. Keeta was about to get up, but Nic’s hold tightened. He nibbled her ear. “You’re all wet. Might as well give in.”

  His fingers trailed down her chest to circle a taut nipple. Keeta glanced down at herself. To her embarrassment, the thin dress and her bra did nothing to minimize her nipples. She might as well be naked, and Nic had noticed, from the gleam in his eyes. Keeta raised a hand to stop him, but instead of pulling his hand away, she covered it, closed her eyes, and let him massage her breast through her dress. She squeezed her legs together, trying her best to get a grip, but it wasn’t working.

  When Nic lowered his head to capture her lips in a kiss, she didn’t resist. Keeta pushed her tongue into his mouth and sucked hungrily at his lips. She tangled her fingers in his hair, driving his head lower so he could kiss her neck and on down to her chest. Somehow, the strings keeping the dress decent in the front came loose, and Nic found her bare nipple. His teeth raked with gentleness over her sensitive flesh. Keeta thought she’d lose her mind. About to lose it completely, she shoved him and turned.

  Her back was to him while she still straddled his lap. Keeta told herself to get up, but her legs fell apart. His shaft pressed to her swollen nether lips. All Nic had to do was raise her dress, pull her panties aside, and he’d be able to slide home. There would be no stopping it because she was wet as hell.

  Keeta ached to do just that, to arch her back to give him better access to her drenched heat, but she held on with the last of her reserve. Any longer in this cave with no one around, and she’d throw herself at his feet. The question was, would he say “no thanks”?

  Before she could rise, Nic’s arms came around her waist until one hand splayed across her belly. Her heart thundered in her chest at where his pinky finger lay, less than an inch above the thatch between her legs. She resisted the urge to push his hand lower. Warm breath heated her ear.

  “Go dancing with me tonight,” he said.

  She glanced at him over her shoulder. “You dance?”

  He smirked. “What, you don’t believe white boys dance?”

  Laughing, she shook her head. “No, it’s not that. I just got the impression that you were too controlled for that, too dignified or something.”

  After a few punishing kisses for her comments, he told her, “I can sway to a slow beat just as well as the next man. I’ve been in the military a long time, bu
t that doesn’t mean I lived in a trench the entire time. You really don’t know any soldiers, do you?”

  “I know you.” She lowered her lashes. Nic groaned. He repeated his offer, and she accepted. “I should get all the fun I can now because, when everyone is well, work is going to be crazy until we catch up.”

  “Good, then it’s settled.” He stood them both on their feet. Keeta tried not to melt at his strength. Nic almost had her eating out of his palm, and he knew it. Of that, she was sure. He dressed in seconds and put a solid arm around her shoulders. “Come on. We’ll get you changed, and we can hit a couple more spots before returning to the hotel to get ready for tonight.”

  Keeta leaned into his warmth. Chilly now that she was away from the spring, and soaked to the skin, she couldn’t wait for tonight. Dancing wasn’t something she got to do often with her work schedule and being dead tired after she got home, but she did enjoy it. From the feel of Nic’s arm encircling her, she was certain she’d love rocking to a funky beat later. This was paradise. She was with a hot man. Stuff like this didn’t happen to her every day, or to most women, so she was going to enjoy every minute until Cinderella returned to New York in a few days.

  Chapter Six

  “Man, I need a favor,” Nic’s long time friend and fellow soldier said.

  Nic’s interest perked up. He knew Mace was into some top-secret stuff and sometimes took on jobs for the government. Like Nic, he’d retired full time army, but he loved the lifestyle and had chosen this line of work to stay active. Nic had swayed in both directions, tamer work from Adrien, or going Mace’s route. Thinking of Adrien brought to mind the fact that he was on a job and not just vacationing with the beautiful Keeta. He sighed.

  “Sorry, dude, I’m in Jamaica right now on a job.” He didn’t feel like mentioning what that job entailed.

  Mace laughed. “So I heard. Babysitting a bunch of models. I don’t know whether to feel sorry for your or for myself.”