She inhaled the salty sea air long and deep. Ahead of her the ocean and the sky fused together as a palette of aqua and blue. The panorama was magical, but the most beautiful aspect of the scene was Oliver. He was floating on his stomach, wearing just yellow board shorts. The broad expanse of his back was tanned and muscular, and from her vantage point, she noticed he was following a school of tropical fish.
She hadn’t heard him wake, which wasn’t unusual. While she preferred to sleep in, he hated to waste even a moment of sunshine.
Her cell phone rang and she trotted back inside to pluck it off the table. She frowned at the strange number on the screen and tapped the green button. “Hello?”
“Holly, how are you?”
“Levi! I’m fantastic. Oliver and I are in Bora Bora for a vacation.”
“Awesome.”
Levi had been in regular contact with Holly since they last met in Evert’s office, and she was pleased that he was. She knew exactly what it was like to leave a life behind and create a new identity. “What about you, how’re things going?”
“Fantastic. Mom and I’ve moved to Hawaii. You should see where we live! My house is a mansion. We overlook the ocean. Got my own jetty. You should see my yacht. It’s so cool.”
She smiled at his excitement. “That is cool. How’s your mother?”
“She’s great. She’s got a new boyfriend and he’s alright. She’s playing golf and tennis. Hey, I took up golf too. But I’m crap at it. Got some lessons coming up, though.”
Holly chuckled at his rambling enthusiasm. “That’s great, Levi. Really great. Any hassles?”
“No. But have you heard the news?”
She and Oliver had deliberately avoided the outside world since they walked through the doors of their thatched bungalow two weeks ago. “No, what is it?”
“Carson’s been arrested.”
“Really? What for?”
“All sorts of charges…extortion, aggravated assault, bribery, harassment, tax evasion. You name it, he’s got it. There was even mention of first-degree murder, and ’cause of me, they’ll get him for insurance fraud too. They reckon he’s going away for twenty years.”
“Holy shit. That’s fantastic.”
“Yep. Made my day. Hell, it’s made my life.”
“Wonderful.”
“Sure is. You guys should come visit; I’ll take you out on my boat.”
Holly laughed. “We’d love to, but you know we can’t.” One of the biggest downsides of changing an identity was severing ties with everyone. Regi had taken some convincing that Holly would be one of those people. Whenever he did call her, it had to be with a phone that he threw away after just one call. It also meant she could never call him, which was a shame too, because she often thought about him and wondered how he was coping.
Although…it sounded like he was coping just fine.
“I know. It’s a shame; you’d like it here. Anyway, I’ve gotta go. They’ve got a luau on the beach tonight. Me and some friends are going.”
He sounded just like any twenty-six-year-old man should, and she was over the moon for him. After the years of torture he’d been through, he deserved everything and more.
They said their goodbyes, and Holly strolled back out to the balcony. A small boat was coming into their dock, and Oliver stood on the landing and watched it arrive.
Just as it approached, a rope was tossed toward him and he grabbed it and looped it around a wooden pylon. “I’ll be right back,” she heard Oliver say to the man on the boat, then he turned around, looked up her, smiled, and waved. “There you are, sleepy head.”
He bounded the steps two at a time. “Get your swimsuit and hat on, we’re taking a boat ride.”
“We are?”
“Yep, come on.” He clutched her hand and led her inside. “Get changed, quick.”
She plucked her bikini from the drawer and went to the bathroom to change.
“Want this hat?” He held up her floppy white hat.
“Sure.”
Under Oliver’s urgent insistence, she dressed and grabbed a few bits and pieces and he led her back outside. An olive-skinned young man wearing khaki chinos and an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt helped Holly into the boat and she sat at the front. Oliver plonked at her side, wrapped his arm over her shoulder, and kissed her forehead.
“What’re you up to, Mr. Nelson?”
“You’ll see.”
The boat eased away from the dock, and seconds later the engine roared to life. They skipped over the pristine azure waters, heading away from the resort bungalows and toward a series of small tropical islands in the distance.
Holly knew Oliver wouldn’t let her in on the surprise, so she took the opportunity to tell him about Levi’s call.
“Holy shit. Twenty years!” Oliver laughed. “I bet Levi was happy.”
“To say the least.” A small island came into view. Golden sand framed a healthy clump of lush vegetation centered in the middle. Coconut palms dotted the perimeter. They skirted around the right-hand side of the island, and for a moment she thought they were going to keep motoring past. But when the engine slowed and the boat angled toward the shore, Holly noticed a small table decorated in a white table cloth nestled amongst the palms.
She tugged her lip into her mouth and turned to Oliver.
“Your deserted island, madam.”
“Oh, Olly, it’s lovely.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his lips.
Sand crunched beneath the boat’s metal hull, indicating they’d arrived, and Oliver stood and jumped into the ankle-deep water. She took off her sandals and, holding them in her fingers, he helped her out of the boat. As she waded toward the shore, Oliver pushed the boat backward, and within seconds of arriving, the boat roared away again.
Oliver reached for her hand, led her to the table, and pulled out a chair. “Breakfast is served.” From a basket nestled between them, he plucked glass jars filled with yogurt, fruit and granola, small mushroom tarts, and croissants that were still warm.
“You’ve been busy.”
“Not me, I’ve done nothing but snorkel all morning, waiting for you to get your sexy butt up.”
“Ha ha. Sleeping is what vacations are about.”
He poured coffee from the thermos, and their morning juice was served in a coconut with a slice of orange and an umbrella adorning the brim.
They ate their breakfast to the sound of waves crashing into the shore and seagulls squawking over the scraps they threw onto the sand.
“I could wake up to this every day.” She sighed and leaned back in her chair.
He chuckled. “That’s funny, because you probably can.”
It was true. The four billion dollars had arrived in her bank account about a week after they’d signed the necessary papers. And with advice from one of Evert’s friends, she was earning more money off her investments each month than she’d earned in her lifetime. The only capital expense she’d made so far was a new car. She planned to buy a new home too, once she found one in Brambleton that she loved. One that they loved. She’d started to dream of them having a home together. Her heart skipped a beat as she allowed that dream to form now. They’d have a brand new home, a blank canvas to fill with their own inspirations.
It would be a haven, filled with peace and love.
Once they’d finished breakfast, Oliver stood and held his hand toward her. “Want to take a walk?”
As much as she’d like to sit there all day, she knew Oliver wouldn’t sit still. “Sure.”
“Take your sarong off, get some sun.”
Oliver had helped her choose her new bikini at the resort shop when they’d first arrived at Bora Bora. Before she’d met him, she’d locked herself away in her home, too embarrassed to even walk out her door. Thanks to Oliver and Kelli, she�
�d learned how to live with her scars. They were no longer an affliction weighing her down. She was proud of them, as they were physical proof of how strong she was.
And she especially liked watching Oliver admire her body in her colorful, albeit scant, bikini, which he did often.
She’d learned that once people got over their initial shock, they no longer seemed to notice her disfigurements. People were now seeing her for who she really was … Holly Parmenter. And it was great to be back.
After placing her sarong over the back of the chair, she put on her hat and sunglasses, and hand in hand they strolled along the sand. The sun on her flesh was warm and welcoming, and her body seemed to drink in the sunshine.
He edged her away from the water and she saw where he was heading. Two hammocks had been strung between a pair of coconut palms, and the sun filtered through the foliage, offering just the right amount of light and heat. Oliver helped her into the hammock, then trotted off to the trees to relieve himself.
Holly decided to utilize his absence to do something she’d never done before. She removed her bikini top. It was so exhilarating her nipples started to peak immediately. Turning her head, she waited for the moment he saw her. And what a delight it was.
His eyes bulged and lit up. “Well, hello.”
Oliver stepped right up to the hammock and bent over to suck her nipple.
But he shifted the weight too quickly, and before she knew it she was on her back on the sand.
“Oh shit, babe, are you okay?”
Giggling, she pushed to a sitting position and dusted her hands. “I’m fine.”
He knelt at her side and brushed the sand from her shoulders. “Knowing you, you’d say that anyway.”
Holly chuckled. “Probably.”
Oliver placed his hands on her cheeks and the intensity in his eyes took her breath away. Her heart skipped a beat at the love she saw in his gaze. Deep in her heart she knew she’d found something extraordinary.
Oliver was her holy grail, her one and only, the man she wanted to be with forever.
He wove his fingers through her hair and drew their lips together. His kiss was gentle, tender, yet it said so much more: I want, I need, I love.
When Oliver eased back, he looked right into her soul. They were connected in every sense. Every thought was tied to him. Every mental picture of her future had Oliver at her side. He was her captain and together they’d sail their own ship.
He reached into his pocket, and when he removed a small black box, her heart leapt to her throat and tears pooled her eyes.
Wriggling around to face her, he took her hand. “I’ve never met anyone like you, Holly. You make my heart do crazy things, and I can’t breathe when you’re not around. I want us to move in together, to share a home, to have lots of babies. I want to be with you until I take my last breath. I offer you my heart, and I hope you’ll offer me yours.” He opened the velvet box to reveal an elegant radiant-cut diamond. “Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
Holly launched at him, rolling him onto his back so she could pin him beneath her. She could barely breathe, let alone talk, yet she managed the most important words of her life: “Yes. Yes yes yes.” Her thumping heart swelled to capacity as tears spilled down her cheeks.
“I love you, Holly Parmenter.” He reached up, thumbed a tear from her lip, then cupped her breast.
“I love you too, Mr. Nelson.” She leaned in and kissed the man who’d made her broken mind and body glisten like diamonds.
Meet the Author
Kendall Talbot is the author of the Maximum Exposure series, and many other action/adventure stories. A thrill seeker, hopeless romantic, virtual killer, and award-winning author of stories that’ll have your heart thumping from action-packed suspense and steamy bedroom scenes, she lives in Brisbane, Australia with her very own hero and a fluffy little dog who specializes in hijacking her writing time. Meanwhile, Kendall’s two sons are off making their own adventures—look out world.
Visit her at www.kendalltalbot.com.au.
Can’t Get Enough?
Keep reading for a sneak peek at
OUT OF LUCK,
the next book in the
Maximum Exposure series!
Chapter 1
Sorrow coiled in Charlene’s heart as she inched toward her father’s body on the metal slab. The pungent air crackled with the stillness about her and her bones sagged with an emptiness that leeched out what was left of her soul. Her father didn’t look peaceful. She should’ve expected it, given the way he’d died. The stubble in his beard was longer than usual and she was surprised at how many grey whiskers he had. Lips that had always been quick to smile were now the color of acid-washed denim.
His almond-colored eyes were closed, destined to remain that way forever.
With trembling hands, she curled her fingers beneath the seam of the white sheet concealing his body and eased it down from his neck. Fighting the quiver in her chin, she stared at the jagged knife wound in his chest. It was surprisingly small considering the amount of blood that had gushed from it.
Charlene squeezed her eyes shut trying to force the brutal attack from her mind. But it was there to stay. Every precise second was permanently etched into her memory.
The woman who’d stabbed him was a stunning brunette with olive skin and fierce brown eyes. She’d looked petrified. Clearly her father and the woman had known each other but Charlene had never seen her before. They’d argued in Spanish. Charlene didn’t speak any other languages and she’d had no idea her father did either.
When the woman had grabbed her father’s steak knife, Charlene had seen the look in his eyes. It wasn’t fear. It was resignation. Like he’d always expected that moment to come one day.
Shaking the recollections free, she opened her eyes and touched his forearm, just as she’d done a thousand time over, except this time she had to resist recoiling at the cold beneath his flesh. As a single tear trickled down her cheek she wondered if their past had finally caught up to them.
Twenty-two years it’d taken.
Twenty-two years since her father had whisked her away in the middle of the night.
Twenty-two years since she’d last seen her mother.
They’d moved to twice as many cities in that time. Just the two of them.
Charlene inhaled the tangy disinfectant and the emptiness around her. “What am I going to do?” Even her voice sounded hollow, lacking in emotion.
Life as drifters had ensured she had no friends.
Her time with her mother was nothing but a whispered dream. Her father never did tell her what happened when she was six years old. And after a while she’d stopped asking. In fact, she’d often contemplated if it was just a silly childhood nightmare.
Now she was all alone.
The enormity of it had hit her yesterday when the police started asking questions.
Her father had no identification. No driver’s licence. No credit cards. Not even a social security card. Just a small amount of cash and the key to their rented apartment. It hadn’t surprised her. The police however, had implied that it was abnormal. Deceitful even. Charlene had explained away all their questions, yet Detective Chapel had looked at her like she was hiding something.
She’d learned to live with inquisitive gazes, she’d been the new student at twenty or so schools. So being the stranger in a crowd was completely normal.
The door cracked open and the sound ricocheted about the room like a bullet. She jolted at the interruption and turned. Detective Chapel had a look of sorrow that for some reason seemed forced…too practiced. She flicked the tear from her cheek and stepped back from her father’s lifeless form.
“Miss Bailey, are you okay?”
Charlene swallowed the lump burning in her throat and shook her head. Okay! His question was ludicrous. Nothing will ever
be okay again. Ever. She turned back to her father’s body and through her murky tears scanned his face. Finally, she nodded. “Yes.”
Chapel groaned and when she turned to look into his eyes she had a strange feeling he didn’t believe her recount of what happened. She blinked and tried but failed to cast the unfounded feeling aside. “What happens now?”
“If you’re up to it, we’d like to ask you a few more questions.”
She glanced at her father one last time, hardly able to believe what she was seeing. He’d always been full of life… The first to try out a meal he couldn’t pronounce at a new restaurant, or jump off the bus to explore a new vista. He taught her to appreciate sunrise and the glow of the moon over the ocean. His days were long and his nights short in his attempts to squeeze the life out of every second.
All that had been stolen with the slice of a blade.
She bit her lip in an attempt to halt her quivering chin and before she succumbed to the burgeoning tears again, she allowed Chapel to lead her from the morgue.
Charlene wasn’t sure if the odors inside the police interview room were much better than the sterile atmosphere of the morgue. Detective Chapel attempted to placate her with offers of coffee and sandwiches, but the idea of eating was repulsive. The last food she’d had were the spicy buffalo wings she’d shared with her father. It’s was impossible to be believe that would be their last meal together.
“Charlene.” Detective Chapel pinched the skin on the back of his hand. “We’re sorry to do this so soon after your father’s death, but the quicker we have answers the more likely we are to catch his killer.”
She nodded and moved her tongue around her mouth, trying to produce moisture. “I understand.”
He flipped open a notebook and rolled a page to the back of the spiral. “So, you said you’d only arrived in New Orleans three weeks ago, is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“Where did you come from?”
“Chicago.”
“And why did you move?”
Out of Mind Page 28