by Anise Storm
Cali smiled brightly, holding back her “I hope so.” Natalie was always telling her not to borrow trouble, and she agreed with her, this time at least. She’d been looking forward to this trip for months and wanted to keep any negativity at bay. Despite her protests to her friends and whoever else would listen, she truly did need some time to herself.
Her last book didn’t open to the same reception that she was accustomed to and Cali chalked it up to her current time constraints. The truth was she was slowly losing the motivation needed to weave the incredible tales of love and desire that she was known for. At times, she wished she could be one of the women from her books and find a grand lover to sweep her off her feet. She was a realist, however, and things like that didn’t happen to women like her. She was plain, shy, and utterly boring. Even her real last name, Smith, was ordinary. It was only after she started writing that she decided to go with a pen name, eventually having her own changed to match the one she was now known under.
The sound of the large wrought iron gates opening jolted her mind back to the present. Moving her gaze to her left, she took in the tropical sights that extended as far as the eye could see. It was breathtaking. Large patches of foliage surrounded them, the vibrant colors of the tropical flowers peeking out from behind the curtain of green. The palette of colors was almost indescribably beautiful.
All thoughts Cali had of going straight to sleep were long forgotten as she grew more excited to venture around the grounds, exploring every inch of the natural paradise offered by the resort. She didn’t have anywhere else to go and she couldn’t come up with anything better to do. The scenery beckoned, rapidly diminishing all the jitters she’d experienced since leaving Boston.
The car followed a winding driveway, finally coming to a stop in front of a large building. It was obvious from the outward appearance of the structure that it was filled with luxury and refinement on the inside. The sight before her was identical to the photo she’d seen on the brochure at the travel agent’s office. Digging into her wallet, she pulled out a few bills and handed them to the cab driver. “Thanks. Let me open the truck and help the staff with your bags,” he told her.
Cali nodded then exited the car, immediately seeing two men decked out in khaki pants and tropical shirts heading their way. They didn’t look like the ordinary bellboys she saw at the regal Boston hotels, but then again, they were on a Caribbean island.
They asked for her carry-on bag, so after grabbing her purse from inside, Calista handed it off to the two men and watched as they circled around the car to get the rest of her things. While they were busy with her luggage, she would go inside and check in. Depending on how efficient the other resort staff was, she might even have her keys by the time they made it in the building with her bags.
As she walked toward the entrance, the smell of the flowers perfumed the air and she inhaled deeply. She could detect the salt from the nearby ocean as well, only increasing her desire to get to her room. She’d made sure when she’d booked the reservation that she would not only have a balcony but an oceanfront one to boot.
The slight layover in St. Thomas did allow her the opportunity to dress for the climate. When she had left Boston, Cali had worn a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, and some tennis shoes. She swapped out that attire for a pair of pink capris, a white tank, and sandals. The bottom of her shoes clicked slightly on the marbled stairs as she climbed the four wide steps.
The hotel had a welcome feel to it despite its obvious elegance. She opened one of the French doors and stepped inside. The tropical theme carried on with potted orchids in varying colors. Other plants were scattered throughout but those were the only ones she could recognize and name. In addition, the fabrics covering the large floor-to-ceiling windows and furniture were in bright colors, which made the interior seem so much brighter. Her gaze traveled around the expansive lobby as she took everything in.
“Can I help you with something?” A male voice caused her to jump. In her appraisal of the space, she didn’t even realize she had stopped in the center of the room.
Turning toward the voice, she tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear and wryly smiled. The older gentleman was dressed in a similar fashion to the men outside. “Where’s the front desk?”
Cali knew where it was but felt silly being caught standing there gawking at the place. That was when something, or rather someone, grabbed her attention. Another man, one much younger, was looking directly at her. She blinked a few times and by the third one, he’d literally disappeared. Story of my life! She should’ve known better.
Listening to the voice in her head, Cali had to admit it was true. She hadn’t gotten that good of a look at him but from what she did…Shaking her head softly, she finally turned and headed to the check-in area.
“Your name and identification, please?” the woman behind the desk asked.
“Calista Grant,” she stated absently as she pulled out her driver’s license and handed it to the redhead. “I hope it isn’t too early to check in.”
“Absolutely not,” the woman, whose name was Robin according to her nametag, assured her. “Your room is ready, so it’s no problem at all.”
Relief filled her and Cali waited as the woman compared the information from her identification to that on the reservation. Just as she’d hoped, the woman finally raised her head and handed her a room card.
“You’re in room twelve, which is on the east side. It has a lovely view of the ocean and is mere steps from the spa. My name is Robin and it looks like…” She paused momentarily and looked over Cali’s shoulder and pointed. “It looks like your bags are ready too. Bruno and Ed will show you to your room.”
“Thank you very much,” Cali replied, slipping her driver’s license back into her wallet. She smiled at Robin then turned to see the men from earlier with her bags in hand.
The younger of the two, whose name was Bruno according to his nametag, made a sweeping motion with his free hand. Cali followed him through one of the side doors, more than likely the one that the blond guy from earlier had exited from, and headed toward her room.
The resort itself was even more vibrant than in the brochure she often glanced at when home in Boston. Cali could see glimpses of the pristine white sand and the sparkling blue of the ocean. It was so surreal when she reminded herself that it was Christmas because it felt like anything but.
Her room wasn’t far from the lobby and she could see small signs pointing toward the dining and spa areas. She would be centrally located, with every amenity here at the resort close by. It would be perfect for exploration. When they reached the room, she inserted her key and opened the door, allowing Bruno and Ed to enter first with her luggage. After they set it down, she handed them each a few bills.
“Merry Christmas,” they both told her before leaving, and she repeated the sentiment. Finally, she was here in paradise and as her gaze traveled around the room, she couldn’t help but smile.
With its tropical decor and travertine floors, the suite was everything she had hoped for and more. There were three walls and the fourth consisted of large floor-to-ceiling windows. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the view outside of them, however, and she moved closer to get a better look.
Cali could already picture herself sipping on a cup of coffee each morning, watching the sun as it rose over the ocean. Maybe this trip would be exactly what she needed to restore her drive to write. It has to. I can’t imagine a more perfect setting.
Suddenly she yawned and realized taking a nap wouldn’t be that bad of an idea. Forcing herself to cover the view, she pulled the heavy blinds together to darken the room. Then she quickly removed her clothes and climbed into bed.
Chapter 3
SLAMMING BACK THE SHOT of bourbon, Zane Rhodes regarded his best friend with disdain.
“I can’t believe I agreed to come here to this island, X. If I wanted to be somewhere deserted, then I would’ve just stayed home in my penthouse.”
Xavi
er Rivera took another swallow of his scotch before releasing a deep sigh. “I know you would, which is the problem. You’re already here, so you might as well make the most of it. I’m worried about you, Z. And I have been for a while now.”
Zane eyed his best friend while pouring another shot, quickly tipping it back. The liquor barely made him grimace as it burned a trail of fire down his throat. The way things were looking, he’d be spending a fair amount of time in this secluded villa drinking. Thank fuck the liquor was complimentary since Xavier owned the resort.
Xavier was very much like a brother to Zane, and they were so close that oftentimes they shared the same women. Both men were Dominants and liked to frequent the same BDSM clubs together.
Being Italian, Zane was short-tempered and intense, his passion evident in everything he did. Xavier, while a Spaniard in every sense of the word, was the epitome of calm, cool, and collected on the outside. Beneath that exterior, though, he was a Dominant with drive and extreme intuition. He could see into a submissive’s soul, earning himself the title of Master of the Mind Fuck, a role he played to perfection.
Zane had his own role, one that was darker, yet equally intense. A Master in his own right, his tastes and desires were considered rawer when compared to his counterpart. His impatience was one of his biggest flaws, which increased the longer he stood in this room.
“I’m not sure I can handle three full weeks on this fucking island. I’ve only been here a few days and I’m already counting down the days until I can leave. I need to get the hell out of this room before I go stir-crazy.”
Zane heard Xavier calling out to him as he shut the door, but he ignored him. There was simply no need for him to stand around his room drinking in private. He could better drown his sorrows in public where he wouldn’t be alone with his thoughts. Especially the ones of Elena Marchand.
One would think she was someone special to him, and in a way, they’d be right, but not for the reasons many naturally assumed. The Spanish beauty was a former submissive of his, and while both he and Xavier had scened casually with her, there were no rumblings of changing that status to anything more. That was another reason why friends questioned why he was taking her death so hard.
No one understood the overwhelming guilt he felt over her demise. She was on his yacht when she lost her balance and fell overboard. Outside of the boat captain, they were alone, at night, somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea close to the coast of Spain. Zane could still remember the evening in vivid detail.
It all started with various weather reports predicting a late summer storm. In all his arrogance, it didn’t matter because Zane believed he could actually defy nature. That decision turned out to be a deadly one that still haunted him to this day. He growled and mumbled under his breath, “You fucked up big time, man.”
And he did. Despite the worsening conditions, he’d wanted to take her to a barrier island off the coast and instructed the captain to set sail anyway. The horizon had patches of darkening clouds but other than those, the rest of the sky was a beautiful shade of blue. Zane had hoped to make it to their destination before the sun set for the evening, but the storm came upon them swiftly. Minutes after the skies opened up, Elena had slipped and gone overboard, hitting her head as she fell into the ocean.
He’d jumped in after her, but by the time he’d found her body floating on the surface, she was dead. The Spanish equivalent of the Coast Guard rescued them from the water, but there was no saving the submissive. The guilt ate away at him, and even after four months, it hadn’t subsided at all. It would explain why Xavier was so hell-bent on getting him here to this island with him. His best friend actually thought he could save him from himself.
That thought alone almost made him chuckle. There was no redemption for him. He didn’t want it and he sure as fuck didn’t deserve it. Zane would appease Xavier and stay here through the holidays, but then he was going back home to Washington DC. Unfortunately for him, the days were long and the nights even longer, and he had at least a week before the damned things were over.
There had to be something to do on this godforsaken island that would take his mind off his own personal turmoil. He’d been with women after the boating accident but never without Xavier there beside him. If he were being honest with himself, it was because he didn’t trust himself around one alone anymore. The other Dominant was here, so finding himself a woman to distract himself with was not only a viable option, it was the best one available too.
This place is so large I’m surprised Xavier can even find his way around here. Zane left the villa and headed down the stone walkway toward the main building that housed the three restaurants, including one with a full bar. That was a definite bonus as he hadn’t had nearly enough alcohol.
The Paradise Resort was Xavier’s idea of paradise and always stayed booked to full capacity, even during the holidays. While most of the guests were there with their significant others, some were single just as he was, wanting to escape their normal lives, also similar to him. And also like Xavier. His best friend was driven not only by ambition but by demons of his own. He wasn’t the only one hiding from himself.
Zane knew years ago that there was something different about his friend. His penchant for sharing women was more than just a preference. Things from Xavier’s past helped shape him into the man and Dominant he was today, as things from his own did for him.
He finally reached Champagne, the bar he sought, but after taking a look inside and seeing the crowd of people already there, he had second thoughts, immediately discarding his plan to drink publicly. Walking past the establishment, he continued along the stone path, knowing it would eventually lead him right to the beach. Zane loved the sea, but hadn’t spent much time in it since that fateful August night.
Passing one of the five pools scattered throughout the property, he came to a stop when someone caught his eye. It was a woman and if he was not mistaken, she was the same one he’d observed that afternoon in the lobby. The sun had since set from the time he’d left the villa to the present, so he took a few more steps, needing to get a closer look.
Chapter 4
STEPPING ONTO HER BALCONY with a fruit-infused cocktail in her hand, Cali enjoyed the cool ocean breeze as it lifted loose strands of her hair off her face. She rarely drank alcohol but figured that tonight warranted an exception. After all, she was in paradise without a care in the world. At least that was what she kept trying to convince herself of, to no avail.
“I wish that were true,” she said softly as she looked out over the moonlit water.
Night had arrived, ushering in a dark sky full of stars. Each one resembled a tiny glittering pinpoint on a black ceiling. And though she couldn’t see the ocean itself, she could smell the recognizable scent of salt in the air. The aroma had a calming effect on her psyche, which she could always use in her line of work.
Taking a seat in one of the wooden teak chairs, Cali listened to the waves lap against the shore in the distance. The breeze had begun to pick up a bit, flirting with the edge of her sundress. It still hadn’t quite sunk in that she was on this trip in the first place.
“I hope you’re right about this vacation, Em.”
Ordinarily, she would’ve been embarrassed to be sitting alone, talking to herself. There was no one in the immediate vicinity, though, so for now it didn’t really matter if she conversed aloud or not. In fact, she had half a mind to stay out on her balcony for a few more hours and talk up a storm. Reaching for her drink once more, Cali sipped, instantly tasting the sweet note of the peaches and the tartness of the mango. It contained more vodka than she was used to, but mixed with the other flavors, it blended together sufficiently.
The realization hit her that she was doing the exact same thing she would normally do back home in Boston and she sighed in frustration. “You’re truly pathetic,” she said out loud.
Cali was used to feeling invisible. Shy, smart, and conservative, she’d never been the most beautiful
woman in any room. That, coupled with her normally boring wardrobe and social awkwardness, made it all too easy to disappear.
Emily kept saying she wanted Cali to let loose while on this trip. How did one relinquish control when she had spent her entire life trying to remain in it? She’d always watched others from the shadows, hoping that one day things would change for her. She had no idea how to “make things happen” because she couldn’t even master simple things like flirting. Small talk for her was usually a nightmare. If Emily had her say, though, she’d tell her to march over to the bar and mingle with the other guests. Yet, here she was all alone, as usual, after convincing herself that she needed to ease into things.
“There’s always tomorrow,” she said to no one in particular.
Lost in her own thoughts, Cali didn’t immediately realize that she was not as alone as she believed. At first, she attributed the shiver that wracked her small frame to the cool ocean breeze. It wasn’t until she rose from her seat and turned that Cali realized someone was watching her from the pool area to her left.
Aided by the moonlight and lighting around the building, she could barely make out his profile. He was tall—very tall—with light-colored hair brushing his broad shoulders. His clothes outlined a muscular shape that she found extremely appealing. Unable to resist, Cali stepped forward in an attempt to get a better look. When his gaze met hers, she inhaled sharply, quickly taking a few steps backward.
Again, drawn to edge of her balcony, she looked over in that direction, realizing the man hadn’t moved from his spot. She couldn’t discern what color his eyes were, but it was almost as though he could see straight through her. He was content to simply stare at her until finally, his gaze shifted, making her frown.
It figures. Once again, I’m not pretty or glamorous enough. Shaking her head, Cali was about to go back inside when she swore she could feel him staring once more.