Destination Romance

by Barbara McMahon

  'Yes, I remember, but times and circumstances change, Lexy.'

  'No!' She stepped back, but too late. He reached out and drew her to him, forcing her head back, seeking her lips with his. Lexy struggled to evade him, to escape. His arms were like chains binding her to him, his hot breath fanning her face as she arched away from him, kicking him, trying to break free.

  'No, Joey. Stop!'

  Lexy never quite knew what happened next. One moment she was struggling to escape, the next she was free, staggering to regain her balance at the sudden release. Joey Compton lay on the floor, staring dazedly at the angry visage of the tall man towering above him. Slowly Joey raised himself up on an elbow, his other hand going to his jaw, already swelling.

  Lexy wondered wildly if she were dreaming as she watched Dominic flex his right hand, wiggle the fingers; then speak to his cousin.

  'If I ever catch you touching her again, I'll beat you bloody. And if I ever hear of you bad-mouthing her in any way, even oblique hints, I'll break you. Is that clear?'

  The hard cold voice was one Lexy remembered well, but why was Dominic using it to his cousin? She gazed at him unaware that her heart was in her eyes, her very being.

  Joey moved his jaw gingerly, 'Going soft in your old age, Dom?' he asked insolently, eying Lexy.

  'Watch what you say, old man, or I'll have you in for defamation of character. That line you've been giving out is all wrong. Sounds like a jealous, spiteful woman, if you ask me,' Dominic bit out.

  Lexy was dumbfounded.

  'If you can't tell what kind of woman Lexy is, you are dumber than I was.'

  Lexy sank in a nearby chair, certain she was dreaming now. Dominic defending her? It was too farfetched; it had to be a dream.

  Joey Compton evidently did not agree. He gazed at Dominic for a full minute as realization dawned. He glanced at Lexy, then with an effort he regained his feet prudently putting some distance between him and Dominic.

  'Sorry to have misunderstood how things were, Lexy,' he mumbled, 'especially in the circumstances.' He glanced again at his cousin's hard, unyielding face; and, swinging wide to stay out of Dominic's reach, moved to the door. 'See you around, Dom.' He nodded to his cousin and started to leave.

  At the door, he paused, turned and looked at Lexy, 'Lexy, I think you would be interested in the dedication page of the book.' Some of his brash cockiness was fast returning. He already was drawing himself up to his full height. Cocking an eyebrow at his cousin, he sketched a salute, 'I do have some family loyalty, Dom.’ with that, he left, his feet clattering on the stairs as he descended.

  Lexy's head was spinning. Whatever did he mean?

  As Dominic crossed to shut the door, she reached out for the book.

  She turned the page, and went still. Her breathing stopped; she thought her heart stopped; then it began throbbing. Swallowing hard, she reread the dedication,

  For Lexy, with all my love.

  For Lexy, with all my love.

  Put down in black and white in every copy of his book, for all the world to see. To see and know.

  For Lexy, with all my love.

  Dear God. Slowly the tears welled up and spilled over, trailing down her cheeks, one to drop on the book, another on the back of her hand. She brushed them away, more came. Dear, darling Dominic. Lexy caught her lip between her teeth, his image blurring as the tears came again. Impatiently she dashed them away, aware through her wavering sight that he was crossing the room, he was coming to her.

  She gave a laugh of glee and jumped up to meet him.

  'Dominic!'

  She flung herself into his arms as he caught her hard against him, sweeping her from the floor, his mouth claiming hers in a long, hard kiss. Lexy reveled in the feel of him, his hair crisp beneath her fingers, the heat and strength of his body passing through her dress, through to her very soul. The tears trickled, she was only aware of Dominic, his mouth, his body, his caressing hands.

  Lowering her slowly to the floor, he ended the kiss, moving his mouth across her wet cheeks, to her neck, throat, back to the open softness of her lips. Swinging around a little, he leaned against the wall, drawing her even closer to him, his arms steel bands binding them together.

  Reluctantly, slowly, many minutes later, Lexy released his mouth, pulling back just a fraction. 'I'm glad to see you,' she said softly against his lips. 'Would you like to sit down?' Lexy felt if she didn't sit soon, she would melt into a heap at his feet. Her bones felt like water, she was getting light-headed.

  Dominic here! Gently, lovingly, kissing her!

  Slowly Dominic released her, easing his arms away, his hands trailing from her as if also reluctant to break contact. Standing tall and setting her from him a little, he gave an engaging grin and straightened his tie. Glinting down at her he spoke, 'You got my book.'

  For Lexy, with all my love. She smiled mistily, 'Yes!'

  She led the way to the sofa, floating on air.

  'Sit down,' she said, suddenly shy. 'Can I get you something to drink?'

  'Beer, if you have it.' He watched with gentle amusement, knowing she was aware of his barely concealed arousal and flustered by it.

  She brought him the beverage and sat near him on the sofa, near but not touching. Dominic cocked a quizzical eyebrow at that.

  'I'm so glad you came when you did,' she said breathlessly, 'but how did you know where to find me?' Her eyes were on the foam in his glass.

  'I must admit I had a different greeting in mind when I planned to come by. What was Joey doing here?'

  'He followed me from work one day and found out where I lived. He was trying his same old routine.' Lexy was anxious to gloss over that part and find out why Dominic was here, how he found her and how, miracle of miracles, he came to believe in her. He had to believe her, or he wouldn’t have written that dedication. Wouldn’t have showed up out of the blue.

  Dominic's expression softened as he gazed at her.

  'I don't think we'll be bothered with Joey again.'

  She licked her lips. 'You still haven't said how you found me.'

  Or why! She thought to herself.

  'Private detectives. I was a day late getting to Santa Theresa. Rather than lose you, I called Robin and asked him to engage a detective on my behalf.' He took a long pull on his beer, setting the glass down firmly, and taking her hands in his.

  'I was a damned fool. I knew you were telling the truth. I knew long ago that you couldn't have been the kind of girl Joey insinuated. I couldn't help myself, though. I'm most damnably sorry about that scene on the boat, sweetheart. I thought, when you left, maybe you should have some time away from me. So, rather than follow you immediately, like I wanted to do, forcing another confrontation, I waited.' His hands tightened. 'It was so long!'

  Lexy was silent, remembering what had almost occurred aboard the Marybeth. She looked up into his face, finding his eyes soft and loving on her. Softly his voice came out, his hands gentle now, caressing.

  'How do you think I felt, Lexy? Do you know what I've been through? What hell it was every day thinking of you with all those other men Joey talked about, imagining them touching you, being with you.' He released her hands and drew her closer, fitting her into the crook of his arm, looking deep into her eyes, watching her warily gazing back at him. Slowly his fingers traced from her shoulder down the swell of her breast, his hand cupping her breast, feeling it swell and harden at his touch.

  'It just fits,' he whispered, rubbing her slowly, gently with the palm of his hand. Lexy closed her eyes, trembling in love and remembrance. Remembrance of the night on Bob Driscoll's boat when Dominic had said he would make love to her one day.

  'What do you think I thought of when Joey was talking on the boat that morning, when he was saying those vile, awful things about you, that he knew and I hadn't even suspected? I wanted to kill him. My own cousin, whom I've known all my life. I wanted to kill him for knowing all those things in your past, for asking you to go off with him. I'm still
surprised I didn't beat him to a pulp for telling me.' He shook his head. 'Then today, I just saw red when I came back to see you and found him forcing his attentions on you, trying to kiss –' Dominic trailed off, but Lexy could feel the intense anger still raging in him.

  She opened her eyes in surprise; she had never guessed he had felt like that. That he cared so intensely.

  'But it wasn't true, at least most of it not true,' she protested, 'and you came in time today. It sounds so corny to say you saved me, but you did.'

  She snuggled up to him. He cradled her head, drawing her closer, kissing her soft lips, parting them, probing her mouth with his tongue as his other hand continued its gentle wanderings. Lexy tightened her muscles, moaned a small protest when he moved beneath her bodice to her bare, soft silky skin. Finally he drew back, and took a deep breath.

  'I know the things Joey said were lies. I should have known then. But I've been so jealous, my Lexy, so eaten up with it, I thought I should go mad. Imagining you first with Miles Jackson, then his friend Tom, your employer in Santa Inez, the man in England. Even my own cousin.'

  She reached her arm up to his shoulder, around his neck bringing her breasts against the hardness of his chest, closing her eyes and offering her mouth in silent, sweet surrender.

  'All I could think of,' kissing her eyes, her cheeks, and then he held off for a minute,' was why you didn't wait for me. All my life I've been looking for you, my love, why hadn't you waited for me?'

  His hard, exciting kiss woke her from her trance. This was Dominic and he loved her! He had been angry, jealous, but he loved her and wanted her, and she loved him. Forgetting everything but the man in whose arms she lay, Lexy gave herself up to his embrace, reveling in his touch, his kiss, the feel of him against her. His hands were exciting, his mouth giving her such pleasure. Dominic, Dominic, was all Lexy could think of.

  When he drew back, breathing hard, to change their position to lie down, Lexy alongside him, she turned her head slightly and kissed his throat. His fingers came beneath her chin, forcing her head up to him. Still feeling shy, she smiled at him. She could feel the warm strong fingers trail down her throat, slip in against her warm skin, caressing her, soothing her. His mouth closed over hers again, his kiss probing, demanding. Lexy was equal to the demand, returning kiss for kiss, until, at last, somewhat assuaged, somewhat less frantic, the kisses became languid and quiet. Lexy moved closer.

  'What a waste of time.' Dominic at last pulled back a little. 'I shouldn't have listened to Joey, should have followed my own instincts, still, he made a good case for you as a gold-digger after you fled to the forward cabin. Me a rich, unmarried author, the two of us alone on a deserted island. Sooner or later I'd succumb, then, bang, the big pay-off. Marriage, or maybe just a large settlement to avoid scandal. God forgive me, I believed him. You didn't deny it immediately. I thought you couldn't. Then I enforced that damn rule of not talking about the past. Forgive me, sweetheart, for the lack of trust, for not giving you a chance to explain, to put it all right. I must have hurt you so badly.'

  His eyes mirrored some of the pain Lexy had felt during their days together after Joey's malicious revelations. Lexy's heart ached for his own misery, for her remembered hurts and sufferings. She remained silent, what could she say?

  She considered the entire situation from Dominic's angle. His cousin was known to him, she had not been, beyond the few days they had traveled together from Santa Inez to Barbados. Yes, he had been cruel and hurtful to her, believing only what Joey had said, denying her a chance to explain, but it had been the wild lashings of a man in pain. It didn't matter now, she realized. It was over, the hurt, the loneliness, the misunderstandings. She loved him and, remarkably so it seemed, he loved her. Her eyes looked up at him in love and forgiveness.

  'So my dear, darling Lexy, will you marry me?' he asked whimsically. 'Life will be very much as we've shared on the Marybeth, but with no separate bunks this time. I'll go on locations from time to time to get background material and you can go with me. The rest of the time we'll live on the sloop. Will you take a chance?'

  His voice was light, his eyes so serious.

  For Lexy, with all my love.

  'Yes, please,' she said softly, offering her lips again, happiness and delight flooding through her.

  Time drifted by. Lexy had no idea of the hour, but comforted and cherished in their new found love for each other, they talked. She brought him up to date on all the things that had happened to her since that painful scene on the boat; her escape, her coming to Bridgetown, getting her job and running into Joey, leading up to his visit today. Most of it Dominic had already known, from his detective's report.

  'I had him keep tabs on you. I would have come in an instant if anything had happened, if you needed help. But I thought, maybe wrongly, we needed some time apart. If only,' he smiled and kissed her nose, 'to appreciate each other more fully when we finally did get together.'

  'About Evan,' Dominic began.

  'There wasn't anything between us,' Lexy protested quickly.

  He sighed. 'I know that. As soon as I realized you had gone, I started thinking. Evan has been talking of coming to the island to dive for years. Always one thing or another kept him from coming. I think the timing was just right for him at that particular juncture, and with the added attraction of a competent and enthusiastic diving partner, he showed up. I was just bringing up everything I could to fight the feeling I had for you. I didn't want to fall in love again.'

  ‘I can understand that. After Harry, I was wary about all men. But you had a happy marriage. Why wouldn’t you want another?’

  Dominic told her a few things about his life with Marybeth, how he felt that if she’d had to die so young, he was glad it had happened while he still loved her, could remember her with tenderness.

  'I was young when we married, young when she died. I wasn't the man then that I am now. Marybeth could never satisfy me now. You and only you, Lexy love, can satisfy me, fill my days with joy and my nights with delight. I'm sorry Marybeth died, but I don't think our marriage would have lasted, were she alive today.' Lexy gave a brief passing regret for the unfortunate Marybeth. She would never come between Lexy and Dominic. Lexy was sorry she had died so young, but so glad Dominic was free now and wanted her!

  He told her how he had persuaded his publisher to rush over the first book off the press, so that he could give it to her, to show her he loved her, to make the way for him to hope against hope she felt the same.

  They were still exchanging confidences when darkness fell. Lexy suggested a light supper and went to start it while Dominic called Robin to tell him he was eating at Lexy's; and to pass on the news Robin and Sarah had been anticipating.

  He joined her in the small kitchen.

  'I asked Robin to call Aunt Patience for me,' he said, coming over and kissing her neck as she prepared their omelets.

  'What?'

  'To tell her that I am marrying you first chance I get.'

  She beamed up at him, happiness and love shining from her eyes. 'And when will that be?'

  'Not before morning, anyway. We'll see about the marriage license then.'

  'And in the mean time?' she asked casually, her eyes on the pan.

  'In the mean time Robin has a nice bed that I hope I have to sleep on only once more.' He encircled her waist, drawing her back against his chest, breathing in her perfume, kissing her gently on the cheek.

  'I love you, Lexy.'

  'Oh, Dominic, I love you so much! It was a beautiful thing you wrote in your book. I'll always treasure it.'

  They were married two days later, in Bridgetown; Robin and Sarah standing witness. They welcomed Lexy gladly to the family. After a short wedding breakfast all together, Dominic and Lexy had returned to the privacy of her flat for a few days of solitude.

  Loving and laughing, talking and planning, happy and content, they began their married days together. The shadow laid by Joey Compton so long ago banished fore
ver. Lexy bloomed in her new found happiness, love shining from her, happiness welling up and spilling over. Her life was almost too good to be true.

  Two mornings later, at breakfast, Dominic dropped two sheets of paper at Lexy's place as he bent to kiss her again. They had been up for quite a while, but were only just now starting breakfast. She looked up rosy-cheeked and happy, a slight question in her eyes? 'What's this?'

  'Read them,' he invited.

  One was a filled-out form for sending cables, the other a reply cablegram.

  'Alexander Kentfield, Larchmont Tower, Brayford, Dorset, England. Have married your granddaughter Stop Passing through England soon Stop Shall we call Stop Reply, Dominic Frazer, 7 Grenache Street, Bridgetown Barbados, W.I.'

  Lexy's eyes were swimming in tears as she read the reply.

  'Dominic Frazer, 7 Grenache Street, Bridgetown, Barbados, W.I. Have searched for years Stop All forgiven this end Stop Can Lexy forgive her end Stop Warm welcome in England. Stop Please come. Alexander Kentfield.'

  Dominic raised his wife's face, searching her tear-filled eyes. 'Shall we honeymoon in England?' he asked her softly.

  She nodded, love swelling her heart almost to bursting. 'Thank you, my love.'

  The long dark years were over. Lexy had come into the sun.

  The End

  I hope you enjoyed reading my Tropical Escape novels. If you did, would you consider leaving a review? They are greatly appreciated!

  Also, continue reading for excerpts from some of my other novels.

  Excerpt: Rocky Point Hero

  © Copyright 2013 Barbara McMahon

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  CHAPTER ONE

  Allie Turner settled in to wait, braced in the crevasse, the rocks on either side steadying her arms. The surface was cold, uneven and uncomfortable. She’d risked a fall scrambling down the cliff in the dark with only a flashlight, but the timing had to be perfect. She shivered as the sea swirled below her, imagining some of the spray drifted up in the breezy predawn sky. It was cold enough without any more dampness to add to the chill.