Stormswept: The Bold and the Beautiful

by Shannon Curtis

  “I can’t get anything past you, can I?” Her hands clenched.

  “Nope.” Rick sat back in his seat. “The guy is a schmuck.”

  “No, he’s not. He’s—”

  “A schmuck. Any guy who causes my sister pain is a schmuck. And any guy who lets her slip through his fingers is an idiot.” Rick looked pointedly at the man sitting across the aisle, who was busily snapping photos with his expensive camera. “I know some guys who would jump at the chance to be with you.”

  Hope glanced at Oliver. He was completely oblivious to their conversation, totally focused on getting the perfect shot—and then the next. That was Oliver, though. He spent most of his time looking down a lens of some sort.

  “Stop it, Rick,” she said quietly, her tone half amused, half serious.

  “I’m just saying there are plenty of fish in the sea other than Liam Spencer—or his brother.”

  “Shush!” She laughed, then turned to look out the window. She didn’t want to talk about Liam, or Wyatt. And she particularly didn’t want to talk about Oliver. “It looks so peaceful down there, so … serene.” She sighed. She felt like she’d been on a roller coaster, and she was just coming to the end of the ride, with all the crashing disappointment that came after an adrenalin high.

  “Yeah, well, soak in that serenity while you can. Once we arrive on Hamilton Island, there’ll be plenty of work to do.” Rick’s voice carried to the others.

  “Work? Surely that’s a curse word here in this paradise,” Thomas remarked as he twisted in his seat to face them, his teeth flashing in a cheeky smile.

  “Are you sure we can’t take a few days to relax and soak up some rays? We’ve just been to a place that was hotter than hell. Hamilton Island sounds so … relaxing. Maybe we could, you know, work on my tan lines,” Caroline suggested, fluttering her eyelashes at Rick.

  “No tan lines,” Rick intoned. “We have a strict schedule—we have to get those location shots completed before the promotion in Sydney, and we’ve got less than a week to do it.”

  “All work and no play gives us frown lines, right, Hope?” Caroline said.

  Hope grinned. “I’m happy to work in this paradise.”

  Caroline frowned. “Seems like a wasted opportunity to me.” She folded her arms and turned to look out the window, then gasped. “Omigosh. Look down there—it’s a heart. Oh, it’s beautiful!”

  Rick crossed the aisle to look out of Oliver’s window, then beckoned to Hope. “You have to see this.”

  Hope unbuckled her seatbelt and approached. Oliver shifted to allow her access to the window, and she was supremely conscious of his tall frame as she bent to take a look. His fragrance, fresh, crisp and energizing, teased her senses, as did the warmth of his body so close to hers. She forced herself to focus on whatever it was that had Caroline and Rick so excited, and gasped.

  Thousands of feet below them, a small reef formation caught her eye. The heart-shaped shoal had a light-colored center that was framed by darker coral. It was simple, and beautiful.

  “Oh, can we sail out to it? Maybe we could get the models on there somehow?” Caroline said, her nose pressed to the window.

  “No, that particular area is protected.” Oliver’s deep voice carried over Hope’s head. “You can only see it from above.”

  Rick shifted out of the way. “Maybe we could get some shots now and use them in the background for the show.”

  Hope made to move, but Oliver’s hand on her shoulder halted her. “Stay there,” he murmured. Peering down the lens, he used her back to steady his hands. Her cheeks heated as he leaned closer to the window, his body brushing ever so softly along her side. She forced herself to keep her gaze on the reef below.

  “I think I’m kind of glad you can’t go there,” she said quietly, and there was a pause in the clicking.

  “Why is that?” Oliver’s breath brushed against her ear, and Hope trembled at the sensation.

  “I think it’s important to try and conserve that beauty and purity for as long as possible,” she replied.

  “Look but don’t touch, you mean?” Oliver lowered the camera and gazed at her. His eyes were a brilliant blue, and he cocked an eyebrow, as though taunting her.

  “I think there’s something to be said for not sullying or destroying everything we touch,” she said, her voice quiet.

  “I’m a guy. We like to touch,” he responded, just as quietly. “Sometimes we don’t mean to destroy anything—it’s an unintended consequence.”

  Somehow Hope didn’t think he was talking about marine conservation any more. Was he referring to their history? Or was he aware of the trouble she’d inadvertently caused between two brothers? Either possibility opened up a big awkward can of worms. She averted her gaze back to the heart-shaped reef, which was now disappearing into the distance.

  “If only we could repair everything we damaged,” she murmured, thinking of the two warring brothers she’d left behind.

  “If only,” he agreed quietly.

  A ding sounded above them as the seatbelt sign lit up.

  “Looks like we’re about to land,” Oliver commented.

  “I should get back to my seat.”

  He stood still for a moment, barring her way, his eyes never leaving her face. In the close confines between the seats, he loomed over her. There was a haunted look in his eyes, something sad and lost, but she only glimpsed it for a fraction of a second.

  “Uh, yeah, I guess you should.” He moved out of her way, a smile twisting his lips.

  Hope stepped across the aisle and took her seat, hurriedly securing the clasp of her seatbelt. When she looked up, Oliver was staring out the window, his expression hidden from her.

  She sighed as she glanced out her window. She couldn’t help comparing the seascape below to her relationship with Oliver. The calm seas offered a glimpse of the beauty beneath, but upon closer inspection that beauty was dangerous, with sharp shards capable of inflicting terrible wounds, and leaving permanent scars.

  *

  Oliver leaned back in his lounge chair, surveying the vista before him, and sighed as he lifted the local beer to his lips. He had an unimpeded view across the waters to Whitsunday Island. It was paradise. He wished he had his camera. He’d come to the bar for a short visit, to unwind before the hectic shooting schedule began the next day. The sun was slowly descending, turning the sea and the sky into ribbons of pink and gold, and a warm tropical breeze stirred the hair that hung over his forehead. It was pure serenity, but instead of feeling relaxed, his thoughts were roiling around his head as though caught in a hurricane.

  He nodded as one of the Australian models entered the bar area and waved at him, then turned his attention back to the sea. She was beautiful, and nice—they’d had a brief chat at the airport while awaiting their transfer to the resort—but she wasn’t Hope Logan. He watched out of the corner of his eye as she changed direction and approached Thomas, who was already sitting with two other models.

  Oliver could easily build a rapport with models, but only so that they felt relaxed when he photographed them. He generally discouraged any further interaction. He was used to models flirting with him, but he knew it wasn’t him they wanted. They were seeking entrée into the haute couture world of Forrester Creations and beyond, but he had never used his connections in that way, and never would. Once a woman realized she couldn’t use him as a stepping-stone for her career, she moved on quickly.

  It had been a while since he’d felt sincere interest from a woman—not since Hope. But then he had gone and ruined that relationship. He drained his beer.

  “Hey, Oliver.” Hope’s brother maneuvered his way between the low-lying tables and sofas to where Oliver lounged, then sighed as he sank into the chair opposite.

  “Rick.” Oliver signaled a passing waiter, and ordered a refill and a drink for his guest.

  “I’ve spoken with the cruise company, and we’re all set. We’re meeting on the dock at five am.”

&nbs
p; Oliver winced. “That’s early.” Not that he was too bothered. This job paid well—if they wanted him to turn up at five am, he’d turn up at five am. “Does Caroline know?”

  Rick grimaced. “Not yet. I’ll let her know at dinner. I’ve sent messages to Hope and Thomas.”

  They heard Thomas groan on the other side of the bar, and grinned.

  “I think he just got the message,” Rick said, nodding his thanks to the waiter who delivered their beers.

  Rick leaned back in his chair and gazed outside. “We get skippers with the boats, and we’ve charted a course to take in some of your friend’s suggestions, as well as recommendations made by local staff. We’re only going out for three days, though.”

  Oliver frowned. “Do you think that will be long enough?”

  Rick shrugged. “It’ll have to be. This is cyclone season, and there’s a storm due to hit. We have to be back in safe harbor before it does.”

  “Ri-ick.”

  Both men turned at the singsong hail. Caroline swept into the bar area, Hope by her side.

  “There you are.” Caroline hurried over to them, dragging Hope along. Oliver sat up a little straighter as the women approached. Hope wore an expression of amused resignation. You needed a sense of humor when spending time with Caroline.

  “The spa here is to die for,” Caroline said as she sat down next to Rick. “They do the most awesome massages.”

  Rick cocked an eyebrow. “We’ve only just arrived. Why do you need a massage?”

  Caroline reared back in mock outrage. “I’ve just endured several stressful days in the middle of nowhere. I think I should be commended for waiting as long as I did.”

  Hope laughed as she took the seat next to Oliver. “Oh, come on, Caroline. It wasn’t that bad.”

  Caroline nodded. “True. The scenery was spectacular, and I’ve already started sketching some ideas for the next collection. I’m really glad I got the opportunity to visit, it was very inspiring—and now we’re in this paradise.” She gestured to the view from the deck. “It’s so relaxing, I can’t wait to see more of this place.”

  Rick sucked in a breath, grimacing. “Well, your wish is my command.”

  “What do you mean?” Caroline’s eyes narrowed.

  “We’ve had to reschedule our location shoots—there’s a storm coming, so we have to sail out tomorrow.”

  Caroline pouted. “And I was so looking forward to my facial.” She trailed a finger down Rick’s neck. “You know, they do couples’ massages …”

  Rick smiled, his expression indulgent. “When we get back, I promise.”

  “You are working my fingers to the bone, Mr. Forrester,” Caroline said, her pout dissolving into a smile.

  “I’ll make it up to you,” Rick promised.

  “When?”

  “Let’s start with dinner in our pavilion tonight.”

  Caroline gasped. “Just you and me?”

  Rick nodded. “Just you and me.”

  “Well, what are we waiting around here for? Let’s go—you can pamper me until we’re both exhausted.” Caroline jumped up, then hesitated, remembering Hope and Oliver.

  “I’d invite you guys over for dinner, but that kind of negates the whole ‘romantic dinner for two’ vibe. Will you be all right?”

  “We’ll be fine,” Oliver said quickly, before Hope could reply. “We’ll have dinner here, if that’s okay with you, Hope?”

  Hope stared at him in surprise, then nodded. “Uh, yes. Sure.”

  Rick nodded as Caroline started to drag him away. “Okay, we’ll see you at the dock, bright and early.”

  Oliver smiled and waved casually as the couple hurried away, then turned his attention back to the beautiful woman sitting next to him.

  The sun’s rays bathed her skin in a warm glow, highlighting the golden strands in her hair. Her blue eyes gazed back at him, a little uncertain. She smiled self-consciously.

  “Uh, we don’t have to have dinner tonight—you were kind of put on the spot,” she said. “I was thinking of having dinner in my room.”

  Oliver frowned. “Why wouldn’t I want to have dinner with you?” She was gorgeous. Of course he wanted to have dinner with her. The truth was, he wanted a whole lot more, but for tonight he’d settle for dinner. She was obviously feeling a little uncomfortable, and they were about to spend three days on a boat together. He wanted her to be relaxed, carefree. Sometimes Hope worried too much, and clearly something was bothering her. She used to talk to him, share her worries with him. No matter what was going on, he wanted her to know she could still do that.

  “I thought we could have something to eat out on the deck,” he suggested. “Watch the sun go down, have a few drinks.” He wagged a finger at her. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you take advantage of me.”

  No matter how much he wanted her to.

  She laughed. “Oh, darn. There go my plans for the evening,” she teased, snapping her fingers. “I guess if Rick wants us at the dock before sunrise, we’ll have to make it an early night.”

  Oliver nodded solemnly. “Yes. I need my beauty sleep.”

  She laughed as he rose, and took the hand he offered. Keep it casual, he told himself. It was rare to see Hope without Liam or Wyatt in tow. He wanted to make sure she enjoyed herself. Maybe make her remember how good it had been between them.

  And how good it could be again.

  Chapter Three

  Hope leaned back in her chair. “Dinner was delicious,” she said, placing her napkin on the table. The sun had set, and candles had been lit along the deck, creating a muted, intimate ambience. She grinned at Oliver. He’d made her laugh so much, her sides ached.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  He raised his eyebrows. “For what?”

  She gestured to the table. “Dinner, the company … it was just what I needed.” He’d always had a knack for making her relax.

  Oliver leaned forward on his elbows, and she watched the play of light and shadow across his handsome features. His brown hair was windswept, his teeth white against his tanned skin. He watched her with a sobering curiosity.

  “Trust me, dinner with a beautiful woman is no hardship, and I’m glad you’ve had a good time. So have I. But I’ve been wondering, what’s bothering you?”

  She cocked her head. “Who says I’m bothered?” Her smile broadened when he rolled his eyes and shot her an exasperated look.

  “Come on, Hope. It’s no secret that you and Liam have broken off your engagement. It’s also no secret that Wyatt has his eye on you. Most girls I know would love being pursued by two successful men, but not you.”

  She lifted her chin. “Why not me? As you say, any girl would love that kind of attention.”

  Oliver’s eyes narrowed, and she shivered at the intensity of his gaze. “I know you, Hope. You have a good heart, you like puppies and cuddles and anything else warm and fuzzy and non-confrontational. This situation doesn’t make you happy.”

  He leaned back and made a casual gesture with his hand. “What’s the problem? Tell good ol’ Ollie. Maybe I can offer an unbiased male perspective.” He shrugged, replacing his earnest expression with a grin. “At the very least, you can vent.”

  Hope looked at him for a moment, and he raised his eyebrows. She broke into a smile. Good ol’ Ollie. Maybe he was right. He’d offered her sound advice in the past. It couldn’t be worse than the chaos she was living with now.

  “Okay,” she said, inclining her head. “You asked for it. Remember how I once told you I was jinxed when it came to relationships?”

  Oliver nodded.

  “Well, I think it’s true.” She took a deep breath. “Liam sent Steffy a video album of their time together.”

  Oliver’s eyes widened. “Why?” She couldn’t tell if he was horrified or fascinated.

  “He made one for me, and apparently sent it to Steffy by accident, and she asked for one of them, so he made one.”

  Oliver shrugged. “Okay. And?”

>   Hope fidgeted with the napkin on her lap. “What do you mean, and?”

  “And what else happened? You guys were engaged. You were finally going to be married, no obstacles. He made a video album … and?”

  Hope met his gaze. He looked bewildered, his blue eyes dark.

  “Isn’t that enough? He created something special and beautiful for me, and then had no qualms duplicating it for his ex-wife, at her request.” Her jaw clenched at the thought. “He—he is still too connected with her. Steffy snaps her fingers,” Hope said, demonstrating, “and Liam comes running. It just showed me—again—that he’s still hung up on her.”

  Oliver glanced out into the encroaching darkness. “It shows you that he still has some respect and consideration for the woman he was once married to—maybe. It might also show that he’s got some weird scrapbooking fetish, which is probably more of a worry.”

  Hope laughed. “Come on, be serious.” She glanced out over the water. She could see the darker land masses of the surrounding islands against the star-studded sky. “You don’t think it was wrong of him to do that?” she asked quietly. Liam thought she’d overreacted. Had she? Had she ended her engagement over something trivial?

  “What I think doesn’t matter. You think it was wrong.”

  She tilted her head back to gaze up at the stars, remembering the moment she’d seen the video montage. “It was beautiful, what he did for her,” she murmured. “He would have spent a lot of time on it, put in a lot of effort, thinking about her—and all while we were planning our wedding.”

  She closed her eyes. “It wasn’t so much the album, although that … hurts. It’s just that our whole relationship has been dogged by Steffy. We were engaged, and she made a move on him.” She shook her head, remembering that first time she’d walked in on Steffy kissing her fiancé, the resulting shock and hurt. She opened her eyes. It still hurt, darn it.

  “And you ended the engagement,” Oliver said softly.

  “And Liam married Steffy. But then in Cabo San Lucas, when we bumped into each other, and realized we still had feelings—”