by KT Grant
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Island Pleasures
Copyright © 2013 by KT Grant
ISBN: 978-1-61333-465-2
Cover art by Angela Anderson Designs
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC
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Island Pleasures
A 1Night Stand Story
By
KT Grant
~DEDICATION~
To Q&B and JR, thank you for inspiring me.
Mandi, thanks again, my friend.
Chapter One
The moment Carly stepped off the plane she knew she’d made the right decision. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been to the beach, let alone a Caribbean island. Sun and surf weren’t part of the plan though. On her first undercover assignment for Chit-Chat Weekly, she planned to show Daphne, the editor-in-chief, she had real talent. Then maybe she’d get more high-profile articles to write instead of all the fluff she’d been covering for the past six years.
She was going to find the truth behind Madame Evangeline and her popular matchmaking service, 1Night Stand. She’d reveal the “Madame” was a sham and the Castillo brothers running the hoity-toity luxury Castillo Resorts were the ones who’d invented the matchmaking service providing singles a special night with the person of their dreams.
Snorting, she slipped on her sunglasses. Her dream man was just that—a fantasy. She strolled toward the exit, engulfed by the enticing scent of the tropical breeze and nearby ocean. She wished her twin sister could be with her. She’d call Cassidy as soon as she arrived at the Grand Turk Castillo Hotel and Resort, the premiere Caribbean vacation destination for singles and couples.
“Love, bah,” she grumbled, searching for a taxi or a shuttle bus.
“Hey, pretty lady, need a ride?” An attractive, dark-skinned man standing next to a white cab waved her over.
“I’m heading to the Castillo resort. Can you get me there fast and in one piece?” She tilted her glasses down and winked.
“I’ll give you a ride you’ll never forget.” The man winked back.
A thrill shot up her spine. If most of the men in Grand Turk looked and acted like this handsome devil, she could engage in a little harmless flirting while she worked.
She dropped her bags near the trunk of the car. With a sway of her hips in the beige, knee-length sundress she’d borrowed from her sister, she settled into the rear seat.
She used the drive to mentally transform herself into the more restrained and collected woman she’d pretend to be for the length of her stay. Cass would be proud.
***
When she tipped her driver, he slipped her his cell number. “Call me if you want a tour of the island, beautiful.”
She grinned, caught up by the island’s—and his—charm for a moment. What would it hurt to have a little fun during her stay?
On second thought, she wouldn’t have time for a fling. She had to stay focused to achieve her goal.
A bellhop appeared and took her luggage. She followed him inside a huge lobby boasting a high ceiling with whirling fans over a polished porcelain tile floor. Soft salsa music flowed from speakers overhead. People in summer wear loitered among the staff dressed in tan linen pants and bright, flowered print shirts. She itched to take out her notepad and jot down all she saw, but feared she might raise some questions. She needed to blend in and not bring attention to herself while snooping for top secret information proving 1Night Stand was actually an illegal prostitution or escort service and Jagger Castillo the pimp.
Ducking behind a large potted palm tree, she opened her bag and replaced her sunglasses with rectangular framed eyewear. She drew her hair back in a tight clip and buttoned the front of her dress to her throat.
Maybe I should have dyed my hair a darker shade to match Cass’s? She shook her head and rejoined the flow of guests heading for the registration desk. What were the odds someone would know her or her sister?
“Hello there. May I help you?” A woman near her age wearing a busy, floral shirt and white scarf appeared at her side.
She noted the hotel employee’s name tag and flashed her a timid smile. “Hi, Fiona, my name’s Cassidy. I’ve never traveled alone, and to a place like Grand Turk.” She rested her palm on her throat and glanced around, wide-eyed.
“There’s a first time for everything. With the weekend fun planned, you won’t be lonely for long. You may find romance where you least expect it.”
She shifted from one leg to another and scraped the toe of her sandal across the floor. “I haven’t been too lucky in that department.”
Fiona laughed. “Most of our single guests find a compatible companion while vacationing here. Or if you’re a romantic, perhaps your soul mate.” A dreamy haze clouded her eyes. “I’ve seen many couples fall in love at our resort.”
Carly gritted her teeth. Love? Please. Like that could happen over the course of a weekend, even with the beauty of the island or the possibility of hot monkey sex on the beach. She had no intention of going through with her 1Night Stand date either, despite the huge amount of money spent and paperwork filled out to get here.
She cleared her throat. “Sounds nice. Do you have time to tell me more about the resort and recommend some fun things I can do?”
Fiona nodded. “We can talk in the restaurant. The buffet lunch is being served.”
“Sounds great,” Carly said with just enough enthusiasm. In the oceanfront restaurant, the smell of sizzling meat, along with the tropical fruit and other tasty delights made her salivate. A lively crowd surrounded the bar.
Fiona guided her to a vacant table with a perfect view of all the action. “I need to check with my boss to see if I can take an early lunch break.” She glanced around and her face brightened. “I don’t have to go far. He’s by t
he bar. Excuse me.”
She darted off and Carly dug into her purse for her phone. Before she could check for a text from Cass, her new friend reappeared.
Carly’s heart jumped into her throat. Next to Fiona stood a man she’d never thought she’d see again.
“This is Brian Woodall, our social events coordinator,” Fiona explained.
She slumped in her seat. Brian’s—better known as Woody in their college days—eyes lit up in recognition.
Chapter Two
Quinn took a sip of tepid coffee and scowled. He needed more caffeine before he dove into his work again, but this was two hours old and stale. Cracking his neck from side to side, he laid his head back and closed his eyes. He wished he could take the rest of the day off and relax on the beach instead of sitting behind his desk. His promotion as head of employee relations had increased his workload far more than he’d expected.
He sat up at a knock on the door. What now? “Come in.”
His secretary, Margaret, entered. “Mr. Castillo wants to see you in his office.”
“Why?”
The older woman arched a brow. “You’ve been summoned. You have five minutes to make yourself presentable.”
He stared at his pants. Not one wrinkle in the fabric. “I’m always presentable.”
A suffering sigh left Margaret. “Your hair is sticking up, and you have shadows under your eyes. Go splash some cold water on your face. Trust me on this, boss.” She turned on her heel and left, closing the door behind her before he could argue.
Being late wasn’t his style. He stepped into the adjoining bathroom and dipped his comb in water, taming the cowlicks. Not a gray hair in the coal black strands, despite his stressful new position. At least he had gained confidence working with one of the most powerful businessmen in all the Caribbean. After rubbing his face and back of his neck with a wet wash cloth and splashing on a touch of cologne, he felt much more alert.
As he left, to head down the hall to his employer’s office, Margaret presented him a fresh cup of coffee. He sighed in relief, the caffeine boosting his energy after a few gulps.
Jagger, deep in conversation on the phone, waved him in.
He shut the door and sat down taking another sip of coffee while he waited.
Jagger ended his call and grinned. “Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me. I need you on duty this weekend and all of next week.”
“I’m taking a few days off to catch up on rest.”
“Sorry, you can’t.” His boss gifted him with the dark, predatory stare that made men cower and women sigh.
Undaunted, he met the unwavering gaze straight on. He tapped his knee, resigned to his employer’s request. “What’s so important you need me to work overtime?”
“Jackson has called me away to Atlantic City to check on the progress of the new casino there. He’s overwhelmed in Vegas. I need you to be in charge here while I’m gone.”
He cleared his throat and tugged on his suddenly constricting tie. “There has to be someone else with more experience and years of service—”
“Your work speaks for itself. I’m very pleased with the way you’ve helped me run the resort. I trust you to make sure things go off without a hitch.”
“As long as the booze is flowing and people get laid, why would there be any problem?”
Part of him was excited for the opportunity to show his worth, but the responsibility could also lead to even more stress and headaches. I’ll suck it up and take time off later this month.
“It’s come to my attention we have an imposter in our midst who might cause trouble.”
“Someone among the staff?” Impossible. Each Castillo employee was thoroughly investigated and endured a rigorous interview process before he or she was hired. If there was an issue with one of them, he would have been made aware.
“Not among my staff.” Jagger’s face revealed nothing.
“You’ve lost me,” he said, running a hand through his hair.
“You know I allow the 1Night Stand service to use the hotel for dates. A tabloid writer has infiltrated the company and wants to reveal the true identity of Madame Evangeline. Chit-Chat Weekly has been up my ass trying to get an interview with the sole purpose of finding out who she is. They’ve perpetuated rumors in their magazine I’m the one in charge and it’s actually an escort service.” Jagger tapped a pen on his desk, the only visible sign of his indignation.
“Chit-Chat has been after your family for years. I thought everything had been taken care of after all those testimonials from 1Night Stand clients. They made it clear nothing illegal was going on.” And, of course, his boss wouldn’t be involved in something so unethical.
“My spies have told me otherwise. A writer has applied for a 1Night Stand date under an alias and traveled here undercover with the purpose to bring me down.” Jagger frowned. “This woman, going by Cassidy Kellogg, made one big error. She used her own credit card, under her real name, to pay for the vacation.”
“She doesn’t sound too bright.” Tension settled into his shoulders. What are the odds…? “I knew a Cassidy in college.”
“She probably thought I wouldn’t notice. But when a tabloid writer’s name comes up, particularly from a magazine that’s been a nuisance lately, we notice everything.” Jagger moved behind his desk and produced a folder.
“I’m not following,” he said, confused.
Jagger pushed the file across the desk. “The real Cassidy’s married name is Kellogg and she owns an accounting firm. Her sister, whose credit card paid for the trip, is a columnist for Chit-Chat magazine. Both graduated from Las Vegas University the same year you did.”
Quinn shot up in his chair as it all came together. “What’s the columnist’s name?” Memories of his senior year came crashing over him as thoughts of her, the one woman he’d tried his best to forget, bombarded his mind.
“Carly Kimball,” Jagger said. “She’s pretending to be her sister, to hide where she works. I want you to tail her and go so far as to be her companion for the weekend.”
He clenched his fist to stop it from shaking. Jagger couldn’t know how close he and Carly once were. She was the one who got away, or rather hightailed it out of his room the morning after he lost his virginity to her. He had never heard from her again. Now his past was returning to haunt him big time.
“You’ve grown pale. Are you okay?” Jagger asked.
Quinn wiped a palm over his face. “Must be the cloak and dagger spy work you want me to do. I’m not the best one for this. Why not someone else like….” He snapped his fingers. “Woody! He’ll be more than happy to act as a Jason Bourne or a James Bond.”
Jagger groaned. “I’d find your comment funny if I was in a better mood.”
Quinn fiddled with his tie, trying to ignore the heat spreading over his face.
“All I’m asking you to do is to keep an eye on the woman while I’m away. She’s here until Monday morning. Keep her out of trouble and try and stop her from asking too many questions or bothering the staff.” The corner of Jagger’s mouth lifted and his eyes flicked with amusement. “You can talk about old times and reminisce.”
“Why can’t we just ask her to leave?”
“If only it were that easy. But, I’m afraid if we throw her off the resort grounds, she’ll write an article full of lies, implying we have something to hide. I don’t want the bad press. If she meets someone from her past, meaning you, she’ll be off her game, especially if you stick to her like glue.” Jagger cracked his knuckles and grinned. “She’s quite the attractive lady, so this shouldn’t be too much of a hardship for you.”
He grimaced. The Carly he once knew was one curvy, sexy package full of bubbly energy who’d done a number on his young libido. He fell for her hard during the months leading up to graduation. He’d been so naïve. She had left his heart broken after she used him for her own selfishness.
“This would mean a great deal to me,” Jagger f
olded his hands on his desk. “I’ll make it worth your while.”
He finally grabbed the folder but didn’t open it. He would reserve the pleasure for when he was alone, where no one could witness his reaction to the picture most assuredly inside.
“She’s going to find it odd I’m her new best friend and won’t let her out of my sight.”
“This is the perfect opportunity to work on your romancing skills. Teach her to snorkel or give her a guided tour of the island. Hell, seduce her if you have to.”
Quinn swallowed uncomfortably. He already failed in the romance department with Carly. Most likely she’d run in the opposite direction when she saw him coming.
“I don’t have a choice, do I?” he asked, slumping in his seat.
“No.”
He stood, clutching the file. “You own me big time.”
“I imagine I will,” Jagger muttered, reaching into his desk drawer to pull out a bottle of aspirin.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll research my mark.” With a cocky salute, Quinn stomped out of the room.
Chapter Three
Her picture didn’t disturb him as he’d expected. Even though her hair was a lighter shade and tied in a braid, and thick-framed glasses hid her large, beautiful brown eyes, he’d recognize the face anywhere. Quinn traced a nail over the spotting of freckles on Carly’s nose. He had touched and kissed them in his dorm room, which led to one of the most memorable nights of his life. He had also kissed the other freckles on her body. He especially liked the grouping near her navel….
A screech from the pool area jerked him out of his musings. He took out his handkerchief and patted his forehead, glad he’d left his jacket and tie in his office. He wanted Carly to believe he took life easy, like Woody who sat at the bar talking to a woman wearing an understated sundress. Laughing, she tilted her head back, allowing a few of her tresses to escape from her clip and land on her shoulders.