by Alice Ward
Coco Bodu Hithi Resort would be the place I could call home for as long as Charles Smith did. The longer the better, in my opinion.
I was happy to stay away from Washington, D.C. for as long as possible. Stay away from the memories of breakups and broken dishes and my douche of an ex. The bastard.
Why was I attracted to muscle? And why did most men who possessed them lack a brain or personality? Paul had the arms of a gorilla. Too bad he had the personality of one too.
Was it really too much to ask for a gorgeous guy to be able to make conversation like a normal human being?
I thought not.
Of course, that attribute was only important for someone I wanted to spend more than a night with. Most men didn’t fit that bill. The playboy next door probably wouldn’t either.
But could one night hurt? Two at the most?
My fingers itched to run over the lean muscles of his back as he pumped in and out of me, his thick cock making me…
Stop it!
Summer in paradise had to be respected, and I couldn’t screw this assignment up by screwing around. Three other women and one overly feminine man had vied for this coveted position. Agent Matthews went to bat for me, and I had to prove that my mentor’s trust in me was well placed. They needed to know I could be counted on. That I wasn’t easily distracted.
I wondered what color Playboy’s eyes were?
Focus!
But it seemed that my mind was currently being ruled by my vagina, because I couldn’t get him out of my head. He was a gorgeous specimen of man, and when that black bikini top flew through the air and hit him in the side of the face it cemented the other type of man I usually fell for — bad boys. Yeah. My neighbor ticked all my carnal boxes.
My cell rang, and I practically leapt at it, ready for anything to keep my mind where it needed to be. “Agent Anderson.”
Matthews’s gruff voice was immediately familiar. “No sight of the rabbit, I see.”
“That’s right. I’m about to change and make my way to the local bars and eateries the island has to offer. Listen in on what people do for entertainment around here. I should find our rabbit in no time. This place is small.” I kicked off my shoes, heading to the bedroom where my bags were taken.
“Listen to me, Anderson. Do not approach the rabbit. Although he is no physical threat to you, he can call others in who are. He can do that without you becoming aware until it’s too late. Got me?”
“Yes, sir.”
Matthews could be overprotective at times. I looked at him as one might look at an older uncle. He let me have my wings but watched over me like a hawk while I flew. I could count on him and respected his advice.
“Good. Keep it above board at all times. No mishaps. When these guys are involved, we can’t have anything go wrong. Over.”
“Over.” I put the cell down on the nightstand.
Opening my bag, I took out a few things to keep handy. My binoculars, notebook, mechanical pencil. Padding over to the living area of the bungalow, I placed them on the table and went back to the bedroom.
As I unbuttoned the top three buttons of my shirt, a knock sounded on my door. I tensed immediately, my radar alert.
Who could be stopping by?
Picking up the gun still packed away from the flight, I held it to my side as I crept to the side of the door, listening for anything out of place. “Yes, may I help you?”
The voice was deep, smooth, yet cheery. “Hi, welcome wagon here.”
The door had no peephole, but a window made it easy to see who had decided to come calling. Dammit.
The wet dream from next door stood on the other side, bottle of bubbly in hand. A strong hand that looked as if he could wrap it around my waist and lift me up while he…
Stop it!
I cleared my throat and my head. “Your name?”
“Zane.”
I tucked the gun in the small of my back, tugging out the shirt to conceal it. “I need a little more than that to open my door.”
“Zane Boyd. I’m in the bungalow next door. I wanted to say hi. You know, welcome you to the island?”
I pressed my forehead to the wall. Seriously? Why couldn’t I have one of those chubby, balding older neighbors who wore speedos to cover their minuscule dick? Instead of broad chest, muscular arms, toned stomach with just enough hair to trail down to…
Damn I was screwed.
You wish.
Mustering my professionalism, I opened the door, and forced a tight smile on my face. “Hello.”
“Hi.” Dear Jesus Lord, even his teeth were perfect. “I brought you a little welcome gift.” He presented the bottle of champagne as if I were royalty.
He’d changed. A pair of sensible khaki shorts, a pale green button-down with the sleeves rolled up a quarter. Biceps suitably hugged, top three buttons undone to allow glimpses of magnificent pecs.
“Thanks, but I have some. I believe it’s complimentary with the room.” My smile didn’t change. It was a practiced fuck off smile, but he didn’t appear to be affected by my chilly reception.
One hand moved up and pulled away the dark glasses, revealing gorgeous sea green eyes. “One can never have too much.”
Those eyes were like beacons that were calling me in. Come to me, Sloane. It’s safe here.
But I wasn’t safe with him, and I had a job to do. The man would be a distraction, but only if I allowed that.
Squaring my shoulders, I remained centered in the door, blocking his passage.
He looked past me. “Can I come in?”
“I don’t know you.”
A brow arched. “Are you alone?
Could he be with the rabbit? Could the muscle-bound man be the rabbits’s bodyguard come to check me out? Charles Smith was a small man in stature. He may have been traveling with a guard. It wasn’t outside the realm of possibilities.
I studied him more closely. “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch your name.”
“Zane Boyd.”
I leaned onto the doorjam. “From?”
“Scranton, Pennsylvania.” He shifted his weight, all two-twenty or so of it. All muscle, no fat that I could see. He was a beast. “And you?”
I ignored his question. “Here on vacation?”
He nodded. It made his hair fall across his left eye and he flipped it back with a gesture that appeared to be a normal as breathing. “And you?” He frowned, the question apparently taking him off guard. Maybe he wasn’t as dumb as I’d hoped he was.
“Of course. Who isn’t here on vacation?” I ran my eyes up and down him, finding no bulges that might hide a concealed weapon, but I’d need to see his back to be sure. I pointedly looked over his shoulder, and hoped he’d turn to see what I was looking at.
In the few seconds I had, I looked for any bulges there too. I relaxed a little, having confirmed that there was no gun in sight. He was probably clean. Most likely a man on the prowl. A man I should stay away from. A man who could handle me like a rag doll, lift me up high. Maybe toss me over his shoulder and do God only knew what to me.
I broke into a sweat and waved a hand in front of my face to give myself a much needed breeze.
“Hot?”
Very.
“I’m not used to such warm temperatures.” I lowered my hand, giving myself a mental shake. I needed to get rid of him and get to work.
I had a job to do. A man to find and keep under my watchful eye. This guy was a dangerous distraction.
The last thing I needed was a man. Especially a tall, tanned, and hot as hell man. I had to remember why I was in Maldives in the first place. Work, not play. I was to pretend to be on vacation, but I was not on vacation.
He put the bottle behind his back, rocking on his bare heels. “Are you married?”
“No. You?”
Shit.
I was talking like we were in some singles bar. I had to turn this around and fast. But how?
“No, I’m not married.” He smiled, and I went wea
k in the knees, holding the doorframe to keep that a secret. “I’m not dating anyone seriously either. Single to the bone. You?”
Me? Well, I was fired if I couldn’t pull myself out from under the spell the sexy son of a bitch was trying to cast on me.
Time to regroup. Time to FBI up.
I kept my gaze steady, not answering his question. “Excuse me for being rude, but I really must—”
“Would you like to join me for a drink?”
Yes, I would.
“No, thank you.” I used my Agent Anderson voice. Stern, hard, no-nonsense.
There, that was dealt with. There would be no fraternizing with the sexy neighbor.
CHAPTER THREE
Zane
“No?”
I couldn’t understand why she was acting so cold. She was clearly attracted to me. She didn’t answer the question about being in a relationship, but why would she be in paradise alone if she was?
“Glad to see that all those giggles from the girls at your place hasn’t affected your hearing.” She put her hand on her hip, and I got it. I understood the animosity. This wasn’t the type of woman who put up with shit like that.
Feeling instantly defeated, I nearly turned to leave, but couldn’t make myself walk away. This woman was the big fish I wanted. Of course, she wouldn’t be easy to reel in. “It’s just a drink. Didn’t you come here to relax?”
She sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I did, and I’ll do so on my own terms. Right now, I have jet lag and I also need to change, unpack, and settle in. I appreciate the invitation though. Have a good day.”
“I can help. Besides, champagne cures all ills and reduces the boredom of unpacking.”
Did a small smile play at her mouth?
I decided to tackle the elephant in the room. “I know you must think I’m a lothario. I know you saw those girls at my place.”
“Yes, I did.” She looked pointedly at the watch on her slim wrist. “Less than a half hour ago, in fact. I’m not judging you for it, but I’m also not interested in joining your harem either.”
“Harem?” She was funny, and every second I spent in her company, I liked her more. “You’re way off. Come on, let’s go have a drink and get to know one another. I’m not the kind of man that little scene made me appear to be. Just like I’m sure you’re not really the woman you appear to be right now.”
She blinked, her lips formed a straight line, and her left brow arched. “And how do I appear, Mr. Boyd?”
“Uptight.”
Her jaw clenched, and she shifted her weight, making the top of her lacy white bra peek out from her shirt.
Poor choice of words, Zane. Way to go.
“Uptight, huh?”
I held up the peace sign. “Okay, let’s start over, shall we? I can see we’ve started out on the wrong foot.” I held out my hand to shake hers. “Hello, I’m Zane Boyd, your next-door neighbor. And you are?”
She exhaled a long breath and shook my hand. “I’m Sloane Anderson. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Boyd.”
“Please call me Zane. Where are you from, Sloane?” I held her hand for a bit, keeping the shake going. Her hand felt good in mine. It felt right. And there was a current that seemed to pass from her to me. I watched her closely, wanting to know if she felt the same.
She licked her lips. “Queens, New York.” The words were like a soft escape of air. She blinked, then looked at our hands before pulling hers away from mine.
Yeah, she felt it too.
I stuffed my hand in my pocket so I wouldn’t reach for her again. “Are you here alone?”
Her eyes narrowed, and I wondered where I was landing on her creep radar. I could feel myself being pushy, but I was fascinated by her and really wanted to know.
“Yes. I prefer to travel alone. That way I can meet new people.” She nearly smiled at me then seemed to catch herself and held her stoic expression.
“So, you’re here to meet new people. I’m a new person who happens to enjoy meeting new people too. Can I be your first new friend in paradise?”
There was a long pause, and I wasn’t sure if I should be hopeful or preparing for rejection. And I wasn’t sure why I cared so damn much. What I did know was that my lungs were starting to burn from holding my breath.
“Sure.”
The air left me in a rush. “Terrific.”
With one step backward, she gestured for me to come inside. “You’ll have to give me a few minutes to change.”
Moving past her, I caught her unique scent and inhaled deeply. “Take your time. Island time moves a lot slower than it does on the mainland, and I know I caught you off guard.”
Her gaze fell to my feet before crawling back up. When our eyes met again, I felt pretty secure about how things would play out. She was as interested in me as I was in her. Maybe she wouldn’t be so hard to catch after all. But then again, I kind of hoped she would be. I was enjoying the challenge.
Releasing a long sigh, she turned to walk into the living area. “I do need to relax, and I apologize for being rude earlier.” The first hint of a real smile appeared, and it was stunning. “Make yourself at home. I’ll just be a minute.”
I was still reeling from the smile and imagining ways to be blessed with more of them when I realized she was looking at me expectedly. “No apologies needed. I’ll be right here whenever you’re ready.”
I watched her walk through the double doors to the bedroom. Without looking at me, she closed them and the blinds that covered them. The bungalows were all set up the same way. The bedroom was just behind the living room, separated by sliding glass doors. That way you could lay in bed and look out at the beautiful Indian Ocean through the expansive glass.
I wondered how long it would take for the two of us to be cuddled up in one of our beds and watching the sun set over the water. I hoped not too long. I couldn’t ignore the strong attraction I had for her. And I had to admit, I found her interesting as well.
Walking to the doors that led out onto the deck, I stopped when I saw something curious on the table. A set of binoculars, a notepad, and pencil.
Very curious indeed. A bird watcher? Why have these unpacked before anything else?
Before I could investigate further, she reappeared. “I forgot that I left my bag out here.” She gave me a puzzled look. “You okay?”
I sat down the bottle of champagne and stuffed my hands in my pockets. Noticing the one piece of luggage, I used that as an excuse. “Absolutely. Just couldn’t help but notice that you only have one bag. Does that mean you won’t be staying long?”
She licked her lips and pushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “Yeah. I travel light.”
“You’re a rare breed of woman, then,” I teased.
A small smile played on one corner of her lovely mouth. “I guess I’m not your typical woman. I’ll be dressed shortly.” She spun on her heel and went back into the room with her one bag in tow.
One bag? What kind of woman is she?
Sloane was becoming more and more intriguing with each passing moment. And I was growing eager to get to know everything about her. Maybe after a few drinks, she’d join me for dinner if I played my cards right.
I wasn’t fool enough to think I’d get a woman like her into bed that very night. It was evident that she wasn’t the type who played life like that. No, I’d have to go slow and easy with Sloane.
Eyeing the binoculars once more, I picked them up and walked onto the deck. Holding them to my eyes, I looked around a bit. Bathing beauties to the right and some guys playing in the water to the left. Maybe the woman was a voyeur.
That would be weird.
“I’m ready.”
I turned around to find her wearing a little white sundress and sandals. While simple in design, it made her look gorgeous. “Wow, you look beautiful.”
I was surprised when the tiniest hint of pink stained her cheeks. “No need to exaggerate.”
The blush she w
ore changed her completely, making her look demure and sweet. The exact opposite of the woman who’d answered the door. There were many layers to her, I wanted to know them all. Beginning with the need for binoculars.
“I’m not exaggerating. You’re stunning in a natural way that’s refreshing. I’ll be the envy of all the men at the bar.” I set the binoculars back down on the table where I found them. “I guess you came prepared to watch the beachgoers. Men use these things to look at unsuspecting women. Are you more into looking at men rather than interacting with them?”
The pink in her cheeks drained away and all amusement left her features. “You couldn’t be more wrong. I’m sure you noticed the pen and paper too?”
“Hard to miss.” I chuckled as I ran my fingers over the paper. “I thought you might be jotting down the nicknames you give the men you spy on.”
“I use the binoculars to spot dolphins, not men. And I try to find out what pod they belong to and jot that down. It’s a little hobby of mine.” Her brow lifted as her hand moved to her hip. “But your immediate assumption that I’m a Peeping Tom is bothersome. Maybe it’s best if I stay here and dolphin watch after all.”
I pissed her off. I was getting good at that, even though it hadn’t been my intention. “Sorry. I joke when I’m nervous.”
She lifted a brow. “Why are you nervous?”
It was a good question. I didn’t have a good answer, so I gave her an honest one. “I don’t know.”
One corner of her mouth lifted into a smirk so sexy I wanted to lick it off her face. She knew what she was doing to me, that much was clear. “It’s nice to get an honest answer from you.”
“What are you? A human lie detector?”
The smirk grew into a smile that sucked all the oxygen from the room. “What? First I’m a nasty little spy then a lie detector? You sure do know how to woo a lady.”
“I never said a nasty little spy, Sloane. I’m sorry. I really am. Let’s put that behind us. Start over again.”
The smile fell away, and the silence stretched between us for so long, I was certain she was about to kick me out. Then she softened. “Just don’t do something stupid like re-introduce yourself all over again. Let’s move forward.” She grabbed her purse and headed out of the door, waiting until I’d joined her on the deck to lock the door.