by Demi Alex
Table of Contents
Montego Bay
Montego Bay Copyright © 2015, Demi Alex
Book Description
Disclaimer:
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
About the Author
Dear Readers,
The Moresome Series, by Demi Alex
Also Available from Resplendence Publishing
ResplendencePublishing.com ~Gems of Romantic Fiction~
Montego Bay
A Moresome International Story
By Demi Alex
Resplendence Publishing
R·>♦<·P
www.resplendencepublishing.com
Gems of Romantic Fiction
Montego Bay
Copyright © 2015, Demi Alex
Edited by Tiffany Mason and Jaclyn Thomas
Cover Art by Les Byerley
Published by Resplendence Publishing, LLC
1093 A1A Beach Blvd, #146
St. Augustine, FL 32080
Electronic format ISBN: 978-1-60735-872-5
Warning: All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
Electronic Release: May 2015
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and occurrences are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places or occurrences, is purely coincidental.
Lorabella Simmons has been in love with her boss Mark, her boss Jake, and her boss Luca for years. She can’t stand the idea of losing any one of them, so she doesn’t tell them how she feels. Rather, she takes off to a hedonistic vacation destination in Montego Bay to let loose and gain the experience to satisfy a man. Mark, Jake, and Luca don’t need exclusive invitations to claim her as their own once she’s at the resort and away from the office. Finding Prince Charming is every woman’s fantasy, but having to choose between three perfect men is Lora’s greatest challenge and biggest fear.
Disclaimer:
I decided to break a few rules and start at the end. In spite of making impulsive and, honestly, insane choices, things worked out for me. I’m amazingly happy, more than satisfied, and utterly safe in the arms of my overprotective and adoring family. I do not encourage other women to embark down the exact path I chose in order to reach my goal, but I do encourage them to follow their hearts with the utmost honesty.
To my Resplendence family, with love and appreciation.
Chapter One
“Hey, sweetie. How is work going?” So began the weekly phone call with my mom. I checked my watch, noting that I had two minutes before she started reminding me that my biological clock was ticking like a time bomb.
“Not bad. Busy as usual,” I replied, flipping up the computer screen on my laptop. “Trying to get ahead of the game before the guys head out on vacation.” Right. That wasn’t true. I was searching for something to occupy my time so I didn’t think about my bosses leaving for their weeklong annual retreat. Damn. I was going to miss them. Supposed work was a way to stay sane. Truth was, I was beyond caught up. “They’re flying out early next week.”
“Where are they going?”
“Mom,” I breathed through gritted teeth and fisted my hand on the table. “They didn’t request my approval on their itinerary, and I didn’t ask. It’s not my place.”
“They didn’t offer the information?”
“No,” I said, giving up and slumping back in my chair. It was barely over a minute, but I had to listen to the rest of her need-a-man-to-survive ramblings before we could move on to other subjects. “Fine. They keep talking about Mt McKinley, and a bunch of mountain climbing things have been delivered. I'd say they're going climbing.”
“Don’t they usually go somewhere tropical?”
Damn. My mom had the memory of an elephant. She never forgot a single thing. That’s why I could never get out of the simplest situation while I was a kid. She was a walking calendar and archive application.
“Can’t remember,” I lied. “It’s none of my business.”
“You know, it wouldn’t kill you to wear a push-up bra and a low-cut dress to the office once in a while. Then maybe one of them would ask you to accompany him on vacation…or a date…maybe even more. It wouldn’t hurt to try.”
“Sure, mommy dearest. Who would you like me to pick for my man of the week?”
“Any one of them will do. They’re smart, cordial, and they all have real jobs. Not to mention that they appear to be strappingly…uhm…manly.”
“Mom! They’re my bosses. Not stud horses to make you a grandbaby.”
“I didn’t say anything of the sort. But it wouldn’t hurt.”
“Stop it.” I may have been asking her to stop it, but I was fighting not to laugh. My fifty-four year old mom was nothing short of adorable and amazingly sexy.
Voicing an objection also didn’t mean I didn’t think of them—the guys—in a sexual way. How could I not think of them in a sexual manner? They were front and center in my life on a daily basis. And they were very, very tempting to look at.
“Mark is handsome,” Mom continued. “Tall, dark, broad shouldered, brooding, yet always well-mannered. He’s the oldest, so he’s probably the most mature and ready for a serious relationship.”
“Mommmmmm.” I hit the speaker button, placed the receiver on the table, and dropped my head into my palms. There was only so much adorable persuasion I could listen to. “Mark is ten years older than I am.” He was also the one who hired me and set my heart racing during our very first interview.
“I know. Perfect spread for a successful coupling.” She took a deep breath. So deep, that I heard it on the phone and envisioned the oxygen squeezing through those tiny holes on the microphone. So I braced myself for a long-ass speech. “When I say brooding, I don’t mean it in a negative way. I know it can be taken like that, but I mean he is responsible and thinks a lot—”
“Too responsible,” I interrupted. “He makes my head spin with his control freak tendencies. The man is barely tolerable.” Fine, that was stretching it. Even if Mark was demanding, he was definitely tolerable. I just had to find a way to stop my mother’s thoughts from gaining more momentum and exploding with the power.
“He takes care of things. That’s a good quality in a man. He’d know how to make a woman happy…in every way.”
There was silence for a brief moment. But her low chuckle indicated that her mind was still spinning tall tales of domestic bliss. I worried my lower lip and squeezed my thighs tight. Mom wasn’t saying anything I hadn’t thought before, and in reality, I knew she had a point in her twisted way.
“But maybe you still need to have some fun—a little more adventure required. You know, sow your wild oats before you settle down.” She actually giggled. My mom was no pr
ude when it came to sex, but I wasn’t about to discuss my exploits, or fantasies, with the woman who had served me homemade chocolate chip cookies every other afternoon. Honestly, she’d probably be real sad about the state of my non-existent sex life. No sex life equaled no marriage, which equaled no grandbabies.
“Yeah, mom. I need to get some use out of those leather whips hanging in the foyer.”
“Don’t be crude, Lorabella,” she snipped. “I’m not talking about all that kinky stuff. You can, however, be sexy and romantic. Some shorter skirts. A bit of pretty lace. A thong or two, with an inviting strap casually peeking over your waistline.”
How did she know about thongs? Peeking thongs? “Yup. I’m flipping through the summer lingerie catalogue and marking my selections as you speak.” I shook my head, embarrassed because I’d done just that earlier. Again, I wasn’t discussing it with my mother.
“How about Luca? He’s gorgeous, fun, smart, and younger. Isn’t he the youngest of your bosses?”
“Yes, mom. Luca passed the Bar last year and became an instant partner because of his devilish good looks.” I huffed a bit for emphasis. “You know the history. Mark and Jake established the firm with experience and clients from top law firms. Luca interned with them while he was in school in order to establish and solidify a good reputation. That is how they were able to make a name for themselves so fast. They had the structure of the firm planned out since they first met years ago. New York is very cut—”
“Stop,” she interrupted. “Don’t go speaking all business. We’re doing girl talk right now. We’re chatting about the men. Not the lawyers.”
“But they are lawyers. I’m their legal secretary. They sign my paycheck. How would it look if I tried to seduce them?” Probably like sexual harassment.
“I’m not telling you to seduce them.” Aggravation laced her words. She spoke slower, enunciated every letter, and lowered her voice. “You simply need to suggest that they seduce you. Leave yourself open to it. Throw them a few crumbs as hints.”
So not only was I to be professional and take care of the office, but I was supposed to do it while letting them know I was available.
“I get it.” I really did. “And, I appreciate your concern.” More than she knew. “But I can’t do eeeny, meeney, miney, moe and pick a boss to have a relationship with.” Actually, I could never choose between them. And in a nutshell, that was my real problem.
“Okay. Change of subject,” she said. “Are you coming to your niece’s birthday party next weekend?”
What was it with her? Did she wake up with the intention of torturing me? What my mother seemed to forget was that my sister’s baby-daddy was my ex-fiancé.
“I’ll try,” I replied reluctantly.
“What do you mean you’ll try? It's her first birthday.”
“I might have to work.”
“On a weekend when your bosses are out of town?” She shrilled her objection in clear disbelief. Mom’s moods and reactions were very predictable. I knew she had to be searching in the pantry for the coffee so she could make a fresh pot and top it off with some Irish cream to deal with our man-dispute.
“Jake said that I might need to go along,” I offered, attempting to diffuse her disappointment. “They need files ready for when they return, and he wanted to make sure I had full access to him in case I had any problems.”
It wasn’t a complete lie. Jake had offered to buy me a ticket and book me a suite so that I could enjoy a week of fun in the sun while they were away.
“He wants you to work during your vacation?” She’d turned on the water and was making more noise than needed. She was just a little irritated.
“Times are rough. Like I said, New York is very cutthroat.” He’d never actually mentioned work, but there were some files that needed to be finalized.
“In that case, you can scratch Bachelor Number Two off the list.” Mom was pissed. I could picture her waving her hand in front of her face and wiping his name off her imaginary slate. “That door just slammed shut. He shouldn’t be putting those kinds of demands on you. You need a break, too.” Then a moment of silence. “Actually, I take that back. You think he has a different agenda for asking you along?”
“Mom!”
“Seriously, dear. Think about it.”
Thankfully, my cellular sang Every Time We Touch and I had to go.
“That’s work. Got to get it.” Good thing she had no clue on the lyrics. “Mom, enjoy your coffee. I’ll get back to you later. Love you.”
“Love you more.”
And at last, I was free from the Mom Inquisition.
I reached for the cell, anxious to hear his voice. No need for caller id. He had his personal ringtone. “Hey, Jake. Did I forget something?” It was Saturday afternoon, so unless it was important, I couldn’t imagine Jake calling me on the weekend about work.
“Yes.” He must have covered the mouthpiece, because I heard his muffled voice telling someone he had it. “We just logged on to check your corporate credit card account and I don’t see your vacation expenses.”
“Oh, let me ex—”
“Can I just finish?” He cut in, sounding very annoyed. “Not you, Bella. I’m speaking to my intrusive partners, who have been on my case for the past hour, and are driving me nuts. They’re annoyed that you haven’t accepted our offer and agreed to a vacation of your own. You need to recharge and take a break from this place. We all do. We need to get away once in a while. See the big picture, not just the office.”
I smiled at the lecture. Warmth and joy tangoed in my chest, tickling my ribs with flirty kicks.
Jake was sensible, caring, and sweet. He always made sure I had my vanilla coffee creamer in the office, and he always made sure the women’s restroom was stocked with my favorite lavender-vanilla hand soap. Whenever I mentioned that I liked something, that something became a permanent fixture.
I couldn’t stop smiling.
“I’m fine in the city. I’m going to rent some movies and invest in some pints of ice cream. I don’t need to get away to relax.” But after that conversation with my mom, being out of town next weekend sounded real nice. Don’t get me wrong. I wanted to be with my niece, but my sister and her baby-daddy were a different story. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll hit the Catskills for a few days.
“Screw that,” Lucas replied much to my surprise. Either Jake had handed over the phone or I was now on speaker. “A real vacation is what we’re talking about, sweetheart. One with sultry music, huge over-sized beds, and piña colada massages on the beach.”
“Oh,” I said, giggling at his colorful suggestions. “If you would have put it like that from the start, then I would have agreed immediately. Can’t pass up piña colada massages. Maybe I’ll switch out the Catskills for the Bahamas.”
“Good thinking. Is your passport valid, Lora?” That was Mark.
“You guys have me on speaker?”
“Yes,” Jake hissed. “They insisted.”
I laughed, knowing how overbearing the threesome could be when they wanted a specific outcome. Poor Jake was on the hotplate for not getting me to agree to make my own vacation arrangements when he’d offered.
“Well, Lorabella Simmons?” Mark pressed. That was a tap on the wrist. He rarely used my full name. In fact, he only addressed me as Lorabella Simmons when making introductions to business associates.
“Yes. It’s valid,” I replied. “But last I checked, I don’t need a passport to drive into the Catskills. Seriously, go and have a great time on your top-secret retreat. I’ll hold down the fort and be ready for battle when you return.”
“Bella?” Jake waited for an acknowledging sigh. He got one. “Unless you’re uncomfortable with it, or you have personal reservations to traveling to a beautiful island paradise, we’re booking you at an amazing resort for the week.”
“But I—”
“It doesn’t brook any argument from you unless it’s you telling me that you are uncomfortable go
ing on an erotic—err, exotic getaway.” He must have hit mute, because for five seconds the line seemed to go dead.
“Or you can come with us, sweetheart,” Luca’s voice came through. “I can tie a mean knot and make sure you make it to the top with us. You into ropes and spikes?”
My heart swelled. He—they really wanted me to go on vacation with them. Was this really happening?
“Don’t listen to him,” Mark interjected. “He’s being ridiculous. I’m making your reservation as we speak.”
“You’ll love it. It’s a wonderful, family-oriented, elegant resort,” Jake explained. “We’ve stayed at the sister resort a few times. Many single women go there for some pampering. Your every need met, in the most luxurious manner.”
Damn, the fantasy bubble had burst—big time. They were sending me to the sister resort! How much more platonic could this get?
“You deserve a vacation. Let us pamper you,” Lucas added.
“Lora, you mean so much to us,” Mark said. “We’ve grown real close over the past two and a half years. And, we rely on you completely. You’ll be doing us a favor. We owe you so much. We work well together. Not only do you take care of our office, but you also take the best care of us. We’re family.”
Almost family. We worked, ate, and spent endless hours together. I was their office wife, or better put, the office sister. But I went home alone to Queens. They went home to their two-story apartment on Park Avenue. It just wasn’t enough any longer.
“Any objections, sweetheart?” Luca asked.