She pulled on her comfortable jeans and a white tank with a sheer blouse, then slid her feet into her leather sandals and picked up her backpack, closing the enormous sea chest slowly, trying to remember everything.
Isobel climbed above to the deck and squinted in the bright Jamaican sunlight, drawing her sunglasses down over her eyes.
She surveyed the ship, but he was nowhere to be seen, maybe it was just as well.
The gangplank was down, and she made her way to the dock, looking up at the banner fluttering on the kiosk.
BLACK ANGEL—FANTASY CRUISES
She smiled and continued into the building, stopping to adjust her pack and call for a taxi.
Behind her, strong arms curled around her middle, and held her in a crushing embrace.
"Isobel...” She turned and smiled.
Alejandro Garcia Ramirez, owner and president of Black Angel Fantasy Cruises stood before her wearing jeans like hers and a white silk shirt, which emphasized not only his physique, but also his beautiful dark skin.
He bent his head to kiss her deeply. “I must be in New York tomorrow, querida, perhaps we should fly out together?"
"I think that would be a good idea,” she said. Her chartered jet could leave at any time.
"When is your next vacation?"
"Six months,” she said.
He took her hand and they walked to the booking desk. “Perhaps we ought to book it now?"
TREASURE
by
Susan M. Sailors
Jack watched the girl standing in the lobby. She had fiery red hair and a voluptuous figure that would have stood out anywhere, not just in the Bluebird Inn with its typical over-fifty clientele. She turned to face him, though of course she wouldn't be able to see him, and he noticed her sparkling green eyes and full lips. He smiled, wondering how long it would be before dear old Annabel made her way up to his tower room and reminded him that the guests were off limits and that she'd have his head if he tried his romantic swashbuckler routine on this pretty little thing.
He knew it was probably best not to get involved with the guests, especially since he had been dead for over four hundred years, but the inn still belonged to him, truth be told, and he didn't see why he shouldn't at least make sure the beautiful lady went away satisfied. Or didn't go away at all.
He shook his head, telling himself a bit of fun was all that would be possible. He'd given up on breaking his curse over a century before, and he wasn't about to start hoping again now. No matter how much this lovely lass looked like his darling Katie. He sighed. His hope lay buried at the bottom of the sea, along with the gold he'd lost his beloved Katie for.
He watched as Annabel emerged from the office and handed the woman her credit card back and gave her a piece of paper to sign. He ducked back into the hallway, knowing Annabel would sense him watching, even if he made himself invisible, and shoot daggers at him from behind her kind, grandmotherly eyes.
As he made his way back to the pool area, he heard Annabel say, “I hope you enjoy your stay, Miss O'Brien."
"Thank you,” the woman replied in a rich, melodic voice. “But do call me Katie. I'll be here long enough, so we don't need to be formal."
Jack stopped outside the dining hall and raised his eyebrows. Katie? The woman grew more interesting with every passing moment. And she would be here a long time? That definitely presented some interesting possibilities. He listened to Katie O'Brien heading up the stairs and thought about going back to the office to ask about her. But he decided against it. He couldn't allow himself to wish for anything more than a few nights in the arms of a warm, living woman. It was simply too dangerous to his sanity. He pushed his hopeful thoughts aside and headed for the pool, hoping a good lungful of sea air would help clear his head.
* * * *
Katie opened her window and let the ocean breeze drift into her room. She looked around the room, admiring the simple yet comfortable furniture. The walls were a rich cream color, set off by the slightly lighter wicker furniture and light green curtains. The bed looked big enough for three adults to sleep in it. She didn't plan on bringing any “guests” back with her at night, but she was looking forward to sprawling across the soft but firm mattress every evening.
She opened the dresser drawers and started unpacking her socks and underwear. She already felt at home as she listened to the sea and felt a warm breeze blowing through her hair. She set her hairbrush on the dresser and her contacts case on the dainty night table. She traced her fingers over the delicate roses painted on the little table before taking the rest of her toiletries into the bathroom. A claw-foot tub sat by the shuttered window and a freestanding chest with a sink built into the middle rested under a large, ornate silver mirror.
Katie almost laughed, amazed at the luxury that surrounded her. She'd expected to find a small bed and breakfast with tiny rooms and shared bath facilities, not a luxurious island getaway, especially considering the price she'd paid. But she certainly wasn't going to protest.
A getaway was exactly what she'd needed after her parents’ deaths. She'd spent an entire year getting everything settled with her younger siblings and the company, and now was her time to finally have some peace. Her brother had driven her to the airport, and when he'd hugged her, he'd said he hoped she meet just the right man to cheer her up. Kyle's suggestion was typical of him, and Katie certainly wasn't going to turn away any good prospects, but she was here for herself. If that involved a man, fine, but she wasn't going to look for one to warm her sheets just because she and Steven were no longer an item. He'd split as soon as he'd discovered Katie and her siblings weren't going to give him a nice, comfortable job in the consulting firm simply because he and Katie had become engaged. His behavior became intolerable quickly, and he'd been given walking papers by Katie and all three of her brothers.
Katie smiled as she hung up her clothes. Yes, a peaceful island getaway was exactly what she needed and exactly what she was going to get.
* * * *
"So, I suppose you saw her?"
Jack turned and saw Annabel standing beside him. “Yes, I did.” He folded his arms and leaned against a nearby tree. “And I in turn suppose that you are here to tell me to stay away from her."
Annabel smiled, an almost mischievous light coming into her gray eyes. “Actually, I was coming to make sure you'd gotten a good look at her."
"Any man passing within a thousand feet couldn't help getting a good look at her."
"She looks like your Katie."
Jack frowned, unsure what Annabel might be driving at. “I obviously noticed that. I'd think you'd be anxious to keep me away from her."
"Not necessarily. It could be significant."
Jack groaned. “You know, your mother tried this and your grandmother tried this and lots of other women besides them have tried this in one way or another. I might believe in the curse, but I don't believe in the part about it being broken."
She waved her hand at him dismissively. “It never happened before because you had to wait for her to come back."
"What?” Jack had been lost in his own thoughts, trying to convince himself that he didn't believe he could be saved as much as he was trying to convince Annabel. “Come back?"
"Pay attention, you old scoundrel. That woman is your Katie. I'm sure of it."
Jack roared with laughter, not giving a damn if any of the guests heard and wondered why Annabel was talking to a man dressed like a pirate. “So it's okay for me to seduce this one because you think she's been reincarnated or whatever the hell it is? You've got to be putting me on, Annabel."
She shook her head. “I don't understand how you can't see it. Don't you even recognize your own true love? You ought to be ashamed, after what you did to her."
Jack stopped laughing and took a step forward, pointing his finger at Annabel. “Look here now. You can believe in that hooey all you like, but that doesn't give you the right to tell me what to believe, what to do, or what to be as
hamed of.” He turned away and kicked at a patch of weeds in the sand. After a moment, Annabel approached him.
"I'm sorry, Jack, but I really do believe it. And that is what I came to tell you, in a way."
"What?” he asked sullenly, having lost his place in the argument. He didn't mean to be cross with Annabel, but even after four hundred years, he didn't like being reminded of the mistake he'd made.
"I wasn't going to tell you to keep away from her. I want you to be near her, because then at least you'll have a chance."
"I'm almost inclined to ignore her completely now."
This time Annabel let out a roar of laughter. “Even if your Katie had looked nothing like this woman, you couldn't stay away from her if you tried."
"Oh, yes, of course, because I'm just a dirty-minded old scoundrel with no respect for women and a permanent hard-on. All men in the seventeenth century were like that."
"You just hush up. You're angry and sarcastic because I reminded you of how this all started. You're a gentleman, Jack. You can deny it, but you are. You might have been a scoundrel once, but the love of a good woman changed that."
Jack stared out to sea for a long moment before adding, “But not in the end.” He looked back to Annabel. “It didn't change me enough to think of her before my gold."
Annabel nodded. “That was why you were cursed. And that is why she has come back to you. You've learned your lesson and more than paid your debt in guilt and suffering. Now her love can save you again."
Jack smiled slightly. “You sound so sure, I almost believe you."
"Spend a couple of days getting to know your Katie and maybe you will believe."
Jack sighed. He didn't want to become attached to this woman. He didn't want to hope that Annabel's words were true. “You've had your say. Will you trust me enough not to nag me for however long this woman will be here?"
She smiled. “She'll be here two months."
Jack rolled his eyes. “Well, then, if you are right, that's more than enough time for both of us to figure it out for ourselves, wouldn't you say?"
"I'll leave you to it then. Just don't forget what I said. Don't let fear take control of you the way greed did once before."
He groaned. “Yes, Mother, now go back to your guests."
Annabel shook her head and went back inside.
Jack rubbed his hands over his face. Annabel could be so heavy-handed. She was better than her mother had been, he would give her that. Annabel's mother Louise had accomplished her own ends through very silent but very deadly guilt. Annabel, on the other hand, persuaded people to do what she wanted them to do by convincing them it was for their own good.
He knew she had his best interests at heart, but that didn't make him feel better. What he needed was a good drink and a good woman. He looked up at the window of Katie's room. He'd seen her open the window earlier, but he'd done his best to look away, not trusting himself at all. As he watched the curtains fluttering, an idea occurred to him. Maybe this woman was exactly what he needed, though not in the way Annabel thought. Perhaps a good romp with her would quench his lust and put his mind at rest. When nothing happened and he proved Annabel wrong, he could finally put all this curse business to rest. He had built the Bluebird, so he belonged here. He wasn't waiting for redemption or a lost love. He was just taking care of his home.
The sooner he convinced himself of that, the sooner he could move on and give some final ease to the ache deep in his heart.
* * * *
Katie put her book down and turned out the light. She'd spent the afternoon strolling on the beach, and then she'd had a wonderful dinner of scallops and pasta before retreating to her room to read a book that had nothing to do with business. Though her entire body was perfectly relaxed, she didn't feel very tired. She closed her eyes anyway and listened to the sea rolling gently. She'd always loved the sea, even though she'd been very afraid of it when she was a little girl. She'd never understood why she felt that way because she'd never been scared of water. At the age of two, she'd nearly given her poor nanny a heart attack by running full speed out the back door and jumping into the pool. She eventually got over her fear, but she still didn't understand it any better than her parents had. Her little sister Beth said she must have drowned in a past life. Katie giggled at the thought and opened her eyes.
When she saw the man standing at the end of her bed, her first instinct was to scream, but something stopped her. As the man stepped closer, she propped herself up on her elbows and then realized what struck her as odd.
He was dressed like a pirate. The whole nine yards. Tight black breeches that left nothing to the imagination, a white, billowing shirt open to expose a tanned, muscular and hairy chest, a gold sash tied around his waist, and a hoop earring to top it all off. His hair was brown and wavy, reaching past his shoulders. His eyes were blue and he didn't have an eyepatch, but he did have a scar over one eye.
"And what were you laughing about, my lady?” he asked. His voice was smooth and rich, and a little husky and suggestive.
Well, what do you expect when you eye a man up and down in your bedroom? Katie almost laughed again, but instead she said, “I was laughing about something my sister used to say. Some past lives rubbish.” She had no idea why she was so willing to tell this guy what she had been laughing about, but something about the situation seemed completely unreal. She looked at the door and noticed it was still latched. She had to be dreaming. She hadn't been tired at all, but she must have been so relaxed that she had drifted off to sleep without realizing it.
When she looked back at the man, he was staring at her as if she was the one who was out of place. “What's wrong?"
He narrowed his eyes. “What did she say?"
Katie shrugged and finally sat up completely. “She said I was afraid of the ocean because I drowned in a past life."
He considered this for a very long time, and Katie was about to speak when he asked, “Then why come here, if you're afraid of the ocean?"
"I'm not anymore. Just when I was little.” She shook her head. “This doesn't matter. Who are you and why are you here? And what's more, how did you get in?” She pointed to the latch. “That lock looks brand new and I know I set it securely."
He sat on the bed beside her and leaned close to her. She didn't try to pull away because she had to admit, funny costume or not, he was incredibly sexy. He ran his finger down her arm. “I'm here to give you the best night of your life."
"You couldn't buy me a drink first?” she joked.
He didn't miss a beat. “Don't have to. This isn't real."
"What do you mean?” She already suspected as much, but she knew she had to hear this.
"This is a dream, and dreams can be so much better than real life, so much more ... imaginative.” The hand that had been stroking her arm moved down to her bare leg.
A shiver of delight ran through her body. “No way. I don't have dreams like this."
"Too prim and proper? Too lacking in spirit and passion to have such daring fantasies?"
She eyed his clothes again. “Never had a pirate fantasy. Sorry.” But I will from now on. His nearness started to get to her. His own musky scent mixed with a hint of the sea was intoxicating.
"Maybe you will from now on."
Katie stared at the man, who smiled as if he knew he'd just read her mind. Maybe he had because he was a dream. Her dream. Her ... fantasy.
"If this is a dream, then you're sure to know what I like.” She stood up and pulled her t-shirt off, leaving herself in nothing but a tiny pair of white panties.
His eyes roamed over her body slowly, and she felt a pulsing ache begin low in her belly. Her breasts felt heavy, needing him to touch them. He stood up and moved behind her, pushing her red hair aside and pressing his lips against her ear. “It seems you know what I like as well.” He began to lightly kiss her neck, starting at her ear and moving down to her shoulder. His hands cupped her breasts, and his fingers moved across her ni
pples. His hands were rough, but his touch was gentle.
Katie sighed. His hands danced across her skin as if he knew exactly how to touch her, all the right places to caress her. As if they were lovers and had been for years. She pressed her body more firmly against his.
He turned her around to face him, and her nipples hardened as they brushed against his exposed chest. She leaned closer to kiss him, but he didn't make a move to meet her lips. He stared down into her eyes as if he was searching for something.
"What is it?” she asked.
He shook his head and smiled. “I'm entranced by your beauty. Is that so hard to believe?"
To Katie, it was. She'd attracted nothing but fortune hunters for the past three years, but before she could protest she found herself entranced by this man's kiss. He captured her mouth eagerly, thoroughly tasting and exploring. His right hand worked its way into her panties and cupped her ass while his left arm pulled her tight against his body. She could feel his hard cock straining against her leg.
She pulled away to catch her breath, then asked, “What's your name?"
"Why do you want to know?” He ran his fingers along the curve of her ass cheek.
"So I'll know what to scream later on."
He threw his head back and laughed. His hand reached further to caress her pussy lips. He smiled when he discovered she was already wet for him. “Jack."
"Jack,” she repeated. His fingers worked magic on her as they delved inside her wet pussy.
"Sounds much better on your sweet lips.” He kissed her slowly as his fingers moved to her clit. “Are you as sweet everywhere, Katie?"
It was hard to think as he worked her into a state of arousal, but she knew she hadn't told him her name. “How did you know my name?” she asked.
He knelt in front of her and pulled her panties to the ground. He moved his thumb over her curls and found her clit again, giving it a single stroke. “This is a dream, remember?” Before she could answer, he swept her off her feet and put her in the middle of the bed. He made quick work of taking his own clothes off. In fact, she didn't even see him take his pants off. They simply disappeared, leaving Katie with a very nice moonlit view of his huge cock.
Torrid Teasers Volume 35 Page 3