The Matchup

by Alice Ward

  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 weak 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 wore 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.

  She had me flustered, that was for sure. I’d never met a woman who could do that to me. I was a smooth dude with all the right moves. But with her, I was a dolt who blurted out inappropriate things.

  I had to get myself under control.

  After she tucked away her key, I placed a hand at the small of her back, careful not to be inappropriate. “The island has about anything you could want,” I offered, pointing toward the main building. “Their workout facilities are impressive. I workout every morning if you’d like to join me.”

  She slid a look my way. “I normally workout in the evenings, but mornings might not be bad, if it isn’t too early. I don’t plan on setting an alarm while on vacation.”

  I could be her alarm. I’d wake her up with my tongue on her clit, my fingers working deep inside her.

  My cock twitched, and I forced my mind back to neutral territory. “I don’t have a set time either. We can play it by ear.”

  She shot me a genuine-looking smile. “Sounds fun. You and I might end up being friends after all.”

  I wanted to be more than just her friend, but I’d take what I could get for the time being.

  After all, fishing took patience, and so far, I’d managed to get the bait into the water. Now, all I had to do was wait for her to bite.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Sloane

  Fresh ocean air moved in lazy breezes all around us as we walked on the sandy beach. Calm vibes made it hard not to fall into vacation mode. The sexy man who had his hand at my back made it even harder to focus on what I was here to do.

  Zane led me to the nearest bar on the island, pulling out a chair for me at a small table. “Thank you.” The structure was a grass hut featuring typical island motif. The bar was covered in freshly cut, vibrantly colored flowers, small tabl
es for two haphazardly placed around the oasis. I took a deep breath, taking in the fresh aromas that were so prevalent. “This is nice.”

  He took the seat across from me and pulled his dark shades up, leaving them on top of his head. It was hard not to appreciate the hotness that was Zane Boyd. A dreamy expression made him appear almost like a movie star. “It is nice here. And now that you’ve arrived, it’s even nicer.” He leaned forward, moving one hand across the bamboo surface. His fingertips just touched mine as he smiled. “You already look more relaxed.”

  I was glad that I appeared that way, but in truth, I was on edge. But not for the right reasons. I was attempting to appear nonchalant while scanning the crowd around me, searching for my target. At the same time, I was becoming aroused by the way Zane’s fingers barely touched mine. I’d heard of electrical zings between two people but had never experienced it myself. I was experiencing it now, and it was distracting. As was the gentle breeze stirring a few strands of his dark hair, sending the scent my way. Citrus, sunshine, ocean water, and something that was distinctly just him wafted past my nose. Maybe he was wearing some kind of cologne with pheromones in it. Whatever it was, it was powerful stuff.

  I smiled at Zane and was secretly pleased at how his pupils flared at the gesture. He was into me, that much was certain, but what I hadn’t considered was how his desire could benefit me too.

  If I were alone, I’d stick out like a sore thumb, and the rabbit would get wise to me quickly. Charles Smith was no fool. At least from what the report on him said. He was fifty-two and topped out at a below average five-five. Longish white hair was one of his most prominent features, and he wore glasses more often than not over pale blue eyes. His most distinct feature was a tattoo on his right forearm. Four dogs playing poker would be my sign that I’d found the correct man.

  The waiter came to us with a huge smile on his face and made a little bow. “Mr. Zane, you’re back.” Then his eyes fell on me. “And you are new to our beautiful island. I am Mushan.”

  “Hello, Mushan. I’m Sloane. It’s nice to meet you.” I extended my hand to shake his. He took it and placed a kiss on top of it instead.