He brushed his thumb across the exposed skin of her breast, and she sighed. It’d been a while, but she was primed and ready. She felt herself go moist.
He ran his hands down her arms and then gripped them gently and pushed her away, breaking off the kiss. Brianna raised startled eyes to his and made a noise in protest.
“I’m sorry.” He stepped back, putting more distance between them, and cleared his throat. “I think you have the wrong idea. I’m Matt Gaelen. Dr. Matt Gaelen.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Jerome and Maria were worried because you hadn’t shown up at the restaurant, so they asked me to come and check on you.”
“Jerome and Maria. Owners of the villas?”
“Yes.”
Uh-oh. “You weren’t sent by Maisy?”
“No, I don’t know a Maisy.” He grinned. “Though I wish I did.”
She felt a flush rise on her cheeks. So much for living it up. “I’m very sorry,” she said stiffly. “That was a misunderstanding.” She grimaced. “It won’t happen again.” She’d stay well and truly hidden under a rock of mortification.
He raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’m happy to see you’re fine. Better than fine.” He smiled. “I’ll let them know.” He turned and jogged down the steps. And then he stopped and looked back. “But it does seem a shame that it won’t happen again.”
Brianna blew out a breath and watched him go. He had a very fine ass. And she felt like a very fine ass. What had she done? That wasn’t embarrassing. She cringed. This was precisely why she wanted solitude and privacy. Luckily, there hadn’t been anyone around to witness her making a fool of herself. That was one for the vault. She shook her head at herself and picked up her towel. The light was fading, but she still had time for a quick dip to cool off.
Let that be a lesson learned – well two, really: don’t jump to conclusions, and Dr. Matt Gaelen is an excellent kisser.
CHAPTER 3
Brianna waded out through the surf to her waist and then dove into a wave, loving the feel of the warm water against her skin. She swam out until her arms complained and then stopped and treaded water. Floating in the rise and fall of the waves, she watched as lights came on in the other villas along the shore. The light was fading and she knew she shouldn’t dawdle, but the view was breathtaking.
She swam back and stopped on the beach to pick up a shell. Pink and delicate, it would remind her of how lucky she was to be there. She wrapped herself in the towel and carried her sandals in her hand. Back at her villa, she brushed the sand off her feet as best she could, but the combination of sticky sand and damp skin made it hard.
She wasn’t a neat freak, exactly, but from the teasing she’d endured in the emergency department, apparently she was a little more particular than most. She winced. Maisy might’ve been kidding about her aversion to sand on the floor, but it was not unreasonable. Really, who wanted little bits of rock ground into the carpets, harboring who knew what? Sand was, in fact, crushed shells of living animals. Hardly sanitary. She contemplated walking into the villa with sand on her feet … for about three seconds. Couldn’t do it.
She shook out the towel, laid it on the floor, and shimmied to a storage closet beside the kitchen just inside the front door. A shallow plastic pail would work. She filled it at the sink and took it back outside to scrub the sand off her feet. How easy was that? Maria and Jerome would appreciate her thoughtfulness. She’d leave the pail on her porch for next time.
She showered, changed into a sundress, and brushed her hair outside, letting it dry in the warm breeze. Now she was famished and ready to eat.
The walkway in front of her villa wound around the back, through a well-manicured garden with low shrubs and brilliant pink bougainvillea. The path meandered past mature coconut trees and forked at a thatch palm tree, its huge leaves spread out in a fan. She followed her nose to the right, a spicy aroma leading her to an open-air restaurant.
Jerome and Maria stood at the entrance, and they beamed welcoming smiles as she walked closer.
“Miss Scott, we’re so happy to see you,” Jerome said as he reached for her hand and pumped it.
“Please call me Brianna.” The husband and wife could be twins. With round faces, sun-kissed skin, and lines of laughter around their eyes, they were short and sweet.
“We were so worried about you,” Maria said, walking around the counter and wrapping Brianna in a hug. She stepped back and eyed Brianna with a tilt to her head. “But I hear we didn’t need to be concerned.” She sang the last few words.
Brianna shook her head and gave an embarrassed laugh. “No, I’m fine. I was sleeping off a few weeks’ worth of fatigue.”
“So much time in bed. Guess you get tired of being there alone,” Jerome said with a chuckle.
Maria poked him in the ribs. “Never you mind,” she said to Brianna. “You’re here to relax.” She leaned closer. “Though I will say, Dr. Matt’s a cagey one. Fine dining if you can get it, though. If I were twenty years younger …”
“Hey, I heard that,” Jerome said, putting his hands on his hips.
Maria laughed. “Ah, I’m just kidding.” She turned her back on Jerome and mouthed, “Not really.”
Brianna laughed, and Maria linked their arms. “I like you. Come on, you must be hungry. Let me show you to a table.”
Maria led her through the packed restaurant. A big ceiling fan overhead stirred the air. Low candles in glass jars flickered on the light wooden tables. The chairs were a mismatch of bright orange, green, and yellow, making the atmosphere festive and casual. Glasses clinked above the din of conversation that was punctuated with bursts of laughter. Maria stopped in front of a table with five young people enjoying drinks, and Brianna tugged her arm. “Maria, I can’t just join another table,” she whispered frantically.
“Sure you can. You don’t want to eat alone, do you?” She turned to the table. “Hey everyone, meet Brianna.” As the group chorused hello, Maria reached for a nearby chair and dragged it over. The men at the head of the table stood up and shifted their chairs to make space.
Brianna’s heart sank when she recognized Matt. “Hi,” she said weakly.
Maria gave her a big smile. “Your server will be over shortly. Bon appetit.”
“Sorry to crash your party,” Brianna said as she slowly took her seat.
“Not at all,” said the man to her right. “Welcome. We haven’t ordered yet, so it’s perfect timing.” He held out his hand. “I’m Jim, by the way.” He sat down and put his arm around the woman beside him. “This is Emma, my wife.” He kissed her quickly on the lips. “I love saying that. It’s still new.” He pointed to the others in turn. “Ava, Kirk, and Matt.”
Brianna murmured hello to each person as she was introduced and then reluctantly looked at Matt. “Hi, again.”
Matt smiled. “Good to see you up and about. You look rested.”
“Yeah. Even managed to go for a dip in the ocean. It was wonderful.”
“Just watch the undertow. It got me once or twice,” Emma added.
They had a lively discussion, and Brianna’s embarrassment with Matt subsided as the topic focused on where to go for the best swimming, hiking, and snorkeling. Jim and Emma had just spent a week on their honeymoon and were heading home the following day. Ava and Kirk were siblings. Kirk managed the grocery/pharmacy/hardware store, and Ava taught at the only elementary school on the island. She had eighteen students ranging from grades one to eight. “And half of them were delivered by Matt’s uncle,” Ava said with a laugh.
“We do what we can to keep the population growing,” Matt said.
“Me too,” added Kirk with a wink.
Ava shook her head at him. “With your track record with women, I think you mean you do what you can to keep the population from growing.”
They shared a laugh, and over fish tacos Brianna learned that two years ago Matt had taken over the medical practice when his uncle retired and that he was the only doctor on Little Cayman. Between the l
ocals and the tourists, he was kept busy enough. When the others raved about the state-of-the-art facility, she almost asked to have a tour, but in the end she kept quiet. Her job hadn’t come up yet, and the idea was to take a break from medicine.
They finished their meal with coffee and liqueurs. A band set up, and when the music became lively, the women headed to the small makeshift dance floor in the center of the restaurant.
JIM EXCUSED himself to go to the men’s room, and Kirk turned to Matt. “So, mystery solved.”
Matt glanced at him. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve only been here a handful of times in the last year. I was a bit surprised when you showed up tonight.” He nodded toward Brianna. “Now I see why.”
Matt watched Brianna move to the music, her hair flying, her face flushed. “I met her earlier today. Jerome and Maria mentioned that they hadn’t seen her for a couple of days and asked me to check on her.”
Kirk rocked back in his chair. “Oh, this is going to be good.” He rubbed his hands together. “So you showed up tonight on the off chance she’d be here. You’ve got it bad.”
“I just met her.”
“Even worse.” Kirk hooted. “Matt Gaelen has met his match.”
Matt shook his head at him and smiled. “Maybe I was worried about her.”
“Huh. Right. The caveman is out of his cave. There’s got to be a damn good reason for it.” He dropped down on his chair and leaned forward. “So what’s your plan? You just going to drop that you’re worth millions and reel her in?”
The smile disappeared from Matt’s face.
“Sorry, man. That was out of line.”
He wasn’t usually so transparent. “No, no. I get it. It’s a big draw.”
“Hey, I was kidding. You’ve got a lot more going for you than your money. You know that, right?”
“Yeah, I guess.” Matt downed the last of his liqueur. No, he didn’t know. What was he doing? His wealth would always overshadow everything else. It had in the past, it would in the future. And he was tired of getting burned.
“Not everyone is like Hannah.” Kirk gave him a sidelong glance.
“Really? Because it seems like I attract the Hannah’s of this world.” Not that he’d many relationships, but Hannah’s stung. He hadn’t seen it coming. He’d trusted her.
“It’s been close to two years. Time to move on,” Kirk said quietly. “They’re not all gold diggers.” He nodded toward the dance floor. Brianna and Ava laughed their way through a choreographed dance move. “Some of them have a heart of gold.”
“The question is how can you tell which is which?” He asked it lightly, trying to mask the hurt. So far his track record of sorting out the two had been dismal.
“You should do an experiment,” Kirk said. “Hide it from her. Sidestep any conversations about money and downplay your role in the company. Better yet, tell her you’re not that Matt Gaelen.”
Matt snorted. “Great plan. Lying is a great way to get a relationship off the ground. And since my picture and net worth are plastered all over the latest Forbes magazine, I don’t think that’d work.”
Kirk nodded reluctantly. “Okay, okay.” He snapped his fingers. “I’ve got it. Come up with three questions that would sort out whether she’s after your money. Like an interview, but more subtle. Ask the questions. If she gets them right, you’ll know she sees the real you. She gets them wrong, you dump her.”
Matt rolled his eyes. “Now I know why you’re still single.”
“No really, it’s a great plan. You’re reading people all the time, and I’ve seen you tear someone to shreds at a business meeting. You, of all people, could do this. Do some research. Could be the questions are already out there, with evidence-based science behind it. Your forté” he said, raising his hand for emphasis.
“Sounds crazy.”
Kirk shrugged. “It’s simple – separate the wheat from the chaff. It’s worth a try, unless you have a better idea, hot shot.” He sipped his drink. “Of course, if you’re not interested, I’d be happy to keep her entertained.”
Matt growled.
Kirk raised his glass. “Three questions.”
CHAPTER 4
The music slowed and couples filled the dance floor. A guy Matt didn’t recognize asked Brianna to dance. Matt tolerated it for about forty seconds and then walked over and cut in. Brianna looked at him in surprise. Matt ignored it. It was bad enough that Kirk saw through him, and this raw attraction, this pull he found hard to resist, wasn’t something he could explain. He had a red light blinking danger in his head, but he couldn’t heed the warning. There was something about her – stunning good looks and a mixture of intelligence and laughter in those green eyes. He couldn’t walk away if he tried.
“Great band,” Matt said as he held her. Her hair, a sun-kissed blonde, smelled like sweet raspberries. “They’ve played a lot on Grand Cayman, but this is their first gig here.” Her hand in his was small and soft.
“I love their music. They play the perfect mix of covers and original songs. And they look like they’re having so much fun up there.”
He’d been watching her for the last hour and already knew she had a great sense of rhythm. But holding her close, her hips swaying to the beat, took sexy to the next level. She fit against him, almost at eye level.
The song ended and they drew apart. The band took a bow, and the restaurant started closing for the night.
“I can walk you back to your villa if you like,” Matt offered.
Brianna hesitated. She scanned his face, and then her shoulders relaxed. “Thanks. That’d be nice.”
They said their good-byes to Jim and Emma and wished them a safe journey home. Outside, Ava and Kirk peeled off in the opposite direction with a wave.
“Do you have any plans for tomorrow?” Matt asked as they strolled along the pathway.
“Not at all. Sleep in, maybe read a book in the hammock. And swim in the ocean.” She smiled. “Pretty mundane.”
“Exactly what a holiday is all about. You should definitely fit in some snorkeling or diving while you’re here. It’s the best in the world.”
“Maybe. Isn’t scuba diving pretty risky?”
“It can be. If you’ve never done it, you’d have to take a lesson or two and go with an experienced crew.”
“Do you dive?”
“I do, but when I’m working there’s always the odd chance I might have to air-lift a patient to the mainland. Generally the helicopters stay fairly low, but it’s always a risk to fly after a dive. So unless I’m off for a couple of days, I stick to snorkeling. Floating on the surface is a lot safer,” he said with a smile.
“Sounds more like my speed.”
They rounded the corner to Brianna’s villa. Matt debated his next move. The warning bell in his head cautioned him to slow down, walk away. It was too quick. He didn’t really know who she was. She didn’t seem to recognize him, and he was headed for the inevitable heartache when she did.
But he couldn’t leave it. How would he ever find out? He had to – wanted to – spend more time with her. “Would you like to try it tomorrow afternoon? There’s a spot off a pier not too far from here with excellent snorkeling. I could take you.”
She grinned and nodded. “I’d like that.” They stopped in front of her villa. “Would I be able to rent equipment?”
“Yes, easily. You don’t need much. Talk to Jerome and Maria. They might even have some they could lend you.”
“Okay, great.” She hesitated and then turned to face him. “Look, I just want to make sure you don’t have the wrong idea about me. I know I came on a little strong earlier.” She grimaced. “That’s not really who I am. So if you’re expecting more of that, we should say good-bye now.”
“That wasn’t you I kissed?”
She grinned wryly. “It was me,” she said with a sigh. “Can’t say I’m proud of it, though.”
He tried not to laugh at her embarrassment. “You should be.
You definitely should be.”
She shook her head and chuckled. “Thank you. Right back at you.” She cleared her throat. “But kissing and,” – she waved her hand – “shenanigans are not part of the deal. Just to be clear.”
“Got it. No shenanigans.”
“You’re laughing at me.”
“No. Well, maybe a little.” He laughed out loud. “But I promise I hear you. I can come by tomorrow at three, if that works.”
“Sounds per–” Brianna glanced behind him at her porch and jumped back with a scream. “What is that?”
Matt turned quickly and moved his body to screen her. He relaxed when he saw what she pointed at. “That would be an iguana, a Lesser Caymans iguana, to be exact.” He glanced over his shoulder at her. “He’s harmless.”
“It’s enormous.” She shuddered. “How do I get rid of it?”
“You just have to shoo it away.” He climbed up the steps, and at a sweep of his hand, the iguana darted away.
Brianna gave a strangled sound and scooted closer to Matt. “Oh my god.” She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Do they always come so close?”
Matt pointed to the pail on the porch. “If you leave a water bowl out, it will.”
Brianna huffed out a breath. “It’s a foot bath to wash the sand off my feet.”
Matt tilted his head. “And an open invitation for iguanas. You might want to rethink that.” He picked up the container and dumped the contents in the sand. “If it’s any consolation, it’s probably more afraid of you than you are of it.”
“I doubt it.”
Matt chuckled. “I don’t think it’ll be back. They like to be left alone.”
“Okay, good. We have that in common.” She turned to him. “Thank you. You don’t know how happy I am that you were here.”
Yeah, me too. “Anytime.” He handed her the empty pail. “Have a good night. I’ll wait until you’re inside.”
She nodded, took the pail, and kissed him on the cheek. “That’s an exception to our deal.” With a wave, she shut the door.
Tropical Tryst: 25 All New and Exclusive Sexy Reads Page 40