Tropical Tryst: 25 All New and Exclusive Sexy Reads

by Nicole Morgan

  “You’ve got your own legal counsel. You don’t need me.” Austin’s shoulders stiffened.

  “Dammit, another truck crashed last night, and we’ve got a surprise inspection happening right now.” Teddy flicked an angry glance at Beck, and he snapped his mouth shut into a thin line.

  “Once Mae comes back up, I’ll join you.” Austin barely disguised the weariness in his voice, but Teddy must have been satisfied because he disappeared back into the bridge room.

  Jami and Austin exchanged glances, and Jami shook her head. Beck turned and studied a cluster of boats in the distance. There was no point in making the situation any more awkward, but Jami and Austin had their hands full with Teddy. He kept trying to reel Austin back into his orbit, and there was Jami, yearning for his approval.

  “Can I drive?” Ryan asked. Clearly the kid was oblivious to the tension weighing in the air. Austin leaned against the railing with a determinedly cheerful expression.

  “Of course you can, it’s your turn.” Jami smiled as she stepped onto the yacht to make room for Ryan. “Beck, do you want the middle or the back?”

  Ryan scooched forward across the vinyl seats, and Beck decided on the back seat since his extra weight would slow the craft down and help keep Ryan out of trouble. And, he’d likely be the first one bounced off the water bike.

  Jami positioned herself and looked up expectantly at Beck. He grinned back as he stepped onto the watercraft. He tried to leave as much space as possible between them, but it was snug. “Close quarters, isn’t it?”

  “Hold on tight, or Ryan might bounce you right off.”

  Beck secured his grip on both sides of his seat by his hips. “You’re not going to throw me off, are you, kiddo?”

  “Only if you want me to.” Ryan started the engine and checked that Jami and Beck were secure. Then he idled away from the yacht.

  Beck tugged lightly on Jami’s long, brown braid. “Do you mind if I tuck this in the back of your lifejacket.”

  “Oh, you’re right.” Jami’s tone was sunny. “That will smack you in the face when we get moving.”

  Jami reached back, and Beck’s fingers covered hers. He squeezed, and Jami held still.

  “I’ve got it.” Beck folded a few inches of her braid between her back and the life jacket. Her skin was warm and soft, and he almost chuckled when a blush crept up the back of her neck. Yes, he was getting under her skin, too.

  Ten minutes later after countless crazy eights and wave jumps, Beck’s hard-on was driving him to the edge. Every bounce, Beck inched forward with his groin pushed right up on Jami’s cheeks. He’d edge backward, and Ryan would jump a wave, and boom, Beck was nestled into Jami again.

  It was divine torture. Jami fit perfectly against him, and he was tempted to place his hands on her hips to hold her closer.

  Long tendrils of her hair whipped near his face while her braid had worked its way loose and was bobbing along near his nose.

  Ryan turned sharply to chase a wave. Jami clutched her seat, and Beck wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her. She stiffened and sat straight. Within a few more bounces, Jami leaned back and melted into him. He snuck his other hand down the line of her thigh.

  “Hold on, you guys,” Ryan shouted into the wind. He swung the craft into a tight spin and then whipped it the other direction, and repeated the move, counter-clockwise.

  “Slow down, I think—” Jami’s arm flailed as she attempted to snag a handhold.

  The next thing Beck knew, there was air under his backside. And then there was a lot of blue sky and wide sea. He flew high and had a brief moment to notice Jami soaring next to him. He splashed down first, and Jami cartwheeled into the waves. The Jet Ski zoomed off.

  Beck sank under the waves and popped up side by side with Jami who was picking sodden stragglers of her hair out of her eyes.

  “That was a ride.” Jami’s eyes blazed with exhilaration.

  “Did you just do a round-off?”

  “I think I did. Somehow I managed to land feet first instead of face plant.”

  “You get an eight for sticking the landing, but your take-off was lacking.”

  Jami stuck out her tongue. “It was the crazy arm flailing, right?”

  “Not smooth.”

  “You should have seen your face.” Jami chortled. “I don’t know if you looked more surprised or indignant.”

  “Oh, like your face when you were cowering from that tiny lizard yesterday?”

  Jami shuddered. “Totally different. That dinosaur was about to eat me. We’re a whole lot safer here.”

  “Barring a shark.”

  “I’m not worried. They always go for the guy first. It’s a known fact.”

  “That’s reassuring.” Beck reached over, curled his hand under the buckle across her chest, and hauled Jami close. Their life jackets touched and their legs tangled.

  “I’ve needed to do this all day.” Beck lowered his mouth to hers. Her lips were cool and salty, but her tongue was warm and eager. Heat spiraled through his veins. A wave shot them up in the air, but their mouths clung and kept them close. The world closed tight around him, and all he could hear was Jami’s small moan, and the brush of their life jackets rubbing.

  A pair of waves surged between them, and they separated. Jami touched her mouth, but softness around her eyes betrayed her. She hadn’t minded. Beck pushed forward and snagged one more touch of her lips before he paddled backward.

  He squinted at the distant Jet Ski. “When do you think he’ll notice we’ve gone for a swim?”

  “Any minute now.” Jami gave an easy laugh and splashed water at Beck.

  Sure enough, the watercraft slowed and then drifted in a slow circle as Ryan spied the horizon. After two rounds, he finally seemed to spot them and motored slowly toward them.

  As they waited, Jami played footsie with him under the sapphire sea. If a swell pushed him close and he threatened to kiss her, she batted him away. She laughed and tossed him a flirtatious smile, but kept him at arm’s length.

  Ryan stopped and switched off the ignition. “Are you guys okay? I’m sorry. I didn’t even know you’d jumped off.”

  “Jump. Fall.” Beck shrugged and held on to the edge of the watercraft. “It’s all the same.”

  “Can I drive some more?” Ryan swung his gaze from Beck to Jami and back as Jami choked on a laugh.

  “How about we let Beck pilot our ship?” Jami said. “I think he deserves a turn.”

  “Nah. Ryan needs more practice.” Beck winked. “I’ll sit in the back. I kind of like it there.”

  Jami bit her lower lip and seemed to blush, but she gripped the rear handle on the back of the watercraft and hoisted herself out of the water in one fluid motion. She settled herself in the middle, and Beck boosted himself onto the footwell and then straddled the seat behind Jami.

  With a quick wiggle, Jami shifted and leaned forward, but her derriere pressed into his thighs. Beck hooked his thumbs through the strapping on the sides of Jami’s life vest and held her close. She glanced over her shoulder and shot him a saucy look with a raised eyebrow.

  Beck inhaled. This was going to be a fun ride back to the yacht.

  BECK STRETCHED his legs out and knit his fingers behind his head. The water of his plunge pool glowed with the ever-changing lights beneath the rippling surface. The sky was darkening, and cheerful sounds of guitars and singing voices danced above the gentle rush of the surf. A tang of salt lingered in the heavy air.

  Beck exhaled and rolled his neck from side to side. It was too gorgeous for him to be this on edge. He’d endured an hour-long hard-on with Jami bouncing against his crotch while Ryan went in endless loops and wave jumps. As soon as they’d reboarded the yacht, Jami had been pulled into a conference with her father in the sky lounge behind the bridge. After that, she’d been distant and avoided him.

  A crew of two had served them a bountiful, early supper and they’d returned to the resort’s docks just as the sun sank near the ho
rizon. Jami had escorted her nieces, Clara and Emma, off the boat with promises to see their bridesmaid dresses.

  He’d headed off with Kyle and Dillon to share a drink, but he’d called it a night early, and now here he sat. Beck drummed his fingers on the tabletop. The Barretts were driving him crazy. He was sick of real estate deals. He was wound up with sexual frustration, and Jami was the source of both problems.

  He sat straight in his chair and studied his laptop. Maybe he should freeze out his fiery thoughts of Jami with some cold, hard business facts. Beck blinked. Hard. That was a bad choice of words. Beck rolled his neck again. Focus, my man. Focus.

  The troubles at Barrett Logistics could be the exact ammunition he needed to torpedo their bid for the Anderton property. He’d typed out half of an email to his attorney explaining the potential massive loss of business for the Barretts, but a knot of tension wound tight in his gut.

  If he sent this off to his counsel, she’d jump on the information like a pack of hungry wolves. There’d be no telling where it all ended. He had no interest in bringing down Teddy Barrett’s business. And Teddy might be an overbearing pain in the ass, but that didn’t necessarily mean he was a bad businessman, or that he was at risk of going belly-up.

  Beck closed his laptop and paced the length of the room twice before he opened the French doors to his patio. It was a bower of vines and flowers thriving on the warm, sandy-colored brick walls, and a riot of corals, pinks, and violet glistened in the pale light of the almost full moon. The scents were delicate and soothing, and the gentle rush of waves hitting the shore streamed over him. His breath settled and matched the rhythm of the ocean.

  He’d been through too much with the nightmare of Oliver’s revolting behavior and the epic disaster of losing all the company’s investors. It still sickened him to think of the terrible details of Oliver’s sexual harassment case. That poor woman. No one should ever be subjected to those disgusting advances. He shuddered. How much worse would it have all been if the media had gotten hold of it? His company would have never survived. Hell, they would have deserved it. Oliver had been the CEO.

  That was all behind him now. He had a good company. He’d routed out the bad, and he was ready to spring into the future.

  He wanted to win the property deal, but he was going to win on his own merits, and not play some dirty, backhanded game that endangered Barrett Logistics. Hell, he didn’t even really know what a logbook violation was, so who knew if it was all that serious. Besides, it sounded like they were monitored by some regulatory body. It was so not his place to spread any gossip about them.

  Beck inhaled the island air and sank onto the chaise lounge as he stared up at the luminous night sky. He had a code of ethics he lived by, and this was assuredly not the time to violate it.

  Jami goaded him to new levels of competitiveness, but he wasn’t going to cross the line. He wanted to win the deal, but not at any cost. He’d have to rely on the presentation they’d made to the county and hope that the grant was enough to sway it all in his company’s favor. With a quick clap of his hands that emphasized his decision, Beck sprang from the lounge, found his laptop, and deleted the partial message. He powered down the computer and clicked it shut.

  He needed to see Jami. A tickle at the base of his skull told him time was ticking down on the commission’s decision. If he was going to have a relationship with Jami, he’d better get moving. He had a sinking feeling that if he didn’t seek her out now, nothing could ever be right between them.

  They were equals. Neither had won or lost.

  Beck leaned on the doorjamb as the moon’s rays rippled in a dainty light show on the pool water. It was like fairies dancing a simple, joyous romp.

  Had he fallen for Jami? Beck smiled. She was irritating and adorable all at once. She provoked him and turned him on like no one ever had. Need and hunger flushed through his veins.

  Jami was like an itch he couldn’t quite reach or satisfy, but he kept on trying. He grunted, and the sound echoed in his tiny courtyard. Damn. That didn’t sound romantic. But it fit. He had a sinking suspicion one time with her wasn’t going to be enough.

  A bird twittered from somewhere deep in the vines. A second bird squawked, and the twittering ceased. Beck raised his eyebrows. Indeed. The moment for talk was over.

  He had a plan, and it was go time.

  CHAPTER 13

  J ami closed her eyes and let the sound of the ocean roll through her senses. The surf crested up the beach and then sucked back out with the tide. A tranquil breeze cooled the humid air, and the ruffled edge of her skirt fluttered against her thigh.

  She lolled in the swaying hammock as distant sounds of laughter and steel drums drifted across the small bay. The lights of the resort danced on the water and stars twinkled in the inky, velvet sky.

  She hummed under her breath and reveled in the moment. It was a pure slice of paradise. The world and all it concerns had ebbed away. The only thing real was the splash of the sea, and the soft shurra-shurra emanating from the dark foliage as a mystery bug serenaded her. Her leg dangled over the edge of the hammock, and she gave a fresh push to keep the rocking motion going.

  She was in the only hammock on this side of the crescent-shaped bay, and she reveled in the luxury of peace and quiet. No more family for a few minutes, or maybe the rest of the evening. She needed a break from her father’s incessant worries about the company and the real estate deal. Even Kyle’s brotherly teasing had worn thin. She loved them all, but too much of a good thing had gone a long way.

  A pair of voices and a soft shuffle of sandals on gravel buzzed by her ears. She closed her eyes and hoped the couple would stroll by and leave her in peace. She held her breath until their chatter faded away. Since when was she so unsociable?

  An image of Beck shimmered in her mind, and a smile tickled her lips. That droopy curl that teased his forehead. Those broad shoulders flexing as he picked up her twin little sisters and tossed them across the pool. And yes, his gray eyes turning smoky and dark as he’d held her close in his arms as they’d run away from the attacking iguana. She chuckled, and her laugh echoed above the waves.

  “Jami?”

  Without even opening her eyes, she knew it was Beck. His voice was low, rich, and almost as sultry as the night air. Had her very thoughts summoned him? He stood a few feet from her, right at the water line, softly illuminated by the solar lights nestled in the shrubs around her nook.

  A jolt of electricity zipped through her body, and a silky desire teased her core, and she wriggled against the nubby canvas of the hammock. “Are you on the lamb from the family, too?”

  “I needed a break from another round of gruesome family story hour.”

  “My dad has been good so far, so I’m sure he’s spoiling to bring up politics or religion, or some other forbidden subject.” Jami nudged the soft, sandy earth with her toe, and the hammock swayed faster.

  “I caught my mother biting her tongue over a morsel of snark from your stepmother.” Beck’s voice was filled with amusement.

  “Caitlynne specializes in cat fights. I hope your mother shreds her.”

  “Enough. Let’s not talk about them.”

  “Exactly. We’re trying to escape.” Jami fluttered her fingers through the fringe on the edge of the hammock. A pulse of expectation flashed through her body like a streak of moonlight glimmering on a forest pool.

  “Have you put your toes in the water tonight?” Beck stepped closer, but his face was still cloaked with shadows. “It’s almost like bathwater.”

  “Mmm...it’s too much trouble to move.”

  “Come on, lazy girl.” Beck took her by the hand and pulled her to a sitting position as she moaned in protest. “Take a walk with me, or else I’ll crash that hammock with you.”

  “It is wide enough for two.” The words slipped from between her lips before she could censor them, but she found herself casting an inviting smile at Beck and patting the empty space next to her. She held
her breath.

  “Cozying up with the enemy. I wonder if that’s safe?” Beck didn’t sound at all worried.

  “You’ll learn no secrets from me. My lips are sealed.”

  Beck eased down next to her in one fluid movement, and the hammock creaked, but it swayed rhythmically without missing a beat. Beck’s arm curved around her shoulders and before she realized it, she was nestled against his chest.

  “Maybe those aren’t the types of mysteries I’m after.” He whispered the words in her ear, and her heart skipped a beat.

  “I’m a tough nut to crack.” Jami rolled to her side a fraction and traced her fingers along his bare torso, finding every ripple and sinewy muscle of his chest. He sucked in his breath.

  “I like challenges.” Beck smoothed a wayward strand of hair back from her forehead.

  “Is that what I am?” Jami tilted her head and was lost in the promise of the fullness of his lips.

  “We can’t have that, now, can we?” Beck’s mouth hovered next to hers as he slowly ran his tongue along his bottom lip. She held still as a statue and the night air hovered close, sultry. She arched her back, and her breasts rubbed his bare chest. Beck murmured her name, and they kissed.

  It was divine. She barely breathed as his lips pressed into hers. Warm. Inviting. Playful.

  “I’ve needed the feel of your mouth on mine. It’s been an eternity since this afternoon.”

  “Was it worth the wait?” Her voice was teasing.

  Beck brushed his fingertips along her bare arm, and she tingled with the fire dancing along her skin. She shivered.

  “It was, and it is.” Beck chuckled. “I think I’ve got your attention now.”

  Jami touched a finger to his mouth and traced its outline. Beck’s lips curved into a smile, and a tug of need built in her core. He was too damn kissable, so she licked her lips and claimed his mouth.

  Silky heat exploded between them. Beck’s mouth tempted and teased as Jami’s sensations swirled in a spiral of longing desire. His demanding lips. His caressing touch. He was all she wanted, all she needed.