Tropical Tryst: 25 All New and Exclusive Sexy Reads

by Nicole Morgan

  Sam took the box and looked it over, once again rolling her eyes. “Twenty-two dollars?” She put the cards back on the shelf and stepped back as if they were carrying the plague. “I was thinking something in the ten dollar range.”

  Heather bought the sugar scrubs on a regular basis. Haven thought something consumable might be a better gift coming from someone who carried so much negative energy. While he didn’t doubt Heather had enough positive energy to push aside any lingering negativity that might transfer from her sister with the birthday gift, it would still be safer to suggest something that wouldn’t be held for a long period of time. Leading her to the corner, he motioned at the sugar scrub display. “I have a variety of sugar scrubs, and in different sizes. The six ounce tubs are $14.95 and the four ounce tubs are $10.95. Heather enjoys the lavender scrub.”

  With a sister who vibrated with so much negativity, Haven imagined Heather needed the lavender to calm her own energy.

  “Perfect,” Sam proclaimed, snatching a four ounce tub of lavender sugar scrub from the display. “What about you? What flavor do you prefer?” he asked.

  Haven ignored the flirting and answered the question honestly. “It depends on my mood and energy.”

  Her eyes widened with delight and Haven realized his mistake. “And what would you use to say, get you in the mood to take a girl to dinner.”

  “I’m not dating right now, so I couldn’t say.” He continued to offer a friendly smile despite being ready to retreat to the violet room for some more meditation and maybe a little aura cleansing.

  “Shame. Here’s my number if you change your mind.”

  Haven took the card she offered because his parents had taught him manners and kindness. “Thank you,” he said, stuffing the card in his pocket. Eager to expedite her departure, Haven led her to the clerk’s counter. Cat rang up the sugar scrub as Haven extracted a crystal from the collection next to the counter. “A free gift for you.” He offered the topaz to Sam, hoping its ability to transmute negative energies into positive would work for her. “Topaz is a good luck talisman. It can bring abundance and prosperity,” appealing to what he intuited as her life motivations. He opted to leave out the fact that the stone was also used to attract love by opening the heart chakra.

  “A good luck charm, for me? Sexy and sweet,” she said, blowing him a kiss before snatching the stone from his hand. She gave it a quick look and shrugged before dropping it in her purse. When the transaction was complete, her harsh smile once again thinned her dark red lips. “Toodles, handsome Haven. Call me.”

  With no motivation to find out what problems Cat had experienced with the customer, Haven retreated through the archway and headed to the sun room, opting to ignore his task list for a while longer. The forecast called for rain, but for now, the skies remained clear, a sign that he should take advantage of the powerful energy of the sun to cleanse his own aura after that negative encounter.

  CHAPTER 2

  N ormally, the Mindful Masters of Self class provided a therapeutic cleanse at the end of a day filled with mindful and sometimes stressful pursuits. Today, however, Haven found himself off balance. In fact, his spirit had been teetering all too often as of late. He knew the cause — his attraction to and desire for Heather — but had yet to grasp the path to resolution.

  In his younger years, Haven had been an arrogant go-getter, unafraid to ask girls, and then women, out. Somewhere along his journey to enlightenment, he had left the arrogance behind, but had retained the confidence. For reasons he had yet to understand, he held no confidence when it came to Heather. In fact, his feelings for her inspired self-doubt, something he had little experience with.

  Haven had always prided himself on being decisive. It was a quality of nature, born from the biological connection to his mother. Aurora True-Masters possessed a mindful spirit, but that didn’t prevent her from being decisive. There were times when Haven had watched her reel in her decisive nature and make the conscious effort to pause and meditate before making what she called life-altering decisions. It been a long journey before Haven could exercise the same thoughtful restraint, but he’d never expected to reach a place on his journey where his ability to make a decision was blocked.

  His father would say non-decision is its own decision, but Haven didn’t subscribe to Jonah’s perspective. He enjoyed thoughtful introspection as a part of the journey. He just wished now it served him in the same fulfilling way it always had.

  “You ready to get this party started?” Heather asked as Haven approached with a tray of jasmine tea.

  Her smile was contagious, as was her enthusiasm. “I prefer to think of it as a journey.”

  “Well, every journey needs a few parties scattered along the way.”

  “Very true,” he agreed. “Tell me what you have planned.”

  Heather grabbed the portfolio from the floor next to her as Haven put the tray down and sat next to her on the mandala blanket. Even though the blanket was for his own personal meditations, on occasion he would use it in class for circle meditations. He had been searching for one for a long time to use in group practice, but had yet to find one that offered the same thoughtful peace this one did.

  Retrieving a folder from the portfolio, Heather held it out to him. “I made copies of everything since I know you like to review things at your own pace. I’ve made little notes on each one with the day and port and any other relevant information.”

  With a second folder placed in her lap, she pulled the first paper out. “We arrive in San Juan quite late, but there is a restaurant across the street from the hotel that will be open. I’ve already reserved space for us. The hotel also has an open patio that will accommodate a circle meditation for all twelve of us.”

  She explained the schedule for each port, as well the plans for their one day at sea. The schedule was simple, with a morning meditation before breakfast on the upper deck that held the water park. Since the water park would not be open in the early morning, she claimed it would be the perfect spot for the meditations. She had found a lounge on the ship that would provide a quiet retreat for an evening meditation. At each destination, the group would visit a nearby beach for yoga before they were free to scatter and explore the island on their own. Heather had arranged excursions for those who had asked her to, some requiring an afternoon yoga session before returning to the ship instead of the morning yoga.

  “This is fantastic,” Haven said, excited and a bit overwhelmed. “You are very good at your job.”

  Heather shrugged, the pink that colored her cheeks sending a warmth through Haven as well. He was happy for the tight boxer briefs and loose linen slacks, but folded his hands in a peaceful pose to provide further cover of her effect on him.

  “I’ve enjoyed this job more than any other I’ve held, but it’s not as fulfilling as I thought it would be.”

  “What do you mean?” Haven asked.

  She shrugged again and looked at her fiddling fingers. “Planning this trip for us, it’s exactly how I expected to feel working as a travel agent. For other clients, though, it can be very stressful. People can be, well, to be honest, they can be ass-holes. I understand that it is their money and their vacation and they want the most bang for their buck, but some people ask for the impossible and get angry and mean when I can’t deliver.”

  Haven understood. He had grown up with the heart to help people, which is why he’d studied psychology in college. Through job shadow and internships, he had realized psychotherapy wasn’t his path. Then he’d fallen into ego and selfish gratification, a path that had nearly destroyed him. Meditation and encouragement from his parents had guided him on the path to holistic healing through self-discovery and mindfulness. While he knew he could offer the same practices as a psychotherapist, the education and licensing requirements required a path that didn’t align with his personal goals for enlightenment, so when he was finally able to put ego aside, he had chosen a less traditional path. It had taken a long time, but he
had finally found success with the Mindful Master studio where he offered yoga and meditation instruction, and the home for the guided classes that had proven very popular. Now he was pursuing Reiki, more to help provide a way to offer relief to his mother as she struggled with arthritis, but also to expand his practice and generate additional income. Maybe someday he would also be able to put his mindfulness app out into the world as well.

  “I have found that meditation helps me exercise patience when people project negative energy from whatever source it originates from. Is that helping with your job?”

  “I meditate before bed, so it helps to release the negativity that seeps in throughout the day,” she said.

  Haven reached for her fidgeting hands and held them still in his. “I encourage you to try a morning meditation. I have a couple I’ve recorded on patience that might be of help.”

  “You record meditations?” she asked.

  Nodding, he continued to hold her hands since she had yet to withdraw them. “I do. I’ve built quite a library of digital meditations.”

  “That is great. You should sell them, or, oh my God, even better, you should put them in an app so people could meditate anytime, anywhere. I could meditate during lunch if I had guidance.”

  “There are plenty of apps out there,” he admitted, a simple fact that provided more intimidation than motivation to pursue his dream.

  “I’m sure there are, but they don’t have your voice or your thoughts. I always feel so relaxed, yet ready to face anything after your guided meditations. You really should think about it.”

  Her enthusiasm prompted Haven to share the dream that he hadn’t even shared with his parents, mostly because it seemed so out of reach.

  “I’ve been recording the meditations to do just that, but app development is expensive and I don’t have the funds to invest in that kind of project.”

  HEATHER LEAPT off the mandala blanket, knocking over the two tea cups still half full of jasmine tea. The flat tray couldn’t contain the liquid.

  “Oh, God! I’m so sorry. I’ll get some towels!” she ran out of the sun room and into the cafe where a few tables were occupied. Ignoring the inquisitive looks, Heather went to the cabinet with the towels and grabbed the entire stack.

  When she reached the doorway, she ran into Haven’s solid body and stumbled back. Before falling flat on her butt, Haven caught her, pulling her up against his body. “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Hmmm?” she hummed, taking mental inventory of every spot where their bodies touched. It might have been quicker, and possibly healthier, to tally the places where they weren’t maintaining contact.

  “Heather, are you hurt?” he asked, his voice still quiet and patient.

  “Fine, yeah, I’m fine. Not hurt. I have towels.” She lifted her hands to find them empty. “Crap.”

  Haven released his firm grasp around her waist, allowing Heather to step back. She now took inventory of the towels scattered on the floor around them. “I’ll just, uh, pick these up.”

  “I can do that,” he said, gripping her elbow.

  “No, I insist,” she said, squatting despite his hold. That’s when she came face to…face? With a certain part of his anatomy. One of the parts she fantasized about. Often.

  Look away, she told her self silently, but it was like a car wreck, she couldn’t look away no matter how much she knew she should.

  Haven coughed and dropped to the floor in front of her. “Let me help,” he growled.

  Heather’s face burned with embarrassment. Not only had she ruined his sacred mandala blanket, but she’d almost barreled through him before nearly falling on her butt and then like the sex-deprived, desperate woman she was, stared at his impressive man-package.

  “Sorry,” she whispered, hoping the people scattered around the cafe hadn’t taken the whole scene in.

  “No apologies. All an accident. Nothing is damaged.”

  “What about your blanket? I spilled tea all over it. I know how special that is to you.” In an early lesson, he had explained the importance of connecting with your meditation tools, to use Mala bracelets or crystals that held meaning, either through the healing properties of the stones and crystals or some sentimental connection, using the same philosophy to choose a cushion or blanket, incense, candles, aromatherapy oils, whatever.

  “It’s not the first tea stain and won’t be the last. It’s fine. I brought it in here to give it a quick rinse with cold water. Very little actually got on the blanket.”

  The genuine tone in his voice assured her that he held no contempt for her clumsiness, but it didn’t alleviate the guilt.

  Haven took the towels from her, handing one back. “I’m going to rinse this and put it in my office. Can you spot check the floor and take care of the tea tray?”

  Taking the towel, she smiled despite the guilt and embarrassment. “I’ll try not to break anything,” she said.

  Haven’s smile sent her heartbeat into overdrive. “I have every faith in you.”

  Ignoring the glances from the others in the room, Heather returned to the sun room, wiping the floor and collecting the tray. When she returned to the cafe, Haven was there, talking with a group at one of the tables. She took that as her cue, cleaning up the tea set before heading back to the sun room and collecting her portfolio.

  “You haven’t told me what made you jump off the mandala,” Haven said, making her leap out of her skin.

  She turned to find him only inches away, looking strong, and curious, and delicious.

  “I, uh,” oh, God, there she went again, searching for words but unable to grasp a syllable that might sound thoughtful or intelligent. Putting mindfulness into practice, Heather took a deep breath, trying to focus on where it touched her body and how it felt, but unable to distract her attention from Haven’s smile.

  “Heather,” he said, the two syllables a beautiful symphony in her ear. “Do you want to tell me?”

  Heather nodded and took another deep breath. “In my previous life, before I was a travel agent, and a cell phone salesperson, and a dinner hostess, and a sandwich artisan, I was a software engineer.”

  “Software engineer?” he asked, looking perplexed.

  She nodded again. “Yeah, I wrote code. Complex software programs for corporate America. Woohoo!” She did a single fist pump, letting all the sarcasm spring free.

  “It was that horrible?” he asked, his hand resting on her arm and making her forget for a few moments they were talking about her first love.

  “I love writing code. I didn’t love how the corporate world sucked the life out of me at a slow yet steady pace. We don’t yet live in a society where women can succeed as software engineers.” She had struggled for years, starting out as a government contractor in national defense before making the move to banking, then retail. The one constant in all of those environments was that women weren’t welcome to climb the ladder. It was a bit disheartening.

  “We live in a world that would implode if women didn’t succeed in every single field,” he insisted and Heather’s heart didn't just skip a beat, but hopped, skipped, jumped before it did a happy dance and begged for him to say more.

  “It’s too bad the rest of the world doesn’t believe that.”

  Haven shook his head. “Doesn’t matter what the rest of the world believes. What do you believe?”

  What did she believe? No one had ever asked her that before. Heather had rocked her job. The stats proved that. Her code passed quality testing more than anyone else on any team she’d been on. “I believe I’m the best programmer in the world.”

  The words had never before crossed her lips, at least not in front of other people. She’d uttered the self-affirmation in the mirror countless times, praying each time that someone else would believe it to be true, praying that she didn’t have to sell her soul to leave her mark in this world.

  “Heather Wolfe, best programmer in the world. Why tell me this now?” he asked, confusion once again pinch
ing his brow.

  Heather smiled and shook her head, knowing it was crazy, but for the first time since she’d made the decision to leave the corporate world, control of her destiny seemed within reach. “I could write a meditation app in my sleep, Haven. If this is something you want, I can do it for you, at a fraction of what you’d pay anyone else.”

  Now Heaven shook his head, disbelief pinching his brow even more. “You can’t be serious.”

  Heather nodded, never more sure of anything in her life. “I don’t even need to meditate on this. You said it yourself, the opportunity, about your Greater Spirit bringing us together. I was meant to be your programmer, to write code for your meditation app. God, Haven, I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life.”

  Of course, them coming together had been a manipulation, Heather’s way of steering Haven’s romantic interest in her direction. But maybe their relationship was meant to be more. Maybe he wasn’t her soul mate after all, but a business partner, someone to lead her down a path of career fulfillment.

  Because without a career, Heather had been lost. Yes, she enjoyed being a travel agent, just like she’d enjoyed selling cell phones. Regardless of that enjoyment, something had been missing. She thought it was love, but now she realized it was personal satisfaction, the knowledge that her personal skill and expertise had made an impact not on a single person, but on the world. Heather had always been determined to make the world a better place. That’s why national defense had appealed to her when she graduated college. When that path had proved too stressful and offered no professional growth, she was convinced the corporate sector would provide the fulfillment she longed for, only to come up short once again. After she’d failed in retail, Heather had convinced herself she was the problem, not her chosen career path. Fortunately, she’d been frugal, saving more than spending, so she could afford to take a low-key job until she figured out the rest of her life. And unlike her sister, Heather had always lived within her means, putting twenty percent of ever paycheck into her savings account and giving up the luxuries in order to make ends meet.