Around the World in 80 Men Series Boxed Set 1-10

by Brandi Ratliff

  “Do you ever relax?” Morgan watched him run over to a line of stones and tight walk them, then jump off and run over to a tall palm tree in which he proceeded to climb.

  “Do you know...” he yelled down from the top of the tree, “that these can live to be a hundred years old? And...” Morgan jumped to the side just in time to avoid being hit with a falling coconut. “They can produce fruit until they're eighty?” Another coconut fell from the tree, then Aiden climbed half the way down and jumped the remaining distance.

  “No,” Morgan picked up one of the hairy fruits from the the sand and tossed it back and forth between her hands, “I didn't know. But, you didn't answer my question.”

  Jake picked up the other coconut and Morgan followed him over to a large rock where he finally sat down. “Life is too short to relax!” He jumped up again as soon as she sat down and ran to the surf, then returned with a sharp rock. She knew she wouldn't be able to get him to focus as long as they were on the island, so she dropped it and just enjoyed his company.

  Morgan watched him dig a hole into the top of the coconut, then he handed it to her. “What do I do with this?”

  “Drink it!” He took the coconut from her lap and began doing the same thing to hers. Morgan brought the fruit to her lips and let the warm coconut milk flow into her mouth. As soon as it made contact with her taste buds was just as quickly as it made contact with the sand in front of her.

  “Oh, come on!” Jake gave her a push to her arm, scolding her for spitting out the juice.

  “That. Is. The. Most. Awful. Thing. I. Have. Ever. Tasted.” Morgan spoke slowly, then brushed her tongue off with the back of her hand.

  “Are you kidding me!?” Jake laughed at her theatrics, then chugged the contents of his coconut. “And you have a coconut on your bracelet?”

  “Oh, you noticed that?” Morgan was surprised and her thoughts immediately went to Kole. Hairy balls. She chuckled at the thought. I'll have to tell him about this. “It was a gift from a friend.” She didn't feel like getting into all the details. For once, she didn't want to talk about any of her other clients, she just wanted to focus on the client she had. He gave her a curious look and Morgan continued. “I actually love coconut, but that was a vicious assault to my mouth. Completely uncalled for!”

  They both laughed and then Jake kissed her. It wasn't the same sweet kiss they had shared before, it was demanding and invading. When Jake pulled away, he had a big smile on his face. “What? I had to fight off the assault.” He winked at her, then pulled her up to her feet. After a quick check at his watch, he announced that they still had twenty minutes, then said they were going swimming. Before Morgan could protest, she found herself chasing after the man who was already running toward the water.

  “It's a little cold, don't you think?” Morgan stuck her toes in the water, then retreated them back into the warm sand.

  “Nonsense,” Jake approached her from the water, then flicked his head down and up to splash water from his hair at the dry girl. She still had no time to argue because he pulled her into the water whether she had decided to or not. Thankfully, the air was warmer than the water and when their twenty minutes was over- that Jake had to inform Morgan every five minutes that had passed- she didn't freeze while putting her clothing over her bathing suit.

  Right on time, Clyde arrived and Morgan enjoyed cuddling up to her client all the way back to the mainland.

  Chapter Seven

  Sunday morning didn't offer Morgan the opportunity to sleep in either. Not only did Jake keep her up half of the night fulfilling his promise, he also woke her up before the sun had even graced them with its presence.

  “Now what?” Her tone was unlike her, and she poked her head out of the blanket with an apologetic look. Jake was standing above her, again, already dressed and ready to take on the day.

  “Let's go see the sun rise!” Jake stripped the blanket off of her and she immediately pulled it back to cover her naked body.

  “You go see it, tell me all about it. Get pictures...” Her head was back underneath the comforter and again, Jake pulled it away. That time, he pulled it all the way off the bed and threw it across a wide backed swivel chair.

  “You're coming with me, beautiful. If I have to take you like that, I'll be more than okay with it.” The look in his eye told her that she wasn't going to win, and going to the beach naked wasn't really an option. Reluctantly, the tired blonde crawled out of bed and slowly made her way to the dresser.

  “Don't expect anything fancy out of me...” Morgan pulled her pink velour sweatsuit out of the drawer and made her way to the bathroom.

  “I don't care if you wrap yourself in goddamn toilet paper, just hurry up so we don't miss it!” Jake yelled from the outside of the door.

  “There will be another one tomorrow, Jake!” she yelled back as she zipped up the jacket over her chest. Once she had on her bottoms and settled with another neat ponytail, Morgan appeared back into the bedroom.

  Her eyes had finally adjusted and she could see what he was wearing. Although he looked delicious in his white tank top that contrasted with his tan shoulders and shorts that revealed his muscular legs, Morgan wasn't happy with what his work out attire probably meant. If you think for once second that I'm doing anything physical before a bitch gets her coffee, you're...

  “Come on, come on!” Jake already had the hotel door open and was ushering the girl out into the hallway. She was going to make her sentiments clear.

  “I haven't even had my caffeine fix yet!” As usual, Morgan was struggling to keep up with his long-legged, quick strides down the empty hallway.

  “You don't need it!” Jake went into the elevator and held the door open for Morgan, who gasped loudly at his proclamation.

  “You'll wish I had coffee in a little bit...” She crossed her arms, but there was no match hiding her smile from the handsome man.

  “I think you need to relax,” he whispered in her ear. I was relaxing fine in the bed.

  The elevator came to a stop and the two made their way behind the hotel and to the surf just in time for the first signs of yellow to break the horizon. Jake was right, it was absolutely beautiful and Morgan wished she had actually grabbed her camera instead of threatening Jake to take pictures.

  Although she was enjoying watching the spectrum of colors rise into the sky, their time at the surf, with the water breaking against their ankles, was short lived. Jake pulled his arm away from Morgan's shoulders and started a hoppy-run-jog away from her. When he waved his arms toward his chest in a 'follow-me' motion, Morgan shook her head back and forth. If this guy thinks I'm running...

  “Morgan!”

  “Jake!” she yelled back, still firmly planted in her spot. He motioned again, and Morgan finally jogged up to him, but when he picked up pace in his run he left her behind. “Fine,” she whispered and laid down on the sand in an ungraceful flop.

  “Morgan!” Jake turned around, running in place to see the girl spread out on her back.

  “Go on without me...” she acted dramatically like a scene from a war movie, putting her arm across her forehead. Jake hesitated for a moment, then laughed and continued his morning run. Nearly thirty minutes later, Jake returned to her spot on the sand and Morgan was dead to the world, sound asleep.

  “Are you serious?” Jake laughed loudly and nudged her ankle with his foot. When she didn't move, he took more drastic measures. He stood at her feet, then grabbed both of her ankles and began pulling her toward the water. It was one way to wake up a sleeping princess.

  “No, Jake! No! Stop it!” Morgan flopped like a fish, trying to get her client to stop before she was really like a fish.

  Jake let go of her feet just inches before pulling her into the surf and her feet fell into the cool water. As soon as he released her, Morgan stood, stuck her tongue out at Jake and ran as fast as she could toward the hotel.

  “I knew I'd get you to run!” he yelled after
her, then caught up to her in half the time.

  When they got back in their hotel, Jake immediately went to the weight room on the first floor and Morgan followed in behind him. He went to the first weight machine-she had no clue what it did-and she grabbed two of the smallest weights she could find on the large dumbbell rack.

  “I think you can do better than that, look at those guns!” Jake added two more large weights to the machine and gave Morgan a look that prompted her to flex her biceps. “See, I knew it!” They both laughed, and Morgan put the dumbbells back on the rack after only a few curls of her hand to her chin.

  “I'm going to go get my coffee, bully pants. I'll see you back in the room.” With that, Morgan left the gym and went back to the room, where her first line of business was to brew a pot of coffee.

  While her morning miracle was filling, she took a few minutes to check her phone, especially since it was pretty clear by then that Jake was going to schedule every second of their week together. “Angel, I need you!” She turned it on and found her friend within seconds. Even a quick text would make her feel better, so that's what she sent to her dear friend. Angel, he works out...he runs..he checks his watch every three minutes...and he has more energy than I'll ever have in a life time. If he kills me, I leave you my bracelet, and my make up. Oh, and the jewelry box. Love you, farewell my friend..I many never speak to you again. She was nearly snorting at her own text before she finished it, and had a reply right after pouring her first cup of coffee.

  Walking through the room, trying to get the cramp out of her leg that was close to making her sit, she read the response. “Get him drunk, Sticky! Then get yourself a nap! But if he kills you, I want your hair straightener too, I love that shit. Kisses to your face! Your Angel.” She held the phone to her chest and smiled as she pictured him running through Gio's house, trying to make everything perfect for everyone. “Kisses to your face too, my Angel.” She spoke to the empty room, but sent her friend love that she hoped would reach Rio.

  Twenty minutes later, Morgan was standing in the shower, freshly clean, but still enjoying the hot water pounding against her back. She looked around at the white tile walls and wondered if she could get comfortable enough in the square cubicle to grab a quick nap. The thought made her laugh, and her next move was to nearly jump from the shower in fear.

  “What's so funny in there?!” Jake's loud voice echoed throughout the small room and made Morgan jump where she stood.

  “Not funny!” She yelled through the sliding shower door as she turned off the water. “You really are trying to kill me.” She opened the door and looked at her assailant. “Seriously?” He was showered and dressed, standing in the bathroom staring at his watch. How did you shower already? I just left you in the gym.” She wrapped herself in a towel and followed him back into the bedroom.

  “I showered downstairs, they actually have these neat little rooms...I think they're called...uh..let me think...yeah, shower rooms.” She pushed his arm as they started to sit on the side of the bed, but all she managed to do was nearly knock herself into the floor. When she asked where he got clean clothes, he told her that he took his gym bag to the weight room earlier that morning, so that he didn't have to..

  “Waste time.” She finished his sentence, then got up to get herself a third cup of coffee. She wasn't successful.

  “No, we have to get going.” He took the empty cup from her hands and pointed her toward her dresser.

  “Of course we do...I won't ask.” She laughed as she pulled her denim shorts and light green tank from the drawer. “How many minutes do I have to get dressed?” She folded her arms, still holding her outfit in her hands, and waited.

  “Go...,” Jake pushed her gently to the bathroom, “we should have been there already.”

  She wasn't going to question him anymore, after all, she was sure he had something really fun planned. Hopefully nothing that involves running or lifting anything. She was dressed in record time, for her, and her neat pony tail saved the day once again. Morgan checked the mirror once again quickly, “he's never going to let me do my hair.”

  “If you got up sooner, you could spend hours on your hair.” It was just dumb luck that he was walking close to the bathroom door when she spoke to her reflection, and her laughter was a sweet sound that he was growing quite used to. He also felt an inner warning to try to slow things down, or he could possibly hear less of that beautiful sound from her. He just didn't know how.

  In the elevator, on their way to their next adventure, Morgan smiled as she asked Jake what time it was. His quick reply, without even looking at his watch, 'seven forty five,' proved her theory that he really did have every minute of his life accounted for. She wondered what it would take for him to slow down, to enjoy things that aren't planned or expected. Whatever that was, Morgan didn't think she had what it would take to help him. Before they reached the bottom floor, she knew for a fact that the rest of the week with Jake was going to be beyond busy, but helping him wasn't going to happen. But I can enjoy him....if he doesn't kill me.

  A taxi was already waiting for them out front, and the only clue Jake gave was when he told the driver to take them to a shopping center close by. Shopping is good! Morgan changed her mind when they were dropped off in front of an enormous grocery store. Shopping is not good. Morgan loved food, but grocery stores were for ingredients; those things that people use to cook with. Jake, on the other hand, seemed thrilled with the idea of shopping in the evil building. It wasn't that she hated grocery stores, but restaurants were always much better to get one's food.

  On the way in, Jake explained that he liked to have fruit in the morning, or as a snack, and the hotel fruit didn't look fresh enough. She wanted to say, 'so you drug me all the way here to get fresh fruit, when I could have been enjoying my coffee,' but she didn't, she just smiled and went along with him.

  He grabbed a shopping cart by the front doors and laughed at the face Morgan was making. “It's just food, you'll be alright, Princess.” She shook her head and followed behind, feeling like a student who didn't prepare for a test.

  “Muffins!” As Jake was guiding them to the large fruit display, Morgan saw her puffy blueberry treats all lined up in a neat row along the front of the bakery. “I've missed you.” She nearly hugged the container of six before she dropped them into their cart. When he started to open his mouth, she put her finger to his lips. “No, don't ever...ever...question the muffin.” Her serious look brought a laugh from the man that blew her finger away from his lips.

  When they left the store, armed with enough fruit to survive on for weeks, there was to no surprise, a new taxi waiting out front. Sliding into the back seat, Morgan was already pulling a muffin from the bag that she refused to unhand.

  “No..put it back.” Jake swatted the muffin back into the container then ducked as Morgan swung for him. They battled all the way to the hotel, Morgan losing of course, but Jake wanted to take her to breakfast and that was a good enough reason to put her muffin on hold...until later.

  “Get us a table, I'll take this stuff upstairs.” He kissed her cheek before parting ways in the lobby.

  She watched him disappear into the elevator and in less than five minutes, he was already sitting himself at the table Morgan got for them.

  “It feels like it should be five o'clock by now!” Morgan felt like she had already been up the whole day. I need to take Angel's advice! She didn't know what else was planned for the day, but a nap was definitely on her to-do list. She tucked her head into her arms on the table and pretended to sleep with loud snoring sound effects.

  Jake told her the day had barely begun, which warranted a loud sigh from within Morgan's arms. He is going to kill me....he is! She popped her head up long enough to speak, “we've already done a day's worth of...stuff!” They both laughed, but Jake didn't agree. Their play argument stopped when a server came to their table and Morgan quickly ordered two coffees and pancakes and Jake ordered egg
s and bacon.

  They started their meals, but that was as far as either of them made it; Morgan tried to pour warm syrup over her pancakes, but the lid came loose and she ended up pouring it all over herself instead.

  “Dammit” she cursed under her breath. The whole cup of thick, warm syrup was all over her lap. Her shirt, shorts and legs all had the sticky evidence of her clumsiness.

  “It's okay, go get cleaned up. Hurry though, I need to get some new shoes.” Morgan gave him her best 'I'm not happy' look and he explained that his shoes weren't comfortable.

  Morgan stood and stomped her foot like a child. “No! I am going to go up to the room, and I am going to take a long, hot bath. I have nothing to do with your shoes!”

  “It'll be real quick!” Jake pleaded with her.

  “Okay, well I'll wait for you to get back...have fun!” She gave him a flirty wave and didn't wait for a response. Morgan felt a tinge of guilt by the time she got to the room again, but it wasn't strong enough to convince her to go with him.

  “How does he do it?” she talked to herself as she dug through her dresser for the millionth time that morning. “He's like the goddamn Energizer rabbit!” She didn't care that it was a bunny. It was all the same thing.

  Morgan ran herself a hot bath and placed her phone by the tub, just in case. She had given Jake her number on their first day together, she had learned her lesson with that one.

  After she sank down in the tub, she heard a muffled ring from above the water where her head was lying and quickly sat up. Her heart raced as she thought of what might have happened to Jake...but it wasn't Jake. “Fin!”