Mint

by Blue Davis

  “Got it. What time do you want to meet up?”

  “Give me two days. Those containers… maybe a hollow statue or two. Something antique and touristy.”

  “Done.”

  That’s what he loved about his brother. He could count on him. “Oh, and Evan?”

  “Yup?”

  He paused. “We need a doctor.”

  “Whoa. What happened?”

  He knew this is where Evan was going to draw the line. Requesting that a doctor come out to the island meant that there was a life or death emergency. In reality, all the worst had already passed. Now it was just time to bandage up the aftermath. “It’s just cuts and bruises. Just bring Dr. Benson. I’ll explain later.”

  Evan was silent.

  “Hello?” James looked at the display. The signal disappeared. He redialed the number, but got a recorded operator message.

  Noah and Lexi looked anxious.

  “I lost him, but he’s in. All we need to do is figure out how to get there.”

  Lexi glanced at a stack of charts that hung on the wall and stepped in to examine them further.

  They argued over what the charts meant and what direction the compass should be. After that they argued more over the controls and gears on the boat.

  “Carl and the fisherman were the only ones that knew how to drive a boat, it seems,” James muttered.

  Noah furrowed one eyebrow. “Who’s the fisherman?”

  “Doesn’t matter. Let’s hit the throttle and drive it northeast till we hit land. What’s the worst that can happen?”

  James and Lexi took shifts driving the boat over the next two days. Violent waves crashed into the vessel hard.

  Noah grunted in a bunk bed behind them.

  James sat uneasy in the chair beside Lexi. He knew Noah was in pain, but there wasn’t much he could do. If only the sea wasn’t so rambunctious. Sometimes the boat felt as though the water would rip it in half at any moment. He stood over Noah’s bunk. “How're you doing buddy?”

  “I’ve seen better days,” Noah groaned, his eyes low.

  “Don’t forget, there’ll be a good doctor at the island waiting to check you out and make sure everything’s in good working condition. He’s coming in with my brother, he’ll be at the island when we get there.” He knew Noah had already overheard him talking to his brother a couple days ago, but it wouldn’t hurt to bring it up again. His grunts and groans were bad. Better be a superficial bruise on the torso and not full-on organ damage.

  He grimaced. “I can’t see a doctor like this.”

  “He’s a family doctor. He won’t say anything to anybody. And this won’t be the first crazy thing this doctor has ever seen.”

  He walked back to the wheel. Lexi did a good job of holding the boat steady. She could handle anything thrown at her.

  Noah didn’t say much for the rest of the journey, just occasionally groaned when the boat bore into a wave.

  “I recognize this. Yes. It’s right up there,” he pointed so Lexi could see the small mass of land in the distance. He exhaled a long, slow breath. His brothers fortress was the one place where he could bring her and not have to worry about whether she was safe and protected. The island was equipped with a 24-hour, 365-day per year staff to guard against vandals and squatters. And it was a damn good resting point for three victorious treasure hunters.

  They pulled the boat into the landing and roped it down.

  Evan and the doctor appeared at the dock.

  Lexi peered at the men from the bridge deck. “Is that your brother?”

  “How did you know?”

  “Tall, muscular, mischievous. Doesn’t he have all the regular features of an Ashton?”

  “Hmmm… He does look rather suspicious, doesn’t he? Here in his Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops. Better be careful. You don’t want to get on his bad side.”

  Lexi smacked him on the shoulder.

  His little brother was no pushover, but he wouldn’t harm a spider—even if it had crawled over his foot. He was a good-natured, all-American guy. Liked cycling, micro-brew, and surfing. He had the highest I.Q. in the family, and he wasn’t afraid to remind everyone either. He helped with the company sometimes, but not as much as Zack. No one worked on Dad’s company as much as Zack.

  James made it a point to watch over his little brother. Especially after their father died. It’d hit him like a ton of bricks. Had it not been for James, Evan would have been admitted to the loony bin a long time ago. Zack would’ve seen to it.

  James stepped off the boat and helped Lexi and Noah to the dock. He walked forward to meet his brother and embraced him.

  “Good to see you, bro,” his brother greeted warmly.

  “Thanks for coming out, man. Don’t say a word about this to Zack,” James warned. He looked from Evan to the doctor. “Hi Doc.”

  The doctor nodded. “James.”

  James motioned to Noah. “This is a good friend. He’s got torso pain.”

  “Was he wearing a seatbelt?” The doctor looked Noah in the eye, then winked. “Come on. Let’s get you inside.”

  The doctor strode ahead with Noah, while James, Lexi, and Evan trailed behind.

  Lexi pulled in a deep breath. “Wow, you have your own harbor.”

  “You have an island, you gotta have your own dock, runway, power system, plumbing. The list goes on and on. It’s not as fun as it looks, but it’s private and the air and water are crystal-clear,” Evan said.

  “It’s beautiful. I never knew there was so much to it,” Lexi commented.

  “Evan’s a genius when it comes to this kind of stuff. MIT-educated civil engineer,” James beamed.

  Evan rubbed his chest. “It’s always been a dream of mine to build my own world. My own surroundings, my own municipality, my own rules.”

  His brother was eccentric, but somehow his dreams were becoming reality. Still, he couldn’t help but joke with him about the plausibility of the idea. “Have you checked into creating your own people, too?”

  “Actually, I was just contacted last week from a biochemist who wanted to discuss island cell growth.” Evan divulged.

  Lexi raised her eyebrows.

  Is he shitting me? Cell growth on Ashton Cay? No way. “Get the fuck outta here, Evan.”

  Evan burst into laughter. “Kidding.”

  “Had me fooled,” Lexi said to James, laughing.

  It was so good to laugh with family. The trip hadn’t been easy. If it wasn’t for Lexi, it would’ve been a complete nightmare. Her smile glistened in the sun sometimes, a healthy glow on her lips. The more time he spent with her, the more she laughed. Her giggles were infectious. They were sweet serenity to his ears. Her eyes crinkled when she smiled, the glow brightening the dullest of atmospheres. He broke away his gaze to focus on his brother again.

  “It’s so good to finally meet you,” Evan greeted Lexi.

  Lexi blinked and tilted her head to the side.

  Oh God. No, Evan. Don’t.

  Evan fanned air through his shirt as he wrapped an arm around his new guest. “James has talked a lot about you.”

  James’ face grew flushed. “Evan, you’re done.”

  His brother smiled and eyed her jet-black locks. “He said your hair was shoulder-length, but it looks longer to me.”

  A tingling swept the back of James’s neck and face. How embarrassing. It’s not that he didn’t want Lexi to know he was interested in her. He didn’t want to show any sign that he’d been obsessed with her. It was easy to hide it from her, but not so easy to conceal it from his brothers. They knew him inside out. He drew in a shallow breath. “That’s enough, Evan.”

  Lexi looked at each of them. Her eyes widened as her lips spread to a slow smile. “No, go right ahead. I’m listening.”

  James dished Evan a warning glare.

  Evan jammed his mouth shut and raised both palms up. “Okay, okay.”

  Lexi laughed as they approached the steps of Evan’s house. “Beautiful house
, nice decor,” she remarked, stepping inside.

  James’ chest began to burn. She should be at my house, sitting her cute ass on my sofa, drawing the covers up over herself in my bed. She should be there instead.

  “Wow, I’ve never seen anything like this. You have taste,” Lexi beamed, nodding her head.

  James’ muscles tightened. “It’s pretty much the same throughout,” he muttered, his tone uncontrollably terse. His neck became heated. “We gotta run. We’re anxious to get up to Florida. It’s been a long trip, if you know what I mean, bro.”

  “Really? I was thinking you guys could stay for a while, kickback, and have some beers on the patio. Next week, these dancers are coming to the island to perform… these island dancers. Should be pretty fun. Why don’t you guys hang around?”

  “We’d love to,” Lexi beamed, her eyes sparkling.

  “I think we’ll have to take a rain check on that.” He appreciated that Lexi was so interested in getting to know the family, but he felt the strong need to get her away from every man in existence.

  Lexi narrowed her eyes on to James and tilted her head. “Okay,” she said, her voice trailing higher at the end.

  Evan sunk his shoulders and stuffed his hands into his pockets. “All right. You’re the boss,” he said, focusing on James.

  James chest tightened. Why did his brother have to do those puppy dog eyes? It wasn’t as if he didn’t want to spend time with his little brother, he only wished it was under different circumstances. And he didn’t need Lexi to discover any interesting qualities in Evan that she didn’t find in him. It didn’t just bother him to see one of his brothers talking to her, it disturbed him to see any man chatting her up. She’s mine. She just doesn’t know it yet. He didn’t want to share her with anybody.

  But it was Evan, his baby brother. He drew in a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders. “Well, why don’t we stay the night?” He raised an eyebrow and read Lexi’s face.

  She raised her eyebrows and smiled. “Sounds like a plan. I’m dying to take a hot shower.”

  James felt the fabric of his pants pulling as hunger flooded his groin. His cock twitched into a sudden arousal that vibrated throughout his body. Maybe staying the night wasn’t such a bad idea.

  Her breasts were in the same form that he left them in--plump and round. Her center mound drew in the creased material of her skimpy shorts. He wanted badly to take a flat palm and graze it past her hairs into her wet flesh. “It does sound like plan.” James’ breathing increased as his heart pounded.

  Her lips parted as she ran a hand down her thigh. She smiled and fell into his gaze.

  “Excellent,” Evan boomed, clapping his hands together. “Showers, then dinner?”

  “Thanks bro,” James said, his eyes never wavering from Lexi’s. He enclosed her hand into his and led her into the guest room at the far end of the hall.

  He attacked her smooth lips the moment the door shut. The girl was driving him crazy. He had never hungered for anybody like this. Hell, he had just shot a man a couple days ago and still needed to shove his cock into her throbbing wet grip right afterward. It wasn’t normal. He didn’t even try to understand it. He needed her. He reached down and picked her up.

  She gasped and wrapped her hands over his shoulders. “James, put me down,” she gushed, kicking her legs in protest.

  Her soft head cradled against his chest and her sweet, smooth calves dangled from his arm.

  “Why? I need to have you Lexi. I can’t take any more of this beating around the bush. I need to get my aching cock inside you. I can’t drive the boat or think about anything else. You’re driving me insane, girl.”

  Her breathing increased as he propped her on the bed.

  “Take your clothes off,” he demanded. He craved her. He needed to have her soft, supple nipples touching his skin, desperately. He threw his shirt up over his head and freed his stiff rod from its binding.

  She shimmied out of her blouse and tank top and kicked off her shorts.

  Heat thundered throughout his body as she tugged down her panties. His ambitious fingers ravaged her dark pair of succulent breasts. The skin of the nipples hardened and pebbled under his skilled fingers.

  She rocked her head back and expelled her sweet breath in a slow, steady hiss. “Oh, James.” She pursed her lips and sucked in more air. He became overwhelmed with hunger to taste her sopping wet portal. He pushed her legs open and kneeled. He buried his mouth between her supple thighs and licked her hot, plump clit. He listened to her silken cries of ecstasy and marveled at how perfect she sounded.

  “I want to make you feel like you’ve never felt before,” James murmured, his voice thick with emotion. He stuck two fingers into her velvet folds and pumped them back and forth while he circled his tongue on her sweet bud. “Come for me, Lexi.”

  Her moans heightened until the drenched mound twitched under him. He kissed her belly and upward, applying his tongue on to her supple flesh. He inhaled mint and lust from her and shuddered into an exhale.

  He grasped his stiff manhood and pushed it straight into her core.

  She arched her back and gasped. “Fuck me, James.”

  He stroked the rod into her over and over again, penetrating as deep as he could.

  Her raw voice overflowed with sweet desire as she dug her fingers into his back. Her juices surrounded his eager length as if they were created only for him.

  He lost it. Her medicinal sweat combined with her tight, tender channel forced his cock to pump its milk into her.

  Normally he would have collapsed into a slumber, but this time he wanted to watch her instead. Her soft lips, her delicately perfect nose, her deep ebony eyes that drank him in. He let out a satisfied sigh.

  Her expression grew serious.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “There something I need to talk to you about.”

  His heart pounded against his chest. Whatever it was, she should tell him right now. “What is it?”

  Evan’s friendly voice yelled from outside the door. “You guys ready to eat? Marcy made some good jerk chicken down here. It’s going to get cold.”

  Lexi tilted her head. “Marcy?”

  Didn’t matter. “Caretaker. Now, what were you going to say?” Tell me. He pressed her.

  She hesitated, her gaze becoming distant. “You know what? Let’s wait. I’m starved, and we haven’t even taken those showers yet.”

  If it were any other time he would’ve begged for the answer. But she was right. They hadn’t eaten decent food in days. Who the hell can resist some good jerk chicken? “Can I soap you down?”

  She gave him a ‘come hither’ look. “Of course.”

  They took their hot steamy shower and then joined Noah, Evan, and the doctor downstairs at the table.

  “How’s it looking?”

  The doctor coiled his mustache in his fingertips. “He’ll live.”

  Noah chuckled then grunted, his mouth twisted into a grimace. “It hurts when I laugh.”

  “We better make a new island ruling then. No laughing,” Evan mused, his eyes stern.

  They all laughed until the doctor broke in with conversation. “He’ll be fine. He has two cracked ribs. I gave him pain meds for now and a prescription to fill when he gets in to the mainland. The ribs should heal in 3 to 4 weeks, but other than that he’s as healthy as a horse.”

  James raised an eyebrow. “Oh. Then maybe we should get him to gallop us back to the border.”

  “No. We need a seahorse for that,” Lexi quipped.

  Noah turned one side of his mouth down. “That’s pretty funny, guys.”

  Noah was in good spirits, despite circumstances. It made the new friendship easier, considering the strangeness of their meeting. The guy was friendly and honorable. He just needed to be around the right people.

  Evan’s eyes creased. “So what really went down in Haiti?”

  Noah shot a look at the doctor. He was worried, but he needn’t be. Dr. Benson had
been in the family for years.

  The doc lifted his hands. “Don’t mind me, but I can leave the room if you want.”

  “Won’t be necessary,” James insisted. He turned to Evan. “Gold is what went down. $2.5 million of it. It’s all Lexi’s finding. She’s a genius.”

  Lexi closed her eyes briefly and flashed a smile. “I couldn’t have done it without you James. Or you Noah.”

  “Do I need to ask what happened with that bruise on your torso?”

  Noah opened his mouth and hesitated.

  “He met a battle with a bullet while defending his honor, friends, and fortune,” the doctor announced.

  Noah met James’ eye, lifted his chin, and nodded. He took in a deep breath and scooped some potatoes on his plate.

  They gobbled down the food like there was no tomorrow. Including Lexi. He loved watching a woman mow down. Especially this one.

  Evan gulped some of his beer. “So what happens with the gold?”

  “Private auction. Black market,” Lexi asserted.

  Evan sat back in his chair. “Ah. Hence the hollow statues.”

  James winked. “Bingo.”

  “Gotcha. But what the hell do you need that gold for when your bank account is already fat?”

  “I don’t. This hottie here is getting my share,” James announced, motioning to Lexi.

  She gasped. “What?!”

  “I want you to have it,” he declared.

  “No way. I don’t accept. Not in a million years. You got your share of the gold, fair and square,” she countered. Her eyes glowed. A twinkle formed, even though she was upset.

  She is so fucking cute. Her not wanting any of his money stung his pride, but aroused him at the same time. No woman had ever rejected his offerings. It made him want to tickle every inch of her body until she gave in.

  “Well, I’ll take it if no one wants it,” Noah interrupted, half-shrugging.

  Lexi stuck her tongue out at Noah. “Funny.” She drew a finger across her throat. “We’ll discuss this we get back to Florida. I am not keeping your share, James Ashton.”

  She tried to be mad, but she was too beautiful. James couldn’t remove his eyes from her, even when she squirmed uncomfortably.