Her Forever Fling

by Kimmie Ferrell

  “From the shit-eating grin on your face, I’d wager what’s in my entire savings account to say you met someone.”

  “Imagine a young Naomi Campbell or Gabrielle Union. Add to it a not-so-typical Southern accent, jet-black hair, dark brown eyes a person could get lost in, smooth skin the color of melted dark chocolate, thick thighs, curves that should be labeled ‘dangerous,’ and a beautiful smile.” Elijah sighed inwardly. The ebony goddess could’ve been what he needed to take the edge off, but instead of charming her into a date or giving him her number, he royally pissed her off.

  AJ’s eyes widened. “You know I got a thing for Gabby. Did you get her name?”

  “Nah. Hold on.” Elijah stepped to the counter, giving his name to the clerk behind it along with his driver’s license. “She bumped into me.” He wouldn’t tell his best friend how his sarcastic remark resulted in her calling him an asshole. Instead, he changed the subject. “All I want to do is get into my room and fall asleep,” Elijah said around a yawn. After collecting his room key and leaving his bags to be delivered to his suite later, he headed toward the bank of elevators.

  “Long flight?”

  “Among other things.” He was sleepy, hungry, and grouchy.

  “How was it?”

  Several words came to Elijah’s mind, and none of them good. The two-thousand-plus trek had been a shit-show well before he made it to the airport. “I missed my first flight and had to fly standby in cramped ass economy, sandwiched between a bickering couple who wouldn’t switch seats despite me insisting it was no problem.”

  “Damn. What were they arguing about?”

  Stepping onto the elevator, Elijah plugged his headphones into his phone and continued, “Apparently, they’re about to get married, and the guy invited his baby mama to the wedding, so his kid could attend. Being petty, the woman sent an invitation to her first love, who’s still close to her family. All this is info I shouldn’t even know.”

  AJ groaned. “Sounds like a flight from hell.”

  “It was. I also learned a longtime patient of mine passed away. On top of everything, Young Gabby is running around the island pissed off at me.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Elijah regretted them.

  “Wait … what? Why would she be mad at you?”

  Elijah explained what happened between him and the woman. “I wasn’t even trying to be rude. I saw she was nervous and wanted to break the tension—”

  “And said something you had no damn business saying?” AJ finished for him.

  Elijah didn’t respond. There was no need. Along with their other best friend, Patrick, AJ knew him probably better than he knew himself. The three friends grew up in the Anacostia neighborhood of Southeast Washington, DC. From the moment Elijah walked into the kindergarten classroom of Ms. Tate, the three boys had been inseparable. “I didn’t mean it,” he muttered finally.

  “I wouldn’t have been surprised if she slapped you.”

  “Me either.” Elijah was grateful at least one of them had shown some sort of decorum, even if it hadn’t been him. “I feel bad.”

  “Why? It’s not like you’re going to see this woman again.”

  I want to. “True, but I owe her an apology.” Elijah stepped off the glass elevator on the twenty-eighth floor, glanced at the signs, and headed down the long hallway to his room. “You know the saying ‘a first impression is a lasting impression’.”

  “And you messed yours up, big time.”

  Elijah nodded, coming to a stop in front of his room door. “AJ, I’ll give you a call a little later. I finally made it to my room, and all I want to do is unpack and sleep for the next few days.”

  AJ laughed. “You didn’t fly all the way to Chaud to sleep. Drink a soda, get a double espresso shot, and explore the island. Maybe you’ll run into Young Gabby again.”

  Thoughts of seeing her put a much-needed smile on Elijah’s tired face. After saying their good-byes, Elijah disconnected the call, slipped the keycard into the slot, awaiting the green light, and pushed the door open. “Damn,” he murmured, stepping into the foyer and closing the door behind him.

  With its gleaming black marble floors, oversized crystal light fixture, and expensive artwork adorning white walls overcast with soft blue lighting, Elijah felt as if he’d walked into an art gallery instead of a hotel suite. He walked through the curved arched way into a massive, open concept living/dining space. A white Italian leather sectional decorated the sunken living room with a coffee table in front of it and sat on top of a large, abstract, black-and-white area rug. A double-sided fireplace ran the length of a partial black marble wall with a seventy-five-inch flatscreen television separating the living and dining rooms. Floor-to-ceiling windows spanned the entire front room, boasting unparalleled views of the pristine waters from the Caribbean Sea and beaches of jet-black sand. Elijah walked around the wall into the dining area. In the center of the room was a glass dining room table big enough to seat eight. A fully-stocked bar added additional seating.

  “Welcome, Dr. Grayson.”

  Elijah jumped at the thick, Caribbean accent from behind him and spun around. Wide eyes took in the tall, tawny-brown-skinned man wearing tan khaki pants, a banded, collared, navy blue polo shirt with tan trim around the short sleeves, tan loafers, and a welcoming smile. Elijah hadn’t seen the man when he arrived, and guessed he came from out of the room behind the closed door he stood near.

  “Dr. Grayson, as an esteemed guest of His Supreme Majesty King Damarae Aman of Chaud, His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Nikoli Aman of Chaud, and His Royal Highness, Prince Jaedon Aman of Chaud, I am here to ensure your stay at the Sable Noir Resort and Casino is an enjoyable one. I am Jorge Alexander, your personal concierge.” The man bowed his head in greeting. “Staying in the Noir Suite gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to all of the resort’s amenities at no charge to you. Should you need anything,” he motioned to the sleek, red phone on the stark white console table near where he stood, “this phone will put you in direct contact with me. Use it regardless of the time—day or night.”

  “While I don’t think I’ll need much, I appreciate the offer.”

  Jorge smiled. “Your belongings will be delivered momentarily, along with your lunch. Would you prefer eating on the terrace or inside?”

  “Inside is fine,” Elijah said as a knock sounded on the door. He made a move to answer it, but stopped when Jorge started in its direction. The door opened, revealing a man wearing a uniform similar to Jorge’s and rolling a small cart with a covered tray on top. Elijah thanked the men, then walked into the bedroom and into the adjoining bath to wash his hands. Once he ate, showered, and caught a couple hours of sleep, his mood should be as good as new. Then, he hoped he would get the opportunity to run into Young Gabby again. Only to apologize, Elijah told himself, although he barely believed it.

  Chapter Two

  “Now, this is what the doctor ordered.” Melissa pulled the sunglasses, resting at the top of her head, down to shield her eyes from the late morning sun. She and Jayla lounged at the Kuluha Cabana, one of eight themed pools at the Sable Noir Resort and Casino. Surrounded by lush, tropical, brightly colored flowers, and towering palm trees, the Kuluha Cabana was more like a hidden oasis in the middle of a jungle with sparkling turquoise-green waters, huge boulders, a swim-up bar, and several heated grottos tucked behind cascading waterfalls. Private cabanas, made to look like tiki huts, held flat-screen televisions, plush furniture, and bars equipped with top-shelf liquor. Melissa hoped she and Jayla would get the chance to rent one, but they were fully booked.

  “Or he would have had he not cheated on you, gotten his side chick pregnant, then married the homewrecking hoe.”

  “Did you have to go there?” Melissa rolled her eyes. “I thought the purpose of this week was to relax while getting me not to think about him.”

  “You’re right.” Jayla adjusted her sunglasses, pulling them down to the bridge of her nose. “Why focus on him when we can lounge p
oolside, sip complimentary, fruity drinks with enough alcohol to put hair on our chests, and people-watch all these sexy ass men parade around with water dripping from their bodies? Good Lawd.”

  “Amen.” This vacation was long overdue, and Melissa wanted to savor the downtime. Although she had a couple of days to enjoy the island and rest, her mind was already thinking about the many seminars and demonstrations she planned to attend, including the lecture given by Dr. Elijah Grayson. While a small part of her dreaded running—figuratively—into the handsome doctor, Melissa did want to see him again. Yesterday, they’d gotten off on the wrong foot after his snarky comment. Instead of allowing him to explain or even apologize, she projected the embarrassment she experienced at the hands of her ex onto him, which led to her reading him the Riot Act. She owed him as much of an apology as he did her.

  “Sexy men, in tiny Speedos, with big—”

  “Seriously?”

  “What?” Jayla shrugged. “It’s true. You’d think we were in the Meatpacking District with the way these dudes look.”

  “Ohmygosh, you’re a mess.”

  Jayla nodded. “I sure am, and you can act like Mrs. Goodie Two-Shoes all you want, but you know I’m right.”

  “You are,” Melissa said with a chuckle. “But enough about that. What I really want to know is what—or who—did you end up doing last night?” Once they checked into their room, showered, and unpacked, Melissa and Jayla had taken a taxi to Orchard Cove to do some shopping before returning back to the hotel to have dinner in one of the swanky, five-star restaurants. But after dinner, Melissa chose to turn in for the night while Jayla ventured down to the resort’s nightclub, Ambrosia. She wasn’t sure what time Jayla made it to the room … or if she made it back at all.

  “I didn’t do anyone last night,” Jayla said with a mischievous grin on her face. “But, I did meet a guy.”

  As she listened to Jayla describe her evening partying in the VIP section of Ambrosia with the handsome stranger, Melissa couldn’t help but notice how different she and Jayla were. Jayla had always been the outgoing girl everyone loved to be around. She was an extrovert and often the life of the party. While Melissa was the shy, quiet girl most people forgot about, even if she were standing in the room wearing bells and whistles. Not much changed over the years, from children to adults. Melissa was still reserved, probably more now than she’d ever been.

  “And you didn’t sleep with him?” Melissa twisted her lips to the side in disbelief. She knew her best friend. Jayla was beyond confident in her sexuality. She loved sex and saw nothing wrong with doing so.

  “Sadly, no. After we shut down Ambrosia, Jae—with an ‘e’—and I had breakfast together before he walked me to the room, kissed me on my cheek, and asked if he could see me again. Of course I gave him my number. But I do plan to get in those expensive ass boxers briefs I’m sure he wears. The ‘Freedom Tour’ has made a stop in Chaud, and he is the kind of guy I wouldn’t mind indulging in an island fling with.”

  Island fling. The phrase alone sent heat flooding through Melissa’s body and produced a delectable image of Dr. Elijah Grayson. His hard body, his heart-stopping smile, dimples, and lips were all quality ingredients for the perfect island fling. Unfortunately, it would never be. Melissa pushed the thoughts and images to the darkest cavern in her mind. There was no way she’d allow herself to indulge in a meaningless fling with someone like him, or anyone for that matter. Melissa didn’t do one-night stands. Besides, she’d just gotten out of a relationship, and needed to steer clear of men period, especially men like Dr. Elijah Grayson.

  “And before you judge me, judge ya mama.”

  “My mama? I should call her right now.” She made a show of rifling through her oversized beach bag in search of her cell phone. She pulled out the device. “Bet you won’t say it to her face.”

  “Damn right.” Jayla snatched the phone from Melissa’s grasp and tucked it under her thigh. “I know I’m crazy, but I’m not insane. The minute you call Mama Joyce, she’ll call my mama, knowing we’re together. I’ve been ducking her since I told her about the job and move a couple weeks ago.”

  “Well, no one told you to wait until the last minute to tell her you’re moving.” Melissa drained the rest of her drink. “Speaking of your new job, I thought more about everything you said yesterday, and you were right. There isn’t anything left for me in Louisiana.”

  “Exactly, so what are you going to do?”

  Melissa shrugged. “I haven’t figured everything out yet. I’m a little worried about packing up and moving without a job or some sort of steady income.” More like terrified. “Even if I sold the townhouse at top dollar, cashed out my 401k plan, and used the money in my savings, it won’t last long. Part of me wants to move and worry about the financial aspect later, but I can’t.”

  “Yes, you can, Melly. I know it’s hard, but you gotta step outside of the tiny ass box you’ve built around yourself. When you stalked into the NICU and told me you quit, I wanted to celebrate because for the first time in a long time you did something without thinking about the consequences, without trying to talk yourself out of it, without caring what other people thought about your decision. Truth is, you’re afraid to take chances.”

  “I like my life,” Melissa answered automatically. They’d had this conversation plenty of times before, and each time Melissa responded the same. Only this time, as the words left her mouth, she cringed at the inner voice, taunting her. Not so long ago, Melissa actually believed those words, but now, she was forced to see the truth. She hadn’t been happy with her life for a long time.

  “You’ve forgotten how to live, Melly. You’ve allowed life to pass you by. Hell, you’re barely existing. It’s like you go through the motions of each day for the sole purpose of getting through it to see the next day. Then, you wake up and do it all again.” Jayla held up a hand when Melissa opened her mouth to respond. “You know I’m right.” She took Melissa’s hand in hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “You know what I want this week?”

  “Some good sex, an even tan, and to shop ’til you drop?”

  “Girl, yeah!” Jayla and Melissa shared a laugh. “But I also want you to leave the old you back in Louisiana. Be the woman who you’ve always wanted to be. The woman you’re afraid of being for fear of making mistakes.” She stood and spread her arms wide. “We’re on a Caribbean island and the weather is absolutely gorgeous. And don’t get me started on the men.” Jayla smacked her lips together, bouncing her butt to the reggae music floating from hidden speakers. Whistles, catcalls, and more encouragement for her to ‘twerksum’ rang out from various spots poolside. “You have one week to do whatever you want to do to better yourself and not have to worry about what anyone back in Louisiana will say.”

  “One week?”

  “Yes. One week to act a complete fool. To do things you never would do. Think of it as a mini Freedom Tour. I emailed my supervisor last night. There are a couple of openings at the hospital where I’ll be working. Apply for them. I’ll even send you the application. If you want to swim naked, do it.” Jayla reclaimed her chair next to Melissa. “You know what they say: What happens in Chaud, stays in Chaud. So, if you wanted to indulge in an island fling of your own, you should. And I think I know the perfect candidate to knock them cobwebs from between ya legs.”

  Melissa’s eyes followed the direction where Jayla boldly pointed, and she gasped aloud at the sight of Dr. Elijah Grayson leaning against the duel walk/swim-up bar, looking sexier than any man had the right to be. He nodded at something a man Melissa recognized as one of the conference’s board members said, then threw his head back in laughter, exposing the long column of his neck.

  Her gaze traveled from his lips as he spoke, to his fitted, black tank top. The fabric clung to his well-defined torso, proudly displaying the corded muscles of his arms. An intricate, half-sleeve tribal tattoo started near his collar, over his broad shoulder blade, and down his arms, stopping above the elbow
. She wondered how far the design continued. Her mouth watered with thoughts of trailing the tip of her tongue over the bold lines, shapes, pictures, and patterns.

  Melissa shifted in the seat, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. A pair of tan cargo shorts were hung low on his trim, tapered waist. Much like the rest of him, his legs were muscular like those of an athlete or someone who spent an ungodly amount of time in the gym. A pair of Nike slides finished the relaxed look. She committed every detail of his body to memory and stored the visualization in the back of her mind, determined to hold her over until her self-imposed abstinence lifted. However, before Melissa could focus her attention on whatever Jayla was still flapping her gums about, her gaze connected with his. Yesterday, as he held her in his arms, she’d been hypnotized by those dark brown orbs. Once again, Melissa was rendered powerless to think, speak, or look away. The intensity radiating in his stare held her captive, as if by some invisible force. As if he’d been privy to her innermost thoughts, could smell the desire settling between her thighs, or could see the lust swimming in her eyes behind the lenses of her sunglasses, the corners of his lips inched upwards, unleashing his full, dimpled smile and showcasing his straight, pearly white teeth. Melissa sighed aloud.

  “Damn,” Jayla said, breaking into Melissa’s thoughts. “I wish a man looked at me the way he’s been looking at you.”

  “Whatever.” Melissa tore her eyes from him, catching the incredulous look on Jayla’s face. She removed her sunglasses. “What? You expect me to believe he was staring at me.”

  “Was and still is watching you like a hawk. He’s interested in you. And if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were feeling him, too.”

  Melissa chanced a glance his way, their eyes connected once again. He tossed her a bold wink before briefly turning his attention to the man next to him. She scoffed. “The only thing I’m interested in is an apology for his rude behavior.”