stay.”
“Only if you do.”
Nick should be happy she’d left the choice to him, but he didn’t want to disappoint her. If she wanted to stay, he would figure out a way to make this work for Addie and for him. “Okay. We’re staying.”
She leaned forward. “Are you sure?”
He would talk to his boss, determine out what could be said about his job and what couldn’t. No last names used or anything about him working in personal security. He’d limit the information about his military career. No one needed to know he’d been on an ODA team, better known to the public as an A-Team. Special Forces would be good enough, the U.S. Army better.
Nick tapped his glass against hers. The chime hung in the air, a perfect pitch to match their perfect evening. “I’m positive.”
Chapter 4
L ight hit Addie’s face. Morning already? Last night, she’d put on a frilly white nightie and climbed into bed. She didn’t remember anything else. No doubt sleep had come hard and fast. Being a princess for the evening was tiring work, especially combined with jetlag, excitement, worry, and champagne.
She blinked open her eyes, raised her head slightly, looking at the hand-woven ceiling and the sheer white curtains hanging on sides of the bed. The muted sound of a ceiling fan was all she could hear.
So quiet and peaceful.
Nowhere to be. No one to worry about. No one to accuse her of stealing her grandmother’s cottage.
A feeling of contentment settled over her. She loved everything about Starfish Island: the bure, Mama Lani, the entire resort. Addie lay against her pillow, not tired but wanting to relish in the moment, something she hadn’t felt like doing in . . . years.
Today would be her first full day of vacation. Her first full day with the film crew, too, but she wouldn’t think about them. She would, however, think of Nick, her handsome in-name-only husband. She rolled onto her right side, facing the large, empty place where he would sleep if they were married for real. The covers were messed up, and the pillow had an indention mark.
Nick must have done that before heading to the patio’s day bed last night or first thing this morning. He’d done a good job. Anyone looking at the king-sized bed would assume a couple had slept together. But a kiss on the forehead was the only wedding night action after a spectacular and romantic dinner on the dock.
For the best.
She and Nick were friends, good friends. They might not have spent much time together lately, but they’d picked up without missing a beat—talking, joking, flirting the way they had back in high school. She’d managed to keep her shoes on the entire evening, too, and hadn’t needed carrying. An omen they could pull this off honeymoon-marriage sham? She hoped so.
Things were going so well she would believe almost anything. Naïve? Yes, but this was her vacation on a fantasy island. She was willing to forget reality. Last night, she’d felt sixteen again with a life full of possibilities ahead of her. Nick had made her feel comfortable and pretty. He’d listened when she said she wanted to stay and changed his mind about leaving. This place was paradise.
Humming the theme from Disneyland’s Tiki Room, she sat. The sheet dropped to her lap. Whether their contest entry had been randomly picked or purposely chosen, she no longer cared.
Emily must have known they would have never come if she’d told them about the reality TV show. Way to skirt the issue, but then again, she was an expert at that and one reason she was so good at advertising. Still Addie owed Emily for entering their names into the contest. A honeymoon-between-friends was the perfect start to their in-name-only marriage.
Nick walked from the bathroom area, his hair wet and a towel wrapped low around his hips. “You’re awake.”
You’re almost naked. She gulped. Nodded.
Wowza. Her gaze traveled down his muscular chest covered with tattoos to his rock solid abs. He’d had a
“Only if you do.”
Nick should be happy she’d left the choice to him, but he didn’t want to disappoint her. If she wanted to stay, he would figure out a way to make this work for Addie and for him. “Okay. We’re staying.”
She leaned forward. “Are you sure?”
He would talk to his boss, determine out what could be said about his job and what couldn’t. No last names used or anything about him working in personal security. He’d limit the information about his military career. No one needed to know he’d been on an ODA team, better known to the public as an A-Team. Special Forces would be good enough, the U.S. Army better.
Nick tapped his glass against hers. The chime hung in the air, a perfect pitch to match their perfect evening. “I’m positive.”
Chapter 4
L ight hit Addie’s face. Morning already? Last night, she’d put on a frilly white nightie and climbed into bed. She didn’t remember anything else. No doubt sleep had come hard and fast. Being a princess for the evening was tiring work, especially combined with jetlag, excitement, worry, and champagne.
She blinked open her eyes, raised her head slightly, looking at the hand-woven ceiling and the sheer white curtains hanging on sides of the bed. The muted sound of a ceiling fan was all she could hear.
So quiet and peaceful.
Nowhere to be. No one to worry about. No one to accuse her of stealing her grandmother’s cottage.
A feeling of contentment settled over her. She loved everything about Starfish Island: the bure, Mama Lani, the entire resort. Addie lay against her pillow, not tired but wanting to relish in the moment, something she hadn’t felt like doing in . . . years.
Today would be her first full day of vacation. Her first full day with the film crew, too, but she wouldn’t think about them. She would, however, think of Nick, her handsome in-name-only husband. She rolled onto her right side, facing the large, empty place where he would sleep if they were married for real. The covers were messed up, and the pillow had an indention mark.
Nick must have done that before heading to the patio’s day bed last night or first thing this morning. He’d done a good job. Anyone looking at the king-sized bed would assume a couple had slept together. But a kiss on the forehead was the only wedding night action after a spectacular and romantic dinner on the dock.
For the best.
She and Nick were friends, good friends. They might not have spent much time together lately, but they’d picked up without missing a beat—talking, joking, flirting the way they had back in high school. She’d managed to keep her shoes on the entire evening, too, and hadn’t needed carrying. An omen they could pull this off honeymoon-marriage sham? She hoped so.
Things were going so well she would believe almost anything. Naïve? Yes, but this was her vacation on a fantasy island. She was willing to forget reality. Last night, she’d felt sixteen again with a life full of possibilities ahead of her. Nick had made her feel comfortable and pretty. He’d listened when she said she wanted to stay and changed his mind about leaving. This place was paradise.
Humming the theme from Disneyland’s Tiki Room, she sat. The sheet dropped to her lap. Whether their contest entry had been randomly picked or purposely chosen, she no longer cared.
Emily must have known they would have never come if she’d told them about the reality TV show. Way to skirt the issue, but then again, she was an expert at that and one reason she was so good at advertising. Still Addie owed Emily for entering their names into the contest. A honeymoon-between-friends was the perfect start to their in-name-only marriage.
Nick walked from the bathroom area, his hair wet and a towel wrapped low around his hips. “You’re awake.”
You’re almost naked. She gulped. Nodded.
Wowza. Her gaze traveled down his muscular chest covered with tattoos to his rock solid abs. He’d had a
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