come for work and, if time permitted, a little lazing near the pool, a few drinks... She hadn’t come here to fall in—
“Stop it.” She punched the closest pillow as though it had somehow been to blame for such thoughts filling her mind. She barely had time for her friends. She surely had no time for a high-maintenance relationship.
Something told her that an involvement with Gage Vincent would be high maintenance. Not in a bad way, of course. She could, however, take one look at the man and be pretty much reassured that he’d keep her...busier than business ever could.
“Stop it...” She moaned the word as if begging herself for mercy.
Sex—or the lack of it—was the very last thing she needed at the forefront of her mind. The idea gave her pause and she ceased her fidgeting beneath the sheets. Giving in might not be such a bad thing after all. Well... no, it wouldn’t be a bad thing at all. Would it really matter what he thought of her later?
Chances were high that they wouldn’t even see each other after the wedding. It’d just be a Caribbean fling. Who didn’t deserve to have at least one of those? she thought, renewed drowsiness beginning to settle in as the perfect mattress and pillows cushioned her entire body, beckoning it into relaxation.
“No...a Caribbean fling wouldn’t be a bad thing. He already wants you, Aly...” she murmured, the breeze and palm leaves lulling her as surely as the bed and its trimmings.
“And he’d really be a pleasure to...have.... Mmm...” She snuggled down almost into the center of the bed, thinking of those stunning eyes of his, the flawless coffee skin taut across that amazing chest.
A Caribbean fling wouldn’t be a bad thing at all....
Chapter 5
A lythia’s late-afternoon nap had worked wonders. The exhaustion that had threatened to buckle her knees when the plane had landed in San Juan had been effectively vanquished by the three-hour snooze. She awoke refreshed—and starving. The delicious and filling onboard lunch had worn off hours ago.
Thankfully, the hunger hadn’t affected her appearance. She looked rested and stunning. She’d showered, dressed and then critiqued her image in the full-length mirror. Unless she was going out on the town, she rarely wore foundation. Her usual enhancement was a light dousing of eye shadow and lipstick. She’d packed a nice supply of all things makeup related but decided in that moment that they would remain packed. A healthy dose of sleep, rustling palm-tree leaves and a heavenly bed were the real secrets to radiance!
There was a knock and she felt a twinge of self-consciousness then. “Let’s hope my date thinks so.” She checked the gold-filigree clock on the dresser across the bedroom. She spared a minute for one last twirl in the mirror, loving the way the long hem of the lavender halter dress whirled around the flat sandals that highlighted her fresh pedicure. With one last quick toss of her blue-black waves, she headed for the door.
Had she had any concerns about whether Gage would disapprove of her joining him barefaced, she did away with them the instant she noticed the brilliant smile that set his gaze sparkling.
“You already answered my first question—did you sleep okay?” he asked with a striking grin. “Hungry?”
Alythia threw back her head as though she were depleted. “Starved, but sleep had to come first for me.”
“Surprised that you got three uninterrupted hours of it.” He leaned on the doorframe while voicing the observation.
“I still can’t believe that, either.” She blinked as if the remark gave her pause. “Did I miss anything...best left unmentioned?”
Gage bowed his head, studying his thumb as it traced the links of the silver timepiece he sported. “I think it’s safe to say that everybody had a pretty quiet day.” He pushed off the frame then, invading Alythia’s space to course his hands over her bare arms.
“Got a wrap or anything?”
Gage’s question
“Stop it.” She punched the closest pillow as though it had somehow been to blame for such thoughts filling her mind. She barely had time for her friends. She surely had no time for a high-maintenance relationship.
Something told her that an involvement with Gage Vincent would be high maintenance. Not in a bad way, of course. She could, however, take one look at the man and be pretty much reassured that he’d keep her...busier than business ever could.
“Stop it...” She moaned the word as if begging herself for mercy.
Sex—or the lack of it—was the very last thing she needed at the forefront of her mind. The idea gave her pause and she ceased her fidgeting beneath the sheets. Giving in might not be such a bad thing after all. Well... no, it wouldn’t be a bad thing at all. Would it really matter what he thought of her later?
Chances were high that they wouldn’t even see each other after the wedding. It’d just be a Caribbean fling. Who didn’t deserve to have at least one of those? she thought, renewed drowsiness beginning to settle in as the perfect mattress and pillows cushioned her entire body, beckoning it into relaxation.
“No...a Caribbean fling wouldn’t be a bad thing. He already wants you, Aly...” she murmured, the breeze and palm leaves lulling her as surely as the bed and its trimmings.
“And he’d really be a pleasure to...have.... Mmm...” She snuggled down almost into the center of the bed, thinking of those stunning eyes of his, the flawless coffee skin taut across that amazing chest.
A Caribbean fling wouldn’t be a bad thing at all....
Chapter 5
A lythia’s late-afternoon nap had worked wonders. The exhaustion that had threatened to buckle her knees when the plane had landed in San Juan had been effectively vanquished by the three-hour snooze. She awoke refreshed—and starving. The delicious and filling onboard lunch had worn off hours ago.
Thankfully, the hunger hadn’t affected her appearance. She looked rested and stunning. She’d showered, dressed and then critiqued her image in the full-length mirror. Unless she was going out on the town, she rarely wore foundation. Her usual enhancement was a light dousing of eye shadow and lipstick. She’d packed a nice supply of all things makeup related but decided in that moment that they would remain packed. A healthy dose of sleep, rustling palm-tree leaves and a heavenly bed were the real secrets to radiance!
There was a knock and she felt a twinge of self-consciousness then. “Let’s hope my date thinks so.” She checked the gold-filigree clock on the dresser across the bedroom. She spared a minute for one last twirl in the mirror, loving the way the long hem of the lavender halter dress whirled around the flat sandals that highlighted her fresh pedicure. With one last quick toss of her blue-black waves, she headed for the door.
Had she had any concerns about whether Gage would disapprove of her joining him barefaced, she did away with them the instant she noticed the brilliant smile that set his gaze sparkling.
“You already answered my first question—did you sleep okay?” he asked with a striking grin. “Hungry?”
Alythia threw back her head as though she were depleted. “Starved, but sleep had to come first for me.”
“Surprised that you got three uninterrupted hours of it.” He leaned on the doorframe while voicing the observation.
“I still can’t believe that, either.” She blinked as if the remark gave her pause. “Did I miss anything...best left unmentioned?”
Gage bowed his head, studying his thumb as it traced the links of the silver timepiece he sported. “I think it’s safe to say that everybody had a pretty quiet day.” He pushed off the frame then, invading Alythia’s space to course his hands over her bare arms.
“Got a wrap or anything?”
Gage’s question
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