“Fair enough.” He smiles.
When I stop walking a few minutes later, I notice that he is currently staring at me instead of the ocean. I point at the waves. “Look.” I turn my head to where the waves are crashing in on the shore. They are glowing a spectacular, electric blue. It’s mesmerizing, like watching a lava lamp.
He looks at the glowing waves. “It’s beautiful,” he says at last, taking a few more steps toward where the water is breaking into tiny waves at the shoreline. “Are the waves this color all the time?”
“Almost never. It’s called bioluminescence.”
“Can I touch it?”
“Best not to. The color is caused by bacteria. It is beautiful, though.” I watch him kneel in the sand. The pants leg of his suit would need to be dry cleaned for sure, but he didn’t seem to care. It makes me like him more. It almost makes up for the fact that he’s wearing shoes.
I’m carrying mine, like a civilized person. The cool, damp earth feels wonderful beneath my feet.
Nature and beauty mean something to me, and his reaction to it is a test. One that he passes.
He stands up. “So, what’s on the tour other than beautiful, radioactive waves?”
“We’re just getting started,” I say and turn, heading back the way we came. I lead him back toward the main building of the Royal St. Tropic resort. Only before we get there, I veer off to the left, toward the beautifully landscaped trail at the edge of the resort filled with perfectly trimmed hedges and exotic trees.
“Hey, what’s the story with the chocolates?” he asks. I get the feeling he’s trying to change the subject, so I let him.
“It’s nothing,” I say.
“No, I could see that you two were definitely up to something.”
“Just an inside joke.”
Soon the path I’m following turns into a mulched path. We’re almost there. I’ve only been here once before, so it takes a minute before I spot the stone steps leading to an open, wooded area.
“Where are we going now?”
“There’s an overlook around here somewhere,” I say, looking around. “There!” I spot it across the pavilion. It’s even more beautiful than I remember. We make our way to it and then look out over the water. “They say this spot has the best view on the shoreline.” The locals aren’t lying. The view of the ocean and the stars is breathtaking from this vantage point.
I stand and enjoy the view of the ocean. And the guy next to me isn’t bad either. I catch myself glancing in his direction, although he seems to be watching the ocean.
“I’ll bet this is a popular make-out spot,” he says.
I can’t help but imagine what it would be like to make out with him. When I turn to face him, he’s staring at me. That handsome face and sexy dimple seem like they are daring me to engage with him. I have to admit that I’m tempted. “Hey, I just came here for the view,” I answer.
He shoots me a flirty smile. “Me too. And the view is spectacular.”
That smile does absolutely nothing to calm my raging libido. My body is responding to him. I order my brain to put up a fight. Only right now my brain is busy undressing him with my eyes. Then I wonder if he’s doing the same thing to me.
I feel my cheeks heat and look away. Maybe it’s time for this tour to end. I’m not sure how much longer I can hold out since both my body and brain are apparently defecting over to Jellybean’s side. Traitors.
“You ready?” I ask as I take a step back toward the Royal St. Tropic. Only I don’t get far. Oh no. Instead, I manage to trip on one of the circle stone steps.
In one swift, agile movement, Jellybean reaches out and catches me. “Easy, coconut.”
Suddenly I’m so close to those intense green eyes. And his muscled chest. I breathe in his intoxicating scent. Our faces are so close together right now.
He leans in and his lips meet mine. A tingling shoots all the way down to my toes. It’s magical. The kiss is sweet at first, but then it turns urgent and deep and it encompasses everything that my body is feeling. Then as suddenly as the kiss began, he breaks it off.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “I didn’t mean to do that.”
There’s an awkward moment of silence. All I can hear is my heart beating in my chest. That kiss was amazing and I want more. “It’s okay,” I whisper. Then I decide to throw caution to the wind. I get up on my tippy toes and kiss him back.
The moment our lips touch again, I feel a new level of heat pulse through my body as he pulls me closer to him. His hand cups my chin, then it drops behind me tracing a line down my back. The feel of his hand sets my body on fire.
Then, with my eyes still closed, I hear a click and a whir. Huh. That’s not a noise I expect to hear. I open my eyes and look around.
“Shit,” he says. “Paparazzi. Let’s get out of here.” He grabs me by the hand and we run back toward the lights of the Royal St. Tropic.
Chapter Five
Kaylee
“Um, does that sort of thing happen to you often?” I ask Jellybean as the two of us sprint across the sand headed toward the main entrance of the resort on the beach-side.
The main building is a gorgeous, carefully restored Victorian. It’s painted a cheerful yellow color with eye-catching red roofs. It’s even prettier at night with the lights sparkling.
“I don’t know about often,” he says in between breaths. “It’s a pain in the ass, though.”
“Well, I think we outran
