What was supposed to be a fun and exciting weekend at the beach had turned into a disaster, and most of the stay had been absolutely miserable. Even now, as Renee sat on the veranda, letting the ocean breeze blow through her hair and across her face while she watched the moon and stars glitter off the dark surface of the water, what should have been a peaceful night was shattered by the sounds of arguing in one of the bedrooms on the second floor of the condo, so loud that it rattled the glass of the picture window behind her.
She sighed. Her sister, Bea, and her sister's husband, Rich, had come to blows almost as soon as they'd landed in the gorgeous condo just steps from the sandy shoreline. It seemed that there was suspicion that Rich and his secretary were doing the naughty, and it had dragged up a world of other issues that Renee hadn't been aware of that had plagued their five year marriage.
Unfortunately, they hadn't come alone, which was probably what they should have done. Renee wished she wasn't here, though she hadn't minded the view of Rich's brother, James, over the past three days. It was really the only redeeming point in this whole trip, under the circumstances. She could tell James felt pretty awkward about the whole thing, too, and though they were both almost terrified to leave Bea and Rich alone for fear they would kill each other or raze the place to the ground, they'd managed to escape to the water and for a few walks here and there to relieve some of the tension.
Of course, every time Renee looked at James, she could think of other ways she wanted to relieve a different kind of tension. His short cropped blond hair was often wild and had just a hint of red in it that reflected in the sun, and his tanned skin showed off every rippling, lean muscle in his body. He had an easy, playboy smile that made her shiver with delight each time he gave it to her, and his green eyes held flecks of yellow that intrigued her and made it hard to look away.
It didn't help that he had a sense of humor and was a genuinely nice guy, despite the bad boy tattoos on his arms and legs and the motorcycle he had named Chelsea that was his pride and joy.
She sighed to herself. There were moments she thought she sensed chemistry between them, but it was hard to tell under the circumstances. And it's not like she should expect anything. As far as she knew, James had his eye on someone back home. They hadn't discussed their own personal lives to that extent, trying desperately not to ruin a few minutes of peace by discussing their siblings' issues. The subject matter was practically off limits.
Still, she couldn't help taking his image to bed with her and thinking about having that smooth chest pressed against her breasts while he buried himself so deep inside her she could almost taste it.
Anyway, they were leaving in two days, and she'd find a new crush, putting him behind her. "It's too loud in there." Behind her. That's exactly where he stood as he came through the sliding glass door, the noise following him before being slightly muted again as he shut it behind him. "Nice night."
Renee nodded, squirming in her seat as he took the chair right next to hers, so close their elbows almost brushed each other. He handed her a bottle of beer he's already opened, tilting his own in a toast. "Thanks," she said, grateful for the cool liquid pouring down her throat. It helped to cool the heat that rose in her every time James was present, if only slightly.
With a sigh, James shook his head. "It's a shame. I don't think they'll work it out."
Renee didn't think so, either. "Do you think your brother cheated?"
"Probably. He's just that much of a bastard. It's the sort of thing we've argued about before. I told him if he wants to screw around, he shouldn't be married."
Renee eyed him, seeing the sincerity of his words in the expression on his face. She could appreciate that. Needing to change the subject to something lighter, she used it as a Segway. "Is that why you're not married? So you can screw around?"
He chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with mirth before his expression grew serious again, and his gaze dropped, sweeping over her. Renee fought the urge to shift uncomfortably under his assessment, considering she only wore her bikini top and a short sarong. "No, I've just been waiting for the right one to come along that made me not want to screw around."
Suddenly, he was on his feet and reaching for her hand. She let him take it, guardedly. "Where are we going?"
"For a walk. Come on, there's something I want to show you."
She couldn't help but follow him, but the fact that he didn't let go of her hand made it difficult to breathe. His touch was hot, arousing and soothing at the same time. She'd never reacted this way to simply holding hands with someone, and she wondered again about that chemistry. But this was a man on a mission, drawing her swiftly down the beach so her feet were caked in wet sand by the time he stopped, next to one of the deserted jettisons that was built out into the water.
She looked around, trying to figure out what he wanted to show her, but Renee didn't see anything of consequence. Narrowing her eyes at him, she asked, "What is it you wanted to show me, James?"
