Sin City Lights (Sin City #1)

Chapter 7

Eve

The suite was gorgeous.

The spacious living area was decorated in a cream palette, with light-colored wood covering two walls, one housing bookshelves and a large flat-screen TV. A multi-stemmed white orchid sat atop a round metallic coffee table. Two ivory linen chairs flanked a matching sofa, the fluffy pillows inviting.

But it was the view that was the showstopper.

Eve dropped her beach tote on a chair and made her way across the room, where the balcony doors revealed a spectacular view of Seven Mile Beach. The turquoise water looked too beautiful to be real. White sand sifted with gold dust stretched side to side as far as she could see.

This view would have instantly relaxed her, except, behind her, Adam’s presence was a giant magnet, and she, a tiny iron figurine.

And iron her will would have to be to resist his inexorable pull all weekend.

She slid open the heavy balcony door. The sound of rolling ocean waves soothed her ears, inviting her to come down to the water. From here, she could see the entire pool area, people sunning themselves and milling around, couples walking hand in hand, employees in white uniforms going about their tasks.

Adam came to stand beside her, gripping the railing.

The breeze ruffled his silky hair. “Nice, isn’t it?”

“It’s wonderful. The beach is my happy place, and this one looks amazing.”

“Have you ever been to Seven Mile?”

Eve shook her head. “Never. I’ve been to Jamaica and the Bahamas, but this is another level. Do you come here often?”

“This is where I always go in the Caribbean. It’s a great place for family gatherings. We meet here once a year. There is an Opal Suite, similar to this one. We always book both, plus a few smaller rooms.”

The bellboy arrived with their luggage, and Eve spotted a large white Rimowa she had never laid eyes on before.

“This one is yours,”

Adam said, rolling it toward her.

She grasped the handle. “How—”

“I had Eleet pack everything they thought you’d need. Hopefully, it’s all in there. If not, we can always go shopping.”

Shopping. With Adam Larssen. For some reason, that struck her as funny. Would he be one of those men who impatiently looked at his watch, hating every second, or would he enjoy the process and participate? She couldn’t even imagine him inside a store. He looked like the type to order everything or have a personal shopper.

“Time to talk beds,”

he said, his tone a little lower. Whatever came out of this man’s mouth sounded sexy, but talking beds was one level up.

“One room has a king. The other has a queen.”

One corner of his mouth curved up. “You go ahead and take the king.”

She slanted a glance up to see his face, but her eyes insisted on resting on his Adam’s apple. “You’re taller. You should take the king. I’ll be fine with the smaller bed.”

“You sure?”

“I’m positive.”

“OK, then. Are you hungry?”

“Starving.”

“There’s a great place downstairs, right by the water. Swimwear allowed. If we change quickly, we can grab something there to take the edge off and still have time to hit the beach before sunset. We have dinner reservations at 7:30.”

“Sounds good. I need ten minutes.”

He looked up at the sky. “Thank you. A woman who doesn’t need a whole hour to get ready.”

Adam

Whoever at Eleet had packed her suitcase deserved either a dozen roses or a bottle of single malt.

Exactly ten minutes later, Eve emerged from her room, wearing a see-through white cover-up over an electric-blue bikini. The top covered her breasts completely, but she had a lot to cover, and the matching high-cut bottoms made her shapely legs look even longer. She wore no makeup and didn’t need any, either. On her small feet, flip-flops adorned with turquoise and blue flowers revealed toes painted fire-engine red.

She smelled like Coppertone.

Jesus. Maybe he should’ve packed compression shorts.

Her big brown eyes shone with a soft light he’d never seen in them before. She looked genuinely happy, and he congratulated himself for taking her out of Las Vegas. He didn’t know one person who didn’t become a happier, more relaxed version of themselves when they came to the Caribbean, and if she relaxed enough, perhaps he could finally come closer to getting what he wanted. If he got really lucky, she might want the same thing.

It was irrelevant that he had spent a fortune for time with her. He was not going to take a woman if she didn’t want him, no matter how much he had paid for the Platinum Package. For now, he would concentrate on enjoying his weekend with her, regardless of where it led, even though he hoped for the hot destination he desired.

Speaking of desire, the way she was looking at him right now made him think it might be a possibility.

He had chosen a white polo embroidered with the LarsAir logo but paired it with his sister’s gift last Christmas: black swim shorts with a blue airplane print. She had informed him that he’d become too uptight and dared him to wear them in public. He’d tossed them in his suitcase at the last minute. Normally, he would’ve picked something plain, but, hey, if they might make Eve smile, he thought he’d give them a shot.

It worked. The moment she laid eyes on him after she thoroughly checked out his biceps and his pecs, she looked down at his shorts and giggled.

“Really, Adam?”

Eve Layton, giggling. That was a first. He shrugged and gave her a lopsided grin. “My sister likes to give me gag gifts.”

That set the mood for a very pleasant trek down to the restaurant. The Ritz was huge, and getting there took a while. They paused to admire one of the paintings hanging on the walls of the very long corridors.

Eve stared at it, enchanted, eyes riveted to the bright silver moon shining in the night sky, reflected in rippling dark blue water. “That looks like you,”

she softly said.

“Like me?”

Adam stared blankly at the painting. He and art had never jibed.

She nodded. “First of all, that’s the exact color of your hair.”

He had to smile. Now that he looked at it, she was right. “Is there a second of all?”

She shrugged. “Just a feeling.”

He gazed at her a second longer, wanting to ask her what she meant but then decided it was best to drop it.

Art could wait. Food couldn’t.

Eve

They rode the elevator down, then descended a wide stone staircase to the pool and beach level. It didn’t take long to reach the outdoor seating at Saint June restaurant, and Eve was glad to see there were sizable umbrellas to shield them from the scorching sun.

Adam pulled out her chair and then settled in the opposing seat. As he perused the menu, the ocean breeze feathered his bright hair, which, she noted, looked even lighter in the strong beachside light. She wanted to thread her fingers into it and—

“Fish tacos look good,”

he said. “So does the lemon chicken.”

You look good.

She forced her eyes back to the menu. “We can get both and split them.”

“Let’s do it. And I highly recommend their pi?a coladas.”

The waitress soon arrived with their drinks and food, and they ate in silence for a while. After the long trip, Eve was ravenous.

The pi?a colada was one of the best she’d ever had. Creamy coconut with a hint of pineapple and a dark rum swirl throughout, the smooth drink was irresistible. Eve sucked on the straw, and before she knew it, she had downed half, which, in retrospect, hadn’t been a good idea.

“These sneak up on you.”

Her cheeks and chest felt warm.

He smiled. “They are strong.”

He dipped his taco in the lime aioli.

“So, where were we with the questions game?”

His sapphire eyes held hers. “The hidden talent.”

“Ah, yes, that.”

She laughed and speared a piece of chicken.

He focused on her mouth for a beat. “Can you really do that?”

She patted her lips with her napkin. “Do what?”

“The cherry thing.”

“You mean, knot the stem? Absolutely. Get me a cherry with a stem, and I’ll prove it.”

“How does one acquire such a talent, if I may ask?”

“Does that count as a separate question?”

He chuckled. “Just curious.”

“I learned many useless tricks in college.”

“Where did you go?”

“University of Florida.”

He grinned. “Go, Gators!”

“Chomp, chomp!”

She smiled. “You’re a Gator fan?”

“My sister went to UF. Many Saturdays spent with the family at The Swamp while she was there.”

“What major?”

“Medicine. She’s an OB-GYN. And you?”

“I majored in pre-physical therapy. I had a scholarship.”

She didn’t tell him that she hadn’t graduated or gone on to get her DPT or why getting that doctorate became an impossibility.

He pondered that and took a long drink of water. In fascination, Eve watched his Adam’s apple move as he swallowed. Her heart rate spiked. She wanted to lick him again. Not just his Adam’s apple either.

She lowered her eyes to her plate and spooned some cauliflower and bulgur. “Where did you go to college? I assume you did.”

“I did. UND.”

She blinked. “That doesn’t ring a bell.”

“University of North Dakota,”

he clarified. “I got a BS in aeronautics with a major in commercial aviation.”

“That sounds impressive.”

He shrugged. “No more impressive than putting broken bodies back together.”

She realized that could be a lead-in for asking how she’d ended up working for Eleet, so Eve quickly steered away. “What number question are we on? I lost count.”

“Hmm…”

She took up her pi?a colada and chased the rum with her straw. “Wait…you never answered number five!”

A very seductive smile spread slowly across his face, and the effect was devastating. “Ah, yes, the talent question.”

He reached out and took her free hand in both of his, stroking her knuckles ever so lightly with his thumbs. “Can you guess what my hidden talent is, Eve?”

The straw slipped from between her lips. She shook her head.

A ringtone sounded, and Adam let go of her hand and reached to get his phone out of his pocket.

“Larssen.”

He listened. Whoever was on the other end of the line must have delivered unwelcome news because Adam’s jaw tightened and his brows furrowed. “I thought you said you handled it.”

He listened to the reply, fingertips drumming on the tabletop.

“All right. I want them all on the call in ten minutes.”

He thumbed the phone off in obvious annoyance. “Something came up. I have to attend a conference call. You go ahead and get some sun. I’ll see you later.”

**

Eve

Seated near the outdoor stage where the evening show would soon begin, Eve furtively eyed Adam as he nursed his third Glenlivet.

Whatever had occurred at his meeting had to have been bad because he’d returned sullen and hadn’t uttered more than a few sentences since.

She wanted to lighten his mood, but it was difficult to start a conversation without knowing what had made him so broody.

So, she let him be.

And just…well, looked at him.

He had changed into island casual, and if anyone did island casual justice, it was Adam. Short-sleeved white linen shirt, light tan trousers, and camel-colored loafers. His open collar revealed his throat and a peek of his upper chest. He hadn’t shaved since the morning, and even though his stubble wasn’t dark, it was definitely showing, and the result was seriously sexy.

It was a given that his looks were a huge part of the attraction. How could they not be? She would be lying to herself if she denied it. Humans were wired to gravitate toward beauty; if that was all this was, then she could handle it.

“And now, for the hottest part of the night, ladies and gentlemen, we introduce Island Fire!”

Drums rolled and began to pulse, booming so loudly you could feel the percussion.

“Paul and his fire poi!”

One man appeared twirling a baton tipped with flame, pirouetting faster and faster to the beat. More and more dancers materialized out of the dark, holding long fire whips, their bodies spinning as they let the ropes snake arcs of flame around them while they turned. They parted into two rows, revealing a woman.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the lovely Shanna!”

Around her undulating hips, a Hula-Hoop whirled, and points of fire burned as it circled her. Down her body, it descended, then up again. She lifted her arms, hips swaying in a hypnotic rhythm. She hooped to the end of the stage, taking up a fire umbrella to further hypnotize her captive audience. She finished her dance and dramatically dropped to the ground to thunderous applause.

Eve looked to Adam for his reaction, and to her surprise, he appeared bored. His eyes were hooded, and he looked as if he might fall asleep at any moment.

A hush fell on the crowd.

Slowly, Shanna stood, her sensuous moves like those of a belly dancer.

Hips swaying, she wandered into the audience. She took one man by the hand, but he vigorously shook his head, while the young woman he was with dug her nails into his arm, fake laughing and refusing to let him go. With a shrug, the fire dancer moved on, looking left and right.

Her gaze homed in on Adam.

He sat there, slightly slumped, calmly sipping his scotch. His eyes followed the dancer’s progress as she neared, but he seemed indifferent to her allure. He just looked at her dispassionately, as if gorgeous fire dancers approached him on a daily basis.

Curvy hips swinging exaggeratedly, Shanna advanced, halting directly in front of him.

“Handsome man,”

she loudly said. “Come with me.”

It wasn’t even a question. She reached out and snagged his hand, clearly brooking no protest this time.

His gaze flicked to Eve. A knowing little smile curved his lips. His lashes lowered as he took a moment to sip the last of his scotch, then he slammed down his glass, pushed himself up, and let Shanna take him.

Her steps were quick in her bare feet, her arm stretched out as she nearly dragged him behind her. She motioned to a spot on the ground, and Adam took a giant sideways step to stand exactly where she’d directed. She let go of his hand and gracefully crouched to do something in the sand, all the while circling him.

She rose. One snap of her fingertips, and suddenly fire ignited around him, and Eve realized Shanna had drawn a heart.

Adam was standing in a heart of fire.

And it was literally the hottest thing Eve had ever seen.

Shanna stepped over the flames to whisper something directly in his ear, and he nodded. Her hand drifted to his chest. In the blink of an eye, she had two more of his shirt buttons undone.

Eve brought her fist to her mouth, watching intently.

The drums began to beat. Shanna began an undulating dance around him, in and out of the heart of fire, two fans of flame in her hands. It was as if she were showcasing Adam, dancing alluringly with the curved, flaming pieces she fluttered, every gesture returning to him. Without missing a beat, she whirled and switched to only one rod, its tip ablaze with blue and orange flame.

Eve couldn’t breathe. She bit down on her fist.

He stood there, tall, with perfect posture, chin up, his Adam’s apple jutting out. His rippled chest was visible through his half-open shirt, his hands clenching and unclenching, muscular forearms flexing, all of him illuminated in an orange glow.

But it was Eve who felt as if she would combust.

Shanna began to turn, spinning so fast, she seemed to be a human top.

She halted. The drums grew louder. And then she brought the flaming rod to Adam’s lips. He tipped his head way back, and Eve’s jaw dropped as she watched him swallow the burning tip, the fire disappearing into his open mouth.

Eve felt as if she would melt into a puddle in her chair.

The man flew jets.

Apparently, he also ate fire.

**

“Well, that was a hidden talent.”

Heading back to the suite, Adam had taken the long route along the shore. Sandals dangling from her fingertips, Eve felt the wet sand under her feet, loving the way the waves lapped at her toes.

He chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that made her shiver. “You liked that, huh?”

“What was not to like?”

The ocean roared as a wave broke.

“I hoped you would.”

“You knew that was going to happen?”

He nodded. “My family is here every year. The fire show never changes.”

So, he had done it just for her. Something inside her chest fluttered, warm and elusive.

“You were hot, no pun intended.”

“You think so?”

She slanted him a glance. “You know what you look like, Adam.”

He shrugged. “Sometimes, looks can be a hindrance.”

Well, that was unexpected. “Oh?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t know. I’m convinced you have the same problem.”

Did he find her beautiful? She knew she looked good but felt he had been gifted so much more.

“People see the exterior, and they make snap judgments. Assumptions about your character. Especially women,” he said.

“It’s human nature.”

“Yeah. But it gets old when they take one look at your face and decide you’re a shallow playboy.”

She felt a stab of guilt. Because, in all honesty, she had been part of that judgmental group, and, yes, she well knew what it was like to be summarily labeled.

Hadn’t she just been trying to convince herself that she was only attracted to him for his looks?

Their fingers bumped, and, on impulse, Eve reached for his hand. He stopped in his tracks, tensed for a second, and looked down at her, surprise in his eyes. In the moonlight, they looked dark and deep and even more intense than usual.

He held her gaze for a moment. Then he wrapped her hand completely in his and squeezed, resuming their stroll at a brisker pace. He didn’t let go until they reached the elevator.

**

Thank God he’d buttoned up his shirt.

Stepping inside the darkened suite, Eve thought of another night when she had entered a hotel room and encountered Adam Larssen.

Memories crashed into her of how it had felt to lie with him, fully ensconced in his powerful, warm embrace. She was so very tempted to seek that again. She had asked for separate rooms, and now, she found herself regretting it.

What she did revolved around men, yet she ended up alone every night. She was so tired, so very tired, of being lonely.

Her physical attraction to Adam was, in itself, unusual. The few men she ended up satisfying never satisfied her because they were…well, clients. They needed release; she gave it to them. That was all. To her, it was something clinical, much like physical therapy.

But Adam… Adam had crashed into her world and complicated everything. He had been the one to satisfy her that night, a stunning role reversal.

He made her feel as if, parched with thirst, she’d suddenly found a cool, clear blue oasis.

“Water?”

His soothing voice broke through her thoughts.

“Excuse me?”

“I’m asking if you’d like a bottle of water to take to bed with you. I brought a bunch with me.”

“Oh. Yes, please. Thank you.”

She took the cylindrical glass bottle of Voss and had to smile. “Norwegian water? No Aquafina for you, huh?”

He shrugged. “It’s all my family ever drinks. Call of the ancestors, I guess.”

Outside, the partying continued, the loud music still playing.

The drums pulsed even through the closed balcony doors. They beat a primal rhythm that, along with the sight of Adam in his wrinkled linen shirt, needing a shave and languid from fatigue, caused an unwelcome, sinful throb between her thighs.

She couldn’t believe it, but she didn’t want to let him go to bed.

“Well…”

He gripped his water bottle, looking as if he wanted to say more, but all he said was, “Good night, Eve.”

“I had a great time today…and this evening.”

“So did I.”

He headed toward his room, his steps reluctant. “I’ll be here if you need me.”

She watched the door close quietly behind him, and it was all she could do not to run, yank it open, and launch herself at him.

**

She woke up to the smell of coffee and Eau d’Orange Verte.

Eve brushed her teeth, quickly ran a comb through her hair, and then gave up. Styling was useless at the beach.

She searched inside her suitcase of surprises and found a black silk robe adorned with purple and orange birds of paradise. Throwing it on, she tied it closed and ventured to the kitchen area. There stood Adam, shirtless, setting down a small Styrofoam cup and a larger one. A third already sat on the counter, along with packets of sugar, a few little pods of cream, and two stirrers with the Ritz-Carlton logo.

“I have coffee. I brought drip and espresso. I didn’t know what kind you’d like, so I got both. The third cup has frothed milk, in case you want to make a cappuccino.”

She wasn’t human before coffee in the morning, but Adam shirtless might just change all that. He’d slung a towel over one muscular shoulder and wore plain blue swim shorts.

He looked delicious.

“You worked out?”

He smiled at her a little smugly. “Yeah, I went down to use the gym.”

The man exercised, even when on hiatus. “Calories and workouts don’t exist when I travel,”

she informed him.

“I’ll make a note of that for next time.”

He was thinking of a next time?

“I’m going to hit the shower,” he said.

She reached for the espresso. “Thank you for the coffee.”

He nodded. “We’re going on a boat today. Wear comfortable shoes.”

She watched him disappear behind his door and shoved away erotic visions of him in that shower.

**

“What kind of boat is this?”

“Mainly a fishing boat. Viking 48 convertible.”

Viking. How fitting. Eve snorted softly so he couldn’t hear her. She let her gaze roam over the large boat’s graceful lines. The lettering on the bow read Boarding Pass.

“Do you fish often?”

she asked.

“I used to, a lot, when I still had time for other hobbies.”

“Other hobbies? Aside from what?”

“Flying. How many people have the good fortune to turn a hobby into a business? It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. And these days, I get to do a lot of it, although the office tedium unavoidably goes with it.”

“So, all you do is work?”

“Pretty much.”

Well, that sounded familiar.

“When I fly, though, I don’t see it as work. Ask any pilot, the vast majority will tell you the same thing. We love to fly, above all else.”

She tipped her head. “Was that a pun?”

He grinned. “Unintentional. I do still like to get on the water when I can. It’s a great change of scenery and a good way to relax.”

He raised a brow. “Unless you get seasick. Do you?”

“I guess I’m about to find out.”

She surveyed the boat. “She’s beautiful. Who owns her?”

“I do, along with four others. A friend of mine from college is running her today. He flew for Delta for a while until he decided that flying long-haul was—how did he put it?—like being stuck in a dark closet with a running vacuum cleaner. Now, he flies for FedEx. And speaking of the devil…”

A lanky, dark-haired man stood on the deck, a wide grin on his tanned face. “Well, look who finally turned up. Better late than never, but come on, Larssen, you’re four months late! You’ve never even seen your own boat!”

“I’ve been a little busy.”

“So I’ve heard. Word has it the 2024 reveal went great.”

Adam nodded. “It did. We missed you there.”

“I was a little busy too.”

His lips curved into a sly smile.

“Congratulations again. How’s married life?”

“I highly recommend it.”

He spotted Eve behind Adam and regarded her with brown eyes full of interest.

“Where’s Connie?”

Adam’s gaze searched the boat deck.

“Here I am!”

A fiery redhead appeared from inside the cabin, leaped onto the dock, and launched herself at Adam. She kissed his cheek. “How are you? We haven’t seen you in forever!”

He briefly hugged her back and quickly stepped away. “Missed you too.”

He turned, took Eve’s hand, and pulled her to stand by his side. “Connie, Jim, this is Eve Layton. Eve, meet Connie and Jim Rogers.”