One
HOLLIE
The sun is brightly shining and, today, Lacie and I are heading off on our tropical getaway to Barbados.
For the next week, it’ll be nothing but sunshine, swimming, delicious cocktails, and plenty of fictional book boyfriends.
Before the sun is up, we’re in a taxi and on our way to the airport for our flight.
After a delay due to engine issues, which I’m totally okay with our delay—I’ve seen Final Destination—we’re finally off.
The landing was smooth and the view as we flew in is spectacular. Grabbing our bags, we hop on the shuttle and head to the hotel to check in.
A good-looking guy named Jason, checks us in. Lacie flirts with him and he upgrades us to a beachfront bungalow—winning.
With our room key in hand, we exit reception and make our way down a winding path toward our room.
Stepping up onto the deck, I drop my bags and spin around like Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music, and I take in the scenery.
A smile graces my face and I shake my head, the pictures do not do this place justice. It’s picture perfect.
Lace slings her arm around my shoulder and we take it all in. White sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, palm trees … and a group of bare-chested smoking hot men down on the beach.
“Hey, fellas,” she sings out. Giving them a little finger wave and her killer smile. Lacie Sanderson is my best friend and sister from another mister. I couldn’t imagine sharing this trip with anyone else.
“This place really is gorgeous,” she states.
“The scenery or guys?”
“Both,” she says, raising her eyebrows cheekily at me.
“What about Jarrod?” I remind her of her on again, off again boyfriend who at last check, is off again. The two of them are high school sweethearts and while he’s a nice guy, he’s not “the one” for Lace.
“Jarrod and I are,” she looks to me, “I … I don’t even know anymore. I love him but I don’t ‘love-love’ him, if that makes sense.”
“I get it,” I tell her. “And you know that whatever you decide I’ve got your back.”
Her eyes widen and she gets that glint in her eye. “I know what we need to do…”
“And that is?”
“Two words, vacation fling.”
“Vacation fling?” I repeat.
“Yep. What’s hotter than sex in paradise with a complete stranger?”
“Considering I’ve never done that before, I don’t know if it’s hot or not.”
“Well, there’s only one way to find out.” She waggles her eyebrows. “Just think about it.”
“Mmmhmpf,” I nod and the more I think about it, I think she’s right.
I’m single and in paradise. I deserve a vacation fling after the stresses of the last few weeks …
my book boyfriends and BOB are just not cutting it anymore, but thoughts of a vacation hookup are thwarted she Lace bumps my shoulder while still checking out the hot guys before us.
“I cannot wait to work on my tan, drink my weight in cocktails, dive into the blind date with a book I grabbed at the airport and hook up with a hottie.”
“You had me at cocktails.” I wink at her as we step into our home for the next week.
We drop our bags on our beds—mine the farthest from the door ’cause that way any monsters or intruders will get Lacie first.
Ten minutes later, we’ve changed into our bikinis.
Our bungalow looks like a clothing store exploded, we went through our things, finding the perfect outfit.
Lacie is in a sexy as sin black one-piece with side cutouts—it’s totally hot and accentuates her curves and boobs.
I’m wearing an orange bikini with black accents; especially bought for this trip, as are the five other bikinis I brought with me.
We each have floppy sunhats and sunglasses to complete our outfit. We slip on our cover-ups, fill our beach bags and head out. We also slip in our blind date books, sunscreen, and towels. Lacie adds a bag of sweets for a sugar hit later.
“Let’s do this,” Lacie says, “it’s cocktail and pool time.” Linking her arm with mine, we step outside, lock the door, and head to the pool.
Grabbing a lounger, we place our things down. Lacie immediately strips off her cover-up and smothers her body in a coconut-scented lotion. “Lace, that smells delish.”
“I know, right? I just hope it has the SPF it says.” She lies down, pulls her hat over her eyes, and relaxes, while working on her tan.
Me? I sit on my lounger and take it all in. I look over at the ginormous pool in front of us and, like a siren, the water is calling to me … just without the death and drowning part … I hope. “I’m going for a swim.”
“Mmmhmpf,” she replies with a wave, not lifting her head—she’s already in chillax mode.
Lifting my cover-up over my head, I grab my sunscreen—my non-lovely smelling lotion—and lather up before walking over to the pool edge.
Dipping a toe in, I grin. “Perfect temperature,” I whisper to myself as I wade into the water, moaning as the cool water hits my heated skin from the hot Caribbean sun.
Making my way over to the edge, I take off my hat and sunglasses and deposit them on the tiles before dipping my head under the water.
Sinking to the bottom, I sit crossed-legged and let out all the air in my lungs.
The water around me ripples with bubbles and I find myself smiling while submerged.
It’s peaceful under the water, that is until someone bumps into me.
From the fright, I inhale a mouthful of water and begin to choke.
Pushing off the bottom, I break the surface, coughing, spluttering, and on the verge of dying. Well, maybe not dying, but you get what I mean.
“Ohh shit, I’m so sorry, are you okay?” a deep husky voice says from behind me.
Spinning toward the voice, I freeze when my eyes land on my very own real life book boyfriend. Blond hair, emerald-green eyes, and a chest that looks like it was carved by the gods. Nodding, I smile at the Adonis before me. “I’m okay.”
“Are you sure? I hit you pretty hard.”
“No, really, I’m fine.” I pause and notice him intently staring at me. “Really,” I add again.
“I didn’t see you under the water, otherwise I would have dived in the other way had I known you were down there.”
“It’s fine, really,” I reiterate, internally berating myself for saying “really” again.
Wading over to the edge, I grab my hat and place it on my head before slipping my sunglasses back on.
With my armour on, I turn and face him and then I do something completely out of character for me, I stretch out my hand.
“I’m Hollie.” Again, I shock myself using my full name.
Yes, my name is Hollie but everyone calls me Hol.
“It’s nice to smash into you, Hollie. I’m Beau.
” He places his hand in mine and when our palms touch, an electrical current zaps through my body.
My eyes drift closed and I focus on the sensations running through me.
Every nerve ending is alight. My nipples harden, and my clit thrums like never before.
Opening my eyes, I notice his are wide too.
Is he feeling what I’m feeling? Then I wonder if his dick is hard like my nipples?
Silently, we stand here in the pool, hands clasped, silently staring at one another. I’ve never felt a connection like this before. I know I’m only twenty-two, but I’ve read Rebecca Barber, connections like this only happen in books and romance movies … and on tropical vacations, it seems.
Our almost romantic book/movie moment is interrupted when a guy splashes Beau and me. “Dude, hurry up!”
Our meet-cute moment is broken and Beau drops my hand. Instantly, I miss the feel of his hand in mine. He looks over his shoulder at an equally good-looking guy. “Give me a sec.”
He turns back to me and gives me another electric smile but before he can get a word in, I quickly say, “It was nice to meet you, Beau.” Offering him a quick wave, I turn away from him and make my escape.
Seeing Lacie sitting on the pool edge with her legs dangling in the water, I make my way over to her. Reaching her, I spin around, lean back against the edge of the pool, and absentmindedly begin raking my fingers across the pool’s surface as I replay my encounter with Beau.
Lacie pokes my arm and snaps me back to the present. “Ummm, what was that?” she questions.
“What was what?” I nonchalantly reply.
Lifting myself out of the water, I sit next to her.
Readjusting my hat and sunglasses, I look everywhere but at her, because I know what she’s going to imply, and I don’t know what to tell her.
One minute I was vibing and the next, I was nervous and had to get out of there, but since making my escape, I’ve watched him like a hawk.
And right now, I’m watching him climb out of the pool.
Water sluices down his back, a back that is just as muscular and fine as his front.
Who knew a back could be sexy? But if you saw his, you’d know exactly what I was referring to.
“You two, just now, were … were steaming it up and it’s already a billion degrees in the midday sun.”
“We were not,” I scoff. “We were just chatting.”
“Mmmhmpf, I call bullshit.”
“Call it what you want. It was nothing. Now, do you want a cocktail?”
“Umm, is the Pope Catholic?”
Laughing at her reply, I shake my head and stand up. “Back in a sec.”
Stopping at our lounger, I grab my wallet and make my way over to the bar.
As I’m walking around the pool’s edge, I feel someone watching me.
Glancing over my shoulder, I see Beau staring at me.
His friend is chatting away but his focus is on me.
His gaze heats my skin, even from across the pool area.
Popping an extra sway to my ass, I decide that maybe a little vacation fling is just what I need, but first, cocktails.