Tropical Heat Read online

  His duffle bag lay where he’d tossed it the day before. He’d meant to come straight home, but Josh and Lucas had suggested they grab some dinner before heading back to their respective apartments. He had no food in the house, so he’d agreed. But he should have gone straight home instead because the meal took far longer than he’d expected. Service was slow at the restaurant. The guys decided to stay for one last drink and he’d stayed with them. He’d arrived home tired and somewhat surprised that Josh had nothing to say that didn’t concern Brittany. Josh and Brittany. He shook his head. Who would have thought?

  But he had made it through his first day back. It hadn’t been quite as arduous as he’d expected. He wondered how Sydney was doing. How had her day been?

  His gaze centered on the duffle bag still taking up the middle of his living room floor. Where had he put her contact info?

  Putting his beer aside, he dumped the contents into a pile on the floor and rooted through them. But no matter how much dirty laundry he waded through, he couldn’t seem to find the scrap of paper she’d written the information on. His heart pounded. He couldn’t have left it in the hotel, could he? The last thing he wanted her to think was that now that they were home that he no longer interested. Because he was interested. He’d meant every word he’d said to her during their last night at the resort. And he’d tell her all over again … if he could only find that piece of paper.

  He searched every pocket of his cargo shorts. He mined the bottom of his duffle bag and came up empty. Then he remembered the outside pocket.

  Something caught in the zipper as he pulled it open. He wiggled it a bit more, but it stuck fast. A bit more wiggling and it moved a little more. Whatever was caught in it tore a little more with every inch he gained. Finally, he’d gotten it open a finger’s width. He shoved his finger inside and tried to grasp whatever was caught in the zipper. He came out with a torn piece of boarding pass. The scrap of paper he’d given Sydney to write her information on.

  His heart sank. His fight with the zipper had torn through her email address. He maneuvered his hand inside and tried to dislodge the rest of the paper caught in it. He gained himself a few more shredded pieces of paper. At least the zipper would open now. In the pocket inside he found another torn scrap.

  Cupping them in his hand he took them over to his table and spread them out. It was like putting a puzzle back together. He pulled out a chair and went to work.

  A few minutes later, he could read her name, but most of her email address had been torn beyond recognition. But that was okay, he told himself, because Sydney also had his contact info. She’d get in touch, wouldn’t she?

  Jesse squinted at the scraps of paper. He could almost read what she’d written there.

  He couldn’t leave her thinking he’d changed his mind. He’d send an email to his best guess at what was left of her address. Either he’d guess right, or it would go to some unsuspecting recipient.

  Taking his beer with him, he sat on the couch and opened up his laptop.

  I’m not sure this is your email address. The paper you wrote it on got ripped.

  Okay, that sounded stupid, but he continued anyway.

  So if you could just let me know if I’ve reached you…

  He signed it, Jesse, and pressed send.

  By morning, he hadn’t gotten a reply, but the email hadn’t bounced. Apparently, it had landed somewhere. Maybe she hadn’t seen it. Maybe she’d had a hectic day at work and he’d receive a reply tonight. Jesse stumbled to the kitchen to make coffee.

  A couple of cups of coffee and a shower later, he still hadn’t received a reply. A quick glance at the clock made him close his laptop. Whatever happened, he still had to get to work. Tonight. If he hadn’t heard from her tonight, he’d start searching for her another way.

  Jesse arrived home to the pile of clothes he’d left in the middle of his living room and the scraps of paper on his table. He checked his computer. Still no email.

  With a sigh, he regarded the clothing strewn across the floor. He was down to his last clean t-shirt and pair of boxers. He needed to do laundry. His fridge was empty. He had to shop.

  He shoved the clothes back into his duffle bag and hefted it onto his shoulder. Gathering up his keys, he headed for the laundromat. He’d grab some food on the way back and then he’d start his search for Sydney.

  ****

  Sydney stared at her computer screen. She’d done a number of searches. Jesse turned out to be a fairly common name. She’d narrowed it down to a few likely choices, but what could she say? I met you on holiday. We had a thing. I lost your contact info…

  She was sure she’d get an answer back—from someone. But would it be the answer she wanted?

  Her stomach rumbled. Today had been another hectic day at work. She still hadn’t had time to shop. She turned off her computer and picked up her purse. She’d get some groceries and then start sending those emails.

  By the time she left the grocer’s, a cold rain had begun and she hadn’t brought her umbrella. Laden down with bags, she wouldn’t have been able to hold one anyway. Cold wet wind slicked her hair to her face, getting in her eyes. Only another couple of blocks, she told herself. She struggled to get a hold on the bags. But despite her efforts, one slipped from her hands, spilling groceries onto the sidewalk.

  “Here, let me give you a hand.”

  The voice had a familiar ring to it. Sydney pushed her wet hair from her eyes and looked up at the stranger before her.

  “Jesse?”

  Moisture slicked his hair to his head and beaded in the material of his jacket, but a broad smile lit up his face. “Sydney!”

  Heedless of the groceries on the sidewalk, he scooped her into his arms. “I sent you an email, but I didn’t hear back. At least I think I sent it to you. Your email address got ripped and I couldn’t read it properly.”

  He set her on her feet and stared down at her as if he wanted to double-check it was really her.

  “I lost yours,” she confessed. “When I got on the plane, I couldn’t find it.”

  “And you live here?”

  Rain teemed down on them in an icy river, but she didn’t care. She raised a bag-laden hand and pointed in the approximate direction. “Around the corner. You?”

  He jerked his head back down the way he’d been heading. “Back that way a bit.”

  A half-hysterical laugh burst from her lips. “You mean we’ve been living around the corner from each other all this time and never knew it.”

  “It took Singles Week to bring us together.”

  “And to think I almost didn’t go.”

  He was laughing now. “Me neither. I almost backed out of being in the wedding party a couple of times.”

  “But here we are.”

  “Here we are.” He leaned down and covered her mouth with his, showing her how much he’d missed her. And how glad he was to have found her again.

  Jesse kneeled down and gathered her groceries back into the bag. He hiked his duffle bag higher on his shoulder and took a couple of the bags from her. “Let’s get out of the rain.”

  “Good idea. Your place or mine?”

  “Definitely yours. Mine is a mess.” He glanced into her grocery bags. “And you have food.”

  Rain dashed the windows, running in icy rivulets down the glass. Inside, Sydney curled up against Jesse on the couch. She still felt chilled from outside, but Jesse’s warmth soothed her. Remnants of their quick dinner lay on the table, forgotten in their reunion.

  Lost in each other’s sighs, they explored every part of each other, as if nothing had changed in the two days they’d been apart.

  Jesse raised his head. “Your living room is nice, but you do have a bed, don’t you.”

  She swatted him playfully. “Of course I have a bed.”

  He leaned in for another heated kiss. “Should we go check it out?” he asked, pulling away.

  Sydney got to her feet and held out her hand. “We should defini
tely check it out.”

  Jesse got to his feet. Sweeping an arm beneath her knees, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her down the hallway. He almost took a wrong turn into the bathroom.

  “A hot shower might be nice,” she said playfully.

  “Bed,” he insisted. “And then a hot shower.”

  “I like the way you think.”

  He turned in the narrow hallway, getting the right door this time and stopped as he entered her bedroom. She’d made the bed, hadn’t she? Sydney craned her neck to glance over her shoulder. Sure enough, her single bed stood against the far wall, neatly made.

  “You have a really small bed.” She felt his chuckle resonate through his chest. “I’ll have to be extra creative.” He lay her on the bed and stood gazing down at her.

  “Extra creative? I like the sounds of that. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

  He began taking off his shirt one button at a time. She moved to help him with the button of his jeans, but he pushed her hand gently away, forcing her to endure his slow torment.

  He eased down his zipper, giving her a glimpse of his smooth flesh. He began humming a strip-tease tune and soon they were both laughing so hard he lost his balance trying to get one leg out of his jeans and tumbled onto the bed beside her. He kicked his jeans off his remaining leg and turned to her.

  She was still wearing the button-up blouse she’d put on for work in the morning and he took just as much time and care divesting her of it. Every brush of his fingers against her heated flesh only served to drive her desire for him higher. Again, she tried to hurry things along, but he covered her small hand with his larger one and slowed her pace. By that point, she would have sacrificed the blouse by ripping it open. Anything to get them flesh to flesh sooner.

  Finally, he spread the material of her blouse open and ran his hand over her ribcage and up under the lacy fabric of her bra. His fingers brushed one nipple and she arched against him. He slid a hand beneath her and deftly undid the clasp of her bra. She sat up and shrugged out of her blouse. He eased the straps of her bra down her arms. Then in an uncharacteristic moment of neatness, he folded them and reached over to set them neatly on the chair next to her bed. Then he turned his attention back to her.

  She inhaled to give him better access to the button on her trousers. He popped it easily, but then took his time undoing the zipper. “Jesse!”

  He shimmied her trousers down over her waist. It bunched at her hips and she bent her knees so she could rise up enough for him to slide them down. He folded them as well and laid them on the chair. Now only the lace of her panties and the silk of his boxers stood between them.

  Jesse ran a finger over her lace panties. The friction of his skin against the lace nearly sent her over the edge. Two could play this game, she thought as she gripped his hard length through the silk of his boxers. He uttered a low moan before grasping her hand. He seized the waistband, shoved his boxers down his legs and kicked them free, not caring where they landed. She should object to his blatant disregard for neatness, but she didn’t care. Especially when he bent over her and placed a feather-light kiss right at her center. Her groan of frustration echoed through the room.

  She wasn’t in a hotel this time. And her apartment walls were thin. The last thing she wanted was the neighbors talking. But as he began to work her panties down over her legs, she found she didn’t care about that either.

  His lips found her center and kissed her skin-to-skin with no lace barring the way. She arched her hips, demanding more and he complied.

  She fumbled for the drawer of her night table. Jesse reached past her, locating the condoms at the back of the drawer and slipped one on.

  With nothing else to delay him, he angled her just right, placing one arm beneath her hips and slowly sliding inside her.

  She gripped his shoulders as he slid slowly in and out, driving her passion higher with each stroke. Until they tumbled over the precipice and collapsed into soft sighs.

  This was what she’d been waiting for, she thought as they lay in the darkness. Over the past couple of days, she worried she’d lost Jesse. Now he was there with her. Home. Together.

  Chapter Fifteen

  One year later…

  Sunlight dappled the turquoise water, giving it a diamond glitter. A warm breeze blew in off the ocean, ruffling the starched white tablecloths and floral centerpieces on the patio tables. The patio had been decked out for a party, the organizers sparing no expense.

  Josh and Brittany stood under a floral arch as the guests arrived. Brittany wore a short, white lace dress. Short, but not too short, Sydney thought with a smile. Since Brittany had begun dating Josh, her wardrobe had taken almost a turn toward the modest. Well, modest, Brittany-style. A pair of silver sandals brought her to almost the same height as her groom-to-be. She wore her hair loose, except for a brilliant red flower tucked behind one ear. As she reached out to shake hands with her guests, the diamond on her left hand sparkled in the sun.

  Josh wore a pair of dark trousers and a brightly patterned silk shirt that clashed with the flowers in the gardens beyond. But by the way he beamed at his bride-to-be, his lack of fashion sense could be forgiven.

  Sydney turned to Jesse. “They look really happy.”

  His gaze swept over Brittany and Josh. “They do.”

  “The sign in the lobby said the weather’s going to be warm and sunny tomorrow. It should be a spectacular day for a wedding.”

  He swept back her hair, brushing the nape of her neck with his lips. “And the wedding’s not until afternoon, so we have all day…” He didn’t need to elaborate for her to know what his plans for the next day were. “In fact, the rehearsal party should go on for a while. We could…”

  She almost agreed. The thought of going back to their room and taking some private time alone before the festivities started was appealing. But then Josh saw them and waved. Brittany turned toward them.

  Sydney’s lips brushed his, giving him a taste of what he was missing. “We’ve been seen. We have to join the party now.”

  “Hmm. I guess we do.” He waved back at Josh. “But there’s always later.”

  Hand-in-hand, they walked up the steps to the patio.

  Brittany greeted them with warm hugs. Jesse shook hands with Josh. On the patio deck, Sydney noticed Gracie standing with Ethan and Lucas. She wore a bright floral sundress and she’d put her hair up in a ponytail. The three were engaged in an animated conversation punctuated by carefree laughter. Sydney studied Gracie. It hadn’t been an easy year for her and Ethan. They’d come back home unmarried and burdened with a host of bills for the wedding that wasn’t. For a while, it didn’t appear as though they’d make it through that dark time. But over the next few months, they’d worked on their relationship. And with honestly, hard work, and determination, their relationship was stronger than ever. Gracie swept a lock of hair that had escaped her ponytail off her forehead and Sydney noticed that once again she was wearing her engagement ring. Word had it they were planning a small intimate ceremony for later in the year.

  Brittany and Josh had been another surprise. After all the drama between Gracie and Ethan and Brittany, no one expected her sudden interest in Josh to last. They barely knew each other. They lived on opposite sides of the country.

  When Josh announced he’d put in for a transfer so he could be closer to Brittany, everyone feared their short and intense fling would flare out like a shooting star. But Josh had thrived in his new environment. He and Brittany grew closer than ever.

  By the time Valentine’s Day rolled around, no one was surprised to find Brittany posting pictures of her engagement ring. But where to have the ceremony?

  Despite how it had turned out, Brittany had been entranced by the ocean side wedding Gracie and Ethan had planned. Josh had argued for a small wedding closer to home. Eventually, Brittany had worn him down, but he refused to hold his wedding anywhere close to where Gracie and Ethan had intended to marry. Eventually, they�
��d settled on a small resort, far away from the scene of all the drama.

  Sydney and Jesse had had a momentous year as well. After discovering they’d been living around the corner from each other, moving in together seemed only natural. After dating for a few months, Jesse packed up and moved into Sydney’s apartment. His was nicer, he’d argued. Hers was neater, she’d countered. He was still working on keeping his wet towels off the bathroom floor and remembering to put his dirty clothes in the hamper.

  The months had flown by. The year had turned out completely different than she’d expected, Sydney couldn’t help reflecting. She’d gone on a much-needed vacation and found a new love. After last year’s trials, fortune seemed to shining on the small group of friends. So when Josh and Brittany had announced their plans to marry in the tropics, everyone jumped on board.

  Which brought them to today.

  Guests were arriving for the rehearsal dinner, a chance for both sides of the family and friends to get acquainted before the wedding. Wait staff moved between the guests bearing trays of champagne.

  Sydney gazed out over the turquoise water. It was an idyllic place to hold a wedding. She had no doubt tomorrow’s wedding would turn out to be beautiful as well.

  The party continued well into the evening. The toasts were made and the bride-to-be and her groom danced together as the sky darkened and stars appeared.

  Jesse came up behind her, ringing her in the comfort of his arms. His body was warm against the cooling breeze blowing in off the ocean. She leaned back against him, reflecting on how her life had changed over the past year, amazed at how soon and how naturally he had become an unshakeable part of her life.

  He nuzzled the side of her neck, his breath warm against her skin. “It’s getting late, don’t you think?”