Tropical Heat Read online

  “Hmm,” she agreed. “We should probably get some sleep. We have a strenuous day of wedding attending to do tomorrow.”

  He laughed and she felt the vibrations in his chest against her back. “Yes, we should probably conserve our strength.” He turned slightly, casting a glance over the party.

  “Anyone looking our way?”

  “Not a soul.”

  “Think anyone will miss us?’

  “Uh-uh.”

  She craned her neck to see beyond the barrier of his body, finding Brittany and Josh dancing together in the center of the patio. Gracie and Ethan danced together not far away. Lucas was sitting at a table off to the side talking to one of Brittany’s friends Sydney hadn’t yet met.

  “Okay, now’s our chance.” Jesse held out his hand and together they slipped from the patio into the shadows of the garden beyond. The scent of tropical flowers lay heavily in the night air as they walked back to their room.

  Tucked beneath his shoulder, his arm around her neck, Sydney knew that despite their promises, neither of them would be getting any sleep.

  ****

  Moonlight streamed through the open curtains when they returned to their room. Jesse smiled with approval. He’d convinced Sydney to upgrade from the more modest room she’d chosen from the travel brochure. He had a far more romantic getaway in mind. Their luxurious room had a row of trees blocking the view from the path and a small pool for their exclusive use.

  Jesse had his eyes on that pool now. “Fancy a swim?”

  “I would very much fancy a swim.”

  When she reached for her orange and white striped bikini, he stopped her. “You don’t need that. It’s dark. We’ll keep the lights off and we’ll be very quiet.”

  He accepted her broad smile as agreement.

  He turned off the lights, leaving the room in darkness. The only illumination came from the full moon.

  Jesse walked up behind her and ringed her in the shelter of his arms. He pulled her hard against him, reveling in the feel of her soft body against his. Then his fingers strayed to the zipper of her dress and he pulled it down. The zip sounded loud in the silence.

  He slid the material away from her body, leaving her clad only in her lacy underclothes. Those were going soon, he thought. But by then she’d turned her attention to him.

  One by one, she undid the buttons of his shirt, driving him crazy with each movement of her fingers. Every time her warm flesh brushed his, he wanted to grasp the sides of his shirt and rip it apart. Anything to hurry things along.

  Finally his shirt hung open. She stripped it off his shoulders and moved to tackle his belt buckle.

  Her small warm hands working at undoing his belt was almost too much for him. This time he did grasp her hands and quickly work the belt open. He undid his trousers and stepped out of them.

  They faced each other clad only in their underclothes. In their private garden, the pool waited.

  Sydney seemed just as eager as he was as she quickly stripped off her bra and panties and he shed his boxers. Holding out her hand, she moved toward the door.

  He stepped back to quickly grab a condom from his suitcase and then joined her at the door.

  A waft of humid air entered as he slid the door open. In the moonlight, he could see Sydney glance from side to side to make sure they had no observers. No sound came from the path. Only the moon’s glow hit up the garden. It outlined the curves of her body in silver and he couldn’t wait to get her into that pool. And to bury himself inside her.

  He placed the condom beside the edge of the pool and slid into the cool water. Holding out his arms, he invited her to join him.

  She slid into the water beside him, her body warm in the cool water. The feel of her body sliding against his was almost too much to bear.

  Her arms went around his shoulders. Using the water’s buoyancy, she rose to circle her legs around him, positioning him right at her warm center. Her eagerness nearly undid him, but he forced himself to take it more slowly.

  He freed a hand to touch her most sensitive spot. Despite her vow not to be heard or seen, she uttered a loud moan. A spattering of embarrassed laughter followed.

  “It’s okay,” he whispered. “No one’s on the path.”

  But he had to get to that condom. Pulling apart gently, he reached for the condom and surfaced long enough to put it on.

  When he slid back into the water and they came together again, it seemed she’d forgotten her inhibitions. She circled him with her legs again and took him inside.

  Together, they began to move slowly and sensuously, the water aiding their motion.

  The humid air, the cool water, and the warmth of their bodies created a sensuous storm. Sydney’s body tightened around him as she rushed to the summit of her passion, taking him with her.

  Voices passed them on the path beyond the trees. Jesse sunk lower, barely keeping their heads above the water. They were still breathing hard and anyone close enough might hear them. Apparently, Sydney found this amusing because she began to laugh. He brought a finger to his lips, thinking of her propriety and warning her to stay quiet. But her laugher bubbled over and she pressed her mouth to the crook of his shoulder to stop her laughter from being heard on the path.

  When the voices had echoed into the distance, they pulled apart and rose from the pool. He disappeared inside to rid himself of the condom. The cool breeze from the air conditioner chilled his skin. He emerged from the bathroom to find Sydney with her arms wrapped around her shivering in the chill air.

  “Hot shower?” he suggested.

  Still shivering, she nodded.

  Standing under the warm spray, he pulled her against him and tipped her chin to give her a long probing kiss. She answered him with a kiss of her own.

  Drawing apart, he reached for the shampoo and soaped her long hair. She held out her hand for the bottle and he lowered his head so she could offer him the same. Every movement of her fingers against his scalp sent a tingle racing through his body. From the soft moan she gave when he returned the favor, he could tell his touch did the same.

  He reached for the soap and sensuously explored every inch of her body, the suds a lubricant against the friction of his skin. Not to be outdone, she traced the contours of his body with her own soapy hands.

  They rinsed off under the spray, their bodies now warm from the hot water and sated from their exertions in the pool. Jesse wrapped them both in thick towels and they headed for the large bed without even drying off.

  ****

  Brittany and Josh’s wedding day dawned as warm and sunny as the weather forecast had predicted. Sydney stretched languidly against the pillows. By the brightness of the light leaking between the curtains, she knew the morning had to be well underway.

  Jesse rolled over, circling her with his arm and pulling her close. Sydney sighed with pleasure, letting the warm breeze from the window flow across her skin.

  “Big day today,” Jesse murmured.

  “Big day for Brittany and Josh. All we have to do is watch the wedding. And party.”

  “Pretty good deal for us.” He pulled her closer against him until she could feel every inch of his body against hers.

  She turned in his arms until she faced him. After offering him a long, lingering kiss, she moved away long enough to say, “But the wedding isn’t until later this afternoon. We have all day.”

  “So we do.” As if to illustrate that point, he reached for a condom before moving to cover her body with his.

  Sydney reveled in the sensation of his much larger muscular body against hers. His weight pressed her more deeply against the mattress. She moved beneath him, positioning him right where she wanted him. He was more than ready and that made her want him even more.

  Still, he seemed content to take things slowly as his kissed her long and languidly. His hand ran up over the side of her hip, as if he was mapping the contours of her body. She moaned as he reached a hand between them, unerringly finding the
center of her desire. He wanted to make sure she was as ready as he was, she realized. Grateful for his consideration, she tipped her hips, increasing the delightful friction his touch was creating. Her body responded, sending a rush of wetness to her core. She began to move with the rhythm his touch created, until she felt like she might burst if she didn’t feel him inside her now.

  “Jesse.”

  He must have caught the urgency in her tone and he moved until the tip of his large erection pressed inside her, stretching her gently. She angled her hips to take more of him inside. Her body opened for him as he filled her fully and they began to move together.

  She attempted to take things faster, but he stilled her with his slow, even rhythm. She felt her desire winding tighter and tighter, but still he seemed inclined to take it slowly, to enjoy every minute of their coming together.

  So she gave in to his delicious torture, allowing him to set the pace, to draw out every last moment of their passion.

  The fine hairs on his chest rubbed her nipples as he moved, setting every nerve alive. She felt every push and pull of him deep inside. His mouth covered hers in a hot, demanding kiss. And all the while her passion soared higher, seeking release.

  She gripped his buttocks, pushing him harder against her, driving him deeper still. He kept up his slow, even motion, until she hung on the precipice, her body was afire with him and desperately seeking the fulfillment she knew waited just out of reach.

  Finally, when he seemed to know she could stand it no longer, his rhythm quickened and she moved with him, rushing toward the summit of her passion and tumbling over.

  Waves of delicious pleasure washed over her as she let loose the moan that had been building inside. A few seconds later, she heard his shout of triumph as he gained his completion as well. She fervently hoped the people in the neighboring rooms were already at the beach and hadn’t heard them, then as quickly decided she didn’t care. What was a holiday if not to have some fun?

  Jesse seemed to be having the same thought because he smiled down at her. She kissed him hard, letting him know with her touch how thoroughly he’d pleased her.

  Despite the air conditioner’s chill, they’d worked up a sweat. The rest of the day’s plans came rushing back to her. They had a wedding to attend. It was probably time to make themselves presentable. They certainly couldn’t show up the way they were.

  She attempted to smother the laughter that bubbled up inside.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “I was just thinking, we really need to have a shower and get ready.”

  “A shower.” His eyes brightened.

  She gazed back up at him, her body already considering the idea.

  “You’re insatiable.”

  He grinned back down at her. “So are you.”

  He drew away from her, standing up and holding out his hand. “Fancy a shower, milady?”

  “Don’t mind if I do.”

  It was much later in the day when they surfaced again.

  “We should eat,” Jesse said as she toweled herself off. First the bed, then the shower. It seemed there was no end to the erotic possibilities their hotel room could offer.

  Sydney flipped through the dresses she’d brought with her, searching for the one she wanted to wear to the wedding. Last time she’d brought mostly trousers and tank tops. Brittany’s wardrobe wasn’t the only one that had undergone a makeover in the past year. “We need to get dressed, or we’re going to miss the wedding. I don’t know how the day got away from us like that.”

  Jesse moved behind her, pushing aside her freshly washed hair to brush his lips across her nape. “Should I remind you?”

  She couldn’t help laughing. And the offer was tempting. “We really should go to the wedding.”

  With a sigh, he reached into the closet for his own clothes. “I guess we should.”

  “We did come all this way.”

  “Yes, we did.” He took out a pair of tan trousers and a cream-colored shirt. “Let’s get dressed, and if we have some time, we can stop for a snack at the buffet before we go.”

  Why did he want to stop at the buffet so badly? Briefly, she wondered about that, before getting ready for the wedding demanded all her attention.

  Sydney chose a deep-purple dress that reminded her of the sky at night. It almost matched the colors of the flowers in the gardens. And it wouldn’t clash with the fuchsia dresses the bridesmaids were wearing. Brittany had chosen Gracie and a former roommate to be her bridesmaids. Given their altercation last year, Sydney thought Gracie was an odd choice, but during the past few months the women had become close friends.

  She debated putting her hair up, but the humidity was already working on the ends, adding curls where she hadn’t intended there to be any. After a few minutes of fussing, she decided to leave it loose and to copy Brittany’s style from the night before by putting a flower behind her ear.

  She found Jesse sitting on the end of the bed when she emerged from the dressing room. He rose and held out his arm. “Shall we go?”

  “Are you sure we have time?” she asked as they skirted the beds of bright flowers and headed for the buffet. Only they weren’t heading for the buffet, she realized. They were walking straight toward a small white gazebo set in a small garden. Behind the garden the turquoise ocean beckoned. It was a tranquil and beautiful spot.

  She followed Jesse into the gazebo and sat on one of the benches. She almost opened her mouth to say by now they were certain to be late.

  But Jesse sank to one knee and took both her hands in his.

  “Sydney, a year ago we came to a resort much like this one. I was there to watch my friend get married and instead I came home with a love of my own. Turns out, it took a hotel mix-up and trip halfway around the world to bring together two people who lived around the corner from each other. It has to be fate. Our past year together has been magical, far more than I’d ever imagined. I want every year of my life to be the same.” He reached into his pocket and took out a small velvet box. Opening it, he showed her the diamond ring inside. “Will you marry me?”

  “Yes!” She gripped his shoulders and pulled him toward her so she could also give him her answer in the form of a kiss.

  He slid the ring onto her finger and rose, taking her with him. “We’d better get to the wedding.”

  Luckily, the last of the guests were just getting seated when they arrived. They slid into a couple of seats at the back of the rows to some bawdy comments and a few salacious looks. It could be the ear-to-ear grins both of them were sporting that gave away what they had been doing. With the wedding about to begin, they wouldn’t have a chance to tell anyone about their engagement for a while. And they didn’t want to compete with Brittany and Josh’s joy. For the moment, it would be their happy secret.

  A row of white-draped chairs with pink sashes formed an aisle to a floral arch. Beyond it, the ocean glittered in the sun, turquoise dappled with gold. Rose petals had been strewn along the sand to mark the aisle. Sydney couldn’t help imagining her own upcoming wedding in a setting exactly like this. Maybe this time next year she’d be walking down an aisle just like it.

  Beneath the arch, the officiant waited. Josh walked in from the side and took his place, flanked by Ethan and Lucas. The music began.

  Gracie appeared in her brilliant pink dress, followed by Brittany’s former roommate Olivia. The bridesmaids made their way down the aisle. As they moved, Sydney could smell the rose petals crushed underfoot. The bridesmaids stood opposite the groomsmen and everyone turned to see the bride.

  Brittany made a beautiful bride. She’d pulled her dark hair back into a low bun at the back of her neck. She wore a strapless, mermaid-style dress that showed off her curves. Its short train trailed behind her, gathering rose petals. Her parents walked behind her before taking their seats in the front row.

  Before their friends and family, Brittany and Josh said their vows as the sun began to sink low in the sky, casting everything in a
crimson glow.

  Wait staff appeared as the ceremony ended and everyone joined in a champagne toast to the newlyweds. The bridal party moved off with the photographer for some sunset shots. The stunning scenery would make for beautiful pictures, Sydney couldn’t help thinking. Until now, weddings had merely been something to enjoy. Suddenly, she was imagining herself in all the same situations.

  With the wedding party temporarily occupied, the guests had broken up into groups, talking animatedly about the ceremony.

  The sunset beckoned in all its glory. “Let’s go for a walk on the beach before the reception.”

  Jesse held her wine as Sydney slipped off her sandals. Together, they walked toward the cool water.

  A light breeze blew her hair back over her shoulders. She cast a backward glance at the wedding party’s photo session. “They do look happy.”

  “I’m sure they are.” He pulled her close against him as they walked along the sand. “We will be too.”

  “What makes you so sure?”

  “Because I’m happy now. Happier than I’ve ever been in my life. I came here last year dreading Ethan’s wedding.”

  “Ethan has yet to have a wedding,” she pointed out.

  “True enough, but I’m sure he will have.”

  “Back then you didn’t think they were right for each other.”

  He glanced back at the wedding party now lined up to include the bride and groom, their parents, the bridesmaids, and the groomsmen. “No, I didn’t. I couldn’t see how if Gracie and I weren’t right for each other, how she could possibly be the right woman for Ethan. But then, neither Ethan nor Gracie are the same people they were last year. They’ve grown, they’ve changed. Together they’ve become better than they were before.”

  Sydney had to agree with him. Both Ethan and Gracie exuded a new calm happiness. And she was happy for them.

  “And watching Gracie and Ethan has changed me too.” Jesse looked down at her. “But not as much as meeting you.”

  “Me?”

  He nodded. “You taught me to let go of the past and embrace the future. I came to that resort last year angry and resentful. I was pretending to be cool about Gracie and Ethan’s relationship, but on the inside, I certainly wasn’t.”