Seven Nights (2 page)

Anita smiled as she shut the SUV’s door and came around to the driver’s side. As she buckled up, she said, “The journey to the resort will give you a beautiful view of the ocean and the rainforest. We’ll be there within a quarter of an hour.”

As the SUV traveled down the red clay road, their hostess chatted amicably about the island. While Danny took pictures from the window and talked with the girl, Leah neatly blocked out their chatter about history and culture as she stared out at the landscape.

The island was aesthetically pleasing. The long stretch of beach to her left met with sparkling blue Caribbean waters. Since it was a private island, there was no crush of people laying out tanning or listening to loud music. No litter or pollution marred the perfection of the view.

“Of course what resort island isn’t beautiful?” Leah muttered.

She’d been to plenty during her years as head travel writer for her father’s magazine,
Get-Aways
. But this one was different somehow. She couldn’t quite place why, but a thrill of nervousness had her stomach dancing. Almost as if she were… anticipating something. But what? She had no reason to be worried or anxious. This was just another assignment.

The Land Rover came to a gentle stop on a packed rock circular driveway. Anita hopped out and held Leah’s door for her. “And this is the main building of
Escapades
.”

Leah got out, shading her eyes against the sun as she looked up at the building. It was fronted by a massive garden, filled with indigenous flowers and plants that let off a delicious, heady smell.

Behind the garden, a large five-story building stretched up before her. It had been designed in an older world style, with stucco walls made from the red clay like the kind on the road they’d driven in on. It made her think of Italy. Of paradise.

Leah followed Anita up the walkway to the main entrance. “I thought this place was made up of private villas.”

“It is.” Anita pushed open the glass double doors and motioned for Leah to enter. “But this main building houses the resort’s lobby, the recreation room, exercise lounges, public pool, and of course, our business offices.”

Leah nodded as she looked around her. Any Old World style outside didn’t cross over to the interior. Instead, the lobby was cool and open, like any luxury hotel in any major city.

Anita continued, “We’ve been expecting you, so you’ve no need to check in. Your bags will be taken to your villas and you’ll be shown there as soon as you’ve finished with your meeting.”

“Great. Danny, why don’t you drop everything but your camera. I’m sure
Anita
-
” She stressed the woman’s name as proof she had remembered it. The girl looked amused. “Can make sure it’s delivered to our villa.”

“Actually, Mr. Anderson is not to accompany you to the main office,” Anita said with an apologetic smile for Danny. “Although he’s perfectly welcome to wait for you in the pool area if you’d rather travel down to your villas together. We’d be happy to provide him with refreshments.”

Leah stared at their driver. “What do you mean Danny isn’t welcome in the meeting? We’ll be talking about the article and he’s my photographer.”

Anita didn’t seem fazed by Leah’s sharp tone. If anything she grew even calmer to combat it. “And Mr. Anderson will certainly be free to go anywhere else with you after this afternoon. But I have my instructions. You’re to go upstairs alone. Will you come with me?”

Leah glanced over at Danny. He met her eyes and shrugged one shoulder. “I’ll wait for you by the pool,” he said. “With refreshments.”

Leah briefly considered digging in her heels and demanding to have her photographer come along, but finally decided against it. The girl was only following orders. She could take up her complaints with Mr. Todd.

“Very well,” she said. “Lead the way.”

Anita nodded with an apologetic smile for Danny, and led Leah toward a bank of three elevators. The air conditioned cool of the car soothed Leah as they traveled up the five stories to the top floor. Once the doors opened, Anita led her down a quiet hallway to an door.

“Someone will be with you momentarily,” she said as she motioned Leah inside.

The room was huge. There were two desks, one on each side of the room and a wide expanse of cool Italian marble in between. But the most stunning thing about the place was that it was round and every side but the one by the door was covered in windows. Sunlight streamed in, bathing every corner with a soft, beautiful glow.

She stepped to the window, her sandals slapping against the marble floor. She drew in a sharp breath as she looked outside. The view was magnificent. She could see the beach, the ocean, a long stretch of tropical forest and a few of the outdoor amenities the resort offered. That included the pool deck just below her where Danny lounged in a woven pool chair as he waited for her return from her mysterious, private meeting.

Seeing him reminded Leah why she’d been pissed when she got on the elevator. Steeling herself to the beauty around her, she slowly put on her reporter’s skin. She would be cool, fair, balanced, but she wasn’t about to take any crap from anyone. Certainly not some stuffy resort owner. After all, this man had demanded she come to his island because he was angry about her review of the entire fantasy portion of the travel industry. If he thought he could intimidate her into giving him a good review, he was going to be sorely disappointed.

She had herself worked into a very nice indignant state when the door behind her opened. Taking a deep breath, she turned. “Mr. Todd, it’s a pleasure-”

Stopping short, Leah blinked.

No.

This wasn’t happening. Her head spun and her eyes clouded as she looked at the man leaning in the doorway. He wore beige khaki pants and a casual white shirt, undone at the collar to reveal a light sprinkling of crisp chestnut chest hair. His skin was tanned and it was clear he was toned beneath the clothes.

But he most certainly wasn’t William Todd. No,
this
was someone she knew all too well. Someone she never thought she’d see again.

Her ex-fiancé.

“Sean,” she whispered.

She’d hoped his name would pass her lips on a strong, sure voice. Instead, it came out as little more than a squeak that hardly made it through the cool, echoing room.

His answer was a half-smile. The one Leah remembered oh, so very well. The one that had melted her the first time she’d crashed into him at the library on the University of Pennsylvania campus, depositing both herself and her books across that strong chest.

She shook her head as if denying he was there would make him disappear. It didn’t.

He closed the door without ever removing his gaze from hers. He came across the room in slow, even strides. A walk full of purpose. Promise. Leah had the strangest feeling like she was going to pass out, just collapse into a heap like some Victorian woman wearing a tight corset.

Did that actually happen to modern women?

She swallowed as Sean finally reached her. She hadn’t realized she’d been backing up until her rear end bumped into the cool glass of the window. A little cry burst from her lips, the first noise she’d been able to make since she said his name, but still she couldn’t find any words.

Especially when Sean leaned forward, placing one hand on either side of her head, imprisoning her as he bent toward her. His lips, the ones that had kissed her, glided over her skin, argued with her not five years before, came toward her own. She was powerless to stop them in the unbearably silent room because she couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, couldn’t do anything but shut her eyes and let his lips brush hers.

At first the kiss was a feather light welcome, soft and gentle. But just when Leah thought she might be safe, he darted his tongue out and brushed the apex of her lips.

An uncontrollable, wanton moan escaped her mouth, but faded away as he took the quiet invitation. His body pressed closer, heating her as much as the island sun that drove through the glass behind her, burning her as he massaged his tongue between her lips. She knew she should resist, but found herself returning the kiss instead.

She tasted him and her traitorous mind remembered how good it had felt to touch him so many years before. She found her hands had stolen around him to clutch at his back, fingers roving over muscle, much stronger and more defined than the last time he’d held her.

As his tongue stroked over hers, she gave in completely. This was a fantasy island after all. Obviously, she’d fallen asleep in the plane and dreamed her deepest, darkest fantasy.

Sean
.

That had to be it.

Then, with a reluctant gentleness, he pulled back. He kept her in his embrace, his tanned face just inches from hers. She stared up at him with wide, needy eyes, praying he would speak and also hoping he’d stay silent. If he talked, he’d be real. And that was very scary considering she hadn’t seen him for years and was now standing in the middle of a deserted office making out with him like there was no tomorrow.

“Hey, Leah.” His whisper shattered her fantasy and dragged her back into reality.

***

Sean was surprised that Leah tasted the same. In his erotic dreams she always did, but somehow he hadn’t believed reality would match so perfectly. She was like mint and sugar, and when she responded to his kiss, female lust. He’d always loved her flavor. And kissing her was the same pleasure it had been so long ago. In another lifetime.

She was still in his arms, staring up at him with green eyes that put the color of the rainforest to shame. He knew he had just a few more seconds to enjoy holding her before she’d shake him away and start yelling.

Right on schedule, Leah shrugged out of his embrace, leaving him empty in her absence. On unsteady feet, she stumbled away and turned her back on him, dragging long gasps of air in and out as she tried to regain equilibrium. The fact that she was so upset gave Sean hope. She still wanted him. That was step one.

Of course, there would be no step two if she didn’t face him. Sean took a few steps back and leaned on the corner of his desk to wait her out. Finally, she turned and seemed to have gathered her composure. In fact, she’d taken on a cold society look that mimicked her bitchy mother so perfectly. Sean barely kept from flinching at the memories that expression evoked.

“What the hell is this, Sean?” she asked softly.

God, her voice was the same, too. Slightly husky, soft but with power. It was a total reflection of her personality. He’d spent a lot of sleepless nights thinking about that voice. About her saying his name. Crying out with passion.

But she hadn’t had the guts to
tell
him it was over.

He hardened himself at that memory. “This is
Escapades
. My private island.” He couldn’t help the cocky grin that broke over his face whenever he said those words.

Apparently the look was lost on Leah, because her mouth tightened in response. “That’s a lie.”

He smiled. Direct as always. “Oh yes? Why do you think so?”

“Because everyone knows Will Todd owns this island. He’s in all the brochures, all the promotional materials sent to travel magazines, and he’s done every single interview I’ve ever seen about this place from beginning to end.” Her glare darkened. “And you can keep that condescending tone to yourself, Sean Dalton.”

Sean allowed one corner of his lip to turn up at her spunk. That was one more thing he’d always loved about Leah.

“You’re right,” he conceded with a nod. “I misspoke. I’m
co
-owner of this island. Will Todd is the other. And he’s our little project’s front man, as well, which is why you always see him and not me. He’s our Mr. Roark, if you will.”

Her mouth trembled like she wanted to laugh, but was fighting the urge. “That’s a
Fantasy Island
joke, right? Mr. Roark was the weird guy who owned the island.”

“Exactly.” Sean shrugged. “Hey, everyone has to make at least one reference to the show when they land here. I thought I’d do it first.”

Leah leaned back against the window, folding her arms beneath her breasts. She obviously didn’t know that the action pushed them together and up, and gave him a great view. If he shut his eyes, he could still remember their weight, how it felt to roll one nipple between his teeth like he had the last time they’d made love. If he did that now, her knees would buckle and she’d cry out.

He had to stop. Every memory was making his cock harder by the moment. While he wanted Leah to know he still desired her, now wasn’t the time to show her that. He had to reveal himself slowly, let her adjust to his seduction. He had to peel away her tough layers of resistance.

Showing her a raging hard-on through his khakis was less than subtle.

“So tell me this, Sean,” she said evenly. “If this Will Todd is your Mr. Roark, does that make you Tattoo?”

Sean flinched back in surprise. Tattoo… the little person who was always yelling about planes. He tilted his head back and let out a long laugh. She’d always been able to bait him.

“Something like that,” he said between chuckles.

His humor didn’t spread to her face. If anything, the lines around her mouth grew harsher.

“I don’t know what kind of game you’re trying to play with me, but I’m leaving.” She pushed off from the window and stalked toward the office door.