Max didn’t have time to answer or think more. Joely brought them to a smooth landing, and before they knew it, they deplaned, their pilot insisting all their bags would be brought to their rooms.
“Wait until you see the rooms here,” Lucy said, her eyes lighting with excitement. They’re so luxurious… and the view is incredible.”
Max nodded. The view would be incredible, all right. It just wouldn’t be the view she thought.
* * *
As soon as Lucy set foot on the island, the scent of salt water mixed with island flowers assaulted her senses. The sun blazed overhead, and all the tension in her muscles drained away as her body recognized the relaxation represented by the smells and sights around her. That sense of calm didn’t last long.
The last few times she’d been to Eden, Lucy had walked up the stone pathway and stairs, ending up in the main hotel, but now she found herself riding in a golf cart driven by a hotel employee… and sitting way too close to Max. His masculine scent overrode all the other island aromas, working her body into a heated frenzy. It was almost as if being on the island had turned her awareness of him into overdrive.
She forced herself to focus on the foliage-laced path that led to the beach instead of on him. “Where are we going?” she asked. “Because I know the hotel is in the other direction.”
“Patience, Grasshopper,” Max said.
She shot him a dirty look. “I don’t like surprises.”
“I figured that out,” he said, looking mighty pleased with himself.
“And you don’t know the island, so what gives?”
He leaned an arm behind her and turned, his strong, bare thighs aligning with hers. The short sundress had clearly been a bad idea, allowing for way too much body contact.
“We’re staying in a bungalow on the water,” he said.
“We?”
“That’s what you took from my explanation? You’ve got four sun-filled days directly on the beach, and you’re worried about who’s staying where?”
“We can’t be staying together.” Her heart fluttered in panic at the thought.
“Actually we’re in the same bungalow, but there are separate rooms.”
She shook her head. “No. My brothers wouldn’t have booked me in a cabin with you.”
“You’re right. They didn’t. This is my way of making sure we get alone time.” He smiled, his teeth white against his tanned skin, his grin extra sexy. “Now take a deep breath, chill, and enjoy the scenery.”
She tried. Gripping the side of the cart hard, she breathed in the warm, humid air, exhaled slowly… and asked herself why she was still fighting him so hard.
She was single. So was he. She was beyond attracted to him, and this trip presented her with the chance to get Max out of her system once and for all.
As for her fears, Lucy wasn’t looking to get attached, and by his behavior and history, neither was Max. He’d married once, true, but not only had his wife passed away, according to Decklan, there’d been issues between them. Cindy had wanted more than Max had been willing to give. And in the years since, he’d never had a serious relationship. In fact, she knew he’d frequented the same sex club Decklan and Amanda had, something she tried not to think about too hard. Because why would she want to know about her brother’s sex life? And because the notion of Max in leather pants, exercising his strong will over her, appealed to her. Too much.
She still couldn’t believe he’d changed up their accommodations for the wedding weekend. “My brothers won’t kill you for this move?”
“As a matter of fact, I have their approval,” he said, his voice smug.
“Seriously?”
“I’m a good guy and they know it.”
Lucy couldn’t help it. She snorted in laughter. “More like you box and they know it.”
“I’m sure it helps.” Max folded his arms across his chest, flexing his ample muscles.
Her mouth watered, and she found herself unable to look away. He was toned, tanned, and so freaking good-looking. She’d be a fool to turn down what he was offering, something she wanted just as badly.
“Okay, Max. Guess what? I’ll chill and enjoy what the island brings.” And what happens on Eden stays in Eden.