A Player for A Princess

She exhales a nervous laugh and covers her mouth. “Then… yes?” Her voice is so small, but my insides are exploding with satisfaction.

“YES!” I shout, and she really laughs then.

“You have no idea what you’re getting into.”

Lowering her to standing, I cup her face in my hands, lifting it to mine. “I’m getting everything I never knew I always wanted.”

Her eyes go wide, and she does a little shriek. “You just quoted Fools Rush In! You love that movie!”

I laugh and kiss her smart mouth. “I love you.”

“I love you,” she says, all joking aside. I kiss her again, and she struggles free. “Let me get this over with, and we can meet for lunch.”

I sit back on the bed watching as she retrieves a halter-top denim sundress from the armoire. “Where are you meeting him?”

“Road Town,” she says, pulling the halter dress over her breasts and tying it around her neck, leaving her lovely lined back exposed. She grabs a brush and begins pulling it through her wild hair. “He’s staying with some guy he knows from South Beach. I’ll give him his money, and then we can meet for lunch at Bomba’s!”

“As much as I love that place, we’ll meet at the Sugar Mill Restaurant.”

Giving up, she twists her hair into a cute little bun. “That’s a very fancy place.”

“This is a very important moment.”

She leans across the bed to peck my lips. “See you in a few short hours.”

“I have a better idea.” Throwing the blankets back, I’m across the room and pulling a pair of jeans over my hips. “I’ll drive you.”

Her full lips twist, and she shakes her head. “Seth is too paranoid.”

“I don’t like that guy,” I say, pulling on a thin navy sweater.

“Don’t worry. I can handle Seth.” She disappears into the bathroom and I hear running water and the sound of her brushing her teeth.

Reaching up, I rake my fingers through my hair before following her into the luxury space and doing likewise.

“Then I’ll drive you into town and pick you up when you’re done.”

We’re finished, and I get a minty kiss. “Deal,” she says with a little grin.

I catch her before we leave in a long hug, closing my eyes and memorizing the feel of her small body against mine. My fiancée. My Zee. It’s perfect.

9

Betrayal

Zelda

We’re in Road Town at the very spot where Seth left me our first night on the island. That night, at two a.m., it had been deserted and empty, with long shadows and ominous, dark alleys. I’d been so angry at Seth for walking off and leaving me here alone.

Now, in the light of day, it’s simply a bustling tourist market. The streets are lined with souvenir stores, clothing stores, jewelry stores, and little kiosks with hair wraps and alcoholic slushies. I look ahead two blocks to where my old hotel was situated while Cal peruses the signs.

“Samarkand or Little Switzerland?” he asks.

Our fingers are entwined, palms pressed together, and I evaluate the competing jewelry stores. “Exotic or more conservative?”

“Switzerland has a higher GDP, which means I might get the better deal at Samarkand.”

That twinkle is in his eye, and I step into him, lifting my chin for a kiss. “Surprise me.”