Stormy Love (Wet & Wild 1)

He watched her blush as her eyes fluttered up to his.

“Could I have a sex on the beach?” the young woman asked.

“Wow. I didn’t realize beautiful women moved so quickly,” he said. “But if that’s really what you want, the least you can do is give me your name first.”

She giggled again, and the sound shot electricity through Ash’s veins.

“Kallie,” she said. “My name’s Kallie.”

“And you somehow get more beautiful with each detail I pull from you,” Ash said.

Ash could see Johnny heading back for his station, but he stopped just short of his friend. His head darted from the woman back to him, and soon Johnny was giving Ash a wink of approval. His friend stayed away so Ash could work his magic as he made Kallie a drink, shaking everything up before putting it over a glass of ice and topping it with a spear of fruit.

“Sex on the beach for the gorgeous woman in the bar,” Ash said.

“Thank you,” she said.

“So, Pretty Kallie. What brings you to St. Barts?”

Ash saw a hesitation rise in her eyes and he immediately regretted asking the question.

“Just needed a vacation,” she said. “I think the two weeks here will do me some good.”

Ash knew that wasn’t all there was to the story. She was guarded. Her eyes pulled away from his. Her body was no longer cocked toward the bar. That playful demeanor in her eye had faded and her beautiful seafoam gaze was back to being as unfocused as it was before.

She was hiding something.

But then again, so was he.

And that was intriguing to him.

“Well, Pretty Kallie—”

“Please don’t call me that,” she said.

“Would you like me to call you something else?” Ash asked.

Her gaze panned back over to his and he smiled. Flashed her his best. But again, she wasn’t amused. Not even remotely impressed. Just mindlessly drinking her alcohol through her straw and seemingly unamused with his tactics.

She wasn’t like other women.

And that pulled him in more.

“Miss Kallie,” Ash said. “Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

“Aren’t you working?” she asked.

“I get off in a few minutes.”

Her eyes darted around and Ash waited for her response. He wanted her to say yes. Needed her to, really. She needed cheering up and he was a professional in adventure. Kallie looked to him like she could use a bit of it herself. Behind those sorrowful eyes was a reserved woman who worked entirely too much. He could see it in her shoulders. The tension. The taut back. The mind that was constantly swirling.

It reminded him of his fucking father.

Damn workaholic.

“I’m actually kind of tired. I just got in this morning, and the jet lag’s been rough.”

“Then some other time,” Ash said.