Stormy Love (Wet & Wild 1)

It wasn’t worth it, in her eyes. It wasn’t worth the lavish trips and the traveling around the world. She was labeled a gold digger. A prize. A trophy. And all because she didn’t come from money. Marrying a rich man had its benefits, but she found the cons greatly outweighed any of the positives.

“Kallie?”

“Hmm?” she asked.

“Do you want anything to drink besides water?”

“No, actually. Day drinking isn’t a pastime of mine I indulge much. Though I am ready for those fish tacos you spoke so highly of.”

“Coming right up,” he said with a smile.

The tacos were rushed out to them and her mouth was salivating. From the first bite she took until the last one, she moaned and groaned over her food. It was delectable. A treat she never would’ve indulged because of her judgment on the outside of the building. She forgot for a little while that she was eating with someone, and immediately blushed when she found Ash staring at her.

“I’m so sorry,” she said. “They’re just really good.”

“You don’t have to apologize to me about anything. It’s nice to watch a woman enjoy her food instead of pick around at it.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Most women that come to the island don’t eat much. I guess it’s so they can squeeze into their clothes from high school. It’s nice to see a woman enjoy her food.”

“Are the island women not known for eating? Or are you a man that gravitates toward all the tourists?”

“On St. Barts it’s hard to get away from the tourists. But, you never have to worry about an Italian woman not eating.”

“What?” she asked with a giggle.

“I went to Italy a few years back. Stayed for a couple of weeks. And the women there can put away some food. It’s magnificent.”

“So you’ve been to Italy.”

“Mm, yes. Have you?”

“No. I’ve been to Ireland,” she said. “Prague. I had a brief stint in Australia. But that’s about it.”

“I went to Australia once. Too many poisonous animals for me to want to make another visit back, though.”

“What took you to Australia?” she asked.

“Besides the incredible surfing? The food,” he said.

“Have you ever surfed in Hawaii?”

“Oh, that’s where I learned to surf. The waves there are smooth during the day and choppy by night. It’s the best of both beginner and advanced worlds of surfing. It’s why Hawaii’s so popular for the sport.”

“Have you always led a nomadic life?” she asked.

“I’ve always wanted to. And now I get to.”

“Must be nice,” she said.

She took another bite of her fish taco and allowed her mind to wander. She figured a nomadic existence would be lonely, but Ash seemed anything but. He seemed content traveling anywhere he wanted to go without the worry of a corporate nine-to-five job. Happy to live a simple life and work odd jobs to provide just the exact amount of money he needed to continue living and traveling. Surfing and flirting with women.

Kallie’s eyes drifted back down to the street below them as she finished off her last taco.

“What’s on your mind, Pretty Kallie?”

“You’re not going to stop calling me that, are you?” she asked.