Paradise Lost (Private 9)

It was a perfectly warm, balmy night. Stars blanketed the sky above as a polite island breeze ruffled the palm trees but refused to disturb our carefully constructed updos. Floating in the water at the end of a long, red-carpeted dock was a gorgeous yacht, the deck decorated with thousands of tiny white twinkle lights. I could hear ragtime music playing inside, and a round of laughter made its way through the air. As Noelle and I walked down the dock behind her parents to join the line of people waiting to be admitted to the party, I felt a warm tingle of anticipation. The kind I always felt before the Legacy. Like anything could happen.

But unlike the Legacy, where "anything" never turned out to be good, tonight was going to be incredible. I could practically taste it.

"What are you grinning about, Glass-Licker?" Noelle asked, holding up the skirt on her gossamer gown. She had strayed from her

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traditional black, as if she were making a fresh start. I just hoped my suspicions were correct and she was making that start with Dash. He hadn't shown up at brunch that day, so I'd never had the chance to spy on them. Later I had learned that he had been out on a fishing expedition with his father, who had just arrived on the island. Hopefully he'd returned in time for the party, because I could sense that Noelle was looking forward to seeing him. Not that she would ever say it out loud.

"Just excited, that's all," I replied, lifting my shoulders.

"Wow. Upton has really gotten under your skin," she teased. Her parents passed by the bouncers at the foot of the dock, who were checking everyone's very exclusive invitations. Noelle quickly removed ours from her purse.

"No," I protested. "I'm just excited to kick the guys' butts at poker."

"Uh-huh. And I'm excited to spend the rest of the week helping my mother with the seating chart for her charity event," Noelle replied sarcastically. She reached out and adjusted my necklace for me--a beautiful sapphire-and-diamond necklace she had lent me for the night.

"Thanks again for this," I said, touching the priceless jewels with my fingertips. My heart felt full as I gazed at the beautiful lights along the shoreline and heard the hum of conversation and merriment coming from the party. "Thanks for everything. For inviting me down here, asking me back into Billings ..."

"Oh, please, you mush," Noelle said, tucking her clutch under

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her arm. "We are not having a Kleenex moment right now. Or ever."

I laughed as she handed our invitations to the bouncer. He looked them over and gave them back. "Good luck tonight, ladies."

There was a loud burst of laughter behind us and Noelle and I turned to find Poppy, Paige, Sienna, Kiran, Taylor, Tiffany, Daniel, and West all heading toward us in a big klatch of raucous merriment. Dash and Gage walked behind them, their heads bent in conversation, and Amberly brought up the rear, jogging to catch up in her poufy pink gown. I felt a flash of irritation at the sight of Poppy and her teeny flapper-style dress but just as quickly decided to let it go. Everyone was happy that she was back. Any tension or worry about her disappearance was completely gone. Tonight could be the best night we'd had since we'd arrived on the island, and I was not going to let anything stand in the way of that.

Not even Poppy.

Noelle stepped back to wait for the others and I was about to join her, but then I heard Upton call my name from above. I looked up and found him standing at the railing at the stern of the boat, looking all James Bond perfect in a tuxedo and black tie. His light-brown hair was perfectly mussed, and he leaned both hands on the rail as he smiled down at me.

My heart stopped completely. If he was trying to charm me into saying I loved him back, he was headed in the right direction. I started up the gangplank toward him.

"Reed, wait up," Noelle said in a scolding way.

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"Sorry. I've got somewhere I need to be," I told her.

Within five seconds I was standing

in front of Upton. He looked me up and down as he slowly approached, his eyes leaving a trail of tingling attraction all over my skin.

"Wow. You .. . look. .. stunning," he said.

"Back at you," I replied.

He touched my chin and kissed me as if there weren't a couple dozen parents and friends and deckhands milling around us. It took me a second to open my eyes as he pulled back. I didn't want him to see how dazed I was.

"Listen, I'm sorry if I scared you with all that serious talk this morning," he said, holding my hand. "What do you say we just have fun tonight?"

My grin spread from ear to ear. "I am all about that idea."

At that moment the rest of the gang arrived and crowded around us. Kiran looked gorgeous in the black lace gown from the runway, while Taylor absolutely glowed in the rose-colored dress. Tiffany had selected a deep violet sleeveless gown with a skirt that hugged her curves and tapered down toward her ankles. I saw Paige and Sienna, in beautiful yet slightly plain gowns, eyeing our couture with envy, but of course they said nothing. Just then Marquis appeared with a tray of half-filled champagne flutes, and Daniel and Paige quickly distributed them to the rest of us.

"Good luck tonight, ladies and gentlemen," Marquis said with a grin before slipping away.