Their Festive Island Escape

“Well, did you think about what might have happened if you’d lost control, even for a split second? I have a mother, a sister and a niece who need me alive to provide for them!” she almost shouted, then forced herself to calm down and take a breath. “I just need a minute to regain some balance here,” she told him unevenly.

Reid took a step closer to her and frowned. “Take your time. You do look a little pale.”

“I’ll be fine.” Once her pulse finally settled. Only that didn’t seem like it was going to be anytime soon.

Just breathe.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” he wanted to know.

Celeste didn’t bother to answer. The fact was, she’d wanted to. But she hated that she’d gotten so panicky, that she’d felt so weak. She hated the idea of having to admit it to him. She’d just prayed that he’d eventually slow the cursed vehicle down. Only he hadn’t.

As if reading her thoughts, Reid continued, “Look, I’m sorry if you were nervous or scared during the ride. And I’m even more sorry that I didn’t notice. But I assure you that you were never in any danger. I knew exactly what I was doing.”

That made one of them, Celeste thought.

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE FOLLOWING MORNING Celeste decided she was going to do absolutely nothing that day. Reid didn’t have anything booked for them until tomorrow. Thank heavens for that small mercy. She punched her fluffy pillow and turned over in bed to stare at the ceiling.

So why did she miss seeing him so much already? Why had last night seemed so empty and boring? Barely twelve hours had passed since she’d seen him last and it wasn’t as if they’d parted on the most positive note. Even after the awkward boat ride back to the resort where neither one had so much as spoken a word to the other, she wondered if that strained silence would have been preferable to the solitary dinner she’d had on her balcony before retiring early.

She’d somehow grown used to his company. That did not bode well at all.

Her phone screen lit up with a text on the bedside table next to her. She didn’t need to look to know that it was Tara. She and her mother had been trying to get a hold of her all day yesterday. Celeste had no intention of returning the call just yet. Whatever it was could wait. She needed some downtime to process everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. The last thing that would allow her to do that would be to have any kind of toxic conversation with her family. If it was a true emergency, she knew they’d move all manner of heaven and earth to contact her.

No. Today she was going to linger in bed, then quietly meditate. Maybe afterward she’d take one of the yoga classes offered at the resort gym. Then she may or may not spend the afternoon in a lounge chair by the pool. Or back in her room with the gripping book she’d been neglecting.

Her idea of utopia. Usually, anyway.

Though she’d be alone the whole time. Normally, that would not have given her pause. In fact, it was the way she preferred to spend time on vacation.

She uttered a curse under her breath. The only reason she was questioning that now was because of one sandy blond masculine CEO with eyes the color of the deep ocean at sunrise and a dark beard. Celeste had never even liked facial hair before this. But on Reid, all she could think about was running her fingers through it. Or how it might feel against her skin.

She bolted upright before that thread of thought could go any further. Maybe her wayward thoughts about him were simply a result of her self-imposed celibacy these past few years. Maybe she’d do well to find a random single man on the beach and invite him back to her room for a no-strings-attached fun-filled afternoon.

Tara would be delighted for her.

Ha! As if she’d manage to let go of her inhibitions to ever allow that. As if she’d ever be so carefree. No. That was more her sister’s style. That would take a level of lightheartedness Celeste had never achieved in her life. Plus, she didn’t think it would do any good toward ridding her brain of Reid Evanson imaginings.

The ring of her room landline jarred her out of her musings. Now she was concerned. Maybe there was some kind of emergency back home if her mother and Tara were trying to reach her through the hotel phone service. She grabbed the receiver.