Her Paradise Read online

  “Nothing’s biting today,” Derick says as he reels in his hook again.

  “Mosquitos are.”

  My walkie-talkie goes off again. I listen and hear the dispatcher say it’s for a call over at the Mermaid. I grab it up and hit the side button.

  “I’ll take it, Sue,” I say and start to pack up my stuff.

  “What it is?” Derick asks as he leans against the railing of the dock.

  “Don’t know. Said they had a call and wanted an officer to respond. Cameron is on duty tonight and there’s no backup. I’ll ride by since I’m close.”

  Derick throws his hand up in a wave as I leave. “Tell Nikki and Liam I said hey.”

  “Will do.”

  “She won’t be there,” he calls out as I turn my back on him.

  I clench the tackle box in my hand tight because he knows me too damn well. Of course, I’m going to take the call because Sammy and Nikki are best friends. I’m always hoping to run into her, though, so it wasn’t much of a guess as to why I’m headed that way.

  “She might!” I call out and get into my sheriff SUV.

  It’s only about two miles away, so it takes me no time to get to the Mermaid. The little boutique hotel is set back into the palm trees on a prime piece of real estate. When I get there, I jump out and walk towards the lobby.

  “Hey Nikki, heard you called for some help,” I say when I see her on the porch.

  “Um yeah, is there anyone else on duty?” she asks, looking over my shoulder and then back behind her.

  “Yeah, Cameron is, but she’s caught up on a drunk and disorderly on the north shore. What’s up?”

  “Nothing. It can wait. Thanks for coming by.” She waves her hand really quick and turns around.

  “Hang on a second,” I say, and she stops. “Nikki, what are you up to?”

  I’ve always been pretty intuitive, and it makes for a great officer of the law. And right now, I can feel in my gut she’s hiding something.

  “Umm.” She looks over her shoulder again. “Maybe I should have called the fire department. Or an ambulance,” she says, biting her lip and wringing her fingers.

  “If you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’m coming in there and I’m going to find out myself.”

  “No!” she yelps, holding up her hands.

  “Nicole, damn it. Just tell me.”

  “She’s going to kill me,” she whispers, and the hair on the back of my neck stands up.

  “Is Sammy in there? Is something wrong?” Before I know what’s happening, I’m barging past Nikki. I love her like a sister, but if Sammy’s hurt she better get out of my way.

  “Cyrus Walsh, don’t you dare go in there,” she calls after me, but it’s too late.

  When I walk in, I notice a door to an adjoining room is ajar. I hear a noise in there and the sight that greets me both turns me on and pisses me off at the same time.

  Sammy is in the middle of the room dressed like an old-school pin up model in a black halterneck bathing suit. The only problem is she’s stuck inside what looks like a mini airplane. Something a toddler could fit in.

  “What the hell is all this?” I say, looking around at the room.

  The place is set up like a photo shoot, complete with a white background and a camera in front of it. She’s got this mini airplane around her waist and her hair and makeup are all done up.

  “It’s none of your business,” she growls, her face red with anger.

  “I’m so sorry, Sammy. I didn’t know who else to call,” Nikki says from behind me.

  “So you call the one person on this whole island I don’t want to talk to.” Sammy tries to put her hands on her hips, but the airplane is in the way, so she just crosses them.

  “We’ve tried everything to get it off,” Nikki says, and points to a table with cooking oil, peanut butter, shampoo, butter, and about ten other things on it. “I told you not to pull it all the way up. You were just meant to sit in it.”

  “Now is not the time to tell me how I screwed this up, Nikki,” Sammy says, sounding frustrated.

  “Is someone going to tell me what the hell is going on?” I look between the two of them with my hands held out.

  Sammy rolls her eyes.

  Nikki sighs. “She wanted to take some pictures for her dating profile.”

  “What?” I shout, and Sammy doesn’t even bother to look ashamed. Her face is smug and she raises her chin in challenge.

  “Over my dead body,” I say through clenched teeth as I lean in closer to her.

  “Good thing you gave me one already,” she snaps back.

  Damn, it’s good to have her talking to me. Even if she’s pissed off. I glance down at the plastic plane around her waist and back up to her.

  “How about I get you out of that and you let me take you home?” I offer.

  “Not just no, but hell no.” She looks away, but not before I see the panic in her eyes. She hates tight spaces and I know she wants out of there.

  “Fine. Looks like I’m no help. Y’all ladies have a good night,” I say and turn to walk out, but really I have no intention of leaving at all.

  “Wait,” Sammy says after I’ve taken three steps.

  I stop and turn slowly back around to face her.

  “Fine. Get me out of it and you can take me home. But that’s it.”

  “Deal,” I say and walk over to her.

  I take a second to stand close to her because I’ve missed her so damn much. I hate not being near her, even if she won’t admit she’s mine.

  “Well, are you going to help me or not?” she asks, looking down shyly.

  I reach under the plane and flip the little lock that holds the whole thing together. Immediately, the plastic separates and falls to the ground. Her legs are covered in a mix of oils and are a sticky mess. I have to bite my lip to keep from smiling as she looks from the ground to me in shock.

  “How the hell did you do that?”

  “There was a latch?” Nikki asks in shock.

  “It belongs to Mason Crawford. His boy was a bit husky, got stuck in it all the time. Mason had a latch put in,” I say as I grab the towel nearby and step closer to her. “I’m guessing he forgot to tell you about that.”

  I start to rub the mess off her, but she makes a growling sound of frustration and jerks the towel out of my hand. She stomps past me and out of the room, and I can feel myself smiling for the first time in a while.

  2

  Sammy

  “How do I get myself into these messes?” I groan as I step out of the bathroom.

  I stomped past Cyrus and straight into the shower in Nikki’s room. Now that I’ve got all that stuff off of me, I can put some clothes on.

  Nikki bursts into a fit of laughter. Ugh, as if I hadn't made enough of a fool out of myself in front of Cyrus.

  “I told you this could go badly,” she says through her tears, and I narrow my eyes on her.

  “You did not! You suggested the plane. You’re the one who said it would add to the picture!” I fall back onto her bed next to her. Cyrus can wait. I need to get myself together before I’m enclosed in a small space with him for any amount of time. I need my wits about me. It’s the only way to be around him. He knocks me off balance so easily.

  “I think it was fate. Of course he was the only one to respond when I called it in,” she chirps, way too happy about this. “You need to talk to him.”

  “You sound like a lovestruck fool. I can’t take your advice anymore. All you see are hearts and rainbows.” I roll my head to the side to look at her. “Remember when Derick brought his friend to visit once when he was home on leave? The one who turned me down?”

  “Oh shit.” Nikki slaps a hand over her mouth. “How haven't I put that together by now?”

  “Yeah,” I say glumly. She knows how upset I was over that.

  “God, all this makes so much sense now. Man, I hate to admit it, but I forgot about that.”

  I could see that. After I let myself be pissed for a few days, I never brought it back up. I wanted to push that memory away as best I could. But no matter what I did it never worked. He was always there at the front of my mind.

  “You know I’m on your side, but—” I already know I’m not going to like whatever it is she’s about to say. “He played a dirty trick on you, but you kind of had it coming. What with all the shit you’ve done to him.”

  I can’t help but smile at all the pranks I’ve played on Cyrus since he took the job as sheriff and moved here. If I really think about it, I know that every time I pranked him I was trying to get his attention. I knew every time I did something he’d come looking to give me hell. I even got myself thrown into a cell a few times. He never charged me with anything, but he’d make me sit there a few hours like I was in timeout.

  “I was so scared,” I say, feeling my chest tighten. “Scared I’d never get to know what it would be like to call Cyrus mine. Scared of so much wasted time.” My eyes start to water, but I take a deep breath and stuff all the sadness down.

  “Sammy, the answer is right in front of your face. Stop wasting time.” Nikki reaches out and squeezes my hand. “Don’t make yourself miserable. Trust me, it does nothing. I know this.” I smile, thinking about how Liam fucked up and had to do a serious grovel to get Nikki back. If only she had let him talk that first day, she wouldn't have been so miserable.

  “Okay.” I stand up and give her a hug before walking out of her room and to the front porch of the Mermaid. I see Cyrus leaning up against his SUV waiting for me. He pushes away, opening the door for me, and I walk towards him, making sure my hips sway just a little bit more as I go.

  I don’t know what’s happened over the last year, but the way he looks at me has changed. He wants me so bad the lust is clear in his eyes. Why things have suddenly changed, I have no idea, but it’s been driving me crazy. I’ve wanted him from the second I saw him, even though I was too young. It seems to have taken him longer, but I think he’s finally caught up.

  I heard him talking to my brother about it one night. That he wanted a family of his own. He said that’s what he dreamed of most in life. He was sick of waiting, but I don’t know why he’s suddenly decided I’m the one for him when all this time he went out of his way to avoid me. I’m clearly not his type. He could have his pick of women around here anyway.

  When I reach him, he picks me up and puts me in the passenger seat. I’m not even surprised by the action. When he leans in, our eyes lock and my heart starts to race. I think back to the one and only time he kissed me a few weeks ago. He caught me completely off-guard. I’d been so stunned I had just stood there, letting him do it right in the middle of town. As if the town wasn't already buzzing about us. No wonder they all went in on that prank with him. The assholes gave me up for a non-local!

  Just when I think he’s going to kiss me again, he leans back and shuts the door. Disappointment slices through me when it shouldn't. I’m supposed to be mad about what he did.

  He hops into the driver's seat and backs out of the parking lot.

  “A dating site, Sammy? Are you trying to kill me?”

  I peek over at him. I can see the hurt on his face and it makes me feel guilty for a second. Am I not supposed to date? I’m sure he’s been up to no good while he was in the Marines and even after he moved here. Not that I’ve ever seen him with anyone, but I bet Cyrus would be discreet about something like that, making sure not to mess around with a local. Not with the way this town whispers.

  “Oh, don’t act like you’re a church boy,” I throw back. “Just because I’m a girl doesn't mean I don’t have needs, too.”

  Jealousy is a real bitch. I hate that I act this way when I’m around Cyrus, but I don’t know what else I can do. Too many feelings fester when it comes to him. Anger is the only thing I can focus on so I don't break.

  Cyrus slams on his brakes and looks over at me. “You think I’ve been fucking around on you?” His voice is filled with so much emotion. Like he can’t believe what I’ve just said.

  “We aren't together! How could you be fucking around on me?” I shout. I’m getting good and worked up now.

  He shakes his head. “I can’t even remember the last time I even kissed a woman before the one I gave you a few weeks ago.” His eyes lock dead on mine. “It was before I went into the Marines.”

  He drops that little bomb and leaves me shocked. Then he turns his head and starts driving again. I want to ask if he’s serious. I can’t even wrap my mind around it. How is that even possible?

  “Vicky told everyone—”

  “Vicky’s a fucking liar,” he says, quickly cutting me off. “I set her straight over a year ago when I heard that bullshit.”

  My body relaxes as something lifts off my chest that I didn't even know was there. I believe him. Cyrus is like a unicorn all the local women have been trying to catch. Vicki claimed to have ended up in his bed one night, and that shit ate at me. That’s when I really started going in hard on Cyrus.

  “I only joined the dating site to make you mad. I knew you’d find out about it,” I admit.

  I want to tell him something honest since he told me the truth. I watch as some of the tension leaves his hands and he loosens his grip on the steering wheel.

  “It really scared me, Cy,” I tell him as we drive closer to my home. “You don’t know how many nights I lay awake when you and Derick were deployed, worrying about you two. Then you get back here—”

  “You were pissed I was here,” he cuts in.

  “Yeah, I was, but I was relieved, too. I knew you were safe. I didn't have to have that fear anymore when I lay down at night. Then to think I’d lost you. Here, of all places.” I shake my head. “All that shit came rushing back. It was a lot to take.”

  “I’m sorry. It’s been hell with you not talking to me. It eats me alive.” I can actually hear the pain in his voice. “I rather you be pissed at me and pulling your crap than radio silence.”

  “So you just want me to go back to being a bitch to you?” I tease.

  “Don’t call yourself that.” I try to fight a smile. “Go out with me tomorrow. Let’s talk. I can’t do this anymore. I will if I have to, but damn it, Sammy, seeing you and not being able to touch you is hell on earth.”

  I laugh. “Liar. You touch me all the time.”

  He smirks. “That’s not the touching I’m talking about, sunshine.” My face heats as we pull up outside my place.

  “Okay,” I tell him. He hops out and comes around to open my door.

  “Okay?” He raises an eyebrow like he doesn't believe me.

  “Yeah. One night. We’ll see how it goes.” He walks me to the door and I unlock it. “But if you break my heart again, Cyrus Walsh, I promise there will be no more chances.” With that, I shut the door.

  “Not going to happen,” I hear him say from the other side. He better be right, because I don’t think I can take the pain again.

  3

  Cyrus

  “Where are you taking me?” Sammy asks as we pull up at my place.

  When I picked her up she was in shorts and a tank top. I love that she didn’t get dressed up. I open her door and help her down then walk her around the back of my house to where the dock is.

  “Out on the water. Thought it would be harder for you to get away,” I say, winking at her.

  “Good thing I wore my bathing suit.”

  When we get to the dock I help her onto the boat, and she immediately unties the front anchor line and pulls in the bumpers. She was raised out here, and it’s one of the things I love about her. Not only is she good with the outdoors, but she loves it. I remember her saying one time that’s why she doesn’t have a fancy place with a lot of stuff. She’d rather have a nice kitchen to cook in and a big boat to ride on. And I just so happen to have both.

  When I pilot away from the dock, I steer the boat through the canal and out to the inlet. She sits on the front of the boat for a bit, looking out into the sunset. Just having her here with me and seeing her golden skin bathed in oranges and pinks is damn beautiful. She looks back at me as if she can read my thoughts and comes over to the Captain’s chair.

  “Mind if I drive?” she asks, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

  “She’s all yours.”

  I take my hands off the wheel and then take her by the hips. I pull her down onto my lap as her hands steer us. She laughs, and I wrap my arms around her. God, she feels so damn good against me. Why have the two of us been fighting this for so long? Are we both so stubborn neither of us have been able to take the first step? Probably. But there’s also timing, and it took a while to get ours right.

  I press my lips against her bare shoulder and leave them there. I close my eyes and inhale her scent as she leans back into my touch.

  I point her in the direction I want to go, and she steers that way. She doesn’t ask what we’re doing or how long it’s going to take. Instead she just relaxes in my arms as we glide across the water. The silence between us is comfortable. Like we’ve been in a battle for a long time and now it’s come to an end. I think the two of us are tired of going against what feels so damn good.

  “Pull in over there.” I point to a sandy beach, and she slows down the boat. I hop up and toss out the anchor as she turns off the engine.

  “I hope you’re hungry. I brought dinner,” I say, grabbing the cooler out from under the seat and taking her hand.

  I hop off the boat and then hold my hands out and she jumps down to me. I let her body slide down mine as I lower her, and I can see the flush of her cheeks. I let her go and grab the other bag I packed and we walk on the shore a little bit where I can lay down a blanket.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever been to this part of the island,” she says, looking around.

  “It’s not well known. I like to think it’s my own secret spot. But there are a few deer here that would disagree with me.” I take out plates and serve her up the buttered pasta and grilled chicken I made. “I’m not much in the kitchen, so I hope you like it.”