Chapter Two
Milo
The van rollsto a stop under a shaded archway covered in flowering vines. The resort lobby is all polished marble and lazy ceiling fans stirring the humid air. Through the open back of the lobby, the ocean sparkles in impossible turquoise, mocking my current mood.
I step out first, sweat already slick at the nape of my neck. Sienna hops down beside me, her sandals slapping the stone with careless enthusiasm. She stretches both arms overhead, her tank riding up to reveal a strip of golden skin. My gaze lingers there for half a second before I force it back to the horizon.
The flight had been bad enough, but the two-and-a-half-hour ride from the airport? That was pure, slow-motion torture.
With her headphones on and the volume cranked, she’d hummed off-key and swayed in her seat. By the hour mark, I was glaring at my laptop like it had personally offended me, and thirty minutes later, I was calculating how fast I could unbuckle her seatbelt and shove her into the roadside jungle.
Five minutes after that fantasy, I slammed my laptop shut hard enough to startle Terrance and turned to glare at her.
Her response?
“Oh, lighten up, Mr. Wet-Pants-Wonder,” she said, pulling the headphones down around her neck, music still pulsing, eyes bright with mischief. “We’re on vacation. Don’t ruin my vibe.” Then she leaned closer and dropped her voice to a whisper. “I brought three with me, just in case, you know… one gets ruined.”
The wink that followed made my molars ache.
Running a hand through my hair, I watch Terrance haul our luggage from the back of the van just as two resort employees approach with trays. One drapes vibrant pink leis around our necks while the other offers welcome cocktails topped with tiny paper umbrellas.
Sienna grabs hers immediately, her eyes fluttering shut as she takes the first sip. “Cocktails on arrival? You’re going to make me never want to leave this place.”
I accept mine more slowly and mutter a quiet thanks. I’m not much of a cocktail guy, so I let the condensation drip onto my knuckles as the employees laugh at whatever outrageous thing Sienna just said.
“Right this way, Ms. Harlow and Mr. Reyes,” Terrance gestures for us to follow him inside. “Elena will check you in while I take your luggage to the villa.”
Inside, Elena greets us with a wide smile. “Welcome to Emerald Bay! Checking in for the Cole wedding party?”
“Sienna Harlow and Milo Reyes,” Terrance announces. He grabs a keycard from the desk, then steps back with a wide grin. “I hope you both enjoy your stay at Emerald Bay. You’ll fall in love with the island… and maybe more.”
“Thank you, Terrance!” Sienna beams, slurping the last of her cocktail before setting the empty glass on the desk. She reaches for her wallet to tip him, but I’m faster, pressing a stack of cash into his hand.
Her scowl is immediate, but I don’t give her time to comment on it. I turn my attention back to Elena, who’s tapping her tabletaggressively with her finger. Her brows furrow as she taps it again, and her smile falters when she taps it a third time.
Sienna leans an elbow on the desk, hair tumbling forward. “Elena, why do you look like you just found out the bar ran out of rum, which iscrucialfor my favorite cocktails.”
Elena clears her throat. “There’s been a… minor double-booking error. Villa 12 was reserved twice—once for Mr. Reyes and once for Ms. Harlow. Both confirmations came through the wedding coordinator.”
My jaw tightens. “And the solution?”
She winces. “The resort is at full capacity. Two wedding blocks plus a corporate retreat. No other villas, suites, or even standard rooms are available for the next two weeks.”
Sienna lets out an incredulous laugh. “So we’re stuck sharing a villa for the next fourteen days?”
“I’m terribly sorry,” Elena says, hands clasped. “It’s a two-bedroom oceanfront villa with separate bathrooms and a private deck featuring a hot tub. We’ll comp daily breakfast, spa credits, excursions… anything to make your stay exceptional.”
“Double-booked in paradise?” Sienna snorts, her voice dripping with mock delight. “Fantastic.”
Placing my still full cocktail on the desk, I rub my temple as a headache blooms behind my eyes. “It’s two bedrooms. We’ll manage.”
“Manage?” Sienna’s eyes narrow into perfect, lethal crescents. “We met because I baptized your crotch at cruising altitude, and now we’re supposed to… manage?”
Elena slides two keycards across the desk, her fingers trembling slightly. “The path to villa 12 is down the walkway to your right. The welcome dinner for your wedding party is at seven tonight. Please let us know if there’s anything else we can help with.”
“Can you help hide bodies so they’ll never be found?” Sienna asks sweetly, popping a hip. Elena’s forehead beads with sweat. “I’m kidding… mostly. I mean, I’ve never done it, but I’m a quick study. Never say never, right?”
“Sienna,” I mutter in warning.
