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CHAPTER THREE
ETHAN
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Icouldn’t tear myeyes away from the beautiful blonde making her way toward the restrooms. Her pink and green dress sundress swooshed with every step, and her smooth, shapely legs covered the plank floor with long strides, pulling my appreciative gaze down to them. After it got its fill of her sexy stems, it roved back up to the perfect ass I could make out beneath the soft skirt. But it wasn’t her body that made my heart go haywire when I first saw her. It was the look in her eyes when they’d connected with mine. Beautiful emerald orbs sparkling with lustful promises—promises I prayed she would keep.
She looked over her shoulder at me again, and when our gaze connected, my heart pounded louder.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The Paradise Isles were filled with beautiful women. Models, actresses, billionaire arm candy. They were everywhere. But there was something different about this gorgeous one that made my heart reverberate like a bass drum inside my chest. She was as beautiful as any of the socialites and divas that poured into my world every tourist season, but she didn’t have the air of attitude that seemed to accompany them all. No. Something about her told me this woman was different.
She disappeared from sight, and I stared at the empty space she’d last occupied for a few moments before I turned my attention back to my beer. As I lifted it to take a sip, a voice echoed across the bar.
“Hey! Hottie McHotterson! You with the beach waves and the biceps!”
I looked over my shoulder as I furrowed my brow. I was the only person at the bar with beach waves and biceps, so I imagined she was speaking to me, but I didn’t see any faces to go along with the woman’s voice.
“Yes! You! I’m over here! By the margarita glass!”
By the margarita glass?
Pinching my brow tighter, I swept my gaze across the bar, looking for the owner of the voice. I saw my friend Alec, the bartender, and a half dozen other guests all occupied in their own conversations. I looked around again. Nothing.
“Over here! The phone by the margarita glass. Walk this way, Studly McStuderson!”
I saw a phone leaning against a cocktail glass, and when I squinted, I made out the face of a woman waving wildly at me.
“Yes! Here!” she said, gesturing for me to come close.
Intrigued by the little digital woman beckoning me over, I picked up my beer and walked to her.
“Hi, I’m Iris.” She grinned a full-tooth smile into the screen. “Damn. You’re even hotter up close.”
“Uh, thanks?” I scrubbed a hand across the back of my neck. “I’m Ethan. Can I, uh, help you with something?”
“Yes.” She took a swig from her wine glass, then set it down and leaned in close. “My sister, Ivy, the beautiful blonde who just walked away for a moment, is having a monumentally shitty night.”
The blonde. Ivy.Just envisioning her again made my heart rev up. “Oh no. That sucks.”
“Yeah. Big time. So, anyway, she’s stuck down here for the night, and I’m determined to help her get over the asshole that just ran her over with a Mack truck. So, you single?”
I rocked back on my heels. “Uh, yeah?”
“Uh, yeah, as in that’s in question?” She furrowed her brows. “If you’re seeing someone, let’s not mince words. We’ve had enough of that for one night.”
“No. Not a question. Yes, I’m single.”
She broadened her grin. “Excellent. Maybe you could have a seat and help keep my sister company tonight. She could use it.”
Keep the beautiful blonde company? Now that I could answer with certainty. “Yes. Of course. Happy to.”
“Then have a seat, Ethan. Yay!” Iris clapped her hands and settled back against her couch. “So, until she gets back, tell me a little about yourself. You’re not a drug dealer, serial killer, or any other type of shady criminal, right?”
“Correct.” I laughed. “I have a boat detailing business.”
“Ooh. A business owner. Nice. Very nice.” She steepled her fingers together. “And you live in Paradise Isles?”
