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Chapter One
Maddie
I've found heaven for sure, in this magical place where the sun warms my skin, the azure sky gleams above me, palm trees sway all around me, and toasty golden sand tickles between my toes. After years of bouncing around the globe to pin down the causes of disease outbreaks, I finally have a little time to kick back, exhale, and revel in the freedom to do nothing at all.
Don't get me wrong. I love being an epidemiologist, but I'm so far beyond burned out. My sister, Rika, and her husband booked me a two-week vacation at a swanky Caribbean resort because, she says, I need time off. Since Rika got a sneaky look on her face when she told me that, I think she has ulterior motives. I have no idea what they are, and right now, I don't care.
Even the name of this place seems magical—Elusion Island. When Rika told me the name, I thought she was saying "illusion," which means something that's not real. But she said "elusion," and that word refers to an escape from everyday unpleasantness. Yeah, I need some elusion, big time.
The sun feels wonderful on my skin. I can't remember the last time I sunbathed. I can't remember the last time I wore a bikini either, but Rika had insisted on buying me several of them. Today, I chose a sky blue string bikini that brings out the color of my eyes. My sister told me so. I haven't ventured into the Caribbean waters yet since I only arrived forty-two minutes ago.
As of right now, I'm no longer counting the minutes, hours, or days. That's what kicking back means, right? Time becomes irrelevant. For two weeks, I'm not an epidemiologist. I'm simply a girl enjoying a tropical escape. I've been lounging on this beach chair for about two minutes, which is a great start to my holiday.
I pick up my mai tai and take a big sip. The cool drink slides down my throat, and I smile at the delicious way the alcohol whispers through me. Slipping on my sunglasses, I lean my head back and close my eyes.Ahhh… relaxation, I've missed you. The sultry warmth of the sun soaks into my skin, and every muscle in my body softens. I pull in a long breath and exhale it little by little, letting the sounds and sensations lull me into a drowsy state, floating on a sea of serenity where all the unpleasantness I've experienced evaporates.
No sickness. No death. No overwhelming pressure to succeed. The past drifts away, leaving me with a blessed sense of tranquility.
A shadow drapes over me.
Even with my sunglasses on and my eyes closed, I notice the deeper darkness that's fallen over me and my chair. I open one eye.
A man is standing several feet past the foot of my chair, his shadow spilling over me.
I can't tell if he's looking at me since he's wearing reflective sunglasses. But damn, that man has a killer body. And he's showing it off by wearing nothing but a pair of skintight swim briefs. Tiny ones. Their golden tan color is almost the same shade as the sand. Or is it? My sunglasses have an amber tint, so I can't be positive about that. I lift my shades just enough to see him in the natural light of the sun.
Yep, his swim briefs are the same color as the sand. I let my gaze wander over him, from his face to his broad shoulders and well-defined pecs, then farther down to his impressive abs. His narrow hips guide my attention even lower, to the bulge in his swim shorts and his powerful thighs.
My focus snaps back to his package and stalls there. A new kind of warmth, silky and seductive, shimmers through me. When did I last have sex? I can't remember, and that's just sad.
I force myself to look at his face. His short hair is light brown with gold streaks, possibly from the sun. He looks like he's been here for a while, given his skin has a faint bronzing that makes all his muscles seem even more enticing. I assume that skin tone comes from the sun, or maybe he always looks tanned. I have no idea, but I'd love to find out. Love to explore that body with my hands, my lips, and my tongue.
What on earth am I doing? Drooling over a complete stranger? I never do that. I'm a serious-minded scientist, not a college freshman. But I have gotten so damn tired of being serious and studious and hard-working. This vacation is an escape from my life, so maybe I should let myself really cut loose.
And I'll start by ogling a stranger. A steamy-hot one.
Back to his face… He has rugged features, but they strike me as sexy rather than coarse. His hook nose gives him an aura of manly strength, and I can imagine him skydiving or hunting for relics like Indiana Jones. His lips are full but not too full, just the right amount to make me want to feel those lips on my mouth, my throat, my breasts, anywhere he wants to kiss me.
Wow, I haven't gotten this turned on by a guy in ages. Maybe never. And he hasn't even spoken yet. So yeah, it's clearly been too long since I had sex.
God, I hope he doesn't talk like a surfer dude or have a whiny voice. That would ruin this fantasy I'm dreaming up. It involves him in that swimsuit, free-diving into a cenote in Mexico to dredge up ancient treasures from the depths of a flooded sinkhole.
With my luck, he's a tax accountant who shaves his chest and spray-tans his body.
"Are you done?" the stranger asks, and I detect a British accent hidden in those three syllables.
"Did you want this chair?" I ask. "Because I only just sat down here."
"No, I don't want your chair." His lips, the ones I've been fantasizing about, slide into a sensual smirk. "I wondered if you were done staring at me. Not that I mind. I was staring at you too."
Oh shit. He noticed that? I kind of assumed he'd been admiring the scenery or something. Instead, he'd been admiring me. The realization triggers another wave of sensuous heat that ripples through me. The sexiest man I've ever seen has been ogling me the way I'd done to him.
"Mind if I sit on the sand beside you?" he asks.
"Not at all. It's a public beach."
"Actually, it's a private one for resort guests only."
He saunters closer and settles his taut ass onto the sand, no more than a foot away from my chair.
