Dangerous Deception (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Series) (15 page)

Inhaling deeply she floated her palms on top of the
sparkling water of the swimming pool and stared across its length to the knot
of men sitting at the pool bar.  They were drinking, talking and laughing,
their backs to the pool and the swimmers, their lower bodies submerged in
water.  The pool bar was a popular location and all the concrete stools were
taken with a few of the men resorting to standing in the waist high water and
leaning on the counter.

“Just do it and get it over with, Erin.”  That was
Tisha talking.

Erin turned to look back at the group and not for the
first time since they’d arrived on the island of Santa Marta she wondered what
in heaven's name she was doing here with them. 

They were like a rainbow coalition – Robyn with her
pale freckled skin and copper red hair, Maria with her waist length black hair
and Latin features, Tisha with her shoulder-length braids and mahogany skin. 
And then there was her, with her creamy skin and chestnut-brown hair.

But they were not a coalition by any means.  She was
the odd one out.  They were all from wealthy families, privileged girls who thought
nothing of making trips to the islands for sun, sea and sand.  She, on the
other hand, had only made it here through the generosity of Robyn’s parents and
their strong suggestion that Erin take a well-deserved break from on-campus
work.  She’d spent several months with them while in foster care and they’d
been very kind.  Now, even though years had passed since she’d left, they still
insisted on reaching out to her from time to time with small surprises.  This
trip was a huge surprise.

 Robyn had not been pleased at the sudden addition to
her travel party but she finally conceded at her parents’ insistence.  Erin
suspected that she’d given in only because she thought she’d found a readymade
gopher for the trip.

Now here she was, caught in a stupid dare, one that
her sense of fairness would not let her get out of.  The other girls had all
performed their assigned tasks which ranged from flirting with strangers to
kissing the bartender.  And although she'd told them she was not interested
she'd been roped into the game.  Now it was her turn.  She refused to kiss
anyone but they’d demanded that she meet them halfway – so she’d agreed to the
task: select a man, strike up a conversation, and if he asked her out within
two minutes of meeting her she’d win the bet.  Stupid?  Sure, but she was tired
of the harassment and the accusation of being a wet blanket.  She’d do it and
then tell them to leave her the heck alone.

Tisha swam up to her.  “I see a real cutie.  Check out
the blond-haired guy.”

Following the girl’s finger she stared at the back of
a tall, well-built man with spiky hair.  As she watched he turned to the man
beside him and, laughing out loud, gave him a slap on the back.  The
blond-haired man seemed friendly enough and probably would not take offense but
still, for some reason she had reservations about approaching him.  He might
like the attention too much. 

Surveying the backs of her potential victims Erin’s
eyes fell on the strong, lean torso of a dark-haired man.  He sat with his back
straight although he seemed relaxed in every other way.  He was sipping a
martini and though he often smiled at the jokes of the other men he seemed more
reserved, even aloof.  This man, clad in hip-hugging black swim trunks, exuded
a power which seemed to draw her to him. 

Immediately she knew he would be her target.  He
looked like a serious kind of guy who would just have a normal conversation
with her and then let her go.  She didn’t care if he asked her out or not.  She
just wanted her task to be over.

And that would be the end of that.

Sucking in a deep breath, Erin began a slow wade
through the waist-high water.  She never took her eyes off the back of her now
chosen prey.

She was halfway across the pool when she heard
giggling behind her.  Turning, she gave the girls a scathing look.  They held
their hands over their mouths, still sniggering, but thankfully they quieted
down.  The last thing she needed right now was distraction.

Slowly, Erin turned and continued her slow march
through the water.  Alright, she was scared but she’d never backed away from a
challenge and she certainly wasn’t going to start now.  More than that, at all
costs she wanted to avoid Robyn’s sulking.  The girl was a whiner and a bully
and tonight Erin did not want to deal with the drama.

 She was almost there now.  She could see the damp
hair curling at the nape of her victim’s neck.  He was laughing, a deep rumble
that emphasized his masculinity.  Was this a man she could flirt with?  She bit
her lip and kept walking.  Too late to turn back now.

So focused was she on getting to her target that she
forgot the curved metal bar that ran underwater behind the stools.    She
bumped her foot, lost her balance and began to pitch forward toward the man. 

She panicked.

Flinging her arms up Erin grabbed for the nearest
support, anything to keep herself from falling.  That happened to be the dark
stranger's shoulder.  She pulled him off his stool, throwing him backwards into
the liquid blue of the pool.  There was a shout and a huge splash and, to her
horror, he disappeared beneath the surface.

“Oh, my God, I’m so sorry.”  Her hands flew to her
mouth and she stared wide-eyed as her victim jumped up, coughing, black hair
pasted down on his head, water streaming down his face.

Her eyes rose to his face and she took an involuntary
step back, suddenly overwhelmed by the sheer height of him.  While sitting he
had looked tall but now, face to face, he towered over her five feet four
inches.

 He was still coughing and by now his friends at the
pool bar were laughing heartily at his demise.  Even her friends' giggles had
turned to peals of laughter.

But Erin did not take her eyes off the man in front of
her.   His black hair curled wetly around his tanned face and the set of his
jaw emphasized his square chin.  But it was his gray eyes, so unusual in his
dark face, that held her gaze.  She could not look away.  Like a wild cat he
was watching her.  Now she was the prey.  The look on his face made it clear
she was in deep trouble.

He took a step toward her and she backed away.

“You want to play, do you?”

Before she could move another inch he caught her wrist
and pulled her up against his hard body.  She was pressed so close that she
could feel the ripples of his stomach muscles against her chest. 

When he dipped his head she jerked back and clamped
her lips shut.  What in the world?  Was he trying to kiss her?  Was he crazy?

Suddenly Erin felt herself falling backward and as she
hit the water she shrieked.  It was cut short when she went under but in
seconds she was up, coughing and spluttering, glaring at the now laughing man
who stood before her.

“You beast,” she yelled.  “What are you trying to do? 
Kill me?”

“Two can play, my dear.”

His smug expression, his laughing mouth, the amusement
in his eyes so incensed Erin that, before she knew what she was doing, her hand
flew up to shove him in the chest.

But he was quick, too quick for her.  As it went up he
grabbed her wrist.   Then, staring deep into her eyes, he turned her hand
slowly and bent his head to plant a searing kiss in the middle of her palm.

The touch of his lips sent an electric jolt shooting
up her arm and through her body. 

She snatched her hand from his.  With all the
haughtiness she could muster she held her head high, turned and pushed through
the water and away from the laughing man.

“I’m leaving,” she said to the girls, her voice
clipped and cold.

To her surprise and relief they followed her out of
the pool without protest, saving her the indignity of listening to the man’s
mocking laughter.

***

If you liked the sample, get the full story by
clicking on the link: 

BILLIONAIRE'S
ISLAND BRIDE
 

Happy reading!