Caribbean Casanova (14 page)

She did the clasp herself then turned to watch him pull open the drawer of his armoire. He snagged a small black box and a paper bag, then marched toward her like a soldier on a mission.

“Take the test or wear the ring.” He thrust both parcels at her.

“What the hell? I have a bride to go get ready, so I’m not up for whatever guessing game this is supposed to be.”

“Pregnancy test or your wedding rings. You decide.”

She rocked back on her heels and nearly toppled over. The man was a human sneaker wave.

He shook the bag and she blinked, her stomach sinking.

“You bought a pregnancy test? The entire island is going to be watching me for a baby bump for the next year. And what do you mean wedding rings?”

“I bought the test in New York, the morning after the condom broke. And my father brought the rings with him.”

“I’m sorry, is this some kind of ultimatum proposal? Because, no, you can’t do that to me. No.”

“What do you mean, no?” His face blanched to a shade of pale she would have thought impossible with all his time under the Caribbean sun.

“You are not going to cheat me out of a proposal with a temper tantrum.” Though they’d talked about marriage, and that neither of them had any burning desire to rush into parenthood, it still sent a thrill of sensation to know he planned on them marrying. She wanted to high-five her teenage self for finding a man who loved family and books and laughing as much as she did. “And you are going to be traditional and ask my father first. He deserves that. I’m the first of the girls to take this step and it’s what he earned by raising a good daughter.” She beamed up at him, but it had no effect.

He still didn’t smile. “Then take the test.”

“You’re being ridiculous, and I have a wedding to manage.” She tried to turn away but he grabbed her arm.

“Holly, please.”

His plea shot through her heart like an arrow. “Harm, sweetheart, we can do this tomorrow. Right now I’m feeling like if I pee on that stick I’ll have to wait for it to develop and console you when it’s negative. Which is kind of scaring me because we decided babies weren’t on the agenda this decade.”

“That was before the condom broke and our child went from a hypothetical to a reality.”

She snagged the bag because she wasn’t getting anywhere with him. “You have too much testosterone for your own good.” She took the test and washed her shaking hands. She’d kept pushing the situation farther back in her mind for the last few weeks, not wanting it to change anything. They were enjoying getting to know one another, finding a rhythm between Anguilla and New York, planning meet-the-parents vacations not a lifetime.

She marched out of the bathroom and shoved the stick at Harm as unceremoniously as he’d tried to give her an engagement ring. Her phone sang from downstairs and her stomach clenched, knowing Sass needed her for all the last-minute bridal details.

“I’ve got to go.”

A wide grin split Harm’s face and his brown eyes sparkled. That wasn’t relief or disappointment. No, it was joy. Pure, unadulterated joy.

“You’re kidding.” She grabbed his wrist and pulled the stick up to her face. No denying the plus sign in the little window. Her heart took off at a full run, sprinting in panic as her stomach flipped and her eyes welled up.

She made it to the bed before collapsing. This was not her life. She was not the kind of woman who got knocked up by her boyfriend. She lay on the unmade bed, taking slow breaths. Emotions swirled like a tempest and she didn’t know which ones belonged to her and which to the panic.

Harm joined her and stroked her hair. “Sweetheart, this is an amazing blessing. You’ll see.”

She pressed a hand to her roiling tummy. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Morning sickness? Have you had it before?”

“Babe, my whole world just upended. I’m allowed to freak out a little. I’ve felt great the last month. I thought it was changing my diet. I’ve even lost a few pounds. For fuck sake, I’m an unwed mother. I can’t believe this.”

“We’ll be married before the baby is born.”

“And everyone will think that’s why.” She looked up at him, searching for reassurance. “Is that why you have wedding rings? Because the condom broke?”

He shook his head and pressed a fleeting kiss to her lips. “Because I don’t like calling you my girlfriend. It feels adolescent and temporary.”

“You don’t think that has something to do with your younger brother getting married?”

“No, this is about you and me. Isn’t it?”

She sat and hugged him, squeezing for all she was worth. “I’m scared. I didn’t want it to be like this. I wanted to get married because we wanted to, not because we had to. I wanted to have a baby when the time was right, not when the condom broke.”

“I’m glad it did.” He held her tight, soothing her with his hands up and down her back.

“You’re just happy neither of us have to bother with condoms.” She relaxed feeling that though it wasn’t ideal, it would be all right.

“Hadn’t even thought of that perk.”

“I’m not having a dozen kids like my folks, so we will have to use them again.” She pulled back and smiled up at him, at her happy ever after. “I don’t want to be a round bride with everyone whispering through my wedding.”

“I’m ready whenever you are.” He reached down and tugged at the hem of his white tee, pulling it over his head in one smooth motion. “I had a big proposal planned.”

He held out his right hand and she took it in hers. He turned his arm to show the sensitive skin from elbow to wrist and she gasped. His handwriting had been inked onto his flesh, words forever imprinted onto his skin.

Holly,

I promise to be your friend, to laugh at your nervous jokes, to indulge in your curious adventures and to read the scary books first to make sure you will like them.

I promise to both listen and hear, love and cherish, offer and accept.

I promise to keep ice cream in the freezer, champagne in the fridge, your ring on my finger and your love in my heart.

Forever

The tears fell before she’d finished. She touched the still-pink skin gently, her heart squeezing and her insides a swirl of happy rainbows and sensual moonlight.

“When did you do this?” She lifted his discarded tee and wiped at her eyes, his rugged scent soothing her nerves.

“When I came back from New York. I was going to take you for a walk on the beach, find a secluded spot and beg. The ring was supposed to help. It’s huge.”

She laughed and framed his face in her hands, bringing him to her for a kiss both passionate and healing, exciting and easy. Like them.

“Can we still do that?” she asked, her body calming back to a state she recognized.

“You want to see the ring before you agree? Or you want me to beg?” He gave a quirky grin she doubted anyone else would ever see, except maybe their baby.

She placed a hand low on her belly and smiled. “I want to make you mine.”

About the Author

Jenn
a Bayley-Burke is known for her fun, sexy romance novels, baking banana bread and over-volunteering. She thinks she has the best jobs in the world–mother, wife and author. When she’s not lost in her latest story, she can be found pursuing whatever hobby her characters are enamored with–photography, Zumba, shoes, gardening, crafts and cooking up a storm. For more on Jenna check out her website
www.jennabayleyburke.com
.

Look for these titles by Jenna Bayley-Burke

Now Available:

Her Cinderella Complex

Par for the Course

Compromising Positions

Pride & Passion

Private Scandal

For Kicks

Drive Me Crazy

Under The Caribbean Sun

Caribbean Christmas

Coming Soon:

Caribbean Crush

The hottest presents are stripped down under a palm tree.

Caribbean Christmas

© 2012 Jenna Bayley-Burke

Under the Caribbean Sun, Book 1

When Saskia snags a last-minute ticket to her home island of Anguilla, she intends to surprise her workaholic father with a chance to reconnect over Christmas. When she finds Dutch is away on business, there’s still plenty to fill her time while she waits. Sailing, snorkeling…and an unexpected, very adult attraction to her girlhood crush.

In Joe Prinsen’s view, there’s only one reason Saskia would drop in after being away for eight years. Sure she’s following her mother’s example to come and ask for money, Joe feels it’s time she learns the truth about Dutch’s dire financial straits. And he intends to make sure she sticks around long enough to hear it. From Dutch himself.

Except the impulsive Saskia takes all his noble intentions and unwraps them, one by one, until Joe finds himself in hot water. Saskia’s only home for Christmas. And once she finds out the secret he’s hiding, and why, she’ll probably leave the Caribbean for good.

Warning: Sex on the beach can be a sandy pastime, one that could lead you, and your heart, in hot water.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Caribbean Christmas:

She grinned. “This is where I learned to swim, because it is so shallow.” She made her way to him, her desire for his touch growing with each measured step.

“What else did you learn on this island, Sass?”

“The basics of a happy life. The older you get, the more complicated things become. Here things were simple. Do what makes you happy.”

“If only we could stay kids, right?” His smile seemed a little sad, wistful even, as she stopped in front of him.

“I’ve come back around to that same way of thinking. If something doesn’t make you happy, it’s not worth your time.”

He scoffed. “That’s not very practical. People need jobs so they can support themselves. There are things that need to be done that no one enjoys. It’s a good principle, but not realistic.”

“Really, this from a self-professed beach bum? What have you done today that you didn’t want to do?” She stood before him, the water tickling between her thighs.

“I’ve kept my hands off you, for one.” The moonlight set his strong features in shadow as he trailed his gaze from her face down her body, his nostrils flaring as he licked his lips. He raised one hand from the water and traced around her navel. She sucked in a breath as he toyed with her belly-button ring, sending ribbons of pleasure deep within her.

“Were you waiting for permission? Is that your kink? You want to be told what to do?” She squeezed her inner muscles together as heat flushed there. She had a list of things he could do to her, and if he made her wait too long they’d turn into demands.

“You are awfully interested in my kinks. Are you fishing for me to ask what yours are?”

She felt the water move before his hands grasped her thighs. He looked up at her with an intensity that made her stomach flip and her womb clench. His wet palms slid up her body and he gripped her hips, his thumbs strumming the three ties of her thong. Each pass vibrated the crocheted flowers ever so slightly, turning her on even more.

“Or are you trying to figure out just what to do to drive me wild?”

“I’m encouraging you to do what makes you happy, whatever that might be.” She placed her hands on his shoulders to steady herself, the rush of arousal making her want to fall into the water on top of him. But she wasn’t confident enough that he wasn’t teasing her. This intense connection they had made everything feel as if more was happening between them than physical attraction.

He shook his head but didn’t release her. “Show me how to make you happy,
schatje
.”

It would be her pleasure. On instinct, she scanned the deserted beach just in case. Finding no one, she decided to go for broke. Reaching her arms behind herself, she unhooked the bandeau. She held it up with one hand and watched his expression as his chest rose and fell on a ragged breath.

And with that, she knew he wasn’t playing a game. He wanted her. The knowledge sent power coursing through her veins, heightening her arousal and boldness. Moving her arms slowly, she slid the top into her bikini ties so it wouldn’t float out to sea. Her fingers brushed against his as she secured it, but he didn’t release her.

His grip tightened as she stood and pulled her shoulders back, letting the moonlight dance across her bare skin. She often wished she had more to fill out a top, but she had to admit that what she had going on looked damned good right now. He leaned closer, his hot breath teasing her like a caress. His hands, warm from the water, slipped up her torso to her rib cage. He ran his thumbs around her areolas until her nipples puckered into tight peaks.

“I didn’t expect these.” He flicked her nipple rings with his thumbnails and a flash of sharp pleasure rushed through her body. She gripped his shoulders to steady herself. “Do you have any more for me to find?”