Resilient (2) (14 page)

“Hey, Katie-Mac, you ready?” Ian called from the living room. She put her bag over her shoulder, pulled up the handle of her suitcase and grabbed her hat. “Coming.”

A smile spread across his face when he saw her roll into the room. He met her halfway, grabbing the handle in one hand and pulling her in for a kiss with the other. She melted into his body, enjoying the feeling of his soft lips and strong fingers at her waist.
 

“You are so beautiful. I can’t believe I get you all to myself for four whole days.” He kissed her once more on the cheek and took her hand. “Ready to go?” he said softly.

“Yes.” She blinked up at him, still feeling the after effects of his thorough greeting.

Oh yes, I am.

Chapter 14

Katrine perused the magazines while Ian decided on a book to read on the plane. She picked up a copy of
Vanity Fair,
skimming through pages of extravagant houses and parties of the rich and famous. She was admiring the gowns the women were wearing at a charity event in New York when the picture in the top right hand corner caught her eye. The thin paper started to vibrate because her hands had started to shake.
 

There he was in all of his gorgeous glory. Hair lazily swept to the side, half grin exposing one deep dimple, and of course, the eyes. Those green eyes that had been invading her dreams as of late. He was resplendent in his designer tux, that fit every glorious inch of him. Her stomach clenched and her pulse sped up. She had managed to avoid seeing any pictures of him since that day she left him standing in his office so many months ago. Only blurry images in her dreams. But to see him there, in color, was overwhelming. She forced her eyes away from him to the statuesque blonde at his side, who wore a long black dress like a second skin. The clench in her stomach rapidly changed to nausea. She slapped the pages closed and crammed it back onto the stand as if it had bitten her. She closed her eyes and took a deep stuttered breath.
 

Why now after all of this time? Why now as she was about to board a plane with Ian, destination sex in a tropical locale? Was the universe trying to royally screw with her or was it just the most ill-timed coincidence of the century? Well, one thing was for sure, he had moved on long ago and his leggy companion was proof.

He’s probably screwed half of Manhattan by now.

That thought was enough for her. She looked over at Ian, who looked so hot in his tan cargo shorts and fitted blue v-neck. And yes, flops. His head was tilted thoughtfully as he read the back of the book in hands. She smiled, casually flipped off the magazine and walked over to where he was standing. She put her arms around his waist and laid her head against his back. He placed his hands over hers.

“Have you picked out a book yet, handsome? I have a plane to catch, you know.” She could feel the rumble of his chest as he chuckled softly.

“Oh, it’s you, I thought you were someone else,” he teased and turned to face her. “I can’t find one I want. I think I’ll just get an
Architectural Digest
and a
Sports Illustrated
.”

“What, no
Maxim
? It’s the hottest women alive issue.” She pointed at the mostly naked girl gracing the cover. She was “wearing” a wet piece of cloth that was struggling to cover her nipples. He looked and rolled his eyes. Then his look became smoldering and he put his hand on the nape of her neck. “Baby, if I want to see a naked woman in a bed, it’s going to be you, in mine.” He slowly leaned down, placing a deep kiss on her lips. No tongue, just lips, slightly separated. She grabbed his arms and leaned into him. When the cashier cleared her throat with a smirk on her face, Katrine ducked her head into Ian’s chest. “Baby, huh?” She pulled back and grinned. Then turned and walked back to the gate, hoping to dry out her drawers.

Um, probability of sex? Survey says…Likely, very bloody likely.

When the large travel van finally pulled under the white portico of the resort, Katrine was crawling out of her skin. When they left the airport there were twenty people on board and at the end, just four. Their resort was the last drop off on the route. To say it was a complete beat down would have been an understatement. “Sorry, Katrine, I had no idea it would take so long,” Ian said, grabbing her hand. When she saw the contrite look on his face she decided to stop being such a snob and definitely stop thinking about how a certain person would have ordered a car.

“We’re here now, let’s get settled and get a drink, okay?” She smiled and kissed his cheek. He returned a huge smile and nodded. They peeled themselves off of the scratchy material of the chairs and eagerly made their way into the open air lobby.

A tall man in a white linen shirt and tan shorts approached them. “Welcome to Casa Hermosa. I am Javier and I am at your service,” he said in heavily accented English. Then a lovely dark-skinned beauty with a tray offered then both a glass containing something pink with a kiwi garnish a second after they were greeted.

Now that’s what I call service.

When the sweet, strong drink hit her stomach, the stress of the drive seemed to melt away. They checked in and made their way to the room. The resort was intimate and consisted of clusters of white stucco bungalows. The walkway was shaded with canopies of wide green leaves and colorful flowers. The only sound to be heard was the tranquil trickle of a small waterfall meeting a small man-made pond and the chirping of tropical birds. It was beautiful. Katrine squeezed Ian’s arm and gave him a gleeful grin. But that grin turned into an open mouthed gape when they entered their bungalow.

“Oh my god! It’s gorgeous,” Katrine said as she turned in a circle. The walls and the linens were all white. The only contrast was the light colored wood of the bed posts and furniture. The large bathroom had an open shower big enough for ten people. Ian called to her from the other room. “Katrine, check this out.” She pulled the sheer drapes aside and joined Ian on the patio. He had a smug look on his face, and rightly so. When Katrine saw the private dipping pool, she almost dropped the sun hat she still had in her grasp. The water was a deep dark blue due to the sapphire shade of the pool’s surface. She passed the pool to find a large hammock between two large palms.

“Down the path to your right you will find the beach. If you need anything at all, please use your phone to contact me at the concierge desk. May I get you anything else before I go?” Javier asked.

“Can you confirm our dinner reservation at 8:00, please?”

“Yes, sir,.” Javier nodded and took his leave.

“Sooooo, what do you want to do first?” Ian teased as he patted the bed. Katrine laughed and sauntered up to him. His eyes became wide and she pushed him back onto the bed.

“You can lay on this bed first of all,” she said, her voice dripping with seduction. “And I’m going to… the beach!” She laughed and ran out onto the patio. He quickly caught up to her and grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her into the air. “You’ll pay for that, you little tease.”
 

She squealed. “Ahhhhh! Ian, put me down. Don’t you dare. Don’t you…”
 

SPLASH.

Her head cleared the water and she was relieved to see she had dropped her straw hat before she hit the pool. She looked at Ian, who was equally wet, and splashed him in the eye, trying hard to keep the scowl on her face. They both started to laugh and splash.
 

“This shirt is silk, asshole!”
 

“I’m sorry, I just couldn’t resist.” He wrapped his arms around her. “Am I forgiven?” he asked as he pressed a small kiss on her nose.

“Nope,” she said, shaking her head.
 

“How about now?” he asked as he pressed a kiss on her pouting lips.

“Closer.”

“How about now?” he asked with a soft breath in her ear and wrapped her legs around his hips.

“Almost.”

Ian slid his tongue across her lower lip and ran his hands under the wet fabric of her shirt. Katrine opened her mouth and her tongue met his in the open air. The kiss deepened. Katrine whimpered and Ian growled a bit before pulling away.

“Now?”

“Okay, forgiven.” She pushed him, unhooked her legs, and made her way out of the pool.
 

The cobblestones were warm under her bare feet, the path narrow and shaded. The sand came into view as Katrine ducked under a large leaf blocking their path. Her toes sank into the sand and she couldn’t believe that it was soft as powdered sugar and just as white. The water was calm, with only the slightest ripple where it hit the shore.
 

“Oh, Ian, look at the water.” She pointed to the vast display of blues and greens depending on the waters depths. “Isn’t it breathtaking?”

“Yes, it is, the water’s not bad, either,” Ian said. She tilted her head to grin at him from under her large hat. “You can’t even see my face, Casanova.”

“Oh, but I know what’s under there, trust me.” He pulled her hand and led her further towards the surf. Covered open-air beds lined the beach. Katrine was happy to see there was a vacancy in the one closest to them. The drapes of fabric hung on all four sides from the large wooden frame. They were gossamer thin and fluttered gently in the breeze. As they got settled, a man with a tray came up and took their drink order.
 

 
Katrine sighed as she stretched her toes, leaning back against the cushions. They laid side by side, falling into a comfortable silence. But who needed conversation when the soft waves provided all the sound they needed? Complete relaxation had set in, which they both savored. Katrine had her e-reader in one hand and a frozen cocktail in the other.

Ahhhhhh. I may never leave this spot for the rest of my life.

“I’m going to take a dip. Care to join me?” Ian asked, rolling towards her. He leaned on one hand and drug his finger tips across her stomach in an almost absent-minded way, like it was just second nature to touch her.

“I think my bum may be adhered to this spot permanently. You go ahead, I’m going to read a bit more. I’ll go the next cool down.”

He smiled and kissed her cheek. “Okay, I’ll be back. But you’ll only have yourself to blame if I get picked up. That hottie in the muumuu over there has been undressing me with her eyes since I got here.”

“I’ll take my chances.”

And speaking of undressing you with their eyes…

Ian stretched his toned arms over his head. When he leaned back, his swim trunks slipped down a bit, revealing the ridge of muscles above his hips.
 

Yum.

Katrine was glad she was hidden behind dark glasses because it allowed her to soak up the view incognito. The back view was just as nice as he walked towards the water. He was long and lean, with just enough definition to incite drooling. She laughed as he yelped when the water reached his bits. She sighed and began to read, a peaceful feeling filled her chest.
 

The sun started to dip into the horizon and they were still in the same spot; several drinks and many dips in the ocean later.

“You know we have to get up eventually. We have dinner reservations,” Ian reminded her. She hadn’t spent the whole afternoon reading. Most of the time they talked and laughed. He was much more entertaining than the book she’d purchased. Who needed fiction, when her reality was so much better?
 

“I know. You’re going to have to peel me off this thing. I think half of my skin will be left behind.” Katrine started to get up and her head swam a bit. “Whoa, I may have had one too many coladas, amigo!” He pulled her hands and helped her up. She snuggled into him for a second and then looked up at his now tan face. “This has been one of the best days I’ve had in a very long time. Thank you for bringing me.”

He smiled and bent down for a quick kiss. “You’re so welcome. And you’ve already said thank you like ten times,” he teased.

“Well, get used to it, buddy, because I’m gonna say it a hundred more by the time we leave. Now come on! If I don’t get some food in my stomach to absorb all of the rum I drank today, I’m gonna toss.”

Katrine took a long cool shower and felt like a new woman. Ian had offered to scrub her back, but she turned him down.

“Ian, I have sand in every crevice of my body. I need to focus.”

“What? I was just offering my crevice cleaning services, nothing more.”

“Yeah, right.”

While Ian took his turn, Katrine had an important decision to make.
 

“Which dress should I wear?”

It was a toss up between a white cotton strapless and a silky tangerine sun dress. She decided to save the white until she had another day to brown her skin a little more. She was more red than anything, despite the countless coats of sun block. By tomorrow it will have turned bronze. She adjusted the thin straps and smoothed out some creases in the skirt, which fell at her ankles. She didn’t really need make-up since she had a slight case of tomato cheeks. She just put on moisturizer, mascara, and some clear gloss with a bit if sparkle in it.
 

No wedges. Alcohol, sand and platforms do not mix.
 

 
At least not when I’m the one wearing them.

Not willing to break an ankle, she slipped on some flat sandals with a taupe strap across the toe and a dainty strap at the heel. Her hair was still a bit wet, but the dryer parts were wavy. She piled it loosely towards the top of her head and let a few wisps hang free. Ten minutes was all she needed. Katrine heard the bathroom door open and she turned. Ian stepped out and she whistled.

“Ian, my god, you look so handsome,” she complimented. And handsome was probably putting in lightly. He wore loose linen pants with a white button up shirt. He had rolled up the sleeves and the top two buttons were left undone. His hair was still damp from the shower and his skin was a golden brown.
 

“Okay, maybe I should upgrade that handsome to effing hot.” That earned her a half grin. He was doing some ogling of his own.