Trapped in Paradise (5 page)

 “I had a feeling she was up to something also, but this? Wow. Even for Miranda, this is over the top.” Jeremy sat on the bed.

Sexy, he was entirely too sexy with the light glistening of moisture on his body waiting for her to lick it off. Oh no. This wouldn’t work. She needed distance. Lots of distance. She sat on the bed with her back to him and focused on her anger at Miranda. “I’m so sorry about this. I shouldn’t have ignored my instincts.”

“I have never used a travel agent before. This isn’t quite what I expected,” he said with a bit of nervousness.

She turned toward him. “Please don’t turn my sister in—”

“Miranda’s your sister?”

“I’m afraid so.” She blew out a long breath. “I know what she’s done is as unethical as you can get, but she’s never done anything so…” She couldn’t think of an appropriate synonym for insane that wouldn’t make Miranda sound like the out of control nut she was.

“It’s all right, really.” He chuckled. “Miranda is what the young folk call a ‘hot mess.’”

“You have noooooo idea. She’s just bad. Has been her whole life. Instead of Miranda, Mama should have named her Manipulative. Don’t get me wrong. She tries to use her
powers
to better mankind,” she joked to lighten the mood. “But this is too much. She’s gone way past too far.”

At a complete loss, she had no idea what to do or say next. Soul mates, every fiber of her being screamed Jeremy was her soul mate, but she’d never considered the possibility of there truly being soul mates. At least not before she had read those dang blasted romance novels.
This is all Miranda’s fault.

“Marcus has his hands full with her.”

“You can say that again.” Exhausted, she lowered her face into her palms. “So how do you know them?”

While he explained how he and Marcus had pledged the same fraternity, she thought of the many ways she could get even with her meddling sister. Death was too good for her. No, this had to be something drawn out.

“…but I think we should just share the cabin.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I spaced out for a second.”

Pearly whites shone bright and his dimples made an appearance. Sexy and cute equaled dangerous in her calculations. Staying in the cabin with him was a bad idea. A really, really bad idea.

“I said, we should share the cabin.”

“I don’t think so.”

“We are two mature, consenting adults. We shared a bed last night and—”

“That was different. I didn’t intend on sleeping with you; I fell asleep.”

“I will be on my best behavior. I promise.”

“I don’t know.”

There went that dimpled smile again. Clothes. The man needed to dress so she could think straight. She had life changing decisions to make, and all she could think about was snatching his towel and ending her five years of celibacy.

“First I need to call my beloved sister.” She speed dialed Miranda’s number.

“Hey, Saundra. How’s—”

“Oh my god!” Saundra said as if she’d been running. “The guy from the plane.” She drew in a staggered breath. “He’s stalking me. He’s a stalker.” She winked at Jeremy and continued her award winning performance.

“What? Wait a second.”

“No, you don’t understand. He’s been following me. Everywhere I go, he’s there. I’m on my way to security now.”

“Wait, wait, wait.”

“No, you’re not listening. That guy from the plane has been stalking me since the airport. He followed me to the hotel. He was lurking around my room. How did he find out where my room was? He just entered my cabin on the cruise. I barely got away.”

“Slow down. Let me speak.”

“I just called to let you know what’s going on in case something happens to me. Have the airlines track down the man in that first class seat I was supposed to be sitting beside.”

“But Saundra.”

“Oh my god! He’s behind me. I have to hurry.” She disconnected.

A look of awe on his face, Jeremy slowly said, “That was simply beautiful. You are definitely Miranda’s sister.”

Brow raised, lips pursed and arms folded over her chest, she said, “I’m not sure if that’s a complement.”

“In this instance, I meant it as a complement.”

“In that case, thank you.” Her phone rang, but she didn’t answer. “It’s Miranda. I can’t deal with her right now. I’m going for a walk.” She turned the cell phone off and tossed it to the side. “I need time to clear my mind.” Keycard in hand and purse slung over her shoulder, she walked out.

Chapter Four

When Saundra initially walked into Jeremy’s room, he thought his mind was playing tricks on him.

“Sisters… wow.”

Now he could clearly see the resemblance. Both were attractive, petite women with a propensity toward the melodramatic. Chuckling lightly at Saundra’s performance, all he could do was shake his head. If Saundra were even a tenth as “bad” as her sister, Marcus wouldn’t be the only one with his hands full. But Jeremy was ready for the challenge.

“Sisters…”

The next move… The next move… What to do…? What to do…?
He had thought he would have a week to decide the best way to pursue his reluctant Mrs. Right.

Sisters…
This new revelation would take a bit to absorb.

He crossed over to the built-in desk, grabbed his cell phone and speed dialed Marcus.

“Hey, Jeremy, what’s up?”

“Not much. Is Miranda around?” Though Marcus and Jeremy were best friends, Jeremy never called Miranda directly, even though the calls were to verify if she was cooking or should he bring carry out when he visited them at supper time. Somehow, he just felt calling her directly was a bit disrespectful to his and Marcus’s friendship.

“She’s thumping around up stairs. Wait a minute.”

A few seconds later, he heard Marcus saying, “Are you all right, baby? You look sick.”

“Oh, no, no, I’m fine,” came Miranda’s voice.

“Jeremy’s on the phone for you.”

“Did he sound angry?” she asked shakily.

“What did you do?”

The weary tone of Marcus’s voice brought a smile to Jeremy’s face. That woman was ALWAYS up to something. There was no way Saundra could even be a twentieth as bad as her sister.

“What did he say?” she asked.

Marcus blew out a belabored breath. “Jeremy, what has she done this time?”

“My cabin mate is none other than a certain travel agent’s sister, Saundra.”

“What…? Miranda!

“Let me explain,” she cried.

Five minutes later, Marcus still hadn’t finished chastising Miranda. Jeremy prayed the children were nowhere within a hundred yards of the house to hear their father’s tirade.

“Jeremy. Look, man, Miranda will reimburse your vacation and pay to have you moved to a different cabin, won’t you Miranda?”

“Yes, yes, of course,” he heard in the background.

“That won’t be necessary. I just need to speak with Miranda.”

“Are you sure? She was so out of line on this one, you can’t even call it a line.”

“I’m sure. I just need to speak with her about Saundra.” He lay back on the bed. Speaking with Miranda was like inviting her to meddle in their life, but she knew Saundra better than anyone. The insight she could give would be invaluable.

“If you change your mind, let me know. How is Saundra?”

“Angry isn’t quite strong enough a word.”

“Anger is good. She just needs time to cool off, then she’ll be her old self again.  Miranda, he wants to speak with you.”

“I don’t want to—”

“Woman, take the damn phone.”

A few seconds later, Miranda’s voice filled the line. “Jeremy, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to… I mean there is no excuse.”

“You’ve got to stop this behavior, Miranda. What are you teaching those boys?”

“I know. I know. It’s like I get started and can’t stop myself. Please allow me to pay for your vacation.”

“That won’t be necessary, but I do need your help.”

“Yes, anything.”

“What happened to Saundra? Who hurt her?”

“Hold up. I thought you two didn’t know each other. I mean… She just called saying you were stalking her. Are you saying you actually met?”

The thought of Saundra’s performance placed laughter in his voice. “Yes, we’ve gotten to know each other, but—”

“I knew it. I knew it! You two are made for each other!”

“Don’t start, Miranda!” came Marcus’s angry voice.

“I’m not starting anything, dang. Don’t you have some homework to grade?” she asked of her history professor husband. “Now back to you. What was she talking about security? She had me worried to death.”

“She was just giving you a dose of your own medicine.”

“I’ve been bamboozled!” Miranda broke out in laughter. “Oh no she didn’t. That was wrong.”

“I need to know what happened to her. Who hurt her?”

“Hold up now. First, I need to know what your intentions with my sister are? I was dead wrong on this. Acted in haste.”

“Miranda!” Marcus barked.

“Don’t Miranda me. I have a right to know if I need to pull the plug on this operation.”

“I’m in love with Saundra and want to make her my wife. Okay.”

“Excuse me? Did you say… Oh my God! It worked. It worked. I knew it. I knew it. Marcus, book us a flight to Grand Cayman. I need to call my parents and let them know about the wedding.”

“What wedding?” he heard Marcus ask. “Tell Saundra to bring her butt back here and get married properly. Y’all Write women are entirely too dramatic.”