Lacey smiled back at him and then sank down onto the chaise, her lithe body shimmying back until she rested on the lounger. Drew couldn’t help but take a moment to appreciate her exquisiteness. He’d spent the past few days surrounded by beautiful women in bathing suits, but none held a candle to Lacey. More than her figure, it was the way her eyes smiled with sincerity when she looked at him.
Drew wove his way through sunbathers until he reached Ethan, waiting for him on the pool deck. His arms were crossed, and he wore an all-knowing smirk. Drew could imagine what thoughts were going through his friend’s head. There was no doubt he’d witnessed the exchange between Drew and Lacey. Not to mention Kevin’s scowling face, since he and Candi were now seated at the bar.
Drew played off the encounter by not acknowledging it. How could he explain something that he didn’t even understand? He stood in front of his friend and shoved both hands in the front pockets of his board shorts. “Is your shift over? Want to grab a drink?”
Ethan’s smirk grew wider. “Yes, and yes. But first, would you care to explain what that was down there?” His eyes cut to the beach, where Drew had just been kissed. “Couples have exchanged vows in that very spot, and they didn’t even kiss each other that passionately.”
“I’m not exactly sure, but I plan on finding out.” That was Drew’s truth. He knew Lacey had used him to make her ex-boyfriend jealous, which should have sent warning signals off as if a hurricane were headed for the island. But it didn’t. Instead, it activated his heart like never before.
Chapter 3
Lacey began to unpack her suitcase, relieved that Janine and Grace had convinced her to bring a few dresses, along with bikinis and cover-ups. Her friends also sneaked in a set of lingerie. She rolled her eyes as she laid it out on her bed, but as she stared at the soft-blue lace bra and matching cheeky panties, Lacey thought she just might have the opportunity to wear them.
In the shower, Lacey caressed herself with the resort’s bodywash. The scent of the tropics wafted in the steam and enveloped her senses. She wasn’t one to wear an abundance of perfume, but this made her feel pretty—something she wanted to feel for Drew.
Drew.
The man was a stranger but hadn’t hesitated to rescue her. Lacey had read about men like him, but most were fictitious book heroes. Drew was as real as they came. She smiled at the thought. How was he single? She tipped her head back and let the water run through her hair one last time before stepping out of the shower. Staying in any longer would have her mind racing more than it already was.
Lacey pulled the terry cloth belt on her complimentary hotel robe and walked out onto the balcony. She inhaled the sea air with a smile. The waves contained so much wonder, each with a different curl at the end. Some were higher than others, some rushed in, while others rode the one in front of them, and some appeared still. One thing they all had in common… they were all different. None landed in the same exact place.Was I like that, rushing toward Drew? she thought.
Above anything else, Lacey was a planner. She had a vision board of pictures in her head and knew how she wanted her life to be. Over the years, some images had to be replaced by others, and some were just rearranged, but for the most part, they stayed the course. Well, the professional ones did, at any rate.
The images Lacey had for her personal one were more scattered. One day, they’d display pictures of her and a man sharing unconditional love, and other times they would be of her and a puppy. A smile tickled her lips; maybe a puppy was the answer.
Shaking her head and returning to the here and now, she grabbed her phone and sent Grace and Janine a text.
I met someone. Details later.
She laughed and tossed her phone on the bed; time to get ready for her date with Drew. Her phone dinged over and over again—most likely her friends wanting more information, but they would need to wait. What would she tell them anyway? That she had kissed a gorgeous stranger in front of her ex to prove a point, and now he was pretending to be her boyfriend?
Janine would think it was so romantic, and Grace would want to be sure she shaved her legs and other vital areas before meeting him. Lacey was adequately groomed, but that was because of her bikini—not because she thought she’d have a hot date… or a fake boyfriend.
Twenty minutes later, Lacey headed to the lobby, where she spotted Drew standing in front of a Christmas tree with paper angels dangling from the branches. Lacey had noticed the tree when she’d arrived but hadn’t taken the time to look at the decorations.
Soft steel drum music played, filling the space with subtle, island-tinged Christmas carols. Hotel guests casually strolled around, smiling and chatting with their companions. As if he sensed her, Drew looked in her direction and beamed. His dimpled grin sent flutters through her. The other vacationers in the lobby vanished, and all she saw was the man who’d kissed her with unleashed passion on the beach.
He was even better looking now, in a pair of beige shorts that hit right above his knee and a black T-shirt that clung to every muscle and ridge on his body. Lacey gave herself a quick moment to appreciate him from afar before approaching.
“Hi,” she said, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I hope you haven’t been waiting long.”
Drew’s eyes raked up and down her body. Never had a man taken the time to look at her the way he did. “Hey there. No, Ihaven’t been waiting long.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “You look beautiful.”
Lacey heard herself swallow and prayed she didn’t look too nervous. The soft-blue cotton sundress she’d chosen was modestly cut but showed her curves.
“Thank you, so do you.” Lacey grimaced. “I mean, you look nice too.” Drew chuckled, and Lacey could feel her body temperature soar. Needing to deflect, she directed her attention to the tree, noticing each angel bore a name and age, written in childish handwriting. Lacey lifted one. “What are these for?”
“Each year the resort sponsors the island’s orphanage. The children make these ornaments, and guests can pick one or more to give a gift for the holidays. Then the angels are attached to the wrapped presents as a tag and set aside for the child whose name is on the angel,” Drew said, a twinge of melancholy in his voice.
Pressure began to build beneath Lacey’s eyes. “There are so many. What if they all don’t get picked?” Lacey couldn’t imagine the sadness the unchosen ones would feel.
Drew laced his fingers with hers, lifted her hand, and kissed the back of it. The soft touch of his lips against her skin made it pebble with goose bumps. “I know firsthand the owners of Spero would never let that happen. They’ll take care of any who weren’t selected.”
“Oh, right, you said you know them.”
“Yes, my best friend Ethan’s parents own this resort. And they adopted Ethan from an orphanage when he was two years old. So this”—he waved his free hand in front of the tree—“is a significant cause for the entire family.”
Lacey nodded. “I’d like to buy some gifts.”