Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

***SIMON***

" T here she is," Simon said, nudging Max when he saw the woman from the boat walking up the dock. "That must be her friend with her. They kind of look like……well……you know, maybe they're still in the closet or whatever they say."

Max looked over at him, "You're an idiot," he said. "That's Mary Beth, don't you remember her? She and I were pretty serious for a semester in sophomore year. It didn't last, but we stayed friends."

"I don't remember that much about college," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "If you were sleeping with her, I probably didn't pay much attention since that made her off-limits."

"You really are a self-centered jerk, aren't you?" Max asked, shaking his head again. "Never mind, don't answer that. Mary Beth is not a lesbian, and I'm pretty sure Kira isn't either. Now go away before you do more damage than you've already done."

"Wow, what is wrong with everyone today," he asked. " Every time I open my mouth someone gets offended. Maybe I'll just keep my mouth shut from now on."

"Spoken like a true child," Max said. "Give it a rest, Simon, and go find something to drink. I'm sure there are some single women in the village you can bother, but employees are off limits, so behave yourself."

Max walked off before he could say anything, so he turned and headed towards the huts, mumbling under his breath, wondering if he should just tell Max that he wanted to go home. He was about ready to turn around and go back to the dock when he spotted a couple of very attractive women standing at what looked like a bar. They were both dressed in skimpy bikinis, and the island suddenly looked a little better to him.

Putting a smile on his face, he approached them, "Well, good afternoon, ladies. I just arrived on the island, and it's a welcome relief to find two beautiful creatures like you waiting for me," he said, making eye contact with both of them. "I'm Simon Nelson. I hope we can get to know each other better while I'm here."

The two women twittered just like he'd expected, interest in both of their eyes, and he instantly felt better. "It's nice to meet you, Simon," one of the women finally said. "I'm Mandy, and this is my friend, Sarah."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," he said. "Maybe I can buy you a drink to celebrate meeting each other."

"That's a very generous offer," Mandy said. "But you don't have to buy us a drink, all the food and drinks are free."

"Even better," he said, thinking it would be much easier to get them tipsy, one of his favorite ways to get into a woman's bed. "Who wants to go first?"

"We already ordered," Mandy said. "I'm have a passion punch."

"Now that sounds interesting," he said, then grinned. "Maybe I'll have the same thing, I bet it packs a punch."

Both women laughed at his joke, and he felt even better as his confidence soared, "Too bad it doesn't have any alcohol in it," Sarah said. "But it's good for us to stay sober for a few days, at least that's what I keep telling myself."

His heart sank, "No alcohol," he said, all his plans going up in flames. "You're kidding, right?"

Mandy shook her head, "Nope, there's no alcohol allowed on the island," she said. "I guess the owner thinks it will interfere with us enjoying the island, kinda stupid if you ask me."

He instantly realized he could fix the situation and be a hero in the process, "Well, I happen to know the owner. I bet I can get him to make an exception for us," he said. "I'll get him to send someone back to Bermuda to get us a couple of bottles, and then we'll have a real party."

Mandy and Sarah looked like they didn't believe him, "Oh, that's okay, you don't have to do that," Sarah said. "Honestly, it's not so bad, we don't wake up every morning with a hangover, that's been nice."

Just then he saw Max walk into the village, "It's no problem, after all, what are friends for," he said. "I'll go take care of it right now."

Max looked wary when he saw Simon approaching him, "I hope you're not going to complain about something else," he said. "I don't have time to listen right now."

"Oh, no complaints, just a little problem I need some help with," he said, smiling at his friend. "I just found out that there's no alcohol on the island, but I figured you would make an exception for me and the two lovely companions I just met. I was hoping we could send someone over to the island for a quick booze run. We're planning a party for later tonight, if you know what I mean. "

Before he'd even stopped talking, Max was shaking his head, "Sorry, buddy, the no alcohol rule applies to everyone. You'll just have to have your party sober."

"Oh, come on, Max," he said, instantly annoyed with his friend. "How am I supposed to have fun sober? You do realize, don't you, that it's a lot more work to get a woman into bed when she hasn't had a few drinks?"

Max stared at him for a second, "Are you telling me that the only way you can get a woman into bed with you is if she's drunk?" he finally asked. "That is kind of pathetic. Kira might have been right about you."

"That's not what I said," he growled, glaring at his friend. "I can get as many women as I want into bed with me, sober or drunk. I just don't like to work that hard at it."

This time Max shook his head, "Are you even listening to yourself?" he asked. "There were so many things wrong with what you just said, I can't even dignify it with an answer. There's no alcohol on the island. That rule applies to everyone, including you. I'm sorry if that means you have to work harder at having meaningless sex, but that's just the way it is."

"I don't know why I even bothered to come here," Simon said, then turned and stomped off. "I should just go home where I can be myself."

***Kira***

Kira zipped up her suitcase, shoved it onto the top shelf of the closet, then turned to look around the little bedroom that would be hers for the next two weeks, a smile spreading across her face. As much as she missed Kiley, it was nice to have some time to herself. Her life had been one challenge after another since she'd gotten pregnant, and she was looking forward to some alone time to get her head straight.

"I'm all unpacked and ready to go," Mary Beth said, walking into the room. "Are you sure you don't want to come to dinner with me?"

"I'm sure. I don't want to be the third wheel with you and Max," she said, smiling at her friend, who looked beautiful in a pair of white slacks and a brightly printed tank top, her feet in dainty sandals. "You look great, by the way. Max won't be able to resist you."

"Thank you," her friend said, a blush creeping into her cheeks. "Honestly, I'm a little nervous. It's been years since we were together. I'm not exactly a young girl anymore."

"Oh, Mary Beth, Max would be a fool to turn you away," she said, walking over and giving her friend a hug. "And I don't think Max St. Clair is a fool, so go, have a good time. I'll be waiting right here for you when you get home to hear all the juicy details."

Mary Beth laughed, "I don't know how many juicy details there will be. I'm not expecting anything but dinner with an old friend," she said, shaking her head. "Are you sure you'll be all right on your own? I feel bad leaving you alone on our first night here."

"I'll be perfectly fine," she said. "I'm looking forward to some time by myself. I can't remember the last time I had any, and I really need it, so stop worrying about me. I'll take my book down to the beach and read until sunset, then get something to eat in the village."

"Well, if you're sure, then I'll be going," Mary Beth said, a look of relief on her face. "You know where to find me if you need me."

"I won't need you, Mary Beth," she said. "I'm not the only one who needs to have some fun. You've worked your butt off for me the last year. It's time to think about yourself, so go, will you?"

Mary Beth flashed her a big smile, hugged her again, then slipped out the front door, humming to herself as she climbed down the ladder to the ground. Shaking her head, a smile on her face, she walked out onto the porch of the cabin, sank into one of the rocking chairs, and closed her eyes. She sat there listening to the sounds of the jungle for a long time, feeling the stress of the last year finally beginning to melt away, then let out a happy sigh and got to her feet. The ocean was calling to her and she wasn't about to ignore the message.

Quickly changing into a swimsuit, she grabbed a towel, her book and water bottle, then walked out the front door, climbed down the ladder, and headed down the trail that led to the beach. She stopped to look back at the cabin sitting high up in the trees and wondered what it would be like to ride out a storm on the island, then brushed the thought aside with a shiver. Reassuring herself that nothing but perfect weather was predicted for their stay, she turned back to the trail and followed it down to the beach.

After enjoying the first of many gorgeous sunsets she had to look forward to on the island, she picked her way back up the darkened path, using the lights of the village to guide her. When she reached the little gathering of huts, she paused to look around, as charmed as she'd been when Max showed them around earlier that day, deciding that she'd explore the shops the next day. After passing the goods out for display, she walked toward the smell of food, her stomach beginning to growl loudly, but then couldn't make up her mind what she wanted to eat.

"If you want my advice," a man said. "Try the grill first; the fish is so fresh that it tastes like it just came out of the water."

"Thanks, everything looks so good, I was having a hard time making up my mind," she said, smiling at him. "I think I'll take your advice."

"You won't be sorry," the man said, holding out his hand. "I'm Corey, by the way, the island is a small place so I'm sure we'll run into each other again."

She shook his hand, "I'm Kira. It's nice to meet you too," she said. "Have you been on the island long?"

"I got here yesterday," he said. "It's an amazing place. I was lucky to get to come. How about you?"

"I got here today," she said. "It's definitely a dream vacation."

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Kira," Corey said, smiling at her, a spark of interest in his eyes. "I'll let you get to your dinner. Maybe we'll see each other again."

"Like you said, it's a small island," she said, thinking she might not mind running into the man again. "Have a good night, and thanks again for the advice."

Kira headed for the grill when Corey walked away, a little smile on her face, sure that nothing would come of their encounter, but pleased that a man who wasn't a jerk might be interested in her. Mary Beth's advice echoed through her brain. She knew that she'd never take it, a vacation romance just wasn't her style. She wasn't the love them and leave them kind of person, but it was fun to imagine doing it.

She took her dinner to an empty table and settled down to eat, the smell of the grilled fish making her mouth water. When her hunger was satisfied, she finally took a break to look around her, frowning when she saw Simon over at the juice bar flirting with a couple of young women. His arms were draped around their shoulders, and they were all laughing at something he'd just said. She wanted to march over to them and tell them what a jerk he really was and warn them to stay away.

Instead, she picked up her fork and began to finish her dinner, refusing to let him ruin the evening, but it wasn't long before she was watching the laughing trio again. Disgusted with herself, wondering why she couldn't just let it go, she got out her book and began to read, ignoring the laughter drifting over to her. Simon was nothing but a rich playboy, a user of women, spoiled beyond reason, not the kind of man she wanted to get involved with. She'd learned her lesson, a man that good-looking was dangerous, and she was going to stay as far away from him as possible.