Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

***THEO***

T heo stepped off the boat onto the dock, still trying to comprehend what he was seeing, his expectations much different than the reality of what lay before him in the sparkling bay of the island. When Max told him that he'd finally gone through with his crazy plan to buy an island in the Caribbean and turn it into a vacation paradise, he'd been sure that his friend had lost his mind. Now, standing on the shore and looking at what Max had accomplished, he began to wonder if he'd been wrong and if his friend's crazy plan might not be so crazy after all.

Barely aware of his luggage being unloaded behind him, he looked up at the hillside dotted with simple cabins perched up in the trees, the black solar panels on the roofs a contrast to the green of the trees around them. Behind them, a towering mountain stretched into the clouds, a testament to the area's volcanic history, but what really drew his eye was the bustling area just past the beach. Huts made of local material were arranged in a big open circle facing the water, and even from so far away, he caught the mouthwatering aroma of something wonderful, and his stomach began to growl .

"If you're ready to go, I've got your luggage unloaded, Mr. Mayhew," Pierce, the young man who'd met him in Barbados, said. "I'm sure Mr. St. Clair will be along any minute, but you might be more comfortable waiting up in the village for him."

"If that's where that wonderful smell is coming from, I'm all for it," he said, grabbing a couple of bags. "Lead the way."

"I can do that, sir," Pierce said. "Just leave the bags for me."

"I think I can manage to carry my own luggage," he said, smiling at Pierce. "But thanks for the offer."

They climbed the short distance up to the little village in silence, his mind still reeling from what he was seeing, but he found himself looking forward to the next two weeks for the first time since Max had invited him. He'd expected a sleek resort with swimming pools, fancy restaurants, trendy bars, and opulent guest rooms, but that wasn't what he was seeing, leaving him feeling pleasantly surprised.

"Well, what do you think?" Max asked, interrupting his thoughts as he walked up. "I can see by the look on your face that this wasn't what you were expecting. Are you up to roughing it for a few weeks?"

"As long as I get to eat whatever that is I smell cooking, I think I can manage," he said, then gave his friend a big hug. "Why didn't you tell me? This is nothing like I imagined it would be, it's……well……I don't know, better."

Max laughed, "There are a million fancy island resorts around the world. I wanted to do something different," he said, spreading his arms wide. "I wanted to give my guests a true island experience, but that means giving up a few comforts, so it's not for everyone."

"I can't wait for you to show me around, but right now, I'm starving, and the smell of that food is driving me crazy," he said. "I don't suppose I could talk you into buying me some lunch?"

"You got it, food first, tour second," Max said, grinning at him. "You're in for a real treat. I managed to hire one of the best chefs in the islands to oversee all of the food. We feature local food, but if you're in the mood for some good old American cooking, we've got that covered, too."

"Surprise me," he said, looking eagerly toward the huts and the fragrant smoke rising into the air. "I don't care what we eat as long as you feed me."

By the time they'd finished the meal, the magic of the island was already working on him, and he felt more relaxed than he had in a long time. "I've got to hand it to you, this is much better than any fancy beachside restaurant," he said. "You might have something special here after all."

"You doubted me," Max said, looking offended. "Haven't you learned by now that once I make up my mind about something, it's going to happen? I can't take all the credit though; the island is doing most of the work. It's a little difficult not to relax when you're surrounded by this kind of beauty."

"Speaking of beauty," he said, nodding at the dock. "There's a boat coming in right now with a pretty blonde sitting in the bow."

"Oh, that must be my next guest," Max said, jumping to his feet. "That's strange. I thought there were supposed to be two of them, but either way, I need to get down to the dock and do my thing. Will you be okay here on your own for a few minutes?"

"Tell you what, if my bags will be okay here, I'll go down there with you," he said, glancing at the boat again. "I need to walk off all that food."

"Theo, you don't fool me for a second," Max said, shaking his head. "I know what's going through that head of yours. You might want at least get unpacked before you start scouting out your next conquest."

"I'm hurt that's what you think of me, I'll have you know I've grown up since college," he said. "I don't chase women anymore. I let them chase me, and it's a lot more fun. I just wanted to go for a little walk on the beach while you're busy."

Max looked at him doubtfully. "Stranger things have happened, I suppose," he finally said. "Have it your way. Your bags will be fine here; there's no one on the island to steal anything."

***Eden***

Eden watched the island getting bigger, her heart pounding with excitement and a little touch of fear, but she was determined to spread her wings, to enjoy the freedom she'd stolen from her parents for as long as it lasted. She couldn't believe how everything had worked out, how an accident that could have ended her trip had instead given her the one thing she'd been craving for most of her life. A little twinge of guilt joined the rest of the crazy emotions flowing through her, but it wasn't her fault that the companion her mother hired to come with her for the summer broke her leg.

It also wasn't her fault that her replacement had a family emergency and had to cancel, nor did she have anything to do with the mix-up at the employment agency that resulted in them calling her instead of her mother. If she had anything to feel guilty about, it was pretending to be her mother and telling them to forget the whole thing. Still, she was a grown woman, completely capable of taking care of herself, and she wanted this trip before she had to start medical school in the fall.

Just the thought of what her life was going to be like for the next four years began to make her stomach hurt, and she quickly pushed thoughts to the back of her mind. Looking back out at the view, she was surprised to see they'd reached the island, and excitement replaced the ache in her stomach as a smile slowly spread across her face. For the first time in her life, she was alone, no parents keeping an eye on her and reminding her of everything that was expected of her, no old grumpy companion watching her every move and dictating every aspect of her daily life.

She could eat what she wanted, sleep when she wanted, leave a mess if she chose, and best of all, she didn't have to study all summer. It would be the first time in her life that she didn't have a textbook, a worksheet, or a paper to write, and she intended to fill the hours with all the things she could never do, including reading as many trashy romances as she could. A thrill of anticipation rushed through her, and she eagerly watched as the ropes were thrown to the man standing on the dock. Once the boat snugged up against the swaying platform, the captain shut down the engines, and the young man who'd met her at the dock in Barbados emerged from the cabin.

"Here we are," he called. "Heart of the Ocean, the island of your dreams."

She laughed, "You're not far off the mark," she said, then grabbed her heels from where she'd kicked them off when she got on board the boat. "I can't wait to start exploring."

"You might want to get settled first and change your clothes," he said, pointing at the heels. "Those aren't going to get you far in the sand."

She blushed, realizing that everything she was wearing was all wrong for a tropical island. "This is my first time staying anywhere like this," she said. "I wasn't quite prepared for all of……. this."

"That's okay. Most people take a few days to get the hang of island life, and you'll get there," he said. "Oh, look, there's Mr. St. Clair. He owns the resort. I'm sure he's come to welcome you. He's really a great guy once you get past the gruff exterior."

"Oh," was all she could manage when she saw two extremely handsome men striding toward them. "Which one is he?"

"Mr. St. Clair is the one in the front," he said. "I'm not sure who the other one is, must be a guest. I think one of his friends was supposed to visit this week, but he wasn't my assignment. Lucky me, I'm stuck with you."

She felt her cheeks turning pink. "Oh…I'm sorry…" she stammered, then realized he was flirting with her. "I mean, that's okay with me."

Zach grinned at her. "I'm glad. We're going to have a lot of fun this summer," he said. "Now, come on, I'll help you out of the boat."

A little off balance from the swaying of the boat in the waves, she carefully made her way out onto the swim platform on the back and looked over at the dock, telling herself it was just a small jump. One hand in Zack's, she made a leap for the wooden planks, but just as she was suspended over the water, she realized that her skirt was too tight around her legs, and she wouldn't be able to make it. Letting out a cry of panic, she started to fall towards the water, but just at the last minute, a pair of strong arms reached out and grabbed her.

She was pulled up against a rock-hard chest and looked up to find a pair of chocolate brown eyes filled with flecks of gold looking back at her. Her breath caught in her chest as her entire body filled with a sensation she'd never felt before, but recognized as desire. Letting out a shocked gasp, she could only stare up at the man, her brain telling her to move away, but her body had other plans, and her feet wouldn't move.

"Are you okay?" he finally asked, his voice husky. "I thought you were going in there for a second."

It took her a second to find her voice. "Me too," she managed to say. "I guess this skirt wasn't the wisest choice."

"No, you might want to think about something a little less……binding if you're going to be jumping on and off boats," he said, smiling at her. "And I'd definitely put those heels away. You won't get far in them."

"Thanks for the advice," she said, very aware that his arms were still firmly locked around her. "I think you can let me go now."

"Oh, I guess so," the man said, a look of surprise on his face, but he still didn't let her go. "I'm Theo Mayhew, knight in shining armor at your service, my lady."

Beginning to feel a little panicky when her body began to stir in ways it never had before and her nipples hardened against his chest, she untangled herself. "It's nice to meet you," she said, slightly breathless. "I'm Eden Bishop."

"Ms. Bishop, please excuse my friend, he can't seem to control himself around beautiful women," the other man said, rushing over to them and shoving Theo out of the way. "Are you okay? I'm sorry I wasn't here to help you. I'm Max St. Clair, your host. Let's get you onto shore."