What Matters Most: The Billionaire Bargains, Book 2 (34 page)

BOOK: What Matters Most: The Billionaire Bargains, Book 2

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Warning
: Beware of signature cocktails and old flames rekindled. Either one will weaken your resolve—and your knees—before you know what’s hit you.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Caribbean Crush:

Antonnis tossed a half-smile at Kristin, wishing he hadn’t been caught like a peeping Tom. But the giant lizard at his feet had to have cousins in the Paleolithic. He’s seen dogs smaller than this behemoth. If the row of green spikes running along the back of the beast weren’t enough, he had a grotesque turkey waddle under his block head and whipped his tail against the ground like a…well, a whip.

“Don’t move.” Kristin made her way to him, her gingham blouse undone and making her look like a very naughty Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. Goodness knew she always sent him over the rainbow.

“He’s planning on making my foot his supper.” The thing puffed up its red waddle like a balloon and started bobbing its head.

“More likely he’s thinking of mating with you.” She knelt down at his feet and peered at the creature, then let out a low whistle. The iguana froze, and then turned tail and ran beneath a scrubby bush.

Kristin sighed and straightened, buttoning her blouse with rapid precision. She was his favorite memory of the island, and he’d hoped to find her here. Though he figured by now she would have moved on, married and had a handful of babies. Her bare fingers and slender, willowy figure had him wondering just when her plans for her future had changed.

“It’s rather brown for a green iguana.” She cast him a smile so fake he furrowed his brow in disbelief. “They washed up here a few years back after a bad hurricane season. I thought it might be one of our native species. They’ve become endangered since the sister species arrived. Competition, hybridization, all that.”

She turned and walked back to her bike like they were strangers. As if the precocious girl he’d known, full of goofy grins and giggles, had never existed. He pocketed his phone and followed her, unease increasing with each step. He called out her name, but she didn’t turn. Instead, she released her blonde hair from its ponytail, golden tresses streaked with sunshine falling down her back.

“Kristin?” he asked again, not sure how to proceed. He always knew the next two steps, and yet she had him on the edge of a cliff. “Are you here for the wedding rehearsal or were you looking for me?”

Anger burst in her chest, causing her heart to race with fury. Looking for him? As if. She spun on her heel to face him and ignored the way his pale-blue eyes sparkled and reminded her of shy glances, how his mouth arced in the same grin he used before stealing a kiss. She even disregarded the way his broad-shouldered frame had filled out, creating a degree of definition that made her fingers tremble for a chance to touch.

Instead, she pulled her hair over one shoulder and vowed to remain civil. He hadn’t deserved her love, and he sure as hell didn’t deserve any of her mental energy five years later.

“I’m one of Saskia’s bridesmaids, just waiting for Janny to arrive.” She turned back to her saddle bags and belted them closed. One didn’t have to worry much about theft on Anguilla, but animals invaded privacy at every opportunity.

“Your best friend, I remember she really had a hate on for me. I think she was jealous of all the time we spent together.” His clipped Dutch accent brought to mind sweltering nights and naughty whispers.

“She saw things about you I didn’t.” She dried her palms on her skirt and turned back to him. Long-forgotten desire surfaced as she refused to recognize the handsomeness of his lean face. He had the most glorious cheekbones. She gave herself a mental shake. “I should have listened to her.”

“What fun would that have been?” The dark velvet of his voice clashed with the disarming twinkle of his clear-blue gaze. He knew how to play her like a piano.

“Don’t you need to be inside, Tonnis? You didn’t come here to toy with me. I doubt you ever expected to see me again.”

“I’m forever optimistic.” The bold desire in his gaze kicked her pulse into high gear. “After the dinner tonight let’s have a drink, for old time’s sake.”

“I have handwriting assignments to grade.” Thankfully, Janny’s red Audi curled up the winding road to the church.

“It’s Friday. I’m sure you can find time later in the weekend. I’m staying the week.”

She faced him and deadpanned. “I have to wash my hair.”

“You know how I love doing that for you.” His laugh was deeper, more delicious than she recalled. The grin of a man who always, always got his way weakened the backs of her knees.

“You keep right on remembering that.” She sidestepped him as Janny’s tires crunched on the gravel, adding a swing to her walk as she crossed the parking lot.

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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

11821 Mason Montgomery Road Suite 4B

Cincinnati OH 45249

What Matters Most

ISBN: 978-1-61922-448-3

Edited by Heidi Moore

Cover by Angela Waters

All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
electronic publication: December 2014

www.samhainpublishing.com