Harper dropped onto the sofa in the living area, placing her drink on the glass coffee table. Sully stopped by the bar—yes, the villa had a bar—and prepared himself a drink. A rum and coke, she thought. He joined her, taking a seat in an adjacent chair.
“I’m glad you came to the bar,” he said. “I don’t know why, but it was special to have you there.”
She lifted a shoulder, then let it fall. “We have history,” she said lightly.
“Do we?”
His voice had lowered provocatively. He must have been teasing her.
“Sure,” she answered. “I whacked you over the head with a book, remember?”
“How could I forget?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “But I don’t actually recall why.”
She smiled. “We were in Mr. Randleman’s science class. You answered a question incorrectly; I didn’t. Then you called me Sharper Harper in front of the entire class. I was hurt and furious. The science book was the closest thing to a weapon I had.”
“Oh…yeah.” He paused, looking at her. “I’m sorry I was insensitive.”
She stared at him, lifting her chin the slightest fraction. “I got over it.”
“That may be, but I was wrong.”
She gave a dismissive wave. “Okay, let’s change the subject. What did you do after high school?”
He downed half his drink. “I studied at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU.”
She sat straighter. “Impressive. Congratulations.”
“Thanks. I enjoyed those years…before it was about money and gigs and contracts.”
“Yeah, sometimes the real world sucks.”
He chuckled. A warm sound that made her heart race faster.
“So what happened between college and now?” she asked.
This time he emptied his glass, leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, and rolled the glass between his hands. “I made some recordings that were hits. I’m in the midst of putting together my fifth album. There have been some specialty guest star performances… at Carnegie Hall, Boston’s Citi Performing Arts Center, and Kennedy Center Honors. I mean, my career is going well. I come down here once or twice a year, and as a favor to Lacey and Clay, I perform. It’s not really work when I’m here, though. The place is just so relaxing. And they have a terrific security team, so the rest of the time I have to myself. It’s a win-win for all of us.”
His humble tone touched a chord inside of her. Where was the boastful teen of their youth? “Sounds like life has been treating you well,” she said with a yawn, standing. She had to get out of this conversation before her heart did that melty thing again.
“It has.”
“I’m glad.” Her eyes held his for a long moment, again struck by his handsome good looks. Actually, his thirty-something appearance was somehow more striking than his younger self. She sighed. “Thanks for an incredible day. I’m going to bed.” She turned and headed for her bedroom before she could be drawn back in.
“Sure,” he said quietly. “See you in the morning.”
* * *
Sully rested his head back against the sofa and closed his eyes. He’d enjoyed having Harper at the show. More than he should have. Perhaps it was like she said and just because they had a history whereas everyone else there was a stranger simply wanting entertainment. Though on some level, he admitted, he knew he felt something for her. A stirring.
Thinking he was glad that he’d run into her today, he dozed off.
He awoke several times during the night. With one of those times, he moved to his bed. He rose before sunrise, showered, and made coffee. Even on the nights he did performances, he got up early the following day. He liked mornings.
Grabbing the paper the resort provided him, he took his mug out onto the patio that overlooked the beach. The sound of the surf was a peaceful backdrop, making him feel as though no matter what was happening in the world, everything was right with him.
Except his picture glared from the page, where he was featured in the social section, with a cluster of young women hounding him for autographs. It was last years’ news. So why did the reporter have to go there? Thank goodness most of the time he hung close to the resort. As long as he remained on Casa Blanca Resort & Spa premises, McBain’s security team did a spot-on job at keeping paparazzi out.
He heard Harper emerge from her bedroom about two hours later. By then, he had already finished reading and moved on to dealing with e-mails and correspondence on his computer. “Good morning,” he said when she appeared on the patio. “Did you find the coffee?”
“Yes, thanks.”
Now that she was up, he flipped to the resort window on his computer. “Feel like some breakfast?” he asked. “Even though the rooms have a complete kitchen, I usually order food. The chef here is superb.”
She held her cup of coffee with both hands, smiled and took a sip. A look of pleasure lit her lovely hazel eyes, as her eyelids dipped with a drowsy sweep and came back up to stare at him. “Sounds terrific.”
He placed an online order, requesting an array of food—hotcakes, eggs, bacon, fruit, and juice. They sat in silence, just drinking their coffee and enjoying the ocean breeze until their food arrived. As they ate, neither of them seemed to feel the need to chat. It was nice. Refreshing.
They’d just finished up when her phone rang. It was the marina, he thought. He waited to find out the news.
She ended the call. “They said it was a bad alternator. The part will have to be ordered if they don’t have one in Fort Myers. It may take until tomorrow to get it fixed.”
He nodded. “I’ll be here till Saturday. You’re welcome to stay.”
She hesitated for a moment, nibbling her lip, before saying, “I’ll take you up on that offer. Casa Blanca is a beautiful resort.”
“The island is almost as charming. You mentioned you wanted seclusion. I know of the perfect beach. If you like, I’ll show you.” For some reason, he wanted to give her whatever she wanted, just to make her happy, to see her smile.
Harper set her coffee mug aside. “I’d like that. Give me a few minutes to get ready.”
He watched the sway of her hips as she retreated to her room, and his mouth went dry. He took a swig of coffee, now cold and unappealing. He scrunched his nose.
Don’t get too attached, he reminded himself. They’d be returning to their normal lives before they knew it.
* * *
“I discovered Mimosa Key about five years ago, shortly after Casa Blanca had been built,” Sully said as they drove south from the resort along Center Street. “I can’t believe how much the place has grown. I’ll show you around the island first, and then the lovely, secluded beach I discovered.”
“Okay by me.”
The top was down on the car again and a breeze rolled over her as they drove. Across the street was a quaint Fourway Motel, yet up the street she could make out newer area.
“I need to make a quick stop,” Sully announced, steering into the Super Min. He got out of the car, filled the tank and headed inside the small station shop. Harper joined him. The pace of Mimosa Key seemed slow and easy, from the 25-mph speed limit to the speed of the people at the gas pumps, but that suited Harper just fine.
Stopping for gas struck her as a regular-guy kind of task, so different from the star image she’d had of him last night. But as soon as they stepped inside the store, that changed. A pretty red-head gave an excited squeal, “Sully McGlamery!”
All eyes shot to them, or more specifically, to Sully.
“Can I have your autograph?” A brunette thrust a paper Mimosa Key flyer at him.
Sully flashed a bone-melting smile. “Sure.”
Immediately, other women closed in, following suit. Most of them were late teens to college age, probably visiting the island on break, she thought.
An elbow caught Harper’s arm as she was crowded out of the way. She stepped back and watched with amazement as Sully signed a dozen or so autographs. He graciously spoke to every fan.
Tightness tiptoed up Harper’s spine. All the attention was too much for her. A tall blonde, wearing a skimpy bikini top and a wrap-around skirt sidled up to Sully as she handed off her phone to the person next to her, asking them to take a picture. The woman struck a pose, all smiles.
Harper sighed. He was probably used to women fawning over him and requesting autographs, and snapping pictures. A queasiness settled in her stomach. Of course he could get any woman he wanted.
But not her… she tried valiantly to chase the thought out of her head before it completely formulated. Even still, she wasn’t quite successful and old doubts crept in despite her mental efforts.
“Can you grab us a couple drinks?” he asked Harper, with an apologetic lift of his brow.
Her head snapped up when she realized he was speaking to her, then she nodded. When she was ready with a large fountain drink in each hand, she waited by the door.
Sully politely extricated himself from the last stragglers, quickly making his way to her and guiding her out of the door.
At the car, she held out a drink to him. “Soda?”
“Oh yes, thanks.” He took a long pull on the straw as he opened the car door for her, and then hustled to the driver’s side and climbed in, setting his drink in the cup holder. “Sorry about that craziness,” he said, starting the Camaro and driving out of the lot.
Harper pressed her back into the seat, watching him. “Do you get that a lot?”
He shrugged. “Yeah. It comes with the job.”
She imagined so, but good heavens; she couldn’t deal with the total invasion of privacy. “Better you than me.”
Sully gave a haphazard grin. “I guess I’ve become immune to it.”
“I had the resort pack us lunches while you were getting ready, but I forgot about extra drinks.”
“Mmm, a picnic sounds perfect.”
A twinkle lit his eyes. “I thought so, too.”
Those silly butterflies fluttered in her tummy again. She forced her attention to the scenery as they drove. The island was a mixture of classy old town and elegant high-end buildings.
They drove on, and he pointed out the sights. They passed a very upscale residential area, much like they’d both grown up in, with gorgeous waterfront properties.
“Do you get home often?” she asked.
“I try to visit a couple times a year,” he said. “How about you?”
She shook her head. “Nah. I should. But my mom and I don’t get along. She’s still into trying to turn me into a younger version of herself. All vogue and social butterfly and stuff.”
When they came to a place called Pleasure Point, Sully pulled into the parking area overlooking the Gulf and put the car in neutral. “This is another pretty spot.”
She looked out over the water. “It really is… Know anything about its name?”
“No, but I can imagine.” His lips spread into an infectious smile as he reached over and took her hand.
She wet her lips and smiled back a little nervously. Something fluttered inside her.
He smoothed his thumb over her ring finger. “You’re not married?”
“No. Only to my work.”
He nodded. “I know what that’s like.”
She tore her gaze from his and focused on the boats coming in and out of the harbor in the distance. “I suppose you do. But there have to be a lot of people in your life given your business, going on tour and all.”
“I guess there are. But I haven’t met ‘the one.’”
Harper wondered what kind of girl would win Sully McGlamery’s heart. She felt a pang in the pit of her stomach at the thought of him with someone else. And with it came an unreasonable yearning to find the right person, too. What would life be like with him?
Oh psh. Now she was entering fantasyland.
He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it, then let it go. “I’m getting hungry, and our lunch spot is back at the other end of the island.”
As he put the car in gear, she placed her left hand in her right, touching where his lips had lingered. It probably meant nothing to him, but for her… It had set her on fire.
“I’m getting somewhat hungry myself,” she said. Only he didn’t know her hunger was for him, not food.
No, no, no. Not high school all over again, she scolded herself.
As they drove, she watched the same lovely places fly by and tried to take more interest in the scenery outside the car than inside it. Geez, she’d never, ever imagined she’d be alone for two days with Sully McGlamery.
When they passed by the baseball stadium entrance, she asked, “Have you ever been to a game there?”
“Yeah, once with Clay and Lacey not long after it opened. I sang the national anthem to kick off the game. The Barefoot Bay Bucks is a minor league team owned by some local billionaires, I think.”
“Very cool.”
“The place we’re going isn’t much farther. The rise off to the right is Barefoot Mountain. It’s more like a hill compared to the Santa Monica Mountains,” he said with a chuckle.
She couldn’t help but like the sound of his laughter, no matter how many times she told herself not to listen.
Once they passed the rise, he veered off the road onto a dirt path and through some scrub oaks and woods.
“I can see why this is a hidden beach,” she teased.
“I believe the land is actually owned by Casa Blanca Resort. As you can see, it’s not fenced off or anything. Part of me hopes they won’t develop it.”
“Yeah. It’s nice to leave some of the natural habitat.”
The path ended where the tree line met the sand, with the water just beyond that. The waves gently lapped at the shore. “That’s the one thing about the Gulf that’s so different from other places—the water is usually so calm. In the Pacific, the waves would plow you right over, they’re so hard and forceful.”
She laughed. “And cold!”
“True. But warm is always better.” He paused a beat. “How about we eat, and afterward, we can take a swim if you want?”
“Sounds perfect.”
She followed him to the trunk as he opened it. “Let me carry something,” she said, wanting to help.
Sully handed her a thin quilted blanket covered in a swaying-palm-tree pattern while he carried the cooler the resort had prepared. They selected a spot near the water and set up their picnic.
She unpacked the cooler filled with gourmet wraps, fruit, a relish tray, and brownies for dessert. “Hmm, the resort really treats their customers well.”
“Definitely.”
Enjoying the sunshine and surf, they devoured their lunches. “How about a walk before we swim?” Sully suggested when they’d finished.
She smiled. “Great minds think alike.”
They started walking toward the Gulf. “Sometimes when I come here, I just walk around and explore. That’s how I discovered this place. I actually walked around from the resort. It’s pretty much all beach from there to here. You would just keep going around to the west.” He motioned in front of him with his arm.
She bent and picked up several beautiful shells. “When I was a kid, I had a huge shell collection. I kept them in a special box and my favorite ones I displayed on a long shelf.”
“What? No space and Star Wars stuff all over your room?”
She laughed. “No. I’ve always been into more biology-related things. Though, I have to admit, I even named my microscope. Erwin.”
“Really?”
“What about you?”
“Posters of my favorite music artists—Michael Bolton, Aerosmith, Bryan Adams.”
“Now I’m not surprised.”
He took hold of her hand and turned her to head back to the blanket. His hand felt strong…and right. For this moment in time at least.
“Where do you live now?” she asked. “You mentioned LA, but that’s a huge area.”
“Actually, I have a home in Glendale, a bit north of LA. I also have a small apartment in New York City. But I travel around so much, it doesn’t really matter where I live.”
She shook her head. “That seems like such a foreign lifestyle to me.”
“I guess it is. I plan on cutting back on the travel now. My albums are doing quite well, so all the hard work is paying off.”
“I’m glad.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “Race you to the water,” she said in a sudden change of mood. God knew she needed something to break the tension building inside her.
Sully got on board with her burst of playfulness, and they both shed their outer layers of clothes. She tossed her sundress onto the quilt; he dumped his shirt, shoes, and phone on top.
Harper flew into the water before he did. Emptying the stuff from his pockets had slowed him down. “Oh, no, you don’t,” she heard him say from behind as he caught up to her and tackled her. They both fell into the water, going under.
They both came up laughing. It seemed Sully didn’t do anything halfway. Whether it was singing to an audience, enjoying a ride with the top down in a convertible, or racing her into the water. He did things with gusto.
Splashing water at him, she moved away, putting distance between her and his hard, muscular body. But he stalked her and grabbed her shoulders. She thought he might dunk her, but then she looked into his eyes. Deep-blue eyes that seemed anything but playful now. They seemed hot and full of desire.
For a long moment they froze, just staring at each other. Then he pulled her toward him, crushing her against his bare chest and wrapping his arms around her as he took her mouth in a desperate kiss.
Harper kissed him back, meeting his tongue and gently sucking his lip. It was a good thing they were in the water or else she would have been on fire.
She pulled back, breathing heavily. “Wait.” She put her hand on his wet chest—his very fine wet chest. “This is crazy. Good crazy—” she rolled her eyes and rushed on “—but let’s be clear…this isn’t going anywhere but right here, right now.”
“Sharper Harper,” he teased. “Do you have to dissect everything?”
“Yes.”
He lifted her in the buoyant water so that she had no choice but to wrap her legs around his waist. “I like that you’re smart,” he said sincerely. “And I like that you care about things.” She felt his shoulders move up and down beneath her hands as he shrugged. “Big things…like saving the world from disease.”
His grin was contagious. “I forgive you then for the name-calling.” She leaned in and kissed him. When she ended it, she rested her cheek against his. He bounced his feet in the water, jostling her. For the first time in she couldn’t recall how long, she felt playful and free.
All of a sudden, Sully jerked and jumped sharply with a yelp. His body tensed beneath her hands. “Ow,” he yelled. “Jesus!” He held her tightly. “Something bit me on the foot!” His jaw flexed, and he breathed out sharply between clenched teeth.
She scowled, hating that he was in pain. With that, her medical training kicked in. “Let’s get out, and I’ll take a look.”
He hobbled as he walked—still holding her.
“Sully,” she scolded, “put me down and let me help you.”
He obviously didn’t like doing it, but he listened to her. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Whatever it was, it’s probably gone.”
As soon as they were in the shallow surf, she noticed the blood coming from his toe. He limped on his heel until he could sit down on the blanket. She grabbed his shirt—the nearest piece of cloth that wasn’t currently wet or underneath them—and gave it a firm shake to dispel any sand. Then she grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler, opened it, and poured the clear liquid over the injury to remove the sand from his skin. He groaned and his foot twitched.
“Try to hold still. I need to see it.” She leaned in to examine the wound. “It looks like something sliced right through your big toe. But with all the blood I can’t tell. It may even need stitches.” She repeated the process of pouring water over it and trying to get a clear look again.
“My God, it hurts! Like a hot stinging, burning sensation.”
“I think we should get you back to the hotel. They probably have some medical supplies there.”
He nodded, pressing his lips together.
Harper helped him stand, gathered their things, and headed to the car. Sully tried to take something from her to carry.
“I can manage,” she said. “You just get yourself there safely.” She gave him a no-nonsense look. “Okay if I drive? Since it’s your right foot, I think it would be best.”
“Fine.” He limped to the passenger door, opened it, and folded his large frame into the seat.
She glanced sideways and noticed him gnashing his teeth.
“Still hurts that bad, huh?”
“I didn’t know a big toe could hurt so much.” He tried to grin. “I’m sorry I ruined our day.”
“Oh my gosh. It’s not your fault. And it’s not ruined.” She held out her hand, palm up. “Keys.”
He dug through his things and fished them out, then handed them over. A short while later they pulled into Casa Blanca Resort & Spa.
Harper placed her hand on Sully’s arm. “Stay here and I’ll see what they have by way of supplies before we have you limping all over the place.”
To her surprise, he didn’t argue, which spoke to how much pain he must have been in.
The valet approached her immediately. The resort staff sure did a terrific job. “I need medical supplies. Do you know where I might find some?” Harper asked.
“Come inside and let’s see,” the young man said. “I’m sure we have something.”
He escorted her through the massive front doors. A woman with strawberry-blond hair and freckles stood near a beautiful tapestry of a white-walled Moroccan resort. Harper guessed the picture was the resort’s namesake. The valet made a beeline in that direction. “Mrs. Walker,” the valet said, and the woman turned a friendly smile their way.
Lacey Walker, she recalled. The resort owner.
“Hi,” Harper said, taking charge. “I’m a friend of Sully’s. We were wading in the Gulf and he injured his foot. Something might have bit him. Do you have any first aid supplies, or can you tell me where to get some?”
“Oh, no. Let me see what I can do.” Lacey turned to the valet, instructing him to go to the front desk and retrieve the medical kit. She faced Harper. “Where’s Sully?”
“I left him in the car so he didn’t have to walk unnecessarily,” Harper replied.
“Okay,” Lacy started walking the direction of the front entrance.
When they arrived at the Camaro, Sully was sitting with his body facing out the door, his injured foot propped across his other thigh. “Hey, Lacey,” he said as they approached. “I feel so ridiculous injuring my toe. But geez, it’s killing me.”
“Let’s doctor you up,” Lacey said, opening the medical kit.
Harper immediately reached in and withdrew gauze, and bandages. She doused the wound with plenty of water and gently blotted it.
“You seem to know what you’re doing,” Lacey commented.
“I have medical training,” Harper replied. “But this I’m not sure about. It appears like something sliced his toe.”
Lacey scrunched up her face as she looked over Harper’s shoulder. “It could be he encountered a stingray. We get these injuries every so often. Did you know it’s a good idea to shuffle your feet when you walk to scare them away?”
“Thanks for telling me,” Sully ground out.
“I think you need to go get it x-rayed. It’s the best way to make certain a barb isn’t in the wound.” Lacey reached over and patted his shoulder. “I don’t think you’ll be singing tonight.”
“We’ll see,” he said with determination.
Harper tried to hold back a laugh. Now there was the stubborn Sully she remembered.