Love… for most, it was a myth, a thing not within their reach, the most coveted but priceless antique in human existence. But for some, it was the only thing to strive for, the quintessential belief that one could not survive in this life without it, because well, what was living without affection, passion, caring, fondness, intimacy. Without patience, kindness, faithfulness, and perseverance, life would be, plainly put, bland. Like a constant state of unease. The heart would always want because the thing that keeps it alive would be absent.

There are other ways to find happiness, but these things are temporary, short-lived and require an expiration date. Love is forever, which is why every human being in existence strives to grab hold of it at one time or another. It was why Corinne Thomas laid on her beach towel, soaking up the island sun rays without another singular thought on her mind other than Xavier Valentine. Their trip to Africa was two weeks past them, and since then, Corinne and Xavier shared many nights together, but most of them apart due to their demanding schedules. It only made them yearn for one another more because their singular commonality was love. They were sick with it, so much so that when they couldn’t be together, text messages ran thick, video calls were a must, surprise gifts at the most unexpected times arrived.

Just hours ago, before leaving Kinship Airlines, Corinne had been bombarded with a serenading band. They were dressed in island gear and had lit up the airport with their rendition of “The Most Beautiful Girl in The World” by Prince. The elation that bubbled inside her was so strong that her eyes misted over. Xavier had grown accustomed to Corinne’s schedule, aware of her layovers like he himself were a part of Kinship Airlines. Corinne understood he was familiar, but still this band and song carried her back to Africa, where he sang to her on his jet, where he serenaded her underneath the waterfall, where he laid his head to rest in the most sensitive part of her flesh. A shiver slipped over Corinne as she recounted their days spent together. No schedule to think of, no emergency to run off to, no one to answer to but each other. It was complete bliss. The kind that sank into her skin and swelled her heart with a tantalizing zing. It was a love she’d never known. One that Corinne didn’t think she would one day own. It captivated her with awe and inspired her beliefs that if this thing called love was available to her, surely everyone could attain it.

Corinne sighed. The one thing she regretted was not telling him. It was her wall of defense. Though Xavier had knocked down her barriers regarding men and love, mostly regarding him and love, still Corinne held on to those three words. It was that part of her that wanted to hear him say it first, that part that longed for him to look her in the eye and confess that she was his one true love. It was the thing she coveted, and more than anything else, Corinne needed to know he reciprocated her true feelings. But who says he needed to be the first. Finding out that he’d been hurt by women in the past was enough to give Corinne understanding that loving again for him probably was the hardest relinquished confession that Xavier could make.

Men tended to harbor feelings more than women, at least in her line of love that had been mostly true. So right then and there, with the waves threatening to wash ashore and sweep her back into its aqua blue waters, Corinne decided the next time she saw him, not through video, or through a photo message, but in person, she would let loose and tell Xavier what she desired most. Him.

A smile crept across her face, and she shifted to her back just as a shadow cast over her. Bringing her mind to focus on the darkened change, Corinne’s gaze shifted through her shades to find Carlos hovering to the side of her, his silhouette blocking the sunlight.

Corinne lifted her arm and removed her shades. “Carlos?”

“Good evening, Angela,” he said, calling her by her alias.

“Good evening, Carlos, how are you today?”

“Better now that you’re here.”

Corinne chuckled. “How are you better now that I’m here?”

“I’ve been waiting for you to reappear. I think I must have missed you the last few visits.”

Corinne’s squinted slightly. “You really think you know my schedule, don’t you?”

Carlos’s smile didn’t give off joy, but more of a leering quirk that Corinne couldn’t distinguish as sentimental.

“I do, you’re special to me, Angela.”

Corinne’s laugh was filled with nervousness and uncertainty. She kept nice with him although she began to wonder if she’d have to stop coming to the beach during her layovers here. That would just be unfortunate as Corinne rather enjoyed her time in Anguilla.

“I have something for you,” he said.

“Oh?”

Carlos removed a stem from behind his back. It reminded Corinne of the berry plants she used to find in her parents’ backyard when she was a child.

“It’s called Rondeletia anguillensis. It is a rare Anguilla based plant that only grows on the north side of the island. I thought you should have it since you are also a rare beautiful plant that grows on me every time you visit.”

Did he just call me a plant?

“Carlos, that’s really sweet, but you truly shouldn’t have.”

“Yes,” Carlos pushed the plant forward, “it is yours please take it.”

“I’m sorry, Carlos, I can’t take it.”

“Yes, you can. Here, it’s yours.”

Carlos leaned forward then squatted down to offer her the flower, and his nearness freaked Corinne out. She didn’t try to, but she scurried just a bit, upon her buttocks now, her hands planted in the sand and her feet backpedaling.

Her response made Carlos frown.

“What is wrong?” He asked.

“Um, nothing!” she said quickly. “I just don’t think it’s appropriate for me to accept this gift from you. Although lovely, Carlos, my boyfriend would not be pleased.”

Carlos frowned.

“You understand, don’t you?”

Corinne didn’t set out to hurt his feelings, but she needed to let Carlos know in no uncertain terms that anything romantic between them was not in the forecast.

“This is the first time I’m hearing about this boyfriend,” he said. “Why?”

The question threw her for a loop. “Um, I… well, it wasn’t something that needed to be said before.”

Carlos grimaced but didn’t respond, only stared at her with an unpleasant narrow to his eyes.

Feeling uneven, Corinne scrambled to her feet. “I’m sorry, Carlos, I really am. We can be island friends, right?” Corinne collected her beach towel, shades, and beach bag as she spoke.

Carlos watched her with the frown continuing to linger on his face.

Corinne cleared her throat. “Anyway, it’s time for me to head back. I’ll see you next time.”

With that, Corinne walked away, her pace fast and her hands rummaging through her bag for the hotel keycard. She didn’t bother glancing back; she could feel Carlos’s eyes burning a hole in her back. The walk across the beach seemed like it had taken a few miles, but it was only half of one. The doors opened as she neared the hotel, and she shuffled onto the elevator breathing a sigh of relief once the door closed. What was that?

Corinne had always known Carlos flirted with her, but his knowledge of her arrival, and his plans to woo her made her anxious. After locking herself inside the suite, Corinne dropped her bag and strolled to the balcony overlooking the beach. In the distance, she could see the spot she and Carlos had once stood, and her skin crawled when she noticed his form still standing there, seemingly looking right at her. Corinne rubbed her shoulders and tried to shake the unpleasant sensation running through her. He couldn’t see her from where he was, could he?

Even she couldn’t see the rooms individually while she lay on the beach, so surely he couldn’t, right? While she tried to convince herself, unease still crept through her spirit, and suddenly, Corinne couldn’t wait to be as far away from Anguilla as possible.

Xavier loosened his tie as he left the National Hockey League headquarters. Today’s negotiations had been rough, but nevertheless his quick pro quo had come out to seal the victory. Another million dollar contract negotiated added to his resume and another happy client. Hitting the alarm on his Jaguar, Xavier opened the door and slipped into the driver’s seat. He removed his suit jacket and tossed it in the passenger chair and dialed a number on his steering column. The Bluetooth connected, and his seatbelt automatically crossed his chest when the engine roared to life.

“Are you on your way?” Hunter said, answering from the other end.

“Yes.”

“So, you can get out of a meeting in an orderly time frame. Look at you being all prompt.”

Xavier chuckled as he navigated through the streets.

“I find myself being more aware of my time lately.”

“Why do I think that has something to do with Corinne?”

Xavier didn’t respond immediately. Instead his mind conjured her face, her smile, the deep sexy tone of her laugh.

“I’m pulling up in five minutes,” Xavier said.

“I’m inside,” Hunter replied.

The call disconnected but rang out before he could shift gears. Xavier tapped the telephone symbol on his steering wheel without checking the caller ID.

"This is Xavier," he smooth voice cruised.

There was a hesitation on the other end then a thick sultry voice broke through the line.

"Xavier, it's been a long time..."

Xavier's attention turned from the road to the caller ID.

"Who is this?"

He kept his tone neutral although he knew very well who the caller was.

She paused again. "Has it been that long that you don't remember my voice."

"I'll ask you again. Who… is this?"

She tried not to feel slighted by his off-put, but she did. Sitting her pierced pride to the side, she returned.

"It's Nadine, Xavier."

Xavier's hands tightened as he steered the car.

"Nadine Benson? As in, the woman I told never to contact me again?"

Suddenly, Nadine thirsted for a bottle of water.

"That was three years ago, I was hoping by now—"

"What? That I would be able to stand your voice or God forbid see your face?"

His language was harsher than necessary, but it was on her. He'd warned her not to reach out to him under any circumstances. Yet here she was, on his line.

"I miss you," she responded. "What we had—"

"Is over," he finished. "And honestly I'm surprised. Didn’t Archduke Benjamin Forrest the third teach his little princess not to try and crawl back to any man regardless of the situation? You are royalty after all, nothing or no one supersedes your highness."

"I hurt you," she said. "I understand, and I want to make it right. If you'll just let me."

The phone went dead as Xavier dropped the call and immediately blocked the number. He gritted his teeth and steered the Jag around a corner.

The audacity of Nadine to call as if anything she had to say would be remotely interesting to him. He blew out a breath and shifted his thoughts as he continued to his destination.

Pulling in front of Delaney’s Tuxedo shop, Xavier parked the Jag and hopped out. The bell atop the door jingled as he sailed through and was promptly greeted by a member of the staff.

“Mr. Valentine, your party is in the back, let me show you to your space.”

Xavier strolled behind the man, appreciative that he’d closed the shop so he and his brothers could be fitted for Hunter’s wedding without disturbance.

“There he is,” Lance barked as soon as Xavier entered the room. It was an open space with mirrors etched against the wall completely. In this room, you could see yourself in a three hundred and sixty-degree angle, so missing a detail wasn’t likely. Xavier slapped hands with Lance.

“That’s a nice tux there, brother,” Xavier said. “Fits you well. Has it been tailored already?”

Lance nodded as he took a sharp eye over his mirror image.

“Yeah, cuts around my edges just right, too. No tug or rework needed. Almost perfect,” Lance said.

“I would leave out almost,” Xavier responded, admiring the tux’s fit.

Movement in the room caught Xavier’s attention, and he crossed the distance to slap hands with Hunter.

“Damn, yours looks equally as sharp.”

“That’s because it is,” Hunter agreed. “Delaney’s work is impeccable. It’s why we keep coming back for our custom suits.”

“Yeah, but I’m surprised you’re just now doing this. The wedding is next week. How can you worry your pregnant wife waiting until the last minute to have this done?”

“My pregnant wife doesn’t know I waited until the last minute. She thinks I’m here to pick up the tux that I ordered a long time ago.”

“I told Corinne you were vile, now look at you being deceptive.”

The two men chuckled.

“Nah, not deceptive. I did order this tux weeks ago. I just didn’t have the time to get fitted. So I guess I’m a lucky bastard that Delaney’s worked with us previously or this would’ve been a tragedy.”

“Could’ve,” Xavier said. “Always stay optimistic, brother.”

“Speaking of wives,” Hunter began. Xavier arched a prominent brow. “I noticed you ignored my question when we were on the phone.”

Xavier knew what question Hunter was referring to, but still he pretended he didn’t.

“Which was?”

Hunter smirked, also knowing Xavier knew.

“Would your timeliness have anything to do with Corinne?”

A staff member approached the men then. “Mr. Xavier Valentine, are you ready for your fitting?”

“I am,” Xavier said.

Hunter reached out for Xavier’s shoulder, stopping him from fleeing this conversation. “Give us a second, Dell,” Hunter said.

Dell nodded and Xavier turned back to Hunter. Hunter folded his arms and waited for Xavier’s reply. Xavier stood still, musing for a long moment before responding.

“I love her.”

Hunter’s eyes widened, and a glorious smile cruised across his face. “When did it happen?”

Xavier sighed. “I don’t know. I can’t explain any of it. Maybe it was our paragliding adventure that did it or the frank way she doesn’t kiss my ass just for the sake of doing whatever pleases me. Maybe it’s her sincerity and the way she gives and cares for others. Maybe it was Africa or the way she submits herself to me unequivocally. Maybe it was the first time I met her, the feeling I had that she was someone I’d come to call my own.” Xavier paused. “Whenever it happened, I’m glad it did. Corinne is truly one of a kind.”

Hunter’s smile had widened. “I know the feeling,” he said, glancing back at himself in the mirror. “Just remember, if you marry her, I introduced you to your wife, so, you owe me one,” he teased.

Xavier rubbed his hands together in thought. “Well technically, I helped you save yours, so, we’re even.”

Hunter’s mighty guffaw brought the attention of their other brothers, and Xavier slapped Hunter on the back then pointed at him. “Game, set, match,” he said, strolling off to get fitted.