Authors: Altonya Washington
Gage had known his riotous crew since the days of their rough-and-tumble boyhoods. College and grad school had split the foursome for several years but the bonds hadn’t been broken. The four often traded war stories over drinks, dinner, games of cards or games of a more athletic variety.
While not linked by business, Jayson Muns, Zeke Shepard and Dane Spears were quite appreciative of the fact that Gage’s business saved them the expense of having to purchase their own modes of air travel.
* * *
Orchid Benjamin wasn’t overly impressed. The private aircraft had bold silver streaks trekking both sides of the fuselage to meet at the fin to form the letters
VID.
Not that the plane wasn’t dumbfoundingly impressive and then some, Orchid thought. What gnawed at her was that her fiancé hadn’t had the good taste and judgment to purchase one of his own.
“I mean, what are we gonna do on future trips?” Orchid asked the woman who had exited the limo behind her. “I know he doesn’t expect me to fly commercial.” She shivered as though the idea were too awful to dwell upon.
“He probably didn’t see the need, Ork.” Myrna pulled sunglasses from her head and perched them across the bridge of her nose. “What for? When his best friend has three of them?”
The rationale apparently pacified Orchid enough. She ran across the tarmac to greet her intended with a throaty—and, in Myrna’s opinion, theatrical—kiss.
Two men stood a few feet away from the affectionate couple. Myrna immediately cast them as friends of the groom. As the other men in her line of sight were in some variation of uniforms, it was a logical guess. From the way they stood back on long legs, hand over mouths, heads inclined toward each other, it also wasn’t hard to guess the topic of their private chatter.
Myrna had been part of enough staged photo settings to have a fairly passable grasp on reading body language. Yep, she thought, Ork’s rep had surely preceded her on the trip. The surge of an approaching engine caught her ear and Myrna let go of a bit more of her apprehension. She released a purely girlish shriek and hurried over to greet the fourth member of their circle.
“How’d you guys manage to swing leaving town without the entire local media descending?” Jeena Stewart placed a hand across her brow while observing the jet in the distance.
“They say Gage Vincent can swing anything.” Myrna dropped a kiss on Jeena’s cheek when they pulled out of their embrace. “Guess that includes leaving town without the whole world knowing about it.”
Jeena nodded, sudden weariness drawing her face into a tight honey-toned mask. “I wish returning my phone calls were one of those things that he could swing.”
Myrna masked her smile, knowing Jeena would take it as an insult. Word was—and speculation ran high toward that
word
being fact—that Jeena Stewart owed her fortune to the world’s oldest profession. There was nothing anyone could prove, however. Part of the reason for unsubstantiation lay in the fact that Jeena could claim clients for her so-called dating service at local and national government levels, or so it was rumored. Additionally, the woman ran her business like a...well...like a business, with salary and benefits for employees—female
and
male.
Myrna thought it was all absurd, hence her suppressed, knowing smile. “Guess we’re about ready to take off.” She noted the limo driver passing off her luggage to a member of the baggage staff. “Of course, we’re still one short.” She spared another glance across the tarmac.
Jeena rolled her eyes. “Why am I not surprised?”
* * *
“Ah...dammit,” Alythia said in disgust.
She had hoped taking her car, as opposed to hiring a driver, might play into her excuse of bad traffic, which would have resulted in her missing out on the luxurious flight.
But to her dismay, she arrived at the airstrip to find the plane still waiting. A chorus of birds were chirping somewhere amid the late-morning air as if they meant to welcome her to fun and excitement. Alythia appreciated the welcome but all the while considered circling back to the interstate in hopes of getting caught up in a traffic jam—a tad unlikely at that time of day, but who knew? It all could work in her favor and she might get—
“Can I help you with those?”
Alythia turned, her jaw dropping while her eyes zoned out in a show of surprise.
“Lucky.” She breathed the completion of her thought aloud.
She wasn’t sure if the man who stood within touching distance had sparked such a reaction because of his height. She stood just shy of five-ten in her bare feet, but this guy had to be six-two at least. Sure, it could’ve been the height or the muscular build—more lean than massive. Alythia was more inclined to wager on the man’s remaining attributes.
Whoever he was, he had the most remarkable shade of skin, an unblemished tone of black coffee. The richness was offset by a long, steady brown gaze enhanced by overt gold flecks. His hair was straight textured and close-cropped. Thanks to the morning’s powerful sunrays, Alythia could tell that his hair was of the same deep brown as his eyes.
He was smiling and the curve of a beckoning sculpted mouth was made more attractive by the singular dimple accompanying it. Still, that stare of his was impossible to ignore and difficult to perceive as anything other than intensely observant. His gaze also lent a well-blended mixture of heat and cool to his smile.
“Are you okay?”
She heard him speaking to her, his smile carrying more heat when he leaned close to ask how she was. He extended a hand as if he meant to cup her elbow but barely let his thumb graze the bend of her arm.
Alythia ordered—no, begged—the sudden and completely uncharacteristic desire to moan to cease and desist with the pressure it applied to her larynx.
“I, um— I’m good,” she managed, and then followed up the lie with a laugh. “I
was
good before I got here and saw that my ride was kind enough not to leave without me.”
He roared into laughter, the sound causing Alythia to jump at the full honesty of it. Despite the contagious effect of the reaction, she winced when he looked her way.
“Sorry, I know I sound ungrateful,” she said.
Curiosity intermingled with his amusement. “Why do you think you’re ungrateful?”
“Most people dream of visiting the Caribbean.” She looked toward the jet once more. “Of those who have actually had those dreams come true, few get there on a private plane.”
“Um, could I take that stuff for you?” he inquired of her bags again before the dumbfounded amusement on his face started to make her feel uneasy.
“Sorry. Um...” Aly began to relinquish her bags. “Thanks for your help— Oh, wait.”
Easing the strap of a tan duffel over his shoulder, he watched her fumble through a plump midsize purse.
“Dammit...I knew I had a five or ten in here....”
“Hey.” He cupped her elbow that time. “There’s no need to tip me.”
Alythia blinked toward the plane. “I’m pretty sure you guys are way behind schedule because of me.”
“We’ll get there.” He voiced the soft reassurance while applying a light massage to the elbow he cupped. “They aren’t gonna leave without you.” He winced a little against the sun in his eyes when he glanced at the plane. “This is a vacation. No clocks. Say it. ‘No clocks.’”
“No clocks.” Alythia nodded in a hypnotic manner while repeating the phrase that sounded like heaven. “No clocks.” She gave in to a smile that demanded to be seen.
Clarity surged in the liquid chocolate of Gage Vincent’s stare and he realized that the woman standing before him had no idea that the plane was his or who he was for that matter.
He dipped his head to peer into Alythia’s eyes and observed her that way for several seconds. He nodded, evidently satisfied that her outlook was improving and more than a little captivated by the stunning shade of her gaze. He then took four of her five bags, effortlessly hoisting the straps across his shoulders and angling one at his neck.
Alythia held on to an overnight case—the smallest of the five. Her smile brightened in approval of the button-down shirt he wore. The short sleeves revealed the flex and ripple of well-toned muscle accentuated by the flawless café noir of his skin.
“Shall we?” He motioned her ahead with the hand secured about the handle of a boxy brown-and-beige case.
“Do you think your boss will be a jerk about me holding up the party?” Alythia asked once they were crossing the tarmac toward the waiting plane.
“You’re good.” He paused. “The man’s a sucker for women. Especially women who look like you.”
“Thank you.” Her words were delivered coolly enough even though his remark had threatened to halt her stride. “Um...will you be on the flight or...?”
“You’ll see me around.” He halted at the foot of the mobile stairway.
“Thank you.” Aly made no secret of the fact that she was attempting to memorize his face before she headed on up the steps leading into the plane.
Gage’s smile went from friendly to smoldering within seconds of Alythia’s exit. He thought her legs seemed to go on forever beneath the airy white skirt that flared above her knees. She wore an emerald racer-back tank that matched strappy sandals that added emphasis on trim ankles and shapely calves. Not until one of the actual baggage handlers interrupted his survey to ask for the cases did Gage look away.
Chapter 2
G
age inclined his head a fraction as though he were attempting to obtain a better view of what he was observing. Absently, he moved the back of one hand across the sleek whiskers that had just started to shadow the strong curve of his jawline. He’d probably have a full beard by the end of the trip, he mused, still staring fixedly at the screen of his MacBook Air.
The golden flecks lurking in the liquid brown of his gaze seemed to sparkle more vividly. He was putting forth a more diligent effort to view the small square footage of space in the same light as the man he videoconferenced with did.
“Sorry, Clive...it’s just not working for me,” he said, at last accepting defeat.
“That’s because you’re not seeing it through a tourist’s eyes.” Clive’s voice rippled out through the laptop’s speakers.
“I resent that.” Gage put up an obviously phony show of being insulted. “I’m as much of a tourist as the next man.”
“Woman,” Clive corrected. “You also need to see this place through the eyes of a woman.”
Clive’s robust and genuine laughter rumbling then, Gage raised his hands defensively. He reclined in the swivel chair behind an efficient but more than adequate desk in the office aboard the aircraft.
“You’ve finally lost me...completely. I’m afraid this requires an expertise that I’m not in any way sorry to say I don’t have.”
“Are you for real?” Clive was incredulous when the screen split and he appeared on the monitor. Soon, though, he relented with a decisive shake of his head. “Look, G, I don’t need you to actually
see
my plans here.” He referred to the space along the quaint side street within the resort he owned. “I only need you to tell me that you believe the venture has moneymaking potential.”
Gage replayed the clip that had provided a 360-degree tour of the space in question. The area was practically shielded from view due to the overgrown foliage. The camera turned away from the space to offer a brief presentation of the cobblestone street that boasted a twenty-four-hour breakfast bar, nail, wax and massage spa, as well as a bookshop, among its other sole proprietorships.
“Definitely has diversity going for it,” Gage murmured, while more avidly assessing the locale.
Via split screen, Clive could be seen rubbing his hands palm to palm. He even seemed to be performing a little excited dance in his chair, the back of which could be seen moving to and fro through the screen.
“Well?” Clive’s baby-blue eyes were wide with expectancy.
Smirking with evident devilry driving the gesture, Gage let his old friend sweat out the wait for a few more seconds. “I want to take a look at the site when we land, but based on what’s before me now...I can see it.”
Clive bowed his head and Gage’s smirk turned into a grin when he heard the man’s delighted grunt drift through the laptop’s speaker. While Gage hadn’t truly been able to visualize Clive’s business plan for the space at his resort property, Gage saw money. And when Gage Vincent saw money, money was made.
A chuckle accompanied Gage’s grin as Clive’s excitement infected him to an extent. “When’d you get so interested in fashion?”
“Well, hell, Gage, we can’t all be
GQ
superstars, now, can we?” From the screen, Clive waved a hand toward Gage, who looked worthy of a spread in the famed magazine even in the simple button-down shirt, its cream color accentuating the flawless pitch of his skin.
“I still know what I like, though,” Clive finished indignantly.
Gage’s chuckling rounded out on a quick laugh. He traded stroking his jaw for massaging it and more closely regarded his friend. “Is it the fashion you like or the woman who gave you this idea?”
It was Clive’s turn to raise his hands in defense. “I swear it’s the money the fashion can make me.” The quirky smile that always betrayed his attempts to be at his most serious betrayed Clive then. “The woman only helped me to see it through her eyes.”
Gage’s infectious, hearty laughter erupted. “Is she a blonde or brunette?” he queried through his laughter.
Clive buffed his nails against the crimson polo shirt he wore. “Neither,” he replied.
“Mmm...redhead, then.” Gage was confident with his guess until Clive sent him a look of mock smugness through the screen.
“Not...” Gage observed the easy arrogance in Clive’s resulting smile and fell into another roll of laughter. “Try and save a few of the sistas for the rest of us, will you?” he asked when he’d come up for air. The teasing pleas held a fair amount of seriousness. Gage knew that his old college roommate fully earned his ladies’-man status.
“You and your counterparts are safe.” Clive leaned back in his desk chair. Behind him a view of swaying palms and unending turquoise water rippled in the distance. “Besides, this lady is only interested in me for my building.”
“Good for her. Smart in business and too smart to fall for your foolish lines.”
“Hey! My lines are gold.” Clive shook his head in spite of himself and appeared a touch serious. “You’re right, though—she’s a smart one. Ambitious, too.
That
combined with your assurance that there is more money in my future is enough for the time being. Besides—” the playful light returned to Clive’s expression “—it’s going to take a lot of time to get the place in shape. That’s more than enough time for me to put my wooing skills to work.”
Smiling broadly, Gage shook his head, as well. “Be sure to let me know how that works out for you.” He wiped at a laugh tear in the corner of his eye and straightened in his chair when he took notice of his open doorway.
The woman from the tarmac waved a hand but began to back out of the office. Gage motioned her forward. Satisfied that she was obliging his request, he interrupted Clive midsentence.
“C? Listen I need to go, but we’ll catch up as soon as we land, all right?”
“Sounds good. See you then.” Clive signed off with a mock salute just before his side of the split screen went black.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were on a call.” She bit the side of her lip, watching as he closed down the laptop.
“Come on in.” Gage was done with the computer and rounded the desk while giving her another beckoning wave.
She hadn’t taken more than a few steps into the office. There she remained. “I only came to apologize.”
“Apologize?” His playful frown prefaced a smile. “Now you
have
to come in.”
His hand folded down over her elbow, drawing her into the small, albeit state-of-the-art, work space. Despite her reluctance to move forward, she let herself be led into the smartly done office.
“Wow...” She blinked several times in rapid succession, turning to assess every element of the room.
Gage allowed himself to marvel, as well. Sure, he’d marveled over her looks—what man wouldn’t? She was tall and possessed more than her fair share of soft curves, as well as a fragile allure that belied a certain strength. The radiant, creamy caramel of her skin, the stunning amethyst tinge of her stare and the wavy tousle of blue-black bobbing about that lovely face had captured a great deal of his interest. Still, her heart-stopping physical assets didn’t explain the extent of his attention.
What was it exactly? It annoyed him that he couldn’t put a finger on it and yet it beckoned him just the same. Gage believed that once he managed to pinpoint the “it,” he wouldn’t be nearly as infatuated with her as he surely felt he was becoming.
“Alythia Duffy.”
He realized she was giving her name and offering her hand once he’d eased out of the deep well of his thoughts. Taking the hand she extended, he didn’t shake it, only squeezed and held. His grip hinted of possession and gave no promise of freedom.
Alythia cleared her throat.
“You weren’t out there when the introductions went around earlier and I—” She cast a quick look toward the doorway. “I, um... I missed the first ‘getting to know you’ session because I was running sort of late.”
“Right...” Gage allowed unfairly long lashes to settle over his warm gaze as though he were just recalling that fact. “Right...
happily
late till you discovered your ride
hadn’t
left without you.”
Alythia hung her head when her eyes closed. Gage could feel her hand going limp inside his and he gave it a few reassuring pumps in an attempt to pull her gaze back to his. It worked.
“Gage Vincent.”
“I know.” Alythia then placed her free hand over the one he’d clasped about hers.
She’d bowed her head again and moved a smidge closer and he took the opportunity to inhale deeply of the light fragrance she wore.
“I’m so sorry about before.” Alythia raised her head suddenly.
“You’ve already apologized to me twice at least and we haven’t even known each other a full day.”
“Oh, I’m—” Alythia appeared to be piping up to extend more apologies. Again she bowed her head. “I didn’t mean to mistake you for working here.”
“Why?” Gage faked confusion, although he knew very well what had her so distressed. “I employ a great group of folks.” He shrugged. “It’s nice to be thought of as one of them.”
“But I shouldn’t have assumed—”
“Why not? I offered to take your bags, didn’t I?”
“Yes, but—”
“You weren’t rude to me, were you?”
“I—” Alythia paused. “I guess not,” she said finally.
Imprisoning her hand in both of his then, Gage squeezed again, using the gesture to tug her closer. “You weren’t. Trust me, I know what rude is.” Briefly, his liquid stare shifted left as though he were about to look across his shoulder.
Alythia piped up once more, this time in order to champion her friends. “The trip hit us out of nowhere. I’m afraid we’re all sort of...um...discombobulated.” She pressed her lips together.
Gage’s eyes locked on her plump bronze-glossed mouth. Silently, he commanded his focus to reside on her words, for the time being, at least.
“Orchid’s your typical nervous bride. I guess we’re all nervous.” Alythia sounded as though she was speaking the last bit to herself.
Gage narrowed his gaze, cocking his head inquisitively in hopes that she’d elaborate on the last. Instead, she fixed him with a dazzling smile that he admitted pleased him just as much as any clarification she might have given.
“I just don’t want us to get off on the wrong foot. It’s important for Orchid that the trip goes well and I can’t afford to be the one that shoots it all to hell.”
Gage felt the wicked flex of muscle along his jaw. “And why should all of that rest on you?”
Alythia responded with a laugh that was clearly tension filled. “There are many ‘whys,’ Mr. Vincent. Among them my inability to be on time when there’s fun to be had.” She rolled her eyes. “I don’t mean to ramble. Like I said, we’re all a little nervous.”
Nodding, Gage used the hand he still held captive to pull her arm through the crook of his. “Well, the least an aircraft employee can do is to find a way to settle a passenger’s nerves.”
With that, he escorted Alythia from the office.
* * *
Two delicious mojitos later, Aly was feeling less nervous and far more amused. The dynamics emerging among the newly collected group kept a genuine smile on her face. Whether it was the group or the mojitos that deserved such credit, she couldn’t wager a guess.
Gage had escorted her out to the main cabin and had gotten her settled into a seat somewhat removed from where the rest of the group had gathered. He’d then personally seen to filling the order for her drink.
Alythia kept her gaze trained outside the windows on purpose. She knew Gage’s innocent act of kindness was already being rehashed by her friends.
“How are those nerves doin’?”
Smiling at the question, Alythia looked up at Gage while raising her third mojito, which she was only halfway through. “The nerves are much better.”
Gage claimed a spot on one of the milk-chocolate suede swivels across from where Alythia relaxed. “And how’s the view?”
“The view can’t at all be complained about.”
“Hmph.”
The response drew her stare and she studied him with a knowing intensity. “Guess this is all pretty old hat to you, huh?”
“How often do you travel, Alythia?” he asked, angling an index finger alongside his temple while he watched her.
She turned her attention back outside the window. “Quite a bit, but first class has nothing on this.”
“Well, it doesn’t get old for me,” Gage shared, swiveling his chair a bit. “Every time I take a flight, take time to pull my face out of a report and take a look at the view, I’m reminded of how blessed I am.”
“Must’ve been a hard road to get here.”
Gage grinned. “
Hard
would’ve been nice. My road was about ten times beyond hard.”
“Ha! I can relate!” Alythia laughed.
“How so?”
Alythia wasn’t of a mind to elaborate. “We’re talking about
your
hard road, not mine.”
“I’d trade my hard-luck story for yours any day.”
“I’d hate to sour your mood for the rest of the trip, and
my
story would surely do that.” She sipped at a bit more of the mojito, loving the rejuvenating effects of the crisp drink.
“What if I told you my story could have the same effect on you?”
“All right, then.” Alythia faced him fully, her elbows propped along the arms of the chair. “Suffice it to say that my hard-luck story makes me very appreciative of every good thing that comes my way.” For effect she raised her mojito in a mock toast.
There was a burst of feminine laughter, followed by the roar of male chortling and additional feminine giggling. The sounds drew quick smiles from both Gage and Alythia.
“Sounds like your friends share your point of view.”
Bewilderment sent the elegant lines of Alythia’s brows closer, though she didn’t remain stumped for long. “We’ve all weathered storms and learned from them.”
“Is that right?” He pretended to be stunned.
Alythia rolled her eyes playfully. “Even rich girls have storms to weather, Mr. Vincent.” She aimed a soft smile in Orchid’s direction.
“Hey, Gage?” Myrna called from across the cabin. “Are we gonna fly above the clouds for the whole flight? I want to see the water.”