Absolute Love: A Hot, Romantic Suspense Series, Book 3 (The Carlisle Sisters) (2 page)

As she neared the water's edge, she dropped her belongings, pulled off her hat and sheer, royal-blue cover-up and plunged into the ocean.
 
Jennifer was an excellent swimmer and reveled in the warm water that surrounded her.
 
Her strokes were sure and confident as she effortlessly cut through the waves, periodically flipping onto her back to marvel at the fluffy white clouds in the blue sky above her.
 

Clearly, the visit to Tahiti had been the perfect solution for her.
 
Her mind was at ease, her body felt rested and she was optimistic about the future for the first time in as long as she could remember.
 
And she had only arrived a few hours earlier!

Her plane had landed just that morning and she had immediately fallen in love with the island.
 
Everything about it was lush, ripe and absolutely gorgeous.
 
The only thing she regretted was not making the decision to escape The Sea View sooner.

The fabulous little bungalow her travel agent had arranged for her was perfect.
 
Raised above the water on stilts, it was not only surrounded by beautiful views on every side but there was even a floor-window that allowed her to see directly into the crystal clear water.
 
She'd found herself nearly hypnotized by the beautiful tropical fish casually criss-crossing beneath her and she knew the first thing she had to do upon arrival was join them for a swim.
 

After her trip to the beach, Jennifer was looking forward to spending the night in town, shopping and tasting the delicacies about which she had been told.
 
Apparently the French and Polynesian foods were especially delicious and she was instructed not to miss out on the national dish, poisson cru.
 
A long-time sushi addict, Jennifer's mouth watered as the concierge described the raw tuna marinated in lime juice and coconut milk and she couldn't wait to indulge.
 

As she floated along on her back with her eyes closed, imagining herself biting into a delicious piece of fresh fish, Jennifer was suddenly upended.
 
Upside down and underwater, she worked to regain her sense of direction and eventually found the water's surface.
 
Sputtering and coughing, she looked around to see what had caused the collision and found a man laughing at her.
 
Her previously relaxed muscles tensed and her face immediately reddened.

"What the hell!
 
You couldn't find any other space to swim except into me?"
 
she yelled angrily.

"I wanted to say hello," he grinned.

"Goodbye!"
 
she snapped, unamused.

She began swimming toward the shore.
 
So much for her relaxing swim.

"Wait!"
 
he called out.

He easily caught up to her and grasped her ankle. She turned to face him, nearly going underwater.
 
She tried to kick her foot from his grip but he held her firmly.

"Are you kidding?"
 
she exclaimed, continuing to kick at him.
 
"Let go of me you
jerk
!"

"Not until you tell me your name," he smiled.

"Get lost!"
 
she yelled, splashing water at his face.

He held on tight without saying a word.

"
Let go before I scream!
" Jennifer warned.

He paused as if to consider his options and continued holding her.

"I'm sorry but I can't do that," he explained before continuing on.
 
"I saw you running into the water and I immediately wanted to know your name.
 
I'm London Fairchild.
 
And you are?"

Jennifer could not help but notice how handsome he was.
 
Gorgeous, in fact.
 
Obnoxious, yes, but also gorgeous.

The man's thick, blonde hair was slicked back from the water.
 
His bright green eyes were dancing with merriment at his unconventional means of introducing himself and he had the most beautiful smile she had ever seen grace a man's face. His lips looked firm and, as tacky as it sounded in her head, extremely kissable.
 
She had known her share of men and this one was in a class of his own.

She suddenly noticed that his fingers were lightly massaging her ankle.
 
While it should have been creepy, for some reason it was anything but.
 
The motion was rhythmic and intoxicating.
 
She realized how easily the situation could escalate into something more.

"Let go of my ankle," she demanded, trying to ignore what her body was suggesting.

"Tell me your name," he insisted.

"Jennifer Carlisle.
 
Now
let go
," she ordered.

He released her foot with a flourish.

"Now wasn't that easy?"
 
he asked playfully.

Jennifer ignored him and had already started swimming back to the shore.
 
London took off after her and, once by her side, easily kept pace with her stroke for stroke.
 
And as they cut through the water he peppered her with questions about herself that went unanswered.

Jen tried to move faster but, as strong a swimmer as she was, London was far stronger.
 
He remained by her side the whole way, chuckling whenever she'd attempt a breakaway.
 
And, while his mocking laugh angered her, she couldn't help but be impressed by his obvious strength and endurance.
 
He was clearly having a good time, showing no evidence of the same burning she felt in her tired limbs or the shortness of breath that left her gasping with each stroke by the time they reached the shore.

When they emerged from the water he walked with her to her beach bag where she laid out her towel and began erecting her umbrella.
 
As he came up behind her, she caught a glimpse of his bronzed body out of the corner of her eye and reflexively turned to look.
 
He was long and lean with enough muscle to grab ahold of without any unnecessary bulk to weigh him down.
 
After a moment, she realized her indiscretion and immediately turned away, admittedly a bit weaker in the knees.

"Let me do that for you,' he said smiling.

He took the umbrella from her hand, pushed it deep into the sand then opened it.
 
Jennifer had to admit that she was grateful for his help.
 
She'd spent a lot of time on beaches in her life and, as effortless as it had been for him, she'd always had a tough time getting her umbrellas anchored firmly enough to stay.

"There!
 
Now that lovely skin of yours won't burn.
 
Shall I apply some suntan lotion for you, as well?"
 
he grinned, holding his big hands out toward her.

"No!"
 
she said, fighting an urge to take him up on his offer.
 
Feeling his hands sliding all over her body would be far too tempting.
 
"But thank you for putting up the umbrella.
 
I really do appreciate it."

"May I join you?"
 
he asked.

Jennifer felt she couldn't say no after the favor he'd just done for her.
 
That would have been too churlish.
 
Plus, she didn't
want
to say no.

"Sure.
 
If you want," she said off-handedly.
 
She lay back on her towel and closed her eyes, well aware that he was looking at her.

"I want," he joked.

He pulled his own towel from his bag and spread it under the umbrella close to hers.
 
Jennifer had not noticed his bag before.
 
He must have put it there when he saw her running into the water for her swim.
 

"Quite presumptive," she thought.

London lay down and turned to face her, anchoring his elbow to prop his head on his fist.
 
Shamelessly, he allowed his gaze to sweep the length of her, committing her every curve to memory.
 
He shifted his gaze to her beautiful blue eyes.

"Great bathing suit," he said.
 
"You look perfect in it."

Jennifer wore a white, one piece halter swimsuit.
 
It complemented her tanned skin beautifully.
 
So did the bright smile that so rarely adorned her face.

"Thank you," she said.

Jennifer squirmed under his bold scrutiny and was surprised by her reaction.
 
It wasn't like her to get embarrassed by the praise of a man, even one as attractive as London.
 
In fact, she typically basked in such adulation.
 
But there was something about this tall, handsome, very masculine man that unnerved her.
 
She was uncomfortable in his company and that was a first for her.

She sat up quickly, grabbed her cover-up and put it on.
 
Jennifer saw the corners of his lips lift wryly and she knew that he could see her unease.
 
But she didn't care what he could sense.
 
The cover-up was like a security blanket and she needed that protection at that moment.
 
She crossed her arms over her stomach and stared out at the sparkling ocean, trying to appear casual.

"So, Jennifer Carlisle, what brings you to the Fiji Islands?"
 
he asked.

"I wanted a vacation," she said stiffly.
 
"No, I
needed
one."

London watched her closely as she spoke.
 
Her expression suggested there was more to the story, which wasn't surprising.
 
Jennifer appeared to be a woman of many layers and he was hoping for the chance to peel them away, one at a time.
 

He wanted to discover her sweet core and taste its nectar.
 
He wasn't sure why he was so drawn to her.
 
He had only first seen her as she ran past him on the beach.
 
But that brief glance had hooked him.
 
Told him that he wanted to know more.
 

Tumbling into her in the water had been his way of introducing himself.
 
Sure, it was a bit unorthodox but he was an unconventional guy.
 
He seldom did things the traditional, conformist way.
 
Going against the grain tended to be a lot more fun and it satisfied the rebel that had always been a part of him. And he had a feeling that Jennifer had a similar part inside of her, if she'd just let it out.
 

"What are you running away from?"
 
he asked bluntly.

She looked at him severely.

"Why do you assume that I'm running from something?"
 
she asked sharply.

"Call it a sixth sense.
 
Are you?"
 
he pressed.

She laughed mirthlessly.

"You're relying on non-existent psychic powers to get answers?
 
Don't give up your day job," she said cuttingly.

"Your evasiveness tells me I'm on the right track.
 
What are you running from?"
 
he insisted.

"I simply needed a breather.
 
Nothing more.
 
Nothing less," she said flatly.

He settled on his back and put his hands behind his head.

"There's a
whole
lot more, I think.
 
But I'm a patient and persistent man with plenty of time.
 
You'll tell me.
 
Eventually," he responded.

Jennifer also thought he was an egotistical, cocky, over-confident man if he thought she would spill her guts to him.
 

"He doesn't look
that
good," she thought.

Then she reconsidered.
 
He
did
look that
good.
 
But, still, she wasn't going to reveal her deepest secrets to him just because he'd asked.
 
She was still struggling to admit them to herself.
 

Suddenly her fabulous surroundings had lost their appeal.
 
She needed to get away.
 
She stood up quickly and grabbed her bag.

"I've got to go," she said abruptly and without explanation.

She took off running.
 
London scrambled to his feet.

"Jennifer!
 
Wait," he called.
 
"Please!"

But she was running like the devil was on her heels.
 
He decided not to give chase.
 
He sighed as he watched her run to her bungalow then he bent to gather up both of their belongings.

He hadn't meant to spook her.
 
He'd only wanted her to know that that she could talk to him.
 
But he had come on too strong, too fast.
 
It wasn't the first time for that.
 
But it was different with Jennifer.
 
Something was different.