Summer Magic (18 page)

She’d washed, dressed, and found him on deck, playing an intense game of chess with the chef. He hadn’t glanced at her, but patted a chair beside him for her to sit. She complied, sitting and watching the two men play until she grew bored then spent the next hour and a half relaxing on a deck chair with Domino at her side. The game ended without a winner, and only then did Logan inform her that they were to share dinner with the Wheatons at seven.

She had taken special care when she dressed for the evening, hoping it would lift her sagging spirits. She had selected a black silk tank dress ending midcalf with a generous slit that allowed for a view of her smooth, tanned legs. Three inches of black patent leather sling-strap sandals, with one strap crossing her instep and ending around her heel, added height and definition to her strong, well-shaped legs. She had applied a styling gel to her short hair and brushed it off her face until it lay against her scalp without any hint of a curl. A pair of large faux pearls earrings with a matching single-strand necklace rested on the fullness of her exposed breasts, a layer of mascara and deep copper lipstick complemented her simple, but elegant appearance.

Caryn had garnered the reaction she sought from Logan when he saw her. He’d stared, his mouth gaping for several seconds before he whispered how beautiful she looked. She had gone up on deck to wait for him to dress, and she had been equally stunned when he joined her. He had also elected to wear black—an exquisitely tailored linen suit; white silk shirt; and a patterned silk tie with muted shades of black, white, gray, and jade green. The stark whiteness of his shirt highlighted the deep, dark hue of his sable-brown face, and on more than one occasion a female head turned in his direction as he made his way through the restaurant.

Curving an arm around Caryn’s waist, he leaned closer
and pressed his mouth to her hair. “Are you hungry, sweetheart?”

Tilting her chin, she smiled up at him. Her pulse quickened when she registered the potent magnetism Logan Prescott emitted by breathing. “A little,” she lied smoothly. She had barely eaten all day; however, her uneasiness would not permit her to put a lot of food into her stomach.

She had speculated all afternoon what had happened between her and Logan which would not permit her to feel at ease with him. Then she wondered if they had made a mistake to leave Marble Island. It was there they had found each other, offered the other healing, and it was on Marble Island where she had fallen in love with Logan Prescott.

Cynthia’s sea-green gaze studied the menu. “I’m hungry enough to eat a whole pig.”

Hamilton ran the back of his hand over her cheek. “Do you think it’s good to give the baby pork?”

The golden curls piled atop Cynthia’s head shook when she turned and glared at him. “You’ve got something against pork, Hiram Hamilton Wheaton?” she asked, folding a hand on her slim hip. “Because I’ll have you know that women have fed their babies pork since the beginning of time if it was the only meat they could get their hands on, and we’re still here to talk about it.”

Hamilton flushed furiously under his tan. “I didn’t mean it that way, Tia. I was just concerned about your intake of cholesterol.”

Cynthia kissed his cheek, then swiped away a smudge of deep rose color with her thumb. “Thank you, Ham, but you forget that I am as strong and healthy as a plow horse.”

Hamilton smiled into her eyes. “I’d never think of you as a plow horse, gorgeous. You’re more like a palomino thoroughbred.”

Caryn and Logan smiled at the interchange between the blond couple. It was apparent they still were very much in love.

“What are you having?” Logan asked Caryn.

She stared at the menu, reading the selections listed in both English and Spanish. “I don’t know. I’m leaning toward fish, but since coming to Marble Island I’ve had more fish in three weeks than I’ve eaten all year. Perhaps I’ll go for a meat dish.”

In the end the two couples decided to order a variety of dishes with beef, pork, fish, and chicken. They all agreed on accompanying platters of white rice, pink beans, and
tostones de plátano
, fried green bananas, and a melt on the tongue
flán de leche condensada
—a caramelized condensed milk custard.

Two hours later Caryn dabbed the corners of her mouth with a cloth napkin, shaking her head in amazement. She could not believe she had eaten so much.

“Not hungry, huh?” Logan whispered close to her ear.

She poked him in the ribs with a finger at the same time as she gave him a tight smile. “I’ve got to get up and walk this off,” she stated between clenched teeth.

Logan nodded and signaled the waiter. “I’ll take care of the check,” he informed Hamilton, reaching in the breast pocket of his jacket and withdrawing a credit card case. Hamilton inclined his head.

Cynthia let out a satisfied sigh. “Now, where are we going?”

Caryn rose to her feet when Logan pulled back her chair. “I’m ready to do a little partying.” She had successfully shed her dark mood and was ready for a night of fun.

Holding on to her husband’s arm, Cynthia, said, “Let’s go to a club and dance.”

“Logan?” Hamilton questioned, as Logan signed the credit card receipt.

He glanced up, nodding. “Count me in.”

Caryn studied Logan’s clearly defined profile as he signed his name with a flourish. Once again she was taken with his physical perfection.
Even his hands are exquisite
, she thought, staring at his long, tapered fingers. Then she thought about the man and woman who had lain together
to beget him, smiling. If they saw him as a man, she knew they surely would have been pleased with their creation.

Logan put away his credit card, then curved a protective arm around Caryn’s waist. “We’ll have the concierge call a driver to take us into Old San Juan. There are quite a few clubs for us to choose from.”

An hour later the two couples pushed their way through a throng of tourists standing shoulder-to-shoulder at a bar until they found two small tables in the back of the nightclub. The sounds of raised voices speaking English and Spanish punctuated the air.

An attractive young waitress sauntered over to them, her loose hips keeping tempo with the pulsing Latin rhythm coming from the powerful sound system.

“
Buenas noches, señors y señoras
. May I get you something to drink?” She switched with easy facility between Spanish and English.

Hamilton and Logan ordered rum concoctions, while Caryn and Cynthia opted for virgin piña coladas.

“I’ve got the drinks,” Hamilton stated firmly when he spied the waitress returning to the table with a tray filled with their order.

Cynthia frowned. “Must you guys always fight over the check?”

Logan arched a sweeping eyebrow. “You wouldn’t understand, Tia.” He took a sip of his drink, nodding his approval. It’s a
man
thing.” Cynthia’s mouth dropped as her face flooded with a rush of color.

Caryn caught Logan’s hand and urged him to his feet. “Let’s dance, darling,” she hissed between her teeth. He gave her a startled look, but complied, permitting her to lead him out to the crowded dance floor. “You’ve just came down with a classic case of foot-and-mouth.”

Pulling her against his body, Logan swung her into a smooth dance step. “Foot-and-mouth?”

“You just put your foot in your mouth, Logan Prescott. Don’t ever tell a woman about what’s a
man thang
.”

“Men are supposed to argue about who will pick up the check.”

“That’s just being silly.”

“What do women do?”

“We usually divide it evenly among us. That way there’s no ‘I paid last time and now it’s your turn.’ It saves us from getting catty.”

He chuckled. “That’s very diplomatic.”

“That’s because we are diplomatic, practical, and—”

Her words were cut off when he lowered his head and moved his mouth over hers, devouring its softness.

“Are you telling me to shut up?” she whispered against his firm lips.

Tightening his hold on her slender body, he chuckled. “I’m not even going there, sweetheart.”

Closing her eyes, she rested her forehead on his shoulder, inhaling the scent of his cologne clinging to the linen fabric. Pressed against his chest and thighs, she felt every hard line of his body, glorying in his cloaking protective warmth and strength.

The tempo changed to an upbeat salsa, and within seconds Caryn found herself dipping and swaying to the Latin rhythm as she followed Logan’s expert lead. She had danced with him more than she had with any other man in her life. He spun her around and around with one hand, then caught her and dipped her lower until her head was only inches above the highly waxed floor.

“Logan!” she gasped breathlessly when he clasped her close to his chest once again.

“I wouldn’t have let you go,” he whispered in her ear. His right hand moved down her spine, his fingers splaying over her hips and pulling her closer. He groaned deep in his throat when he felt her breasts swell against his chest. It was then Caryn’s turn to moan when his hardness searched against the silk of her dress, burning her groin with his rising, scorching heat.

“No,” she whispered frantically. “Not here, Logan.”

“Tell that to my body,” he gasped.

She felt her body grow heavy and heat up with his hardening flesh. If he didn’t stop she would beg him to make love to her right on the dance floor.

“Take me back to the table. Now!”

He released her, but held on to her shoulders as she walked in front of him until they reached the table. He seated her, then sat down.

Caryn picked up her drink, unable to look at Hamilton and Cynthia staring first at her, then Logan.
How could he?
she raged inwardly. How could he make love to her in public, and in front of his friends, whom she was certain saw everything?

“Dance with me, Ham,” Cynthia ordered her husband as she pushed to her feet.

Waiting until the Wheatons were out of earshot, she rounded on Logan. “What was that all about back there?”

Shifting his eyebrows, Logan slowly stirred his drink. He was back in control. “We were dancing, Caryn.”

“Wrong. We were making love on the dance floor.”

His head came around slowly and he stared down at her, his gaze narrowing. “I don’t need a dance floor to make love to you, Caryn Edwards. Each time I touch you, I make love to you. Whether it’s holding your hand or helping you into or out of a car, I’m making love to you.” He leaned closer. “Whenever I look at you, I’m making love to you. And if there’s a problem, then it’s yours, Miss Edwards, not mine.”

Fury choked her as she struggled to come back at him. Shifting slightly, she turned away and picked up her drink. The icy liquid bathed her throat, temporarily extinguishing the heat in her face. Swallowing, she realized the drink was too sweet, too much like a milk shake. She reached over and picked up Logan’s drink and put it to her lips. It was liberally laced with rum, but she welcomed the burning sensation, refueling her temper again.

“I don’t like public displays of affection.” The moment
the words were out of her mouth, she knew she couldn’t retract them. It was what Tom said to her whenever she held his arm or touched his hand in public.

Logan’s gaze narrowed when he saw a shimmer of unshed tears fill her eyes. “What’s wrong?” he questioned softly.

Tilting her chin, she closed her eyes. “Nothing.”

His fingers curled around her upper arm. “Stop lying to me, Caryn.”

“You don’t understand, Logan. You can’t understand.” The words were torn from her throat.

“Try me,” he crooned. “You know I’m a good listener.”

Opening her eyes, she let out her breath in a lingering sigh. “Not now.”

“When?”

Shaking her head, she bit down hard on her lower lip. “I don’t know.”

His hand moved up to her neck, his fingers massaging the tight muscles across her shoulders. “Remember, Caryn, I’m here if you need an ear or a broad shoulder.”

She nodded numbly. “Thanks.”

He’s so patient
, she mused. And she felt like a shrew for snapping at him. Why couldn’t she just open up and tell him of the verbal, emotional, and physical abuse she had permitted to go on unchecked? Why couldn’t she tell him she had become a willing victim because she feared losing a man who had become her first lover?

An incredibly young-looking American sailor wearing a leering expression approached their table. His dark eyes swept appreciably over Caryn. Standing at attention, he extended his right hand.

“May I dance with the lady?”

Logan went completely still, then rose slowly to his feet, eclipsing the man by at least four inches. “Beat it!” he ordered softly. The sailor affected a neat salute, then turned and walked away.

Caryn doubled over in laughter as Logan sat down, trying valiantly not to laugh. “Did you see that clown?” he sputtered.
“Did he really think he was going to dance with you?”

She dabbed at her moist eyes with the edge of a cocktail napkin. “He was kind of cute.”

Sobering, Logan stared at her. “You really think so?”

She also sobered. “First you were jealous of Domino and now it’s of a boy who’s probably on his first shore leave.”

“This is the second time you’ve accused me of being jealous.”

“Well, are you?”

His gaze inched over her face, feature by feature. The seconds stretched into a minute before he finally responded. “I suppose I am.”

Caryn felt her heart beating outside her chest. She had her answer. If he was jealous, then that meant she was more to him than someone he just slept with. What she didn’t want was for him to love her because it only complicated their having to leave each other.

He stood up, extending his hand. “Let’s dance again. I promise to behave.”

She put her hand in his, smiling. “Do you know how to behave, Mr. Prescott?”

“Not really,” he teased, leading her back to the dance floor.

Chapter Eighteen

It was past midnight when Logan and Caryn returned to the
Maggie E
. She let out a small cry of surprise as Logan swept her up in his arms and carried her to their cabin.

“I can walk,” she whispered, hoping not to wake up the sleeping crew.

“Why are you being a tight-ass, Caryn?”

“I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. Why can’t you permit me to court you properly?”

“Noooo, Logan. No courting.”

“And why not?”

“Because …”

He pushed open the door to their cabin, then kicked it closed with his foot. “Because what?”

She dropped her head on his shoulder. “Because I don’t feel so good right now.”

He smiled, attractive lines fanning out at the corners of his eyes. “It serves you right. You shouldn’t have touched my drink.”

“What was in it beside the rum?”

He place her on the bed and sat down beside her. “
Rums
.
There were three different kinds of rum with a mixture of tropical fruit juice.”

Placing the back of her hand over her forehead, she closed her eyes. “I think I’m drunk.”

Logan removed her shoes, then turned her over and unzipped her dress. “You’re hardly drunk, sweetheart.” He eased the dress off her shoulders and pulled it down over her hips. Seeing her clad in a pair of black lace bikini panties with a matching strapless bra caused his mouth to go dry. The light from the bedside lamp spilled a ribbon of gold over her slender, tight body.

He unhooked her bra and removed it, but left her panties on. The tiny scrap of fabric was enough to provide a barrier against her nakedness and would serve as a reminder that she would not share her body with him this night.

He undressed, leaving his clothes on a chair, then slipped into bed beside Caryn, Reaching out, he turned off the lamp, plunging the cabin in darkness.

Caryn held on to Logan’s hand throughout the thirty-minute flight from Puerto Rico to St. Thomas. She chided herself for not having an empty stomach each time the
commuter plane dipped and swayed before the pilot landed the small aircraft smoothly.

Logan cradled Caryn to his chest, pressing his lips to her moist forehead. “It’s over, baby,”

“It’s not over, Logan. We still have to fly back,” she moaned.

“Do you want me to charter a boat for our return trip.”

Pulling back, she stared up at his solemn expression. “When?”

“Now.”

“You want to leave now?”

He nodded. “I will if you’re not feeling well.”

She gave him a stunned look. “But I came here to shop.”

“You feel up to shopping?”

“Logan Prescott. I did not endure that harrowing flight so I could go back to Puerto Rico without shopping.”

“Okay,” he drawled, smiling. “Let’s find a taxi so we can shop until we drop.”

Caryn thought of Puerto Rico as romantic and St. Thomas as sensual. Clear blue-green water surrounded an island of steep green hills. A taxi driver took them to Charlotte Amalie, a bustling picturesque town with narrow streets and quaint Danish colonial architecture. They stopped counting at ten the number of cruise ships and yachts docked in the harbor. The duty-free shops offered many discounts on liquor, fine jewelry, cameras, watches, perfumes, silks, and lace.

She and Logan strolled the narrow streets, entering and exiting many shops while deciding on what they wanted to purchase.

Four hours later, laden with shopping bags containing perfume, fine jewelry, and watches for her niece and nephew, Caryn climbed aboard the commuter plane and closed her eyes. Logan secured his own shopping bags, fastened his seat belt, then held Caryn’s hand as the plane taxied for takeoff.

He had purchased gifts for his parents, his personal secretary, and for the Wheaton’s unborn child. He had also purchased a gift for Caryn. He knew she would be pleased with his choice because he’d watched her admiring the necklace although she’d refused to try it on.

Squeezing her fingers, Logan smiled at her. “We have just one more day before we go back to the States.”

She nodded. “There’s so much more of Puerto Rico I’d like to see, but there’s isn’t enough time.”

“We can always come back.”

“When?”

“Whenever you have a school recess. I can call you—”

“Don’t, Logan,” Caryn interrupted. “Let’s not plan beyond today.”

“Are you saying you won’t come back here with me?”

“I’m not saying anything. What I am saying is that I don’t know where I’ll be next summer.”

“None of us know where we’ll be tomorrow, but that doesn’t mean you can’t plan.”

“You’re right about that because I surely didn’t plan to come to Puerto Rico when I left Asheville for Marble Island.”

He flashed a wide smile. “It has been a summer of surprises.”

“Tell me about it,” she said mysteriously.

And it was. She hadn’t planned on meeting a man, and she hadn’t planned on falling in love. It was a summer to remember.

All plans the two couples made for their last day in Puerto Rico were quickly dashed by a heavy tropical downpour, and the Wheatons returned to the
Maggie E
to wait out the rainy weather.

Caryn lay on her bed, reading. She’d found a recent
People
magazine among a stack in the dining room and had begun to read every word on a page. Logan had retreated to
the galley where he and Hamilton joined the crew members in a very vocal poker game.

The sound of rain tapping against the porthole and the rocking motion of the anchored ship lulled her into a state of total relaxation until she had to struggle to remain awake. A noise caught her attention and she listened intently. It came again. Someone was knocking on the door.

Pushing up on an elbow, she closed the magazine. “Come in.

The door opened slightly and a curly, sun-streaked head appeared. “Do you mind company?”

Caryn sat up, smiling. “Not at all. I’ve found myself reading the same words on the same page for the past fifteen minutes.

Cynthia walked in and sat down on the bed. Caryn shifted, giving her more room. Pressing her head against the pillows propped up against the headboard, she closed her eyes. “Today is the first day I really feel pregnant.”

Caryn glanced over at the very noticeable mound under Cynthia’s oversized T-shirt. “Maybe that’s because today you really look pregnant.”

Nodding, she placed a hand over her rounded belly. “First my belly was flat, then wham! I look like I swallowed a honeydew melon.”

“How are you feeling otherwise?”

“Wonderful.”

“When are you due?”

“The middle of January. And with my luck I’ll probably go into labor during a snowstorm.”

Caryn laughed. “Bite your tongue.”

“That’s what Ham says whenever I tease him about getting me pregnant in the spring. The next time we’ll try for the fall like most teachers do. That way I’ll deliver either late spring or early summer.”

Adjusting a pile of pillows behind her shoulders, Caryn stared at Cynthia. “Do you and Ham plan on having more children?”

She shrugged a shoulder. “Probably one more before we get too old. How about yourself? Do you plan to have any children?”

“I’d like a couple. But I want to be married first.”

“What are you waiting for?”

“I’d like to find Mr. Right.”

Turning and shifting her body to her right side, Cynthia stared at Caryn. “You have Mr. Right.”

“Logan?”

“Yes! Logan Prescott.”

Closing her eyes, Caryn shook her head. “It’s not that easy.”

“Why not?”

She opened her eyes, staring across the room. “I was married once.”

“And?”

“It was a disaster.”

“That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work with Raven. He can’t be anything like your ex-husband, otherwise you wouldn’t have come to Puerto Rico with him.”

“That’s for certain.

“Then what’s the problem?”

“There’s no problem. Logan and I are friends, and nothing more.”

Cynthia snorted delicately. “I
believe
you guys are a little bit more than friends.”

“Okay. We’re friends who happen to sleep together.”

“I knew that the moment we were introduced.”

“How did you know?”

“The way Raven looked at you. And whenever he touched you there was a possessiveness that was so apparent even Ham mentioned it.”

Caryn winced. “It’s like that?”

“Yeah, it’s like that.” A secret smile curved Cynthia’s mouth. “I don’t know if you realized it, but when the two of you were dancing in that club in Old San Juan you were downright shameless. I almost slapped Ham to get him to stop gawking.”

Heat flooded her entire body and her face burned in remembrance. “Don’t remind me. I’ve never been so embarrassed.”

“Don’t be embarrassed. You had every woman in the club throwing daggers at you. Even I was jealous.”

Caryn sat up straighter. “Jealous because Logan decided to use the dance floor to make love to me?”

“Hell, yeah. I love Ham to death, but he’ll never become one of
People
magazine’s sexiest men alive. Now, Raven would definitely be in the running. Women were always throwing themselves at him, but he was very discriminating. He usually dated tall, dark-complexioned women. That’s why I was surprised when I saw the two of you together.”

“I hadn’t planned to spend the summer on Marble Island with Logan.” Caryn explained how she had come to share the house with him.

“So, the two of you were sort of thrown together?”

“Exactly,” Caryn said smugly.

“Oh, how romantic.”

“If you say so.”

Cynthia’s expression sobered as she stared at Caryn. The cabin was silent as the two women sat regarding each other. “I know I’m a wretched busybody,” Cynthia said after an interminable pause, “and I won’t get mad if you tell me to mind my own business. But there’s one thing I have to know.”

“What?”

“Are you using Raven?”

Caryn’s body stiffened in shock. What was Cynthia accusing her of? “Using him how?”

“Are you sleeping with him to punish your ex-husband?”

Annoyance replaced the shock. “How dare you accuse me of using Logan. What I feel for him has nothing to do with my ex-husband.”

Cynthia arched a pale eyebrow. “So you do love him?”

“Of course I love him,” she said recklessly. “I’d never sleep with a man I didn’t love.”

Cynthia reached over and hugged Caryn, then kissed her on both cheeks. “Thank goodness.”

“Now I suppose you’ll go and tell him.”

“No, Caryn, I won’t. If Raven doesn’t realize you love him, then he’s a fool.”

“I don’t think he’s a fool. It’s just that I’m very good when it comes to pushing him away. There are times when I ask myself whether he’s using me to forget his ex-fiancée, then I say it doesn’t matter because once I leave Marble Island everything I’ve shared with Logan Prescott will end. He won’t owe me anything and vice versa.”

“It all sounds very adult to me.”

“Because we are adults, Tia. Logan and I are carrying emotional baggage that shouldn’t be unloaded on each other. I need to be able to come to Logan not worrying about whether he’ll be faithful or supportive. Not only do I want to love him, but I always have to trust him. I don’t want to marry a Dr. Jekyll, then wake up to find Mr. Hyde.”