Sizzling summer nights i.., p.1
Sizzling Summer Nights in Paradise Anthology, page 1
Sizzling Summer: Nights in Paradise
A romantic comedy anthology
Multiple Authors
Copyright © 2022 by Multiple Authors
Individual stories copyrighted by their respective authors.
All rights reserved by the individual authors for their own works.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Anthology compiled by Jessica Tate
Cover design by Jessica Tate
Ebook formatting by Danika Bloom
Editing and proofreading by:
Shelly Chastagner, Pair of Nines Publishing & Allin Good Fun (A Little Sip of Paradise); Lila Labine (Shooting Stars in Paradise); Cricket Services (Caribbean Crush); Charlotte Black (Dirty Sheets); Lisa Matsumura (Beach Boss); Stephanie Parent (Somebody to Treasure); Cass K Edits (Hate to Love You); Katie Kemperman (Sun, Sand, and Sleeping with the Enemy); Katie Kemperman & Pair of Nines Publishing (Love at First Flight)
Contents
A Little Sip of Paradise by Brandy Munroe
Shooting Stars in Paradise by Krys Rayne
Caribbean Crush by M Calder
Dirty Sheets by Elle Lee
Beach Boss by Liz Alden
Hawaiian Baby by Bethany Shaw
Somebody to Treasure by Lilly Avalon
Hate to Love You by Wysteria Reed
Sun, Sand, and Sleeping with the Enemy by Emmy Dee
Love at First Flight by Mia Sands
A Little Sip of Paradise by Brandy Munroe
My best friend Tina won an all-inclusive trip to a tropical Island. Inviting me as her plus one was a dream come true.
An unexpected bonus was discovering JJ was on the same vacation.
He’d been coming to Coffee Asylum, where I work, for months.
Was this fate?
Could all of my dreams come true?
Chapter 1
I, Kelsey Anne Benton, was in the zone. The one where you ignore your surroundings. Including your best friend poking you in the ribs. I write short novellas and publish them online, capitalizing on this year’s craze for forty to fifty-year-old women who want a short romance book to read on the subway or train to work. Something with no cliffhangers and promised a happily ever after. The stories lacked content and character but had an abundance of hot and steamy sex scenes.
The online publisher paid me according to the number of pages read, unlike traditional publishers who gave advances and offered royalties. Landing a deal with a publishing house was like winning the lottery: a chance of one in forty million. I had a decent following. I earned three to four hundred dollars a month. It supplemented the wages I made as a barista. A pit stop on the way to writing the next big romance novel.
I had visions of Hollywood wanting to turn my book into a big-budget movie: an A-list heartthrob would play the washed-up, womanizing rockstar who falls for the girl next door. The only way to win her heart is to stop his whoring and partying lifestyle to prove his love.
The problem was, that was as far as I got.
My best friend Tina won an all-inclusive vacation for two to sunny Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and she asked me to be her plus one. We were owed vacation time. Our boss at Coffee Asylum, Ashland, was used to Tina and me being too broke to take a vacation. Poor Ashland was speechless when Tina and I handed in our vacation request.
We were taking a week off and had asked to take it simultaneously. It shouldn’t have come as a shock. Ashland knew Tina had entered the contest. He was aware she promised to take me and he had enough part-time competent staff to fill our shifts. However, Tina was the manager and I was second in command. We never called in sick and always came in to pick up the slack when others had. Our reliability made us Ashland’s favorites. It was also the reason he conceded and granted our request.
Tina was confident a change of scenery would inspire me. How was I supposed to write the next great romance novel with my limited experience? I’d never been outside of New York. It was my first time on an airplane, and thanks to Tina’s windfall, I was doing it in first class.
Our local radio station spends one week a year broadcasting live from a tropical resort. Listeners have the opportunity to win an all-inclusive vacation for two. This year the listeners were asked what inspired them to enter the contest. Tina’s inspiration was her new bikini body. She submitted before and after photos of her weight loss journey. She’d lost over one hundred pounds and went from a size twenty-four to a size twelve. Once she’d kept the weight off for a year, her doctor recommended surgery to remove the excess skin. The transformation was incredible.
The radio station asked for proof the pictures Tina submitted were not photoshopped. I remember helping Tina dig through the photos the doctor recommended she take to track her progress. If anyone deserved a week at the beach to show off her new look, my girl Tina was it. The organizers at the radio station agreed, which was how I found myself sitting in the first-class lounge at JFK, receiving complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
I read the welcome package that came by courier last week. It included instructions to collect our boarding passes and the station’s expectations. There were five winners, and each had to spend a morning co-hosting with Shawn Kelly, the radio’s representative. The package included a full-day excursion to Saona Island, where we could snorkel with stingrays and sharks. Other than that one morning, the contestants were free to spend the week as they pleased. Including skipping the excursion. Tina and I promptly confirmed our intentions to take advantage of the bonus trip. Though this was an all-inclusive package, the contestants were encouraged to bring money to tip the staff. If anyone knew the value of a good tip, it was Tina and me. Then I went online and researched the amenities the resort offered.
Tina was correct that a change of scenery would kick-start my creativity. We arrived three hours before our flight, and I’d managed to plot the first ten chapters of the full-length romance novel. And if Tina would stop poking me in the ribs to get my attention, I could plot the next ten.
“What’s got your panties in a twist, Tina? I was on a roll.” I held back a snarl. After all, if it weren’t for Tina’s generosity I wouldn’t be on my third mimosa. As the saying goes, write drunk and edit sober.
“HCD is headed our way,” Tina whispered and pointed to the left not so discreetly.
I lowered my glasses to the bridge of my nose and gasped, “Holy mother, that is HCD.”
HCD was code for hot construction dude. For six months, he’d worked at the site across the street from Coffee Asylum. And for the past six months, we’d flirted when he came in for a tall dark Americano.
Speaking of tall and dark, hot construction dude personified the description. He towered a foot over my average five-foot-three and his five o’clock shadow dared someone to ask him to shave. His skin was tanned from working outdoors all day, shirtless.
Of course, we kept tabs on the golden god working across the street. We were hot-blooded women, not nuns.
“Good morning, ladies.” HCD’s deep timbre rolled off his tongue, and I wanted to swallow mine. Our eyes connected; his were a bright cerulean blue, a contrast to my dark brown ones. He flashed a smile that would have women dropping their panties the way they would for a rockstar. Like all my other encounters with HCD, the wedding march played in my head; and all I could think about was how we would make beautiful babies together.
“Oh my god,” Tina screeched and elbowed my ribs again. “It’s Shawn Kelly.”
Sure enough, Shawn Kelly, the radio announcer from the station that sponsored the trip, walked toward us. Tina followed his show religiously. She had a crush on the local celebrity. By the other women’s reactions in the room, she was not the only one. He was as tall as HCD but not as built or handsome. At least in my opinion.
“Ms. Mancuso,” Shawn addressed Tina.
Tina stood and held out her hand. “Please call me Tina,” she blushed.
“Tina.” Shawn extended his hand, and Tina shook it vigorously. He then turned in my direction, “Then you must be Tina’s plus one?”
“Yes, this is my very best friend Kelsey,” Tina gleefully articulated.
Shawn looked down to where Tina’s hand remained attached to his. He let out a low chuckle. Tina blushed again, or maybe she never stopped since meeting her crush. She dropped Shawn’s hand and promptly returned to the seat she vacated.
“JJ, do you know these beautiful ladies?” Shawn asked.
“Yes, these are the girls from the coffee place.” Something in the way HCD said it, and the look Shawn gave him, made the hairs on my arm stand on end. Or maybe it was that he called us girls.
Girls, my ass. We were twenty-two-year-old women. Tina and I were immature at times, like when we pranked the new hires or messed with Ashland’s office, so his desk was facing the window instead of the door. But hey, we had to entertain ourselves somehow. It wasn’t like we have the money to go clubbing or to the movies, so we took our fun where and when we could.
“JJ is my very best friend and my plus one,” Shawn emphasized with a wink and a nudge to HCD’s ribs.
Tina smirked wickedly. “Is JJ your ride or die? Who can’t post your bail because he’s sitting in the cell next to you? Like Kelsey is to me. Or ar
Shawn laughed as HCD choked on his drink.
Rumors, what rumors? With all her gushing over the radio host, how was it that Tina never once mentioned these rumors to me?
HCD had a boyfriend? Had I read too much into our conversations? Was I the only one flirting these past six months?
Chapter 2
We never got our answer. The airline announced the pre-boarding for its first-class passengers. Shawn corralled the winners to the front of the line. And, of course, our seats were across from Shawn and HCD.
“Time to flip for the window seat,” Tina gleefully announced as she pulled a quarter from her pocket.
“We’ve never flown before,” I explained as HCD watched our exchange.
“I’ve got the solution to that,” Shawn said. “I’ll be sitting on the aisle to hand out the itineraries. Kelsey, why don’t you take our window seat,” he pointed to where HCD had parked his cute butt. “JJ and I have flown many times. I’m sure he won’t mind giving it up.” Shawn’s smirk suggested he had an agenda in offering up the seat. But I was too excited to care or ask if HCD minded.
I stowed my carry-on and settled in my seat. My body took notice of its proximity to HCD. My nipples hardened as the subtle hint of cedar infiltrated my nostrils. A scent I should be accustomed to, yet it still affected me. I couldn’t determine if it was from cologne or his natural scent. The man worked around wood all day. Was it possible it seeped into his pores, giving off the unique aroma of manliness? Perhaps switching seats was not such a great idea. I didn’t want to spend the next four hours fantasizing about a man who has a boyfriend.
I focused my attention on Shawn as he addressed each contestant and gave them their itinerary for the week. The excursion was the day after tomorrow, Sunday. Tina was scheduled to co-host on Wednesday. I wasn’t worried about spending the morning on the beach by myself. I had a hot and heavy romance novel to write.
I was a morning person. Tina, not so much. I would sit in the cafe and write while she slept. Our afternoons were reserved for the swim-up bar. The resort had nightly entertainment and a dance club that stayed open until 4 a.m. Tina laughed and reminded me it was a vacation. I didn’t need to plan every minute of it.
The stewardess announced it was time for takeoff, and everyone should be in their seats with their seatbelts secure. She started the safety video. The steward on screen demonstrated how to retrieve the life vest stowed under our seats. I observed the step-by-step instructions to activate the emergency air from the mask in the console above our heads.
“Are you nervous?” HCD asked.
“No, just excited,” I answered with a smile. There was no need to be rude. Yes, we’d flirted; however, he never asked me on a date. He hadn’t outwardly cheated on his boyfriend.
I watched outside the window as the plane taxied down the runway. I couldn’t contain my excitement. I wondered if all first-time flyers experienced butterflies on their first flight. What if we hit turbulence and I got airsick? I searched for the barf bag and clutched it to my chest when I found it.
HCD chuckled, and I shot him a scathing glare. I reached inside my pocket, pulled out the quick-dissolving anti-nausea tablets, and waved them in front of his face with a satisfying smirk.
The stewardess announced we could move around the cabin freely. Shawn had the group introduce themselves. Each recanted the story that earned them a coveted seat in first-class alongside the radio host. An older couple was celebrating their thirty-fifth wedding anniversary and the fifth anniversary of the husband’s clean bill of health. He was a cancer survivor. A young couple had a bucket list, winning as many trips as they could in the first five years of their marriage before settling down and starting a family. A middle-aged high school teacher’s students nominated him. The dedication to his job had every student he’d taught in the last ten years signing a petition declaring him the world’s best teacher. Then there was a man who was originally from the island. He hadn’t been able to visit his family since moving to America. It was his grandparents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary, and winning this trip was the only way he could afford to attend. Finally, Tina proudly gushed about her healthy lifestyle choice.
Once the introductions were over, we settled back in our seats. I looked over at Tina, giddy from sitting close to her crush. Too bad he was batting for the other team.
“Now, let’s address those rumors you mentioned,” Shawn laughed and winked at Tina.
Shawn explained the unique bromance between him and HCD. In short, they were not gay but had let people make assumptions when it benefited their circumstances. It wasn’t uncommon for Shawn to take a male companion to social events to thwart the attention of stage-five clingers. The rumors were perpetrated by his co-workers after they’d witnessed Shawn and HCD together on more than one occasion. Tina was aware of the rumors, however, she never suspected that the mystery man in Shawn's life was HCD.
To say I was relieved was an understatement.
I thought about the first time HCD walked into Coffee Asylum.
Tina was in Ashland’s office receiving a stern lecture about pranking the new hires. I knew my turn was next. Cleaning calmed my nerves. I was disinfecting the cabinets under the cash register when the bell above the door announced someone had entered.
I stood to wait on who came in. “How…” My throat closed, and I nearly choked on the saliva pooling in my mouth. My brain jumped on the lust train and took a holiday. I didn’t know how long I stared at the Greek god standing on the other side of the counter. Thankfully, Tina returned.
“Well, hello there, handsome. What can I get you?” Tina asked in a sugary-sweet tone, the one she reserved for the hot customers who entered Coffee Asylum.
“Tall Americano, black,” the otherworldly creature replied. His rich baritone voice sent a jolt of electricity straight to my core.
He was too perfect for this plane. Was he from another planet? He removed his safety helmet revealing short, sun-streaked hair. His eyes were blue as the seas glimmered with mirth, probably because I was tongue-tied and blushing. His jaw was cut from stone, and a long slender nose sat between high cheekbones. I let my eyes travel from broad shoulders that would rival titans to abs that clung to his sweaty t-shirt.
“Name please,” Tina’s high pitch broke my trance.
“JJ,” the strikingly handsome man replied to Tina, though his eyes never left mine.
Tina handed JJ his coffee and took his money. Once he was out of the building, I ran to the window and watched his tight butt strut across the street to the new construction site.
Tina spent the morning teasing me shamelessly about my sudden shyness. We aptly named him hot construction dude. It was out of character for me to drool over a customer. We’ve had hot men come and go since Tina and I started two years ago. I had no explanation for the instant lust that occurred when HCD entered.
When HCD returned later that afternoon, I was no longer awe-struck. However, I continued to be mesmerized by his polarizing presence. Now that I could talk in his company, there was no need for Tina to intervene.
HCD returned every day for his tall, dark Americano. I began to take my breaks when he came in for his coffee. One day HCD sat with me, and we formed a friendship.
I couldn’t remember if he or I initiated the first innuendo. But, here we were months later, and he’d yet to ask me out, so I would venture to guess that it was me.
An hour and a half into our flight, an uncomfortable silence fell between us and for the first time since he’d sat with me on my breaks, our small talk was redundant.
“Why do you label my coffee cup HCD?” he asked, frowning.
I stifled a giggle. “Why do you think I label your cup HCD?” I asked with interest.
“I think it stands for hothead construction douche,” he huffed on a sigh.
