All of Me: Rod & Daisy Duet Box Set Read online

  He doesn’t want me to go. I hate how my mind automatically goes to the worst-case scenario. That’s not what he said, and I know that, but that’s exactly how the words translate in my mind.

  “Um, no, the cabana sounds great. Thank you for renting it and for inviting us. All I meant was my best friend in the entire world isn’t telling me everything for some reason. That just caught me off guard is all.”

  “Let me know if you change your mind. I’m sure there are plenty of other activities to try. I read about a hiking and bike riding tour. Probably too late to get in on that one today, but we can make our own adventure, if you want.”

  The cocksure man from our first day here is nowhere to be found. With that comment about hiking and bike riding, I’m positive Tracy told him what I’d planned. He wouldn’t have just pulled that out of thin air and offered the very activity I was looking forward to doing.

  “Do you bike and hike a lot?”

  “As much as I’m able. I’m only about an hour and a half from the Blue Ridge Mountains. Plenty of trails for hiking and biking up there. My sister and I used to take day trips there frequently, just to get away from the city.”

  “That’s pleasantly surprising. You strike me as more of a GQ guy than a mountain man.” I smile, letting him know I’m not attempting to insult him.

  “I’m only model-perfect where my work is involved. The rest of the time, I’m as slouchy as anyone else.” His smile reaches his eyes, and they change to a lighter blue right before me.

  “Since you already have the cabana, let’s just enjoy it with the water and beach today. Maybe they’ll have a nature excursion open another day.” The words just tumble out of my mouth before I realize what I’ve said.

  Awkward.

  I just insinuated I expect him to join me one of the other days we’re here. Where is a deep hole when I need one to crawl in and pull the dirt over my head to hide? I didn’t mean that the way it sounded, but if I try to correct it now, I’ll just make an even bigger fool out of myself.

  Change the subject, quick.

  Dear God. For the life of me, I can’t think of anything else to talk about now. He’s smiling while I’m dying inside. Is this a prelude of how the entire day with Hot Rod will be?

  “So, you said several others are joining us?” Finally. Something came to mind. Anything. I should’ve talked about the damn weather or anything else mundane eons ago.

  “Yeah, they’re meeting us a little later. They wanted to do some souvenir shopping first.”

  “That’s smart. If it’s half as beautiful as the pictures I’ve seen of the beach and the ocean, they won’t want to leave the cabana once they get there. By the way, are your friends all right over there? They look like they’re passed out cold.” The other two guys with us broke down and sat on the floor with their backs leaned against the wall.

  “Good. Let’s leave them there. I was trying to get away from them for the day. I can only take Hunter and Jace in small doses… say, five minutes at a time… tops. That drops to about two minutes when they’re together. They’re usually better to be around than they’ve been on this trip.”

  My eyes stray to his bare arms as he speaks. The muscle striations contract and expand with his every movement. I have an overwhelming urge to run my fingers over the deep cuts and prominent ridges of his biceps. Instead, I grip the straps of my beach bag tighter until my knuckles turn white. I’ve made it painfully obvious I can’t trust myself around him, letting my mouth run away from me. Now my fingers are plotting mutiny from obeying my brain.

  Just hold it together for a few more minutes, Daisy. You can do it.

  The staff saves me from any further embarrassment by calling our group to board the next boat. Thank God for small favors.

  “Ladies first.” Rod extends his arm, indicating for Tracy and me to take the lead.

  When we reach the small boat that will serve as our water taxi, the waves pick up and make the boat rock harder. The foot or so that separates the water taxi from the dock suddenly seems very far away.

  “Hang on a second, Daisy. Let me hop on first so I can help you aboard.” Rod notices my hesitation and steps up without a second thought.

  He jumps from the pier onto the boat with the nimble grace of a finely tuned athlete. Then he takes my bag from me and drops it on the seat before offering his hand. I slip mine into his, and he keeps me steady as I cross the great divide. When I step onto the lip of the tender, I’m face-to-face with Rod, and the boat is rocking from the waves. My fingers itch to feel the tautness of his muscles. I’ve never been this close to a man with such muscle definition. Under the guise of steadying myself, I grip his other bicep with my free hand, and my fingers thoroughly enjoy what they find.

  Fine. The rest of me is also pleased. Sue me.

  “Thank you, Rod. I appreciate the help. I’m not exactly one for swimming alone.”

  “If you fall, I’ll fall with you.”

  Simple statement. So many meanings.

  I’m not sure how to respond, so I keep my mouth shut for once and step down into the boat. When I take my seat, I realize Rod is right beside me, and Kevin is helping Tracy across the gap. Is it wrong that I’m a little too pleased with knowing he only helped me? He could’ve easily stayed there and helped my friend.

  But he didn’t.

  He’s sitting beside me, not leaving a space for Tracy on our bench. He wants to be close to me, to talk to me, to spend time with me.

  This man will break your heart, Daisy. You know it’s coming.

  Let it come. I plan to enjoy the ride as long as I can. There will come a time when we’ll part, my logical brain knows that. But I’ll cross that bridge when I reach it and not let that knowledge ruin anything between now and then.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Rod

  Our private cabana is better than I could’ve imagined, even after seeing the pictures of it. We have the entire beach and clear, aqua blue water of the Caribbean Sea to ourselves since the area surrounding it is secluded. We’re fortunate the staff is attentive without being overbearing. They had already made a tray of tropical drinks and delicious snacks to greet us the moment we arrived.

  Kevin invited a group of people he met last night, but they won’t be here for a while, which is fine with me. Now that we’re here, I don’t want to share Daisy with anyone else, so I’m regretting going along with this plan somewhat. This is my time to get to know her as myself, with no masks, no subterfuge, and no audience.

  Just a man, standing on a wooden pier, asking a girl to give him a second chance to prove he’s not a complete self-absorbed dick.

  Lounging by the pool with her yesterday was nice, but there were too many people crowding our space. Other men were trying to get her attention, and other women were vying for mine, despite the overt clues that showed I wasn’t interested. Daisy watched with mild amusement every time some other woman tried to catch my eye. I’d never admit this to anyone, but her lack of jealousy or possessiveness over me was a little insulting. She doesn’t know this, but I quietly told more than a few guys to fuck off when they tried to approach her.

  I suppose that means I need to up my game, show her what a catch I am.

  What is she supposed to do with you when she catches you, Rod?

  Shut up. My rational brain and my emotional side aren’t on the same wavelengths at the moment.

  Daisy drops her bag on one of the lounge chairs and pulls her cover-up over her head. With the rays of sun shining directly on her blond hair, she leans her head back with a smile playing on her lips and basks in the warmth. She’s wearing a tiny bikini that shows off her perfect form.

  “This is pure heaven. I can’t imagine anything that could feel better than this. Soaking in the sun with the surf lapping at my toes. Friends surrounding me in a place that’s heaven on earth. Name one thing that could top this feeling.” Daisy’s smile is contagious, because I’ve broken out in one just watching her.

  �
��Multiple orgasms.” Tracy drops her bag and removes her cover-up, oblivious to the images she just conjured in my mind. Not of her, though. They’re all of Daisy … screaming my name.

  “Hmm … good call. Too bad I can’t help you with that.” Daisy giggles at their friendly banter. “Can I offer you some sunshine instead? It feels damn good on my skin.” She runs her fingertips along her arm to demonstrate.

  My lips twitch on their own, hungry to feel every inch of her. My tongue darts out, longing to taste every inch of skin she’s showing. My hands ball into tight fists, aching to throw her over my shoulder and carry her somewhere far away from prying eyes. This petite lady is getting to me in ways I never imagined.

  A vision of her meeting my sister Juliana pops into my mind, as clear as the ocean water before me.

  This is only a vacation fling. Remember what that is, Rod? You can’t even wish for more.

  I’ll only admit to myself that a five-foot-two beauty captured my mind and is worming her way into my heart with every awkward encounter we have. I am powerless to stop this speeding train while I’m around her. When the trip is over, I’ll go back home and only remember the enjoyable times. I will repress anything more than that in the recesses of my memories, along with everything else I’d rather forget.

  I don’t know what Kevin has done to me. He chose one woman to stay with for the duration of the trip, and I followed suit. By definition, my predicament is his fault, and he deserves a good ass-kicking for it. But for today, I’m pushing my own commitment issues aside and enjoying the company of an intriguing woman.

  “What can I interest you in first?” I approach her with a fruity tropical drink in hand, complete with one of those little umbrellas all girls love for some reason.

  She accepts the proffered glass from me, takes a long drink, and peers up to my six-foot-one frame from under her lashes. “I’m ready for that swim now if you are. The water is too perfect not to jump in right away.”

  “I’m absolutely ready. Thought you’d never ask.” I grab the back of my tank top and pull it over my head. My chest swells with pride when her eyes bug out and her lips part as she stares at my bare chest.

  Yes, I work out and take care of myself. But it’s still nice to witness that level of appreciation.

  She takes another long pull from the straw, and half her drink disappears. “Let’s check out the slide.”

  Liquid courage, but courage, nonetheless.

  “Do you want me to go first so I’ll be down there to catch you?” I toss my shirt on the same chair as her bag and walk toward the back of the cabana.

  “That’s very sweet of you to offer, but I think I can take it from here.” She laughs as she climbs up to sit on the top of the slide. “But you’d better be right behind me.”

  “I won’t leave you hanging.”

  Despite my encouragement, she still hesitates at the top of the slide. She’s afraid, but she faces her fears and tries to garner enough courage to overcome it on her own.

  “Do you want me to go down from behind you?” I honestly didn’t mean that the way it sounds, but the words are already out in the universe. And now that’s all I can think about. Thankfully, she didn’t catch the double entendre of my offer, because I’m more than willing to help her with that too.

  “Would you mind?” She looks over her shoulder at me, a little fear and a little embarrassment in her eyes.

  Someone has made her feel ashamed of being afraid or asking for help. What I wouldn’t give to get my hands on that fucker right now.

  “I don’t mind at all.” I join her on the slide and position my legs on either side of her. Then I wrap my arms around her waist, much like I did last night when she didn’t know I was dressed as Cap. “Ready to go for a swim?”

  “Let’s go.”

  I push us off, and we fly down the tall slide, rushing toward the clear water below with her squeals of delight echoing in the air. When we hit the water, I don’t release her. For whatever reason, I can’t seem to make my fingers let her go, so I push her to the surface and join her immediately after.

  She turns in my arms to face me and throws her arms around my neck. Her embrace is merely one of pure innocence. The sole reason behind it is genuine gratitude, I know this. But that doesn’t stop me from pulling her tighter against my chest. The desire to shelter and protect her only grows with every second I’m near her. Touching her makes it damn near impossible to separate. She feels so good in my arms.

  So right.

  “Thank you so much for doing that, Rod. I know you probably think I’m such an enormous baby, scared of everything. Maybe I am. But thank you for not pointing that out and embarrassing me, especially when it was my idea to go down the slide.”

  There’s a motherfucker out there somewhere I need to kill. I feel it with every cell in my body.

  “I’d never do that to you, Daisy. I’ll go down that slide with you all fucking day, if that’s what you want.”

  She stares at me in disbelief for a second, weighing the odds that I’m about to laugh in her face and shame her. When she realizes my offer is sincere, she shocks the shit out of me by pressing her lips against mine. Her hands slide around my neck to hold my face as I get lost in her kiss.

  “I’ve never met anyone like you before. I didn’t think there were still kindhearted men out there. I’m thankful we met, and I’m glad I came on this excursion with you. Thank you, for everything.” Her eyes dart between mine as she speaks, emphasizing her message with the intensity in those beautiful blues.

  She called me a kindhearted man, but I’m not so sure most of the other women in my life would agree with her assessment. But from Daisy, I’ll accept it.

  “You’re welcome. But believe me, it’s my pleasure. I wanted to spend the day with you to make up for our first meeting and get to know you better. One-on-one.”

  “You’ve more than made up for that comment, Rod. Don’t even think about it anymore. I don’t, so quit beating yourself up. You’ll look back on it and laugh about it before long. Why not start doing that today?”

  “We’ll laugh about it together then.”

  “You’ve got a deal. Ready to go down behind me again?”

  Simple question. So many meanings.

  I physically have to hold back a groan. “More than ready.”

  After a few more trips down the slide, Kevin and Tracy join us for a swim. The staff manning the cabana provides us with masks and snorkels, so the four of us spend a couple of hours swimming the shallow waters. Daisy shows me every new fish she finds, and her excitement is contagious. I’d like to know her story, every last detail. On the one hand, she doesn’t seem like she gets out much. On the other, she’s very shrewd and intuitive. She has a backbone when needed but seems almost shy the rest of the time.

  Yeah, I’d really enjoy peeling back the layers of this sweet onion.

  We finally take a time-out and sit on the beach, letting the water lap at our feet and the sun drench our bodies in its warmth.

  “This was exactly what I needed today. This place is paradise. If only I could win the lottery and have an island of my own.” Daisy lies back on the sand and stretches her arms out, not trying to hide the grin that’s splitting her face in two.

  “Money isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. You can have tons of it and still not find happiness.” I know from experience.

  “That’s true. Money can’t buy true love or happiness, but it sure can take away a lot of worries.”

  She’s not wrong. My fortune eliminated many of the worries that used to plague me. How would I feed and clothe my sister? How would I keep a roof over our heads? How would I ever be able to send her to college? But for the most part, we still live like we did before the money. I have a sizeable house and a nice car, and Juliana and Isabelle are set for life, but that’s the extent of my extravagant lifestyle.

  I wonder what Daisy worries about, but I don’t want to ask right now and change the mood she’s in. She
’s finally relaxed and having fun.

  “Looks like our other friends are finally here. Just in time for lunch, too. The chef is keeping our food warm. Let’s go eat, boys and girls.” Tracy exits the water with Kevin close behind her.

  I stand then help Daisy up, and we walk together toward the cabana. We keep several paces behind Tracy and Kevin, walking in sync with our arms wrapped around each other as if it’s the most natural position for us. With every step, we move slower, extending our time alone as long as we can before joining the noisy crowd already congregated on the lanai.

  We’re so comfortable together, it’s as if we’ve known each other for years.

  “Kevin mentioned you and Tracy already have plans for a girls’ day tomorrow. Do you want to go with me on a long hike the day after tomorrow? The island has beautiful mountains and forests we can explore. There are freshwater streams to swim in and waterfalls along the trails. We’ll leave Tracy and Kevin behind and create our own expedition.” I realize it’s a stretch to ask her to join me in the woods, alone, in a foreign country, when she barely knows me. The thing is, even though she’s having a blast so far today, the party scene just doesn’t seem to be her first choice.

  She stops walking and focuses her attention on the large open deck of the cabana. A dozen or so people are drinking and laughing. The music is blaring, and several couples are taking advantage of the dancing space. The bartender is hopping, mixing drink after drink. The chef plates the food, and the butler delivers the dishes to the extended dining table.

  Then she turns her attention back to me, and the music fades away. The laughing and loud talking from the crowd of people evaporates on the breeze. All that’s left is Daisy and me in our own little world.

  “That sounds like the perfect getaway. Count me in.”

  Color me shocked, but more than a little pleased.

  We join the others and make introductions all around. I don’t know who any of these people are. Kevin met them last night while I was with Daisy. Thankfully, no one has mentioned my absence. I hope they’re just acting polite because they don’t know whose face was behind the masks last night.