Page 27 of Forbidden Fiancé

We didn’t talk as we headed towards Paradise Island and his house. It would have been impossible over the roar of the engine, the wind, and the waves. It had been years since I had been on WaveRunner and never as a passenger. I almost asked if I could take one to the island but thought it was best that I didn’t. With the sun setting I could have easily gotten lost and I didn’t want Luke to worry about me.

The waves were a little rough and we bounced off them a few times. Luke was an excellent navigator and did his best to use the waves to help guide us in, not resist them and get us wet. Still, with the water splashing around us, I was soaked in no time. I was thankful for the wetsuit but my hands were getting cold and stiff. I was glad that in less than fifteen minutes Luke was slowly down the WaveRunner.

He leaned back and ran his hand affectionately down my leg.

“How are you doing?” He yelled over his shoulder.

“Not too bad. I’ll be happy when we get on land and can warm up.”

Luke reached up and put his hand on top of mine and tried to warm them up. “We are almost there, and then I will most definitely warm you up.”

I smiled and my body warmed at his comment. We had slowed down enough that I didn’t need to lean so close to him but I liked feeling his body next to mine. Even in the tropical climate I was a little chilled.

Luke kept his hand on mine and tried to warm them as he used his other hand to steer us towards the island. The sun had already set and I could see some houses that lined the enclosed bay as we moved our way inside, but it was hard to discern what I was seeing

We pulled up to a long dock that was in front of a large two-story house. There was a pool with a grass area surrounding it and what looked like a kitchen area for grilling. Luke turned off the engine and tied up the WaveRunner before reaching over and helping me onto the dock. I watched as he went and took our bags out.

“Welcome to my humble abode,” he said and put his arm around me.

“This is what you call humble?” I asked.

“It’s smaller than my house in the Keys or Miami,” he said.

“Really? How big is this one?”

“Only six thousand square feet-”

“Only?” I teased him.

“It has eight bedrooms, eight and half baths, two offices, and a three-car garage. We have a lovely fifty-yard pool, cabana, outdoor grill, and bar. If you want, we can head to the Atlantis Resort or the Four Seasons and use their facilities.”

“Wow.”

“Would you like to go inside?” he asked.

“Most definitely,” I said.

We walked down the dock and around the pool. Luke carried our luggage and placed it on the coffee table outside.

“There is a shower over there if you want to rinse off,” Luke said.

“Thanks.” I walked over to the side of the patio and unzipped my wetsuit and wiggled out of it. The shower was warm and felt luxurious. By the time I was done, Luke was walking towards me with a towel and had taken off wetsuit.

I dried off and kept the towel wrapped around me as we walked inside. What I saw was stunningly beautiful. It was understated, yet elegant and inviting. The soft yellows and white walls gave a soothing, tranquil feel. The sliding doors lead into the living room that held two couches, a chair, and an ottoman along with a large flatscreen television. The cabinets were done in a soft brown natural wood that added to the relaxing feel.

Luke let me wander into the kitchen with its large island in the middle with a sink and oven. There were two refrigerators, a stove and another oven and sink. The large windows would allow a lot of natural light into the area. I could easily see Luke and me spending our evenings cooking and talking just us or with our friends.

“This is amazing,” I said.

“Wait until you see the bedroom,” Luke teased and reached out his hand.

I put my hand in his and followed upstairs. We passed a few bedrooms but I didn’t look inside. When we got to the end of the hall, he opened the doors to what I assumed was the master bedroom. The walls were painted in soft browns and reds, the hardwood floors and floor to ceiling mirror along the far wall gave it an open and spacious feel. On the opposite side was a balcony that I was sure had the most gorgeous view of the beach.

My hands ran along the king size bed as I looked into the his and her walk-in closets and towards the bathroom. It might have been bigger than my apartment. It had a large countertop with two sinks, a jacuzzi style tub, and the largest shower I had ever seen.

Luke came up and wrapped his arms around me. His mouth was right next to my ear as he said, “How about we clean up in the shower? I would love a repeat performance from earlier today.”

I turned around and put my arms on top of his shoulders. I smiled up at him and said, “Was that today? It feels so much longer than that.”

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