The sun was shining brightly in the sky and the feel of the warm breeze against her face did wonders to lift Vivi’s spirits. Her short nap on the plane had been filled with erotic dreams of Rafe Santori. Not what she wanted or needed at present time. Just thinking about it made her stomach give a lurch. Damn the man, he invaded her thoughts whether she wanted him to or not.
“I don’t plan on spending any time soaking up the sun, John. This is a working trip, remember?” Vivi reminded him. “Some of us have bills to pay.”
“Hey, working or not, we are in the Caribbean and that’s all that matters to me,” Jeff spoke up. “And getting paid to be here, no less. I’ll take that over sun worshipping any day. Besides, John, you’ve been looking a little wrinkly around the edges. Might want to cut back on the fake and bake machine,” he teased his partner of five years.
“Just wait. One of these days life will catch up with you, too, buddy. And they’re not wrinkles, they’re laugh lines and I’ve earned each and every one of them.”
“Boys, do I have to separate you to make you behave?” Vivi laughed, knowing the good natured teasing was all in fun.
John and Jeff laughed at the thought. It wasn’t the first time over the years Vivi had threatened them with it.
“Honey, you know we three work better as a team than alone. Separating us will only make us bored and cranky. Together, we are invincible,” John said.
Vivi nodded. “That is true.”
She was still having trouble wrapping her head around the fact that mere hours ago the plane had taken off from Oakland County Airport and now here she was standing on the tarmac of the private jet at Cyril E King Airport in the Virgin Islands. Vivi took off her jacket and draped it over her arm. The temperature was a definite difference as well. More like summer than spring, Vivi thought.
“Miss Bloom?”
Vivi turned toward the sound of the man’s voice. “Yes, I’m Vivian Bloom.”
“Please follow me. I’m Mr. Santori’s driver.” The man leaned over and took Vivi’s luggage, motioning for a nearby porter to gather the rest of the luggage as the trio followed him to the waiting limo.
After ushering them inside and out of the heat, he took his seat behind the wheel and spoke up. “Mr. Santori regrets not being able to personally pick you up from the airport, but he was detained on the mainland. He will join you as soon as his schedule permits.”
“That’ll be fine,” Vivi turned her face to the window so neither the driver or her two friends would see the disappointment in her eyes. Not that they could, thanks to her sunglasses. Vivi knew she shouldn’t be putting so much stock into seeing Rafe Santori again after all this time, but a small part of her wanted him to see how much she had changed, had grown and had taken command of her future.
She wanted him to see she wasn’t the sweet twenty-year-old girl that he spurned the last time they met.
She stared out the window at the scenery as the driver put the car into gear and headed off the tarmac.
Lush greenery filled every vacant spot, brilliant pink and red flowers dotting the side of the road as they wove their way through the town and toward the marina.
“We’ll be aboard the yacht in less than an hour. Should you wish for refreshments in the meantime, the mini bar is stocked for your convenience. Please help yourself.”
“Thank you,” Vivi murmured.
Beside her, she could hear John and Jeff discussing whatever the contents were in the small refrigerator, not that it mattered to her at present. She was still full from the gourmet breakfast she’d eaten earlier. Vivi let her thoughts drift, the sound of their voices fading into the background as she took in the landscape outside the window.
Maybe it was a good thing Rafe wasn’t there to greet them. Then again maybe it only gave her a reprieve till later on. Either way, Vivi knew she needed to gather her wits about her and
“I don’t plan on spending any time soaking up the sun, John. This is a working trip, remember?” Vivi reminded him. “Some of us have bills to pay.”
“Hey, working or not, we are in the Caribbean and that’s all that matters to me,” Jeff spoke up. “And getting paid to be here, no less. I’ll take that over sun worshipping any day. Besides, John, you’ve been looking a little wrinkly around the edges. Might want to cut back on the fake and bake machine,” he teased his partner of five years.
“Just wait. One of these days life will catch up with you, too, buddy. And they’re not wrinkles, they’re laugh lines and I’ve earned each and every one of them.”
“Boys, do I have to separate you to make you behave?” Vivi laughed, knowing the good natured teasing was all in fun.
John and Jeff laughed at the thought. It wasn’t the first time over the years Vivi had threatened them with it.
“Honey, you know we three work better as a team than alone. Separating us will only make us bored and cranky. Together, we are invincible,” John said.
Vivi nodded. “That is true.”
She was still having trouble wrapping her head around the fact that mere hours ago the plane had taken off from Oakland County Airport and now here she was standing on the tarmac of the private jet at Cyril E King Airport in the Virgin Islands. Vivi took off her jacket and draped it over her arm. The temperature was a definite difference as well. More like summer than spring, Vivi thought.
“Miss Bloom?”
Vivi turned toward the sound of the man’s voice. “Yes, I’m Vivian Bloom.”
“Please follow me. I’m Mr. Santori’s driver.” The man leaned over and took Vivi’s luggage, motioning for a nearby porter to gather the rest of the luggage as the trio followed him to the waiting limo.
After ushering them inside and out of the heat, he took his seat behind the wheel and spoke up. “Mr. Santori regrets not being able to personally pick you up from the airport, but he was detained on the mainland. He will join you as soon as his schedule permits.”
“That’ll be fine,” Vivi turned her face to the window so neither the driver or her two friends would see the disappointment in her eyes. Not that they could, thanks to her sunglasses. Vivi knew she shouldn’t be putting so much stock into seeing Rafe Santori again after all this time, but a small part of her wanted him to see how much she had changed, had grown and had taken command of her future.
She wanted him to see she wasn’t the sweet twenty-year-old girl that he spurned the last time they met.
She stared out the window at the scenery as the driver put the car into gear and headed off the tarmac.
Lush greenery filled every vacant spot, brilliant pink and red flowers dotting the side of the road as they wove their way through the town and toward the marina.
“We’ll be aboard the yacht in less than an hour. Should you wish for refreshments in the meantime, the mini bar is stocked for your convenience. Please help yourself.”
“Thank you,” Vivi murmured.
Beside her, she could hear John and Jeff discussing whatever the contents were in the small refrigerator, not that it mattered to her at present. She was still full from the gourmet breakfast she’d eaten earlier. Vivi let her thoughts drift, the sound of their voices fading into the background as she took in the landscape outside the window.
Maybe it was a good thing Rafe wasn’t there to greet them. Then again maybe it only gave her a reprieve till later on. Either way, Vivi knew she needed to gather her wits about her and
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