Private Pleasure (Sun Stroked Book 3) Read Free

said. Once again his receptionist was giving her news that Artie should have given her himself. “Did she say whether Artie wanted me to call back? Did he leave a number?”
    “I’m afraid she didn’t say. Perhaps it would be best for you to call her back.”
    With disappointment settling in her stomach, Abby schooled her face and nodded. She glanced past his shoulder, focusing on the many winding paths up ahead. “Perhaps it would,” she murmured halfheartedly.
    “Is everything okay, Abby?”
    She forced a quick smile and turned her attention to Mr. Malik. “How could it not be? I’m about to explore this beautiful island and I have everything my heart desires.”
    Just maybe not everything her libido desired…
    Mr. Malik stepped to the side to clear the way for her to continue past him. “Then by all means, get on with your exploration. I’ve taken up enough of your time.”
    Abby glanced up ahead, taking in the maze of paths, wishing she had a map to consult. She’d hate to lose her way. “Where does this path lead?”
    Mr. Malik narrowed his eyes. “Maybe sometimes we have to venture off the beaten path before we can find what we’re really looking for.” With that he walked away, leaving her with nothing more than her thoughts and his cryptic words to sort through.
    Abby began her ascent up the mountain and took a moment to think about why having plans and a mapped-out future were so important to her. Perhaps it was because her parents had preached goal setting to her and her older sister their entire lives, only to sit back in disappointment and watch their oldest daughter veer off her life’s plan. And now her sister was pregnant, without a professional career and living with an artist who could barely support them. But despite all that, she had to admit, her sister did seem happy.
    Now Abby was the only ‘good girl’ in the family, as her mother still called her. But maybe she was growing tired of always playing by the rules. Maybe during her time away she wanted to veer off the path just once, to see what happened.
    With those thoughts spurring her on, Abby deliberately took two steps to her left, pushed through the thick foliage and stepped over the root-choked weeds that veiled the jungle floor. A variety of birds inhabiting the area took flight as she disturbed them. She trekked onward, noticing just how beautiful she found the untouched, overgrown surroundings.
    The higher she climbed, the heavier the air felt around her. When she reached the top, she made her way toward the edge. It was a slow process, but the second she reached the cliff she knew it had been worth it.
    The foliage thinned to reveal the blue skyline. Smiling as she took in the island in all its seductive splendor, she stood there staring down at the water, realizing that she was overlooking her private cove. A movement out of the corner of her eye caught her focus. Startled, she stiffened and turned sideways.
    “Oh,” she said, her hand flying to her chest, her smile dissolving. “I didn’t realize there was anyone else out here,” she added in alarm at seeing Cody Lannon stationed at the top of the mountain, like some predator, or a caged animal ready to pounce. He sat perched on the edge of the cliff, dressed in military-issue fatigues and boots, with some sort of scope in his hands. She faltered backwards when his intense gaze locked on hers.
    In the blink of an eye he was standing in front of her. His large hands spanned her waist, and he quickly anchored her body to his to keep her from falling backwards.
    “Careful…”
    She tilted her head back to look at him. Dark eyes met hers, and in that instant she felt like she’d just been sucker punched. There was something very sexy about a broad-shouldered, rock hard man in military fatigues, she decided. Shock waves rocketed through her body, and the spark from his dark eyes was all that was needed to ignite her blood and dampen her panties.
    When it finally occurred