An Innocent in Paradise. Kate Carlisle
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“I want you in my bed, Grace.”
He trailed a path up her neck and along her jaw. “I want you wrapped up in nothing but me. I want to touch and feel every inch of your body with my hands and my mouth and tongue. I want to make you hot. I want to make you scream.”
His mouth at her ear, his warm breath on her skin, made Grace feel boneless with the want rampaging through her.
So now the question was, did she trust Logan enough to allow him to do all those things his whispered promises had suggested?
Oh, who was she kidding? She wanted him so much, she could barely sit still. If she couldn’t have trust, she would settle for lust.
Dear Reader,
During the past year, I’ve introduced you to the three Duke brothers, Adam, Brandon and Cameron. Now it’s time to meet their cousin Logan Sutherland. Logan and his identical twin brother, Aidan, spent their younger years surfing and swimming and partying, then won their first bar in a college poker game. Since that time, they’ve parlayed their winnings into a chain of lavish bars and resorts, plus an island or two. Logan Sutherland is wealthy, powerful and ambitious. (My favorite kind of hero!)
Enter Grace Farrell, a brilliant scientist who’s lived her entire life inside a university laboratory, working on research that could save lives and change the world. Grace doesn’t get out much, to say the least, but she’s about to invade Logan’s world in a major way!
Optimistic, scholarly Grace and cynical, worldly Logan couldn’t be more different from each other. But to me, there’s no notion more romantic than the concept of “Opposites Attract.” It’s going to take a lot to get these two diametrical opposites together, but they’ll definitely find it’s worth it in the end. It doesn’t hurt that the story takes place on the Caribbean island of Alleria with its white sand beaches, tropical rain forest, hidden lagoons and turquoise waters. I can’t think of a more beautiful setting for romance.
I hope you enjoy Logan and Grace’s story! Please stop by my website, www.katecarlisle.com, and let me know. While there, you’ll find pictures and links to some of the fantasy resorts I dreamed about while writing this story, as well as background stories and fun facts about me and my books.
Happy reading!
Kate
About the Author
New York Times bestselling author KATE CARLISLE was born and raised by the beach in Southern California. After more than twenty years in television production, Kate turned to writing the types of mysteries and romance novels she always loved to read. She still lives by the beach in Southern California with her husband, and when they’re not taking long walks in the sand or cooking or reading or painting or taking bookbinding classes or trying to learn a new language, they’re traveling the world, visiting family and friends in the strangest places. Kate loves to hear from readers. Visit her website, www.katecarlisle.com.
An Innocent
in Paradise
Kate Carlisle
To my four favorite plotters,
Susan Mallery, Maureen Child, Christine Rimmer and Theresa Southwick. Thanks so much for the inspiration, motivation, support, threats and laughs. Drinks are on me, ladies!
One
Logan Sutherland was strolling toward the hotel lobby of the exclusive Alleria Resort when the jarring sound of shattering glass reverberated from the cocktail lounge.
“Price of doing business,” Logan muttered. But he stopped and listened for another moment.
And heard nothing. Not a sound.
“Hell,” he said, and checked his watch. The conference call was scheduled to start in fifteen minutes. He didn’t have time for this. But the ominous silence made him change direction and head for the bar.
Logan and his twin brother, Aidan, had made their fortunes designing and operating exotic, upscale cocktail bars in high-end hotels all over the world. So the sound of breaking glassware was rarely a cause for alarm. But in his experience, the breakage was invariably followed by raucous cheers, jeers and laughter. Never silence.
Silence meant something was wrong. And Logan Sutherland was not a man who allowed things to go wrong without doing something about it.
He walked into the casually elegant bar and noted that the sound level still hadn’t risen, even though the place was busy and most of the tables were occupied by hotel guests having a good time. Cocktail waitresses and waiters moved swiftly from table to table, serving drinks and appetizers. The quiet was disconcerting.
A small group of his people were gathered in a knot at the far end of the long bar, all of them crouched on the floor. He approached the head bartender on duty. “What’s going on, Sam?”
Sam flicked his chin toward the other end of the bar. “New cocktail waitress dropped a full tray of drinks.”
“Why is it so quiet?”
Sam took a few seconds to study the drink station halfway down the long bar where two junior bartenders were efficiently refilling the drink orders. Then he turned and made eye contact with Logan. “We’re all a little worried about her, boss.”
“Why?” Logan glanced again at the small crowd. “Did she cut herself?”
He lifted a shoulder. “Naw, she’s just a real sweet kid. It wouldn’t be nice to laugh at her.”
Logan frowned at the brawny former Marine, then turned to get a better look at the new employee.
The small group of servers and busboys picked up the last of the big chunks of broken glass and dispersed, heading back to their own stations. One waitress remained as a busboy swept the residual shards of glass into a dustpan. Then she knelt down and, with several bar towels, sopped up the rest of the liquid.
“Thank you so much, Paolo,” the waitress said, and squeezed the busboy’s arm affectionately. He took the clump of towels from her and she headed back to the drinks station. That’s when Logan got his first look at the “real sweet kid.” And felt a solid wall of heat almost knock him off his footing.
His second thought was: Hope she’s wearing sunblock, because her skin was so pale and smooth and creamy.
His first thought had been vividly X-rated and not suitable for discussion in mixed company.
And none of that made him happy.
She was a classic redhead with a peaches-and-cream complexion and a light dusting of freckles across her nose. Thick, dark red hair tumbled down her back in rich, lustrous waves. In her official uniform of bikini top and filmy sarong, Logan couldn’t help but notice she had a world-class butt and perfect breasts.
She was tall, a quality Logan preferred in his women—not that it mattered, since he didn’t have time for or interest in a relationship right now. On the other hand, who said anything about a relationship? He could always make time for sex. Maybe he ought to rethink his schedule since staring at her was causing him to calculate how quickly it would take to get her into his bed.
She walked with the sort of poise that some tall women possessed naturally. That made the fact that she’d spilled a large tray of drinks even more baffling to him, since she didn’t seem clumsy at all. On the contrary, she appeared confident and self-assured. Smart. Hard to believe she’d ever spilled anything in her life.
So what kind of game was she playing?
Logan