No Strings... (Harlequin Blaze)

chapter 5



CHLOE MET AIDEN for a late morning brunch in the dining room, where they enjoyed an elaborate spread of food ranging from health-conscious dishes to rich, gourmet cuisine. There was something for everyone, and so far she was impressed with the resort’s selection of meal options, and the service, too.

She finished off her banana fosters crepe, and the efficient waitstaff promptly cleared her plate and refilled her cup with fresh, steaming coffee before she could even ask. She stirred cream and sugar into the brew and glanced across the table at Aiden, who’d just taken the last bite of his fully loaded omelet.

Today they were wearing matching red wristbands, indicating they were a couple, and so far, the ruse was working. None of the other singles approached them, which allowed both her and Aiden to just relax and do what they’d come to St. Raphael to accomplish.

“What are you in the mood to do today?” she asked him.

A wicked grin tipped up one corner of his mouth. “Is that a trick question?”

No, it wasn’t, but after that heated kiss on the plane and feeling his hard, masculine body moving rhythmically against hers as they’d danced last night, she could think of a dozen different things she’d rather do with him than the various ice-breaker activities the resort had to offer. But those more erotic, get-naked-and-burn-up-the-sheets-together type games weren’t an option for them, despite how much she wished otherwise.

“I was talking about what’s on the list of organized activities scheduled for the afternoon and evening,” she said, passing him the single sheet of paper listing the day’s events. “Is there anything in particular you’d like to check out?”

He leaned back in his chair and looked over their options. “There’s certainly a lot to choose from.”

She agreed. The activity director had covered the gamut of recreational offerings, from the basic getting-to-know-you trivia contests to the more lively, physically interactive games for those who enjoyed a bit more adventure and uninhibited fun. Each event was rated from mild to wild, so there was no confusing the level of sexual content in each activity.

Aiden glanced at his wristwatch. “Looks like there’s a golf tournament starting in half an hour.”

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Forget about it. Golf is one of the most boring sports ever.”

“How about the wet and wild T-shirt competition?” he suggested, and waggled his brows at her way too lasciviously.

He was such a guy. “Only if you’ll agree to learn the cha-cha with me,” she replied just as audaciously.

He visibly cringed at her suggestion, though the laughter in his eyes gave him away. “Okay, I guess neither of those things will be happening.”

There were a few activities on the list that no longer applied to them since they were now a couple. There was no need for the speed dating event, or any of the other singles mixers, so Chloe figured they might as well choose something fun and entertaining.

After taking a sip of her coffee, she tossed out the one idea that appealed to her the most. “I was thinking that the risqué charades could be kind of amusing to watch, but that’s not for another two hours.”

“That would give us some time to walk around the resort and check things out now that everything is in full swing.”

She nodded. “That’s a good idea. I also want to talk to Ricardo about setting up a time frame tomorrow for him to take certain pictures for my presentation.”

“I need to do the same thing.” He placed his napkin on his empty plate and stood, looking extremely handsome in a casual gray polo and khaki cargo shorts. The man pulled off the executive look as well as a more casual style with equal aplomb. “Shall we?”

She joined him, and together they walked out of the hotel to the pool and lounge area. The sun was shining, making it a beautiful, cloudless day, perfect for outdoor activities. The area was quickly filling up with singles and couples, and laughter rang out as a nearby drinking game at the underground pool bar turned a bit rowdy. Other men and women were heading down a pathway that led to the beach to enjoy a swim in the ocean, or participate in the ongoing volleyball game on the sand.

Waiters carrying trays of fruity rum drinks aptly named “Love Potion” seemed to be everywhere. Chloe grabbed one for herself and Aiden as they watched a Ping-Pong tournament for a while before moving on to the game of bikini Twister that had them at times cringing and chuckling out loud as nearly naked, oil-slicked bodies vied for space on the overly large Twister mat. Each turn of the spinner had the men and women switching into very interesting and compromising positions that Chloe couldn’t imagine executing in a public place.

“I’d love to see the greenhouse they have here on the island,” Chloe said, ready for something a bit more low-key and quiet. “Want to join me?”

He gave a nonchalant shrug. “Sure. We still have a little bit of time to kill before charades.”

Chloe swapped out her empty glass for a refill of the fruity cocktail, then followed the signs pointing the way toward the botanical garden. The sounds of calypso music faded the farther away they walked from the hotel, while the lush green foliage and bright flowers and shrubbery increased. Most of the plants along the way were labeled with their name, origin and description. The intoxicating scent of jasmine hung in the air, seductive and alluring...as if pulling Chloe toward a magical place.

She sipped on her drink as the narrow pathway eventually gave way to a smaller, more intimate area, with a gazebo and greenhouse filled with beautiful, vivid flowers. Intrigued, Chloe gravitated toward the glass-enclosed nursery, and Aiden followed. As soon as they stepped inside, they were wrapped in humidity and the perfumed scent of flowers.

With no one else around, it was quiet and peaceful, and stunningly beautiful. Chloe wasn’t one to stop and smell the roses, so to speak, but she was completely in awe of all the beauty surrounding her. She and Aiden walked along the rows of floral displays, taking in the dozens of exotic blooms in brilliant hues, and more species of orchids than she realized existed—all labeled with names and descriptions.

Drawn to a unique cluster of fuchsia flowers that looked like a cross between a lily and an orchid, she studied the blossoms, fascinated by the way the inside folds looked similar to a woman’s vulva, with a small nub resembling a *oris, while the thick stamen gave the impression of a very large, erect penis.

“This one looks like a combination of female and male genitalia,” she murmured in amusement, her thoughts tumbling out of her mouth thanks to the alcohol loosening her tongue.

Aiden moved closer to get a better look, the warmth of his body and the brush of his arm against hers causing her nipples to tighten in awareness. Everything inside this greenhouse—the steamy humidity, the drugging scent in the air, the erotic flowers—made her think of sex.

“The flower definitely has a lot of similarities,” he agreed, his voice low and huskier than normal, as if he, too, was affected by the sensual atmosphere.

Drawn to the bright pink flower, Chloe reached out to caress the protruding yellow stamen—even though she knew better than to touch something so fragile.

“Hello, you two,” a soft female voice said from behind them, causing Chloe to snap out of her weird trance and snatch her hand back before she could make contact with the fuzzy stalk.

Startled by the fact that they weren’t alone as she’d originally thought, both she and Aiden turned around to face the person who’d spoken—an older woman, probably in her sixties, with dark brown skin, warm brown eyes and a kind, welcoming smile. She was wearing a colorful caftan dress with billowing sleeves and her hair was wrapped atop her head in multiple braids entwined with colorful strips of fabric.

“We didn’t realize someone else was here,” Aiden said.

“I’m the greenhouse caretaker,” the other woman explained, spreading her arms wide to encompass the area, her voice filled with pride. “My name is Hattie, but here on the island, they call me the matchmaker.”

“To tie in to the theme here at the resort?” Chloe guessed, curious to know the woman’s angle.

Something mystical twinkled in the older woman’s eyes. “Some would say so, but while the resort has managed to find a way to modernize a love connection between two people, I still prefer to do things the old-fashioned way.”

Chloe wasn’t sure what the woman meant by that, but before she or Aiden could ask, Hattie spoke once again.

“It’s nice to have some visitors. With the resort offering so many activities, not many travel down this path to the greenhouse,” she said, her gaze seemingly scrutinizing the two of them with a discerning amount of insight. “Usually just the couples with a romantic soul.”

Chloe resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She didn’t want to offend the woman. But she couldn’t help but wonder if Hattie was feeding them a line, to make it seem as though the greenhouse possessed some sort of mysterious, enchanting properties. Then again, hadn’t Chloe just been mesmerized by that erotic flower she’d nearly touched?

Hattie glanced at the matching red bands on their wrists, a knowing smile curving the corner of her lips. “I love seeing when two people find their soul mate early on in the week.”

Realizing that the woman thought she and Aiden were a real couple, Chloe shook her head. “Oh, we’re not together that way,” she quickly clarified. “The bracelets are just a distraction. We’re one of the ad agencies here to work on a marketing campaign for the resort. This is just a pretense so we don’t have to mingle like everyone else.”

Hattie moved to a row of plants on a long table and tested the soil with her fingers before plucking away a few wilting leaves. “Trust me, the two of you were meant for one another.”

Hattie’s statement couldn’t have been further from the truth, but there was a calm certainty in her voice that made Chloe’s heart skip a weird beat.

Aiden shifted besides Chloe. “How do you know that the two of us are...uh, soul mates?” he asked.

Chloe frowned at him and his question. Had he really gotten sucked into the woman’s claim that she had the ability to predict a couple’s compatibility? The man was far more intelligent than that, but he appeared truly interested in the woman’s reply.

“The easiest answer is your pheromones,” she said with a shrug. “I can’t give away all my secrets, but I come from a very long line of matchmakers, and I’m rarely, if ever, wrong about my predictions.”

“So, when couples happen into your greenhouse, you can just sense their compatibility?” he asked, a skeptical note in his voice.

“Yes, I just know,” she said with the conviction of a woman who was confident in her abilities. “But everyone always seems to want some sort of tangible proof in order to believe my claim. This very unique hybrid flower, which is native to this island, provides that.” She indicated the bright pink flower that Chloe had nearly touched. “I call it the flower of love. I like to think it represents love and passion, because that’s the results it produces.”

“What does it do?” Chloe asked, curious despite her very practical nature.

Hattie smiled. “When a couple touches the stamen at the same time, it changes color. Sometimes it’s two different colors, which indicates incompatibility. But when the color is the same, well, that’s when the true magic of love happens. Would the two of you like to give it a try?”

Chloe’s heart was suddenly beating hard and fast in her chest, and she wasn’t sure why. She was torn between wanting to scoff at such nonsense, yet she was tempted to see how the whole color-change thing worked. And did she really want to know the results she and Aiden produced?

Aiden made the decision for them. “What the hell,” he said unexpectedly. “Let’s do it.”

Alrighty then. Chloe exhaled a deep breath, and reached toward the flower the same time that Aiden did. With her thumb and forefinger, she lightly grasped the stamen, right below where Aiden touched. Beneath the pad of their fingers, a deep, dark purple hue saturated the delicate stalk.

“Ahhh,” Hattie said, her voice infused with satisfaction and excitement. “Desire, lust and love. I was right. The two of you are extremely compatible.”

Chloe quickly pulled her hand back, while Aidan did so more casually. She couldn’t dispute the desire simmering between them, but the other emotion Hattie spoke of, well, that she could argue. “We’re not in love.”

Hattie tipped her head to the side, her brown eyes gentle yet insistent. “But you have the potential to be, if you open yourselves up to it.”

* * *

AS THEY WALKED back to the resort a few minutes later, Chloe cast a glance at Aiden, who’d been oddly quiet since the older woman’s spiel. “So, what do you think of Hattie the Matchmaker and her claims?”

“Do I believe she just knows that two people belong together, with or without that flower trick?” He shook his head, clearly a man who thought in pragmatic terms. “No, I don’t. However, I think I just found my marketing angle for my campaign.”

“Really?” No wonder Aiden had asked so many questions, and had so willingly gone along with all of Hattie’s antics. “So, you’re going to spin the fact that St. Raphael has an actual, old-fashioned matchmaker on the island?”

“Absolutely.” He gave her a smug smile. “And I’m going to make it work in a way that’s going to increase the resort’s exposure and gives them an added edge over their competition.” He grabbed her hand and picked up their pace along the walkway. “Come on, we need to hustle or we’re going to be late for the risqué charades.”

Liking the feel of her hand enclosed in his, Chloe tried not to read too much into the gesture, though it did make her feel a little warm and mushy inside. Or maybe that light, pleasant buzz she was experiencing was a result of that second love potion drink. As she looked at Aiden’s face, she could see that his mental gears were already churning out ideas for his presentation, and she had to admit that using Hattie and her traditional methods of matchmaking, beyond standard compatibility quizzes, would provide a unique twist to Aiden’s campaign.

He’d just verbally staked a claim to Hattie and her matchmaking knowledge—which they’ve done plenty of times in the past to make sure the other person didn’t latch on to the same idea, too. Now Chloe just had to find a bigger and better hook for her own presentation. She had something in mind, but wasn’t quite ready to share her concept just yet.

Back inside the hotel, they entered the room for the charades just as the men and women were in the process of dividing into teams. Chloe intended to sit on the sidelines and just enjoy the show, but when one of the teams came up short a couple, she and Aiden were recruited to play. With a little alcohol in her system, it didn’t take long for her to put the incident at the greenhouse out of her mind, loosen up and get into the spirit of the game...and the competition.

Each couple drew a phrase from a large glass bowl, and a timer was set for three minutes. Back and forth the teams battled for supremacy, playacting the expression or sentence they’d been given, which ranged from a couple having sex on a sandy beach, skinny dipping in the ocean, impatient newlyweds on their wedding night, to a couple playing nurse and doctor.

More rum cocktails were served, and inhibitions were shed as everyone got into character to execute their scenes. The sketches were at times bawdy and X-rated, and hilarious to watch unfold as different guesses were shouted out. Chloe’s sides ached from so much laughter.

She and Aiden managed to avoid being chosen until the very end of the game, when it came down to a win-or-lose tiebreaker for their group. Since they were the only couple who hadn’t performed, it was up to them to score the last point in order for their team to win.

“Bring it on!” someone on their team cheered as Chloe and Aiden stepped up to the small staging area.

Chloe flashed Aiden a sassy smile. “You know I don’t like to lose at anything, so you’d better bring your A-game.”

“You’re such an overachiever,” he teased as he reached into the glass bowl and randomly withdrew one of the crumpled pieces of paper.

She rubbed her hands together. “Failure is not an option for me.”

He unfolded the paper, silently read their phrase and grinned like a tempting rogue. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

Judging by the sinful look on his face, Chloe was certain he’d selected one of the more daring expressions—but then again, this was risqué charades so she’d expected something outrageous. “You know I love a good challenge.”

“Well, then, here you go.” He revealed the act they had to execute.

Making out in the backseat of a car.

Getting their team to guess “backseat of a car” was a fairly easy process and took less than thirty seconds of their time. After that Chloe and Aiden embraced in order to playact the first part of the parody. Their bodies entwined and Aiden ran his flattened palms up and down her back while she threaded her fingers through his hair in an attempt to look like frenzied teenagers in the throes of passion. The only thing not touching were their lips. Chloe was pretty certain that Aiden was trying to avoid a repeat performance of yesterday’s kiss.

Unfortunately, everyone on their team shouted out words that were close to the phrase, but not an exact match. There was groping, feeling up, hugging and heavy petting, but no “making out.”

“You have one minute left,” someone yelled.

With time running out, and the lingering effects of the love potion drink coursing through Chloe’s system and bolstering her courage, she decided to give their onlookers the real deal. No way was she going to let them lose this one last point because she hadn’t given all she had to beat the competition. Not if she could help it.

Sliding her fingers around to the back of Aiden’s head, she pulled his mouth down to hers. The moment their lips touched, everything around Chloe faded away, except for her desire for this man who tempted her like no other. There was no hesitation on his part, either, just a mutual hunger that promised all sorts of wanton pleasure.

Despite having an audience, there was nothing sweet or chaste about this kiss. With a rumbling groan she felt, more than heard from Aiden, his tongue touched and tangled with hers, sweeping deep inside her mouth to dominate and possess. His hands got into the action, too, skimming along the outside of her thighs and grabbing her ass to simulate the phrase that no one had guessed yet.

Excitement sent Chloe’s pulse racing and had her body melting into a pool of lust and need. Kissing Aiden was akin to the most delicious kind of foreplay, providing a hot tease of what other carnal delights his mouth and tongue were capable of giving.

Lost in pure unadulterated sensation, she was having a difficult time remembering that they were playing charades, that this was all pretend for the sake of a game. Her attraction to Aiden was real and undeniable, and in that wild moment of abandon, she wasn’t sure she wanted to resist him any longer.

Her decision was absolute craziness, she knew. The risks involved were enormous, but being here on this secluded island, where no one knew who they were, was to their benefit, as well. Far away from work, prying eyes, and rules and restrictions, they had the perfect opportunity to finally indulge in what they both wanted—each other—without the worry of being caught. A quickie affair to diminish all the sexual tension burning between them. They could return to Boston and the firm with a clear head, completely focused on their respective campaigns.

Outside of her current sensual universe, she heard cheers and catcalls because of their avid embrace, and finally, through all the commotion, someone shouted out the correct phrase, “making out in the backseat of a car,” giving their team the last point they needed to win the entire game.

She pulled back and ended the kiss, and for a long moment they stared at one another, breathless and aroused, while their team celebrated their success around them.

“I’m beginning to think that maybe you really are an exhibitionist,” she said, referring to the comment he’d made to her last night on the dance floor. “You quite enjoyed that kiss and certainly didn’t hold back.”

He didn’t deny her allegation as he slowly released her, so that their bodies were no longer intimately entangled. “I’ll admit, you have a good game strategy, Reiss.”

She flashed him a daring grin full of sass. “Who said that kiss was a game?”

With that, she walked away from him. She could feel Aiden staring after her, pondering her parting remark, and knew she’d just given him a whole lot to think about—which is exactly what she’d intended. Because tonight, at dinner, she was going to turn up the heat and let him decide if he was interested in taking the bait.