Caribbean Crush (Under the Caribbean Sun) Page 7
“Good thing I have the perfect teacher.” He winked and she couldn’t help herself. She reached up and pulled him to her, kissing him with a passion she’d never found for anyone else. Because this had always been more than a crush.
About the Author
Jenna Bayley-Burke is known for her fun, sexy romance novels, baking banana bread and over-volunteering. She thinks she has the best jobs in the world–mother, wife and author. When she’s not lost in her latest story, she can be found pursuing whatever hobby her characters are enamored with–photography, Zumba, shoes, gardening, crafts and cooking up a storm. For more on Jenna check out her website www.jennabayleyburke.com.
Look for these titles by Jenna Bayley-Burke
Now Available:
Her Cinderella Complex
Par for the Course
Compromising Positions
Pride & Passion
Private Scandal
For Kicks
Drive Me Crazy
Under The Caribbean Sun
Caribbean Christmas
Caribbean Casanova
Of all the islands in all the world, she’s come to his
Caribbean Casanova
© 2013 Jenna Bayley-Burke
Under the Caribbean Sun, Book 2
Holly Hansen has sacrificed too much to let anything—especially a man—get in the way of making her clothing line a success. When she arrives on the island of Anguilla, she zeroes in on the biggest threat to her make-or-break photo shoot. At six-and-a-half foot of sculpted Dutch muscle, Harmannus Prinsen is every inch the womanizer of Caribbean legend, but he will not be seducing any of her models. She knows exactly how to make sure of it. Make the girls think he’s taken.
Harm is stunned when the curvaceous beauty greets him with a mind-numbing kiss. She’s the embodiment of every pin-up portrait he collected as a teen, with a sassy tongue and a body that begs for his touch. Sure, he’ll pretend to be her date…but only if they really date.
Despite her best efforts to remain immune to his charms, Holly finds herself falling for the man behind the myth. She begins to wonder which island she belongs on…Manhattan or Anguilla.
Warning: Contains an island bad boy with an orgasmic library, and a career-focused heroine who learns that being the focus of one man’s…attentions…isn’t so bad. Clothing optional.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Caribbean Casanova:
Harm cleared his throat. “Your manners need some work.”
She faked a laugh. “As does your sense of decorum. Do you own a shirt?”
He turned slightly, angling himself towards her. “You can’t play the prude with me. I know better. Women are not born knowing how to kiss the way you do.”
She went ahead and rolled her eyes at that one. And at the way his praise flattered her. “We’ve barely kissed. Your infamous reputation is based on quantity, not quality. Maybe you should be more discerning. And you need to stay away from my models.”
He stepped to the side and blocked her view of the beach. “You know, I’ve had about enough of this. The world doesn’t revolve around you, sweetheart. You bring a dozen women to Anguilla and assume I have nothing better to do than chase tail. Sassy tells me I can’t sleep with them. You tell me I can’t touch them. Which I have no intention of doing because I don’t need this kind of drama. But if you think you can tell me I can’t enter a house that I own because your models happen to be in it, you’re not just on the bus to crazy town, you’re driving it.”
Oh, how she hated it when he had a point. “You expect me to just sit back and let you screw the models one by one until I have a massive catfight on my hands? I can’t afford the delays that would cause. That’s why I agreed to your little plan. But I’m not game for having everyone think I’m some victim to be pitied because my man can’t keep it in his pants.”
He held up a finger. “First, making us a couple was your idea. I’m just using it for our mutual benefit.” He held up another finger. “Second, I have no interest whatsoever in laying down any of your models.”
“Oh, please. You disappear all afternoon and then turn up in the bungalow the models are changing in. Yeah, your motives are real pure.”
“Jealous much, Holly?”
Oh my lands, this man was going to have her rolling her eyes so much they’d wind up on the sand. “I don’t care where you stick it, so long as it doesn’t interfere with my business.”
“I think you do. But we’ll talk about that at dinner.”
“Excuse me? I’m not going to dinner with you.”
“Yes, you are. That’s why I was looking for you. Your shoot will be wrapped for the night and then you’re mine.”
“I’ll never be yours.”
He had the nerve to wink. “We’ll see about that. But first we’re going to adjust your attitude.”
“My attitude will be downright cheery if you stay out of my business.”
“You don’t want me to do that, sweetheart.” He leaned closer, so near she had to breathe in the clean, musky scent of man he’d already managed to tattoo on her brain. “Don’t you want to know exactly where I am when the sun goes down? To make sure I’m not doing something to someone else that you want me to do to you?”
Her chest squeezed around her thundering heart, but Holly knew how to appear cool even if she was flaming with rage. Saskia was right. He was a control freak bent on turning everything into his personal puppet show. Too bad for him she’d be the one pulling the strings.
“Why, Harm, I think you have a little crush on me.” She tilted her head to the side and pasted on her fakest smile. When he double blinked and squared his broad shoulders, she grinned for real.
“Sweetheart, you can tell yourself whatever you want. But if you want people to think we’re a couple, your time is mine when there is no light to take your pictures.”
“So you can prove to Janny you can be a boyfriend and not just a hot vacation story? What’s the deal with you two? Is she an old flame you’re trying to woo back?”
He shuddered, his nose wrinkling in disgust. Okay, so she’d missed that mark.
“I don’t care what anyone thinks of me, but I won’t allow anyone to tread on my brother’s happiness.”
“Including yourself?”
He stood too close, the setting sun painting the sky in sharp orange and bright pink behind him. She had nowhere to look but his dark eyes. If she dropped her gaze she’d wind up studying the pattern of his sparse chest hair again, noting how the whorls defined his honed muscles even more. Curiosity to discover whether it felt silky or rough had her squeezing her fists until her nails bit into her palms. Of all the men to be attracted to. “You don’t think messing with the models and jeopardizing the shoot will hurt Joe?”
“Everything you’re worried about has only happened in your overactive imagination.” He lifted his chin and his beard emphasized his strong jaw.
“I didn’t imagine you flirting in the bungalow.” She took a step to the side and focused on the photo shoot, everyone there a flurry of activity trying to get the last shots in.
“I was there looking for you to tell you about dinner.”
The quickest way to love isn’t always a straight line.
Drive Me Crazy
© 2012 Jenna Bayley-Burke
This was supposed to be Xavier Moreau’s long-awaited vacation. A few precious weeks away from his over-scheduled career to see the America his mother loved and still make it to his best friend’s wedding in time. Instead, he’s ferrying the bridezilla’s sister to the nuptials. The luscious Jaime Cruz makes his mouth water, but her near-frenzy to get to Oregon now would scrape on his last nerve—if he didn’t sense that she needs the break as much as he does.
Fresh off a teaching assignment in D.C., Jaime’s white knuckling it. She’s got only three weeks to get home, find a job and a place to live, and ensure her sister’s big day comes off without a hitch. Except Xavier tosses her three-days-or-bust itinerary out the window. Even more anno
ying, Jaime finds herself succumbing to his relentless determination to make sure she enjoys every minute of the trip. And falling under the spell of his sizzling touch.
Three weeks and three thousand miles later, Jaime’s feet are on home ground, but her heart is pulling her in a completely unexpected direction. Toward Xavier and a new journey that will require the ultimate leap of faith.
Caution! Dangerous curves ahead. Do not enter if you might be spooked by haunted hotels, embarrassed by sex in the great outdoors, or fear you might yield to a devastating Frenchman willing to drive you to distraction.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Drive Me Crazy:
She plopped down on the bed next to him. “Does suce moi, fumer le cigar mean what I think it means?”
He coughed, his eyes widening. “Excusez-moi?”
“That’s why I got a ticket. You talk in your sleep, and I was trying to figure out what you were dreaming about, and who. Since you’re being all high and mighty, tell me, what did you dream about?”
He shook his head. “You can’t exactly blame me. You’ve been taunting me for days, the way you move, the way you look at me, the way you keep flipping your hair over your shoulder so I’ll notice it.”
She so did not flip her hair. “I could say the same thing. All these unexpected stops and dallying could just be your way of keeping us on the road until you get me into bed.”
With lightning quickness, he rolled her onto her back, his large frame looming over her. “Mission accomplished.”
She squirmed beneath him, raising her knee slightly, just in case he tried anything funny. Being surrounded by the scent of sandalwood and sin might be tempting, if she didn’t want to shake some sense into his block head. “This is not helping.”
“No?” He dipped his head and grazed his lips over one temple, then the other. “Is it helping you forget how angry you want to be?”
Her body betrayed her. Her nipples tightened and heat swirled low in her belly.
His gaze moved down her body and then back to her face. “See, it’s working already. All the problems will be there in the morning, just waiting for you to worry about them then.” The sensual contours of his lips caressed the tension from her forehead, easing her eyes closed as his kiss continued downward.
“This will make one more thing for me to worry about.” Her protests sounded weak even to her. There was something about proximity to this man that drugged her, released her inhibitions along with her higher-order thought processes.
“You won’t, I promise.”
“I’ll worry about what my sister will say.” She turned her head to the side, which he took as an invitation to plant a scathing row of kisses along the column of her neck. Her libido fluttered and stretched like a butterfly about to take flight.
“Don’t tell her anything you don’t want to.”
Why was she protesting? She wanted him with an intensity that terrified her. Maybe that was the real problem. Their bodies had been buzzing with attraction for three days. If she kept fighting it she might spontaneously combust. “You won’t tell Trent?”
“He doesn’t want to know that his sister-in-law has an amazing ass, trust me.” His hand roved down her body, grazing the side of her breast, the soft swell of her stomach, the curve of her hip.
She giggled and shifted as he tugged the nightgown up over her thighs. “You think my ass is amazing?”
“I’m dying to find out, but you’ve been so busy hating me I haven’t had a chance.” His fingers snaked below the hem of the nightdress, reaching around to cup her bottom.
“You’ve been so busy driving me crazy, I haven’t wanted to let you.” She had, but she didn’t want to give in too easily.
“But you do now.” He rolled to his side, pulling the nightgown up and over her head, leaving her bare before him.
“I got my first speeding ticket. I’m feeling reckless.” Reckless and making quick decisions, terrified of returning to the girl she used to be and losing the woman she’d become, a woman confident enough to know what she wanted, who cared more about her opinion of herself than the judgments of others.
She reached for his waistband, and with a firm push, she leveled the playing field. He quickly kicked his shorts off the rest of the way and tossed them to the floor.
He claimed her mouth in a hot and desperate kiss that was everything she wanted and everything she feared.
There was something about him that was unlike anything she’d ever known, ever experienced. Perhaps that’s what kept her guard up with him. But it was down now, and the time for worrying would come with the morning light. Now was the time to release her frustrations, to show him who she could be when she wasn’t wrapped up in making everyone else happy.
Xavier seemed determined to make her happy with his fingers, his mouth and other parts farther south she hadn’t allowed herself a peek at yet. With the slightest push, she rolled him to his back and climbed astride him.
She set her lips to his in a kiss that burned hotter than any that had come before. Hungry, demanding and possessive to the point of frightening.
He opened for her, granting her entrance to explore, capture, enjoy. Their tongues writhed in a seductive dance akin to the one happening between their bare bodies. The skin-on-skin contact flamed her desire for more.
“Do you–”
By magic, he read her mind and showed her the small foil packet in his hand.
“You were that sure of yourself?”
He had the nerve to kiss her again. She thought of biting his lip, but only for a fleeting moment. She looked down into the murky depths of his green eyes and realized there were much better things they could be doing.
Caribbean Crush
Jenna Bayley-Burke
If you can’t stand the heat, stay away from old flames.
Under the Caribbean Sun, Book 3
The second Antonnis Prinsen sees his old flame, he knows she’s the lifeline to keep him from drowning in his brother’s matrimonial mayhem. It’s been years since they’ve talked, but surely by now she understands that a clean break was best. Instead of making a smooth re-introduction into her life, he finds his path blocked by a giant iguana. And Kristin looking at him as if he’s lower than the reptile.
Kristin Taylor spent her youth tangled up in Antonnis, but then he cut ties and disappeared. Now she leads a full and orderly life—until she finds herself walking down the aisle beside him. Thank goodness, it’s only to see his brother and her friend tie the knot.
Except Antonnis seems intent on picking up where they left off, and she has to admit she still has a weakness for him. Especially when he tempts her with an irresistible offer—one hot night, and this time she gets the chance to leave him cold.
Warning: Beware of signature cocktails and old flames rekindled. Either one will weaken your resolve—and your knees—before you know what’s hit you.
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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
11821 Mason Montgomery Road Suite 4B
Cincinnati OH 45249
Caribbean Crush
Copyright © 2013 by Jenna Bayley-Burke
ISBN: 978-1-61921-828-4
Edited by Heidi Moore
Cover by Angela Waters
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: November 2013
www.samhainpublishing.com
Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
About the Author
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