It Started In Paradise

“We’ve known each other since we were kids, attended the same schools and lived within the same social circles for years and there’s still a lot I don’t know about you.”

“You’re right,” Chloe acknowledged.

“We should do something about that.” His desire flew past his lips before he had a chance to filter the thought.

Chloe cleared her throat.

“How about dinner tomorrow night?” Why waste time, Donovan thought. He wanted to learn more about Chloe Chandler and he had no intentions of toying with his interest. “I know a beautiful place on the other side of the island.”

“That should be fine.” Chloe looked at her watch and then looked toward the resort’s entrance. “Let me check with Jewel and make sure—”

“Just you and I,” Donovan interjected.

“Oh...” Chloe’s surprise and coyness made him smile once again.

“I’m sure Jewel wouldn’t mind but do check with her to make sure. I wouldn’t want her to feel left out.” The fact that Jewel had never returned from her “bathroom” run wasn’t lost on him. Jewel was rooting for him and he was sure that she was intentionally giving them space.

“I’ll do that.” Chloe looked at the door again before sitting back.

“It’s been a while. I don’t think she’s coming back,” Donovan responded to Chloe’s constant looking back toward the hotel.

“Maybe I should go check on her. She did have quite a few of those rum cocktails.”

Donovan stood. “Come on.” He held his hand out. “I’ll walk you to your suite.”

Chloe looked at him for a moment before taking his outstretched hand. A quick current shot through him when their palms touched. Donovan liked it. He wondered if she felt it, too, and if she did, had she enjoyed it as much as he had?

Helping Chloe to her feet, he held on until she tamed her billowing dress from the gusty ocean breeze. Donovan deliberately slowed to an unhurried stride as they made their way into the hotel. Remembering his former years, he chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” Chloe asked.

“Did you know I had a crush on you back in high school?”

Chloe’s mouth fell open. “Really?”

“Yeah!”

“I never would have thought that, especially with all those girls that hung around you and your brother all of the time.”

“Those were just friends.” Donovan dismissed her comment with a flick of his hand.

“Yeah, right. Friends with benefits I’m sure.”

Donovan’s reply was a hearty laugh. “Maybe,” he finally said. He couldn’t deny the truth. As a star basketball player, he always had a healthy following of girls vying for his attention. “You always seemed so mature back then.”

“People always said that. I think it’s that oldest-child thing. I had to watch over my siblings and be the responsible one.”

“That’s not always fun,” Donovan said.

They had reached the door to the resort. Chloe paused with a faraway look in her eyes. “Sometimes I resented always being the responsible one.” She shook her head. “I missed out on a lot of fun.”

“It’s never too late,” Donovan said. Chloe shrugged as she walked through the door while Donovan held it open. “There’s no better time than the present.”

“I’m too old for that stuff now.” Chloe waved off his notion, continuing toward the elevator.

“You’ve always played it safe, huh?”

Chloe responded with a nod.

“No wonder I never saw you at the parties.”

“I bet you saw Jewel there.” Donovan nodded, confirming her suspicion, and Chloe tittered. “I remember her sneaking out her bedroom window. She hasn’t changed much, you know.”

“Oh, I know.” Donovan raised a brow and pressed the call button for the elevator.

They continued reminiscing about the years behind them, reaching her hotel suite far too soon. They stood silently for a moment.

“Are we on for dinner tomorrow?” Donovan leaned against the wall.

“I’ll let you know for sure tomorrow. Is that okay?”

“Not a problem.” Donovan leaned forward and kissed her cheek as if it was the most natural thing. “See you soon,” he said after she opened the door. “Good night, Jewel,” he said loud enough for her to hear from the hallway.

“Good night, Don,” Jewel yelled back.

Taking in the surprised look on Chloe’s face, Donovan grinned, winked and headed down the hall back toward the elevator. It was apparent that Chloe was the last to realize that Jewel truly did leave them alone on purpose.

Donovan was thankful for her intuition. He looked forward to spending more time with Chloe the next evening. Jewel’s actions tonight let him know he had an ally and he planned to use her help to satisfy his curiosity about Chloe.

Chapter 5 (#u31e36d9c-0fb0-5d42-99a7-1ae874060ddc)

“Jewel!” Chloe shrieked when she had closed the hotel room door behind her. Jewel tucked her head into her shoulders and giggled. “You just left me out there by myself?”

“You weren’t by yourself. Donovan was there,” Jewel said matter-of-factly. She closed her laptop, got up from the desk and lay across the couch.

“You know what I mean.” Chloe rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth. She wasn’t really mad at Jewel, she just wished she’d given her a heads-up about leaving her alone with Donovan. “You could have said you weren’t coming back out.”

Jewel flopped on the couch, hit the mute button on the remote and faced Chloe. “Then you would have tried to come with me. Did you have a nice conversation?”

Chloe sat on the sofa, fixing a narrowed gaze on Jewel. “What made you think I wanted to be alone with him?”

“I knew that he wanted to be alone with you. You should have seen the way he stared when you started singing. That man was mesmerized. I thought he had fallen in love right then and there.” Jewel sat up suddenly. “Did you know he had a crush on you when we were in high school?”

“He told me tonight. How’d you know?” Chloe parked one hand on her hip. Everyone seemed to know what was going on except her.

“He asked me to hook the two of you up back then. I told him not to waste his time because you wouldn’t be interested.”

“Why’d you say that?”