Hurricane Kisses Page 6

  “I'm really sorry, Izzy,” Noah interrupted, “but we need to be going. The plane's ready and the pilot's anxious to leave.”

  Izzy stood gracefully. “Tyler, it was wonderful to meet you. Madison and Olivia, thank you so much for coming. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your trip.”

  “Thank you so much for inviting us,” I replied. “From what I've seen so far, I'll be recommending this resort to my clients.”

  “That's exactly what we want to hear,” Noah said with a grin. “It was wonderful to meet you all.”

  Izzy gave Tyler a hug as Noah pushed her chair in for her. Tyler turned a delightful shade of red at her touch. He definitely had a little crush on Izzy. He smiled absentmindedly after her as she and Noah headed to the door.

  Logan met the couple at the door and gave them both hugs. I had read that Noah and Logan had met in school and formed a fast friendship. I certainly believed it, especially as Logan's travel company had some exclusive perks with Diamond Hotels that no one else seemed to have. I wondered if Noah knew just how much Logan was using him for those perks.

  My jaw creaked as I let out the biggest yawn of my life. I hadn't realized just how tired I was. Between the accident and the stress of the day, I was exhausted.

  “I'm going to head to bed, Maddy,” I said, rising to my feet. “It's been a long day.”

  “All right. Do you need me to come check on you tonight?” she asked. She was such a mom, and I loved her for it.

  “No, I’ve got it covered,” I answered. I went and gave Maddy a hug over the back of the chair. “The front desk is going to call, and if I don't pick up or answer their questions appropriately, they will come into the room to check on me.”

  Maddy considered my answer for a moment and nodded. “Okay. If you need anything, you let me know.”

  “I always do,” I said with a smile. “Breakfast tomorrow?”

  “Sounds good to me,” she replied. Tyler nodded in agreement. “Have a good night.”

  I went over and gave Tyler a hug. “Thank you again for saving me today. You were awesome,” I whispered.

  “Anytime, Aunt Liv,” he whispered back. He gave me a quick squeeze before remembering a question. “Izzy was telling me about some of the fish that live around here. You want to go snorkeling with me and mom tomorrow? No jet ski required.”

  “You got it, kid,” I said with a wink. He grinned. “I'll see you in the morning.”

  I collected my things and headed to the door. Logan opened it for me as I reached for it. Instead of walking through it, I reached for the other side and helped myself. I didn't want even that much from him.

  “I'm sorry about bringing business up. I know this is your vacation and-”

  “Just drop it, okay?” I snapped, cutting him off. I took a deep breath and attempted to use a more even voice. “Thank you for your help today, but please, leave me alone.”

  With that I walked out into the night, leaving him holding the unused door. The wind was picking up from across the waves and whipped my skirt around my ankles, threatening to trip me. The last thing I wanted was for Logan to see me trip and come help me. Again. I pulled up on the fabric and held onto it to keep it tamed while I walked. Without thinking, I glanced back at the brightly-lit building, assuming he must have gone back to the party. Instead, he stood there, still holding the door against the wind and watching me fade into the night.

  Chapter 10

  The sky was solid gray. There were no individual clouds; it was just a jelled block of achromatic gray. As we walked along the ocean's edge, the water seemed strangely calm as it lapped against the sandy beach. It was almost as if the sea was expending its energy elsewhere. It seemed possible, as according to the resort's weather report the storm was still safely north and supposed to miss the entire island completely.

  Up ahead, I could see a boy playing fetch with a dog, the two of them bounding through the waves and spraying water under their feet. The boy looked familiar, and as I came closer, I realized it was Tyler. I hadn't seen him since breakfast, where we had decided that neither one of us was really interested in snorkeling with the sky so dark. Without the sunshine, the colors of the fish and coral would be muted and dull. There were plenty of other things that we each wanted to do more than look at gray fish.

  “Tyler?” I called out to the boy as I came closer. When his head whipped around, there was a big grin plastered on his face. He called the dog and the two of them came sprinting over, sand and water flying from their feet.

  “Aunt Liv!” he greeted me, stopping just inches before giving me a hug as he realized he was soaking wet. The canine sniffed excitedly at my feet, its long, thin tail wagging at a furious pace.

  “Whose dog is this?” It looked like the one from yesterday before jet-skiing. I held out my hand, expecting the pooch to smell it, but instead a warm, wet tongue kissed it.

  “Spock,” Tyler stated. He pet the dog's head and Spock wiggled with happiness. “Dr. James said he's a local stray, but that's it's fine if I play with him.”

  “Does your mom know you're playing with a stray?” I asked.

  “She's busy with a pottery class.” He threw a stick and Spock bounded gleefully after it. I raised my eyebrows and put my hands on my hips. He hadn't answered my question. Tyler sighed. “No. But Dr. James says he is really nice. He's really smart, too.”

  I gave the dog a skeptical look. It had just returned, but with a different stick than the one Tyler had thrown. The dog was pure mutt. There might have been some sort of lab in his genetic history, but the individual breeds had become so mixed it was impossible to tell what heritage the dog could claim. I had to admit that his floppy ears and doggy grin were rather adorable.

  “Spock, sit,” Tyler commanded. The dog promptly dropped to a sitting position, his tail still wagging furiously. Tyler grinned at me. “Spock, speak.”

  Spock yipped, dropping the stick in the process. Tyler dropped to his knees and began rubbing the dog's body and showering him with praise. Spock's ribs were even more clearly visible today, as well as several other signs of hunger and lack of attention.

  “Did you teach him that?” I asked. I reached out to scratch Spock's ears and was rewarded with a doggy moan of pleasure that made me giggle.

  “Yeah. He's really good,” Tyler said. He smiled with just a hint of sadness at the mutt. “I can't believe nobody on the island wants him.”

  I wanted to hug Tyler close to ease the sudden ache in my heart. I knew he was really struggling with the abandonment by his father. The two had been close before his dad decided to run off with one of his clients and leave everything behind. Unfortunately, the new love interest didn't like kids, and so Tyler's dad had pretty much disowned him. It hurt Tyler far more than he let on.

  “What else have you taught him?” I asked, changing the subject. Tyler's eyes lit up again.

  “He can come, and we're working on rolling-over, but he keeps getting distracted.” Tyler threw the stick again and Spock barked joyfully as he chased it. I watched as the dog picked up the discarded stick and then sprinted proudly back to his new best friend.

  “Come here, Spock,” I called, patting my leg. To my surprise, he came and snuggled his mangy head into my leg. Maddy was going to be thrilled. She wasn't a dog person, but there was no way Tyler was going to give up this mutt. I could feel the tension of future drama building as I saw the love in Tyler's eyes when he looked at Spock.

  “He likes you, Aunt Liv.” Tyler grinned at me. I peered down at the very cuddly puppy and sighed. I was going to be helping Tyler convince his mom that the dog was a good idea. I never could say no to a big pair of brown eyes.

  “Give me the stick, Spock,” I commanded. The dog quickly dropped it at my feet and stood waiting with bated breath for me to throw it. I tossed it into the waves and he bounded off to fetch it. “How long have you been out here with him, Tyler?”

  “Since breakfast.” Tyler's eyes followed the dog, and he grinned as Spoc
k sprinted back to drop the stick at our feet. “I met him yesterday by the storage shed at the dock. Dr. James says he likes to hide there. I brought him some of my breakfast because he looked hungry yesterday.”

  The thin ribs suggested that the dog looked hungry every day. “I see why he likes you so much, then.”

  “It's not just the food, Aunt Liv.” Tyler looked at me with solemn eyes. “I think he's lonely. The other dogs ignore him. We're a lot alike.”

  The simple truth in his statement broke my heart. Tyler saw himself in this mutt.

  “Seems like you two were made for each other, then,” I said softly. I made a mental note to look into how to bring a dog back to the United States. If I took care of that part, Spock stood a fighting chance at convincing Maddy.

  “Yup.” Tyler looked up at me and smiled, then waved to someone coming down the beach behind me. “Hi, Logan!”

  I closed my eyes and tried not to look sour. I’d been hoping to avoid him today. The man seemed to be able to annoy me without even trying. Just the fact that he was here, wearing those low-slung board shorts and doing jet-ski tricks, drove me nuts. I hadn't even noticed him coming up the beach because I was busy playing with Spock.

  “Hi, Tyler. Hello, Olivia,” he greeted the two of us. “Is this the same dog from yesterday?”

  “Yup. This is Spock. He's my dog,” Tyler informed him. Spock ran over and licked Logan's hand. So much for the good sense of dogs.

  Logan bent down and rubbed Spock's ears. He was wearing a light gray t-shirt that clung to him like a second skin, as well as those ass-enhancing board shorts he had worn yesterday. They still looked flipping amazing on him. “He looks like a great dog.”

  “He's the best. I think I'm going to keep him.” Tyler grinned. I was not looking forward to having this conversation with Maddy. I hoped Tyler had a plan to help Spock win his mom over.

  “Good luck with that,” Logan told him, as if he’d read my mind. “Have you taught him to play dead yet?”

  Tyler shook his head. “I hadn't thought of that one.”

  Logan grinned. “His name's Spock, right? From Star Trek?” Tyler nodded enthusiastically. “Then, here's what we're going to teach him...”

  Logan leaned forward and started whispering in Tyler's ear. I stood back and watched as a grin slowly overtook Tyler’s face. Whatever Logan's idea was, Tyler loved it.

  “Do you think you can teach him that?” Logan asked, stepping back.

  “Definitely. Spock's smart.” He rubbed the dog's head, and Spock's tail thumped against the sand. “I'm going to go work on it now. No watching, Aunt Liv- I'll show you when he's ready. You'll love it.”

  “If you need any help, you let me know,” Logan offered. Still smiling ear to ear, Tyler picked up Spock's stick and started running. Together they sprinted down the beach to where they could practice his new trick without being seen. Logan and I stood quietly, watching the two of them run.

  “What is this trick he's teaching his dog?” I asked as they went behind the storage shed.

  “Not telling. It's pretty funny, though,” Logan told me. He watched the shed for a moment as though he could see Tyler and Spock through it. “That dog is good for him.”

  “Yes, he is.” I stared out at the storage shed, thinking of how Tyler considered himself and the dog as the same. It broke my heart.

  “Listen, I wanted to apologize for last night,” Logan said after a moment of silence. “I didn't mean to bring up work on your vacation, and I’m sorry.”

  I narrowed my eyes. This had to be one of his tricks. “Sure.”

  “Seriously. I didn't mean anything by it.” He grinned and held his hands up in front of him as if to show he wasn't armed. “I am here to relax, not to get you to sign anything. It's just a happy coincidence that we're both here.”

  “Right.” I didn't fully believe that it was a happy coincidence, but I was at least willing to accept his apology.

  “Let me make it up to you?” Logan asked. “Dinner. Tonight. Just you and me. No business, just give me the chance to really make up for what happened.”

  I chewed my inner cheek for a moment. I heard Spock bark and I turned to see him and Tyler sprinting down the beach toward us. He looked incredibly happy and proud.

  It softened my heart to see Logan being so kind to Tyler. Plus, I couldn't forget that the man had saved my life, so maybe I owed him dinner without getting so defensive.

  “Please?” Logan begged. I took a good look at him. The wind ruffled his messy hair as he smiled hopefully at me, making my heart speed up. He looked honest and open, yet sexy as hell. I just hoped it wasn't another trick.

  “Fine,” I conceded. “Because of what you've done for Tyler.”

  Logan beamed, making his brown eyes sparkle. It was impossible not to smile back. “You won't be sorry, I promise!”

  “Do I need to wear anything special?” I asked. How did I let myself get roped into this? I just hoped I wasn't going to get burned by him yet again. But, I knew deep down that I would fall for his tricks every time, no matter how burned I got. He just had that effect on me. I should have just steered clear of him from the beginning.

  “No, just be comfortable. How does seven sound? I'll pick you up at your room,” he answered. “I'm going to help you test out one of the resort's luxury opportunities.”

  “I hope you know that I'm not going to do the complimentary wedding ceremony,” I teased. Logan laughed just as Tyler rejoined us.

  “Why? Did he ask you?” Tyler quipped, looking back and forth between the two of us with confusion. Spock sat panting at his feet.

  “No, just taking Olivia to dinner,” Logan explained.

  “Okay, good then. I didn't bring a suit.” Tyler shot me a cheesy grin that made me roll my eyes. “And now, are you two ready for Spock's amazing new trick?”

  “Incredibly. On the edge of my seat,” I answered. Logan nodded enthusiastically.

  “All right.” Tyler grinned and turned to the dog. “Spock, do the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few?”

  Spock stared at Tyler for a moment, cocking his head as if he were trying really, really hard to understand English. Tyler nodded encouragingly at him, but Spock just wagged his tail.

  “Spock, you had this a minute ago!” Tyler took a breath and then repeated the phrase. Spock just wagged his tail harder.

  “Fine, we'll do it your way,” Tyler conceded. He held the stick like a weapon and pointed it at Spock. “Pew, pew! You're dead!”

  Spock promptly fell to his side and rolled up onto his back, sticking his legs up in the air and holding perfectly still. I giggled as Tyler completed the act with a long, “NOOOO” and ran to the dog's side. It would have been perfect, except Spock's tail started to wag as soon as Tyler touched him. Actually, that made it even better.

  Logan and I applauded as Tyler and Spock took sitting positions before us in the sand.

  “Even better than what I had in mind,” Logan congratulated him. “I'm really impressed you taught him so fast.”

  “He's really smart,” Tyler said with a grin as he hugged the dog to him. “Do you have any other ideas for tricks?”

  “Teach him how to fetch your mom's slippers,” I advised. “Possibly how to make coffee. It will make her like him more.”

  “I've got a couple more ideas if you want. How about tomorrow, we get together and I'll show you some of them?” Logan offered. Tyler eagerly nodded.

  I thought about discouraging this friendship. Tyler was only going to get hurt when the billionaire decided that playing with kids wasn't his speed, but the fact that Tyler was excited and talking to another human being, besides his mother and me, was too good to make him stop.

  I hoped that Logan understood the importance of what he was doing. Tyler hadn't spoken this much to anyone recently, and it was Logan's influence that was encouraging him. He never would have interacted with Izzy last night if Logan hadn't given him the vote of confidence earlier in the day.
Logan had made him a hero and was now making him worthy of plans. I just hoped that he wouldn't let Tyler down as much as Tyler's father had.

  “Okay, so I'll see Tyler tomorrow at ten,” Logan said to Tyler and then grinned at me. “And I'll see you tonight at seven.”

  “Sounds good!” Tyler agreed. Spock wagged his tail. I nodded.

  “Excellent.” Logan flashed us one last smile before turning to head back toward the resort. He walked with a pep in his step I hadn't seen before as the wind plastered his shirt against his back. I shook my head as I tryed to figure him out. He seemed legitimately excited about dinner tonight. I wondered just what he had planned. The resort had boasted several romantic excursion opportunities.

  A gust of wind drove handfuls of sand into my bare legs. The waves out on the ocean had gotten rougher, and whitecaps crested with each swell. The storm was officially moving in, and the previously calm waters were now growing agitated.

  “Come on, Tyler, we should head inside,” I said, offering him my hand to get up. He took it, and I pulled him to standing. Another gale of wind came off of the ocean, lowering the temperature and making sand flurries in the air. “Let's go get cleaned up and have some lunch.”

  Tyler wiped some sand from the front of his shirt and did his best to brush most of the sticky, white grit from Spock. Even then, they were still incredibly dirty. “You think we'll be able to find a place to put Spock for the night? I don't want him out here in this.”

  “I'm sure if we ask the hotel, they'll have an idea. If nothing else, we'll sneak him into the garage or something,” I assured him. Tyler nodded, and together the three of us headed back to the resort and out of the wind.

  Chapter 11

  “I have to run to the bathroom real quick,” I told Tyler as we approached the resort’s main building. “If you want, you can talk to the concierge and see if she knows a place where Spock can stay the night.”