Tropical Fantasy. Monica McKayhan

wanted to kiss his sexy lips, right there in the middle of that dance floor. As his huge, soft hand caressed the small of her bare back, she imagined him taking her—and wondered again what it had been like, because she certainly couldn’t remember one single detail of it.

      “If you’ll excuse me, I have to go,” she said. “I have to get packed for my flight.”

      “Your flight?” Vince asked.

      “Yes, you know...on a jet. That huge piece of metal that’s going to take me away from here to Savannah, Georgia, in just a few hours.”

      “So you think that you’re catching a flight in a few hours?”

      “I know so,” Sasha said confidently.

      “I think you should come with me.” Vince grabbed Sasha’s elbow and led her out of the hotel’s ballroom and to the front of the building.

      Sasha peered out the window and noticed that it was pitch-black outside. It was pouring rain with an occasional roar of thunder.

      “Oh, my God,” she whispered to herself, and then pulled her iPhone from her glittery silver purse. She tried calling the airline but wasn’t able to get through—the call failed. Rushing over to the hotel’s concierge, she asked, “Can I use your phone to check on my flight? I’m supposed to catch a red-eye out of here at eleven.”

      “Ma’am, I’m sorry, but our phone lines are down right now. We’re not able to get an outside line,” said the dark gentleman in his Bahamian accent. “And you won’t be catching a flight out tonight. All flights have been canceled due to the storm.”

      “Are you sure?” she asked.

      The concierge directed her attention to the television anchored in the corner of the wall. The newscaster’s mouth was moving but with the television on mute, and Sasha couldn’t make out what he was saying.

      “Can you turn that up, please?” she asked the hotel’s reservation agent.

      The woman obliged and the newscaster’s voice echoed throughout the lobby. “All flights leaving Nassau’s L. Pindling Airport have been canceled this evening.”

      Sasha wanted to rewind the newscast, just to see if she’d misheard. She paced the floor, unsure of what to do. She tried her phone again, wanting to get through to the airline just to see for herself. She wanted to hear them say it personally—that her flight had been canceled. Spending another night in the Bahamas was not in the plans. However, she wasn’t completely disappointed. There was something about the handsome man who sat across the room watching her every move. His presence sent her hormones into a frenzy. And spending an extra night in the Bahamas might help her to understand exactly what it was she was feeling inside.

      Chapter 5

      Vince sat in a chair across the room and watched her, admired her. With his fingers intertwined, he made a slow circular motion with his thumbs. He took in her beautiful chestnut face and couldn’t remember ever seeing a prettier shade of brown. He traced her round lips with his eyes and imagined kissing them again. He’d watched her earlier at the ceremony as she’d made her way down the aisle. She’d taken his breath away. The satin dress had clung to her hips. He wondered how beautiful she would have looked in the ivory gown that her sister wore. He didn’t know very much about Sasha Winters, except that she was a workaholic and a bit self-absorbed.