Christmas, Caribbean Style

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"Good Lord, Laurel. Couldn't you have worn your hair down just once? It's always in that bun." Sarah shook her head. "We're in theCaribbean , you know."

Laurelquirked a brow at her exuberant roommate and best friend."Yeah, I know. I saved for three years. You don't need to tell me I'm on the trip of a lifetime."

"Then act like it." She turned her dark-brown eyes on a group of young men playing volleyball on the beach, less than one hundred feet from their perch at the outdoor bar. "Turquoise water as far as the eye can see, pristine white beaches, and fine young men in Speedos." She waved at one of the men when he flexed for her. "That is a fine piece of sexual chocolate," she whispered out the side of her mouth. "I think I'll see what it would take to melt him down and lick him all up."

Laurelgiggled and ended up choking on her mouthful of 150-proof Caribbean rum and eggnog."Careful, Sarah. He might be jailbait."

Her friend sniffed. "I'm only thirty-one, honey, and the laws down here are different."

"Okay." She smiled at her friend, wondering where this side of Sarah came from. During their four-year friendship, she'd come to believe Sarah was as levelheaded and practical as she was herself.

Sarah stood up from her barstool and dropped a five on the counter. "You'll be okay?"

Laurelshrugged. "I'm twenty-seven and not likely to fall into mischief."

"God forbid," Sarah said mockingly, but there was a hint of teasing in her eyes. "Wish me luck. It's been too long since I got laid."

"Good luck." She watched Sarah walk away, admiring the cut of her red bikini. With Sarah's dark skin and ebony hair, the bikini did nothing but accentuate the positive. If she tried wearing it-assuming she could muster the nerve to wear two triangles and a string as swimwear-it would wash out her already pale complexion and ashen-blonde hair.

"Not into thekiddie set, huh?"

Laurel's head whipped around, and she met the eyes of the man speaking to her. His tanned skin was dark brown, matching his dark eyes and brown hair. He wore a short Hawaiian shirt, unbuttoned to the navel, and thrown over a pair of sapphire-blue Speedo briefs. "Uh, no," she managed to force out.

He grinned at her, and his straight, white teeth were a heavenly contrast to his dark skin. "I admire a woman who's looking for a real man."

She cleared her throat and dropped her green eyes from his sensual gaze. She fanned herself discreetly with her hand, wondering if it had suddenly heated up, or if it was just the sexual intensity in his gaze that had sweat streaming down the back of her light-blue one-piece.

"Can I get you one?"

She blinked. "Excuse me?"

His gaze slowly moved to the nearly empty eggnog on a napkin in front of her.

"AnotherCaribbeaneggnog, miss?"

Hot color swept up her cheeks at the misunderstanding. Her eyes narrowed on the tilt of his lips, making her wonder if it hadn't been a deliberate innuendo. She was inclined to think it was, and she enjoyed it. It had been too long since a man flirted with her.

"No, thanks.I'm not much of a drinker."

"Are you finished with that?"

She nodded, and he lifted the glass. He deliberately brushed his hand against hers, and she gasped at the contact. It had been more than three years since she'd had a lover, and she tried to assure herself any man would elicit the same reaction. Still, her stomach clenched when he rubbed the side of her hand with his pinkie.

"I'm Morgan," he said abruptly, as he whisked the glass out of sight.

She licked her lips. "Laurel James."

"Well,Laurel , you look like you're in desperate need of a palm reading."

Her brow furrowed."Pardon?"

He picked up her hand. "I dabble, you see."

She resisted the urge to tug away her hand, compelled to do so more from her reaction to his touch than from a sense of impropriety at him stroking her palm so intimately with his index finger. "I don't believe in that kind of thing."

"Hmm."He leaned over her hand, carefully studying it. He traced lines across her palm, and made a thoughtful sound."Interesting."

"What is?"

"I see you're dying to learn how to make a Mai Tai."

She giggled."Oh, really?"

"Absolutely."He flashedher another charming grin. "Would I lie to you?"

She studied him thoughtfully. "I'll reserve judgment."

He affected a wounded look. "I'm cut to the core,Laurel ." He waved a hand. "However, being the magnanimous gentleman I am, I'll overlook your slight and still teach you how to make a Mai Tai."

She eyed the bar, noticing how packed it was. As soon as someone left, another person took their seat. Already, a fifty-something man, evidently trying to pretend he was still young, was perched on Sarah's stool, avidly listening to their conversation. "I don't think your boss would like you doing that, with all these customers."

He nodded, looking morose. "That's why I'll wait here at closing time, which isone A.M. You'll come back, and I'll introduce you to the world of bartending."

She hesitated, torn between common sense and impulse. She nibbled on her lip and sized him up with her eyes. She couldn't resist focusing on the bulge in his Speedo, and she briefly wondered how it would feel to have his cock inside her pussy.

She tore her gaze from his cock and met his eyes hastily. He wore a mischievous grin. He must know exactly where her thoughts were. It would be madness to come back, with him knowing she was interested in him. "Okay," she surprised herself by saying.

"Terrific. I'll see you tonight." He caressed her palm with his fingers, squeezed her hand gently, and let it go.

"Tonight," she echoed as she stumbled off the stool. She fumbled for money from the tiny clutch around her neck and dropped a ten on the wicker counter. As she hurried away, she knew she wouldn't show up. She wanted an adventure on her vacation, but she wasn't into casual sex. With her problems with Marcus, that's all a relationship with Morgan could be.

She couldn't do it. There was too much at stake to screw up.

As she made her way across the smooth sand that kept seeping into her white sandals, Laurel was still telling herself meeting Morgan was a bad idea. A cool breeze blew off the ocean and up the skirt of her white sundress, caressing her freshly shaved pussy. She hadn't bothered with underwear.

Her mouth was dry as she approached the Center Sun bar stand. To her mingled dismay and relief, Morgan was still waiting for her. He was lying across the counter, with his head propped on his hand. When he saw her coming, he dropped off the counter and onto the sand.

"You're late." He didn't sound annoyed, exactly. It was more as if he was making a statement of fact.

She nodded. "I wasn't going to come."

He grinned. "I think you will."

She swallowed at the blunt statement and stopped walking. They were only a couple of inches apart. She looked at the deserted beach. "So, no one's here, huh?"

He shook his head. "They're all off in dark corners, making love to strangers."

She refused to blush. At her age, it was a ridiculous reaction. "Probably," she agreed casually. She knew Sarah was being entertained in the room of her young stud.

"So, let's get to it."

Her eyes widened."Just like that? We aren't going to talk first?" He stepped forward and took her hand. "We'll talk while we're doing it."

She choked. "Um, I'm not very vocal."

He grinned. "The blender won't mind."

Laurelblanched. "What?"

"It'll mix the MaiTais either way, sweets."

She did blush then, and she hoped the half-moon didn't provide enough illumination for him to see it. They were too far from thetiki lamps planted in the sand at each corner of the bar-she hoped.

He led her around behind the bar. "I took the liberty of laying out all the ingredients while I waited for you to show up."

"How long would you have waited?"

Morgan shrugged. "A few more minutes, and then I would have bribed a bellboy for your room key."

She tossed her hair. "You have no idea where I'm staying."

"Please," he scoffed. "You're staying at Holiday HouseCaicos Islands.Sean's place."

Her eyes widened. "How do you know?"

"I'm psychic." He grinned at her skeptical look. "Nah, there was a piece of the hotel's stationary with the five-dollars your roommate left. She had scribbled her room number on it for one of the other bartenders." He bent closer to whisper in her ear, "If she's still interested, tell her the 'blond Adonis' is Scott."

"I'll tell her." Before their trip, she would have assumed Sarah wouldn't be interested if she was already with someone, but she didn't know after today.

There was an assortment of bottles lined neatly on the counter, and he lifted a bottle filled with clear liquid. "So, back to the MaiTais . What we have here is light rum, the most essential ingredient." He tipped the bottle into the blender and let it pour for a few seconds. "You get a feel for how much you need, but it's usually about two tablespoons per Mai Tai."

"Okay." She wondered if she should be taking notes, but she didn't really care how one made a Mai Tai. This experience had the feel of foreplay, not education. "What else?"

He took half a lime and held it over the blender."A tablespoon of lime juice. You can use the concentrate crap, but I prefer fresh."

She nodded."Of course." She watched as he ruthlessly squeezed the juice, and she had an image of him squeezing her buttocks so firmly. Her pussy tingled at the thought.

He took a knife and cut a chunk of pineapple from a fresh one. "Two tablespoons of pineapple juice too." When he had wrung all the juice from it, he tossed the fruit into the trash before lifting another bottle. "Triple sec comes next."

"Two tablespoons?" she ventured to guess.

"That's right." He returned the bottle to the counter and lifted a smaller one. "This is almond flavoring. Most people use one tablespoon, but I like two."

She nodded, pretending to be engrossed. In reality, she was enjoying the sight of his firm hands busying themselves. She could easily imagine them busily working their way over her body.

He lifted a small bottle of red liquid. "We add a teaspoon of grenadine, though you can use cherry liqueur if you want the added kick." He lifted a bowl of white powder. "Add some powdered sugar, then ice." He took a scoop from the bin built into the counter and added it to the blender. Morgan put on the lid and hit the on button. The blender began to mix their drinks.

"How long do you blend it?" she asked in a loud voice, to carry over the blending noises.

"Until it's mixed," he said. About thirty seconds later, he shut off the blender and removed the lid. He poured the mixture into two large glasses. "We garnish with a pineapple wedge, silly umbrella, and a cherry." He handed her one."Voila, MaiTais ."

She took the red drink and started to sip it.

"Hold on. We need a toast." He lifted his glass.

She followed suit, holding it poised against his.

"What shall we drink to?"

Laurelcouldn't blame the drinks for what came from her mouth, because she hadn't even sipped it yet."How about a fabulous fuck with a stranger?"

Morgan's dark eyes widened, and he seemed at a temporary loss for words. He cleared his throat and soon regained his composure. "To a heavenly experience," he agreed,clinking his glass against hers.

She took a single sip of the Mai Tai. "Yummy." She licked her lips, but her eyes were focused on his cock in the Speedos, not the drink. She set the decorative glass on the counter and stepped toward him.

He put his glass beside hers and met her halfway. His arms were solid as they enveloped her. His lips were firm against hers when they met in a passionate kiss. He tasted like pineapple and rum, and she licked his lips. Her nipples hardened under the thin cotton of the dress, and she pressed herself closer to his bare chest. She could feel his hair against her sensitive nipples, though the fabric dimmed the sensation too much.

"You're wearing too many clothes," he growled as he lifted his head.

"So are you. Sarah's away tonight. Let's go to my room and…"

"Here."

Laurel's eyes widened. "You want to have sex here?"

He nodded."Why not? No one's around."

She started to offer all kinds of reasons why that wouldn't be appropriate, but her train of thought was

broken when he unbuttoned the single button fastening his shirt and pushed it off. His chest rippled with muscles, and his abswere clearly defined. She couldn't have conjured a more perfect fuck in her most depraved fantasies-and she'd had more than a handful of those the past few years.

His hands moved to the tie at the back of her neck. He loosened it with one movement, and the bodice fell around her waist, displaying her bare breasts. Hetsked his tongue. "You've been sunbathing in your suit. Breasts that perfect should be as brown as the rest of you."

She thrust out her chest; no longer concerned a stranger might see them. "Do you like them?"

He nodded."Absolutely. How could I not? Each one is large and firm, with dusky areoles. I want to taste them."

Laureltipped back her head, giving into the heady sensation of being a temptress. "Go ahead."

With a groan, Morgan pulled her closer to him and lifted her. He spun around to place her on the counter so her breasts were level with his mouth. She parted her legs and sighed as the breeze brushed against her pussy. She couldn't wait to have his fingers do the same thing.

She buried her fingers in his hair as he took one nipple into his mouth. His arms were around her waist, and his hands cupped her buttocks. She shifted impatiently, until he squeezed her ass while he flicked his tongue across her nipple. Her pussy flooded with heat, and shegyrated her hips.

Morgan's teeth grazed her nipple, and then he bit more forcefully.

She moaned at the tug of pleasure/pain and pressed his face closer to her breasts. Her pussy cried out for attention, and she moved aside her skirt to finger herself while he laved her nipple.

As Morgan switched his attention to her other breast,Laurel leaned back farther and positioned her hand to better reach her pussy. Her clit was slippery under her fingers, and she bit down hard on her lip as she rolled it between her thumb and forefinger. His tongue began keeping time with her strokes, and her body became a mass of sensation.

She uttered a jumbled protest when he pulled away. Her pussy ached to be filled, and her nipples, wet with his saliva, puckered into tighter buds as theCaribbean breeze caressed them. It almost hurt.

"Let's get off the rest of these clothes," he said.

She nodded and helped him by elevating her bottom as he slid the skirt up to her hips. She raised her arms when he pulled the dress over her head, and then she hooked her fingers in the waistband of his Speedos. Her fingers flirted with his hard cock, and she could feel the moisture collecting at the tip when she pushed her finger deeper inside his swimsuit.

Morgan moaned, but he stood passively.

Laurelslid off the counter and stood before him. She plunged one hand into his tight Speedos, made even tighter by how swollen his cock had become. She teased the corona of his cock as she fastened her mouth around one of his nipples. She bit down gently, and his body jerked.

She moved her other hand from the front of his Speedos to the back and stripped them to below his ass cheeks. She pushed the front down with the hand she'd had around his cock, until his full glory was revealed.

With onemore less -than-gentle nip on her way down, she knelt in the sand. His cock was near her mouth when she was on her knees. She extended her neck so she could take the full length of his cock into her mouth. Rather than doing so, she teased him instead, by feathering light kisses across the head and shaft.

"Damn,Laurel ," he said with a moan.

She flicked her tongue across the tip of his cock, tasting his fluid. He had a faintly sweet flavor that suggested pineapples. She licked him again, before she grasped the base and put her mouth around his cock.

He moaned again as his cock disappeared into her wet mouth. His hand tangled itself in her blonde hair, and he stripped away the pins she used to confine it. It spilled around her shoulders and down her back in a silvery wave in the moonlight.

Laurelbegan sucking gently on his cock, but slowly, she increased the pressure from her mouth. She could feel his cock throb with each beat of his heart, and she knew he was close to exploding.

Though it had been some time since she'd needed the skill, she used to be talented at blowjobs. Recalling what she had once known on instinct,Laurel swirled her tongue around the head, concentrating on the V where all the most sensitive nerves were. She sucked forcefully as the hand she'd had on his hip moved to his balls. She rolled them in her hands as his body jerked with tiny tremors. As she sucked once more, more forcefully than ever, she stroked the area behind his balls.

With an aborted scream, his body stiffened. Morgan's cockspasmed, andgism filled her mouth. She continued to suck gently and moved to caress his balls again, until his cock softened in her mouth.

When she released him and looked up, she was pleased to see a faint flush on his cheeks.A sheen of perspiration lent his skin a glow, and his eyes glittered.

"You shouldn't have done that." He sounded hoarse. "It wasn't fair to you."

She stood up and put her arms around his waist.Laurel rested her cheek against his chest, listening to his racing heart. "I enjoyed it, and I know you'll give me just as much."

"If you don't kill me," he agreed with a chuckle. "What would you like?"

"I want you to lick my pussy." Her voice emerged confidently, though she was a quivering mass of insecurity inside. She prepared herself for his disgust, remembering the one time she had asked Marcus to give her oral pleasure.

He had called it a dirty act and refused, though he still wanted the occasional cock sucking. After realizing his double standard, she had withheld the blowjobs. Was that about the time things started to go wrong in their marriage, when they stopped enjoying each other sexually?

"Gladly."With little effort, he lifted her onto the counter again. "Part your legs,Laurel ."

She complied, spreading them wide. She propped herself on her elbows to see his reaction to her smooth pussy. She giggled when his eyes widened. "The Brazilian," she said inanely. "Not that I have a swimsuit that justifies this style of shaving or waxing."

He ran his index finger down her puffy lips, and his eyes widened. "You don't need to justify being feminine."

She sighed as he touched her. When his fingers took her clit in a gentle hold, she arched her hips. She could feel her juices leaking down her thighs, and she wondered what they tasted like to him. When he withdrew his hand and bent forward, she lifted it and brought his fingers to her mouth. She licked her essence from them and was surprised at the interesting mix of their arousals on her tongue.

He groaned as he watched the action, and his cock hardened again. He appeared to be struggling to withhold himself.

She almost took pity on him and told him to take her right then, but she ached for the feel of his tongue between her pussy lips. No man since college had ventured there. "Taste me, lover."

Morgan took a short stool from under the counter and sat on it. He used his hands to part her pussy, and he buried his face in her folds.

She squirmed against him, moaning when he inhaled her scent. Her pussy flooded with renewed arousal at the promise of his tongue-and then his cock-entering her. She pressed her hips up to meet him, and his tongue stroked across her clit.

She shuddered at the exquisite sensations flooding her. Each tiny flick of his tongue against her clit had her body seizing with pleasure. She had forgotten how sensitive her clit was to a skilled tongue, and his was very skilled.

As he continued licking her and swirling his tongue around her hardened clit, he penetrated her pussy with two fingers.Laurelstiffened at the unaccustomed fullness,then ground her hips against him. Tiny flutters extended from her clit, through her belly, and into her aching breasts.

He pushed his fingers deeper into her and wiggled them. As he did so, he sucked her clit into his mouth and applied steady pressure.

With a sob,Laurel gave into the flutters, until they swelled to spasms. Her pussy convulsed around his fingers, and more of her fluid flooded her pussy and his face. She had never been so aroused, and the orgasm crashed over her like waves hitting the beach at full force.

Before the pleasure faded, Morgan pulled her from the counter onto his lap. His cock filled her completely in one quick thrust. She continued to spasm around his cock as the first orgasm slowly faded. When she was semi-aware again, she clutched his shoulders and urged him to plant his cock deeper inside her.

"Take me all," he whispered as he thrust into her. He leaned her back against the counter, so she was in the perfect position for him to get as deep as possible. He seemed to be having trouble maintaining his control.

"Yes." She wrapped her legs around his waist, briefly wondering if the stool would hold them. Her practical thoughts fled when he moved his hand between their bodies and pressed on her clit. It should have hurt, but it increased her arousal instead. She could feel the tremors of another orgasm starting deep in her womb and radiating outwards.

"It's going to be quick." He sounded regretful. "I want to last…"

"It's okay," she managed to say, as he pushed on her clit in a circular motion. "Now, please."

He nodded and withdrew his cock from her pussy. He thrust hard into her again and circled her clit simultaneously. His cock started to convulse, causing her pussy to respond in kind. She rotated her hips in a circular motion and pressed against his cock as another orgasm swept through her. She felt his ejaculate shoot into her as she fell over the edge, and they cried out with one voice.

It was several moments before they broke apart. He was careful to make sure she was steady when he eased her off his lap. He pressed a kiss to her stomach, and then buried his face against it. She stroked his thick hair.

He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. "I want to see you again,Laurel ."

She smiled. "I would like that. Sarah and I fly back two days after Christmas, so I'm all yours for the next four days."

Morgan shook his head. "No, I want to see you as more than a fling. I want to get to know you."

Tears welled in her eyes, and she shook her head. "I can't."

"Why not?"

"My husband…"

Anger stirred in his dark eyes, and he pushed himself off the stool and away from her. "Jesus Christ! You're married?"

Laurelshook her head. "Sorry. My ex-husband is suing me for custody of our son."

He frowned. "And you have a child?"

She nodded. "Timmy'sfive, and he's been through so much." Her voice cracked. "I've gotten custody three times, but each time, Marcus presses the issue. He has a team of attorneys who bill more by the hour than my attorney makes in a week. I have to live a spotless life if I want to have any chance of keeping my son."

Morgan walked over to her and put his arms around her. "I'm sorry to hear that, but he can't keep you from having an adult relationship."

She nodded. "He can. He told me any speck on my reputation would cost me my son permanently. He would ensure it personally." She choked back tears. "He loves Timmy, but he isn't pursuing custody because he wants to be a full-time father."

"Why, then?"His voice was full of concern.

"He's punishing me for leaving him." She snuggled closer to him, enjoying the comfort of his arms. "He's a driven man, which makes him successful. He's also cold, and sex wasn't important to him. From the start of our marriage, it wasn't a priority. As time passed, and we grew farther apart, I tried to tell myself it didn't matter.

"I didn't think sex was that important to me either, until I went without it for solong. By the end, he didn't even touch me." She trembled as she tried to suppress the tears. "That's a terrible reason for ending a marriage."

He stroked her hair. "No, it isn't. You're a vital, passionate woman. You deserve to have a partner who will please you."

"You pleased me," she whispered shyly. "I wish…"

"Don't give up hope yet," he murmured. "There's always a chance."

She nodded, but she didn't have any faith in his words. He had no idea how powerful and driven Marcus was. He couldn't understand the demons that drove her ex-husband to control everything and everyone around him.

Laurelstared out her fifth-floor apartment, watching for Marcus's limousine. He was due to return Timmy, and he was already a few minutes late. It had been a hellish week being separated from her son. Even being with Morgan hadn't taken away all her pain at the separation.

The snow falling outside caught her attention. The bright white of the flakes reminded her of the sand ofCaicosIsland , and she sighed. She couldn't think about her vacation without wanting to cry. Saying goodbye to Morgan had been one of the hardest things she had ever done. As crazy as it was, she had fallen in love with him in less than a week.

She traced her finger down the cold windowpane, scrawling his name. She wondered what he was doing right then. Was he tending bar for customers, or was he swimming? Her heart stuttered when she thought about him making love to another woman the way he had held her.

She looked down again and saw a red Cadillac parked against the curb that hadn't been there before, but no sign of Marcus's limousine. She glanced at her watch, growing impatient with him. When she took Timmy for visits, she always made sure she was on time, knowing how it felt to be separated from Timmy for days at time. Realistically, she didn't imagine he eagerly awaited his child's visits, but she gave him the benefit of the doubt.

She shook her head, and her hair brushed against her neck. She still hadn't gotten used to wearing it down, but she had made a promise to Morgan that last day at the airport.

"Promise me you'll remember what it's like to be a woman. Start by wearing your hair down all the time."

She had protested. "I can't. When I'm teaching…"

He had caressed her cheek. "When you aren't working, and you're alone, wear it down and think of me. Touch yourself and think of me."

The memory left her when someone knocked on the door. She looked down at the street again, scanning for the limousine. He normally had the driver park against the curb. He still wasn't in sight. With a shrug, she walked to the door, wondering if he had purchased a new car.

When she opened it, Timmy flew inside, hurling himself against her and squeezing her legs. She knelt down and embraced him as tears flooded her eyes. It took her a moment to regain control, and she looked up to thank Marcus for returning Timmy close to on time.

Her mouth fell open when she saw Morgan standing in front of her. He looked completely different in a three-pieceSaville Rowe suit, though he retained his dark tan. She blinked and looked past him into the hallway, expecting to see Marcus. He wasn't in sight. "What's going on?"

"May I come in?"

She nodded, nearly struck mute as he entered the modest apartment she shared with Sarah. Emotion overcame her, and she threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she lifted her head. "Why do you have Timmy?"

"I had a meeting with Marcus," he said casually. "Once we spoke, I offered to drive Timmy home, and he was agreeable."

She shook her head. "Why were you meeting with Marcus?"

"To speak with him about the custody issue."Morgan ran a hand through his dark hair. "We came to an arrangement."

Her eyes widened, and she clutched her chest. "What? I don't understand." Her eyes narrowed. "You didn't do anything…illegal, did you?"

He laughed, and the rich sound filled the apartment."No, love. I didn't knock off the ex, if that's what you're thinking."

"Then what did you do?"

"I made Marcus realize he didn't have the time to be a full-time father with his duties as VP of his company." He shrugged. "I convinced him you and I would be able to provide a more stable home after our marriage, and no judge would rule otherwise."

"Oh, no!" she cried. "You told him about us? Do you have any idea what he'll do to me? When he exposes my affair with a bartender during my vacation, I'll lose my son forever."

Morgan touched her cheek. "First, I didn't mention the vacation. I led Marcus to believe you and I had been seeing each other here in the city for months."

"You live in theCaribbean . He'll find out…"

"Shh." He smoothed his other hand through her hair. "It pleases me to see your hair down."

She ignored the comment. "I know you meant well, but you've ruined my chances with this act."

He sighed. "It might help if you knew I'm not a bartender. I was onCaicos helping my brother. He owns Center Sun. He had a water skiing accident a couple of weeks ago, and he wasn't able to run the bar."

Her eyes widened. "What do you do?"

"Among other things, I'm CEO ofWorldLiners . We build cruise ships, design luxury yachts, and cater to the whims of the insanely wealthy." He grinned at her. "Doing so has made the company and me insanely wealthy too."

Her mouth parted in a gasp. "You intimidated him into submission, didn't you?"

His shoulders rolled. "Maybe a little, but that's what he's been trying to do to you, Laurel. I didn't deprive him of his son. We've worked out a generous custody arrangement, with Marcus getting Timmy every other weekend, alternating Christmases, and six weeks during summer vacation, if he wants that privilege."

She eyed him with confusion. "That was our original agreement, before he brought in the lawyers. How did you know?"

"I did a little research, put a few lawyers on the job, and voila. Problem solved."

Did she dare believe it was true?

He seemed to read her mind, because he propped his briefcase on the small table by the door and withdrew a sheaf of papers."Your copy. You'll need to sign it so we can have a courier deliver it. There is one waiting downstairs. I also have an attorney waiting in his office to ensure he signs the papers and doesn't change his mind." He closed the gap between them and wrapped her in his arms. "I swear to you this is taken care of. I wouldn't handle something so important in a half-ass way."

She nodded, reassured by his embrace and the comforting weight of the papers in her hand. She stepped away from him and scanned the papers, seeing everything he'd said outlined in clear terms. She had no qualms attaching her signature to the document.

Once she had done so, Morgan flipped open his phone and spoke to the courier. Within minutes, there was a knock at the door again. He passed the courier the papers, along with instructions, and then locked the door behind the man. When he turned back to her, he was smiling.

She twisted the watch on her wrist and shot a glance at Timmy in the living room, watching TV. "I have a question."

"You can ask me anything."

She nodded. "Did you mean the part about getting married, or was that just to threaten Marcus?"

"I meant every word." He strode to her and took her in his arms. "I love you, Laurel. I want you to marry me."

"I don't even know your last name," she said softly.

"Chase. I'm thirty-four-years-old, and I've never been married. I have three brothers and one sister. My parents have been together forty years, and they still love each other. I believe in love, trust, and commitment."

"Why…?" Her eyes widened when he pressed his finger to her lips.

"Before you ask, the reason I didn't tell you who I was is because I wanted you to want me as a bartender before I offered you the lifestyle I have."

She frowned and pushed away his hand. "I don't care about that."

Morgan nodded. "I know that now, but you wouldn't believe how many times I've been burned by women."

She sighed. "Okay, I believe that, but why didn't you tell me before I leftCaicos ?"

"I didn't want to get your hopes up, if I couldn't reason with Marcus." He smiled. "I wasn't going to give up either way, but that was the simplest means of dealing with our obstacles."

She arched a brow. "If he hadn't agreed, what would you have done?"

"There's always Plan B."

"What's that?"

"Ravish you into submission," he growled. "I figured if I chained you to my bed and seduced you six ways from Sunday every day, you would eventually give in and marry me. I knew I could make you realize our odds of beating Marcus at his game were excellent, if I could just get you to listen."

"You think you're a smart one, don't you?" She tried to keep her voice scathing, but there was a trace of a smile on her face.

He shrugged. "I'm smart enough to know a good thing when I see it."

"Yeah?"

Morgan nodded. "And I'm looking at it. I'm going to make you and Timmy so happy you won't have any regrets."

She touched his temple. "My only regret was leaving you on the island. I've missed you every minute since then."

"So, you'll marry me?"

Laurelsmiled. "Was there ever any doubt, Mr. Chase?"

"No," he said as his lips settled on hers. "I didn't doubt your common sense for a minute."