Caribbean Nights

By Tressie Lockwood

The magazine Keeta works for is doing a photoshoot in Jamaica, and they hire sexy ex-military officer Dominic "Nic" East as a bodyguard for the models they intend to take. Keeta expects events to go as usual around the beautiful people she works with, but she is shocked when Nic seems interested in beginning an affair with her on the romanctic tropical island. Who is Keeta to turn down this once in a lifetime opportunity. Soon, between running ragged behind her demanding boss and the more demanding models, she squeezes in time for Nic to take her on one exciting adventure after another exploring Jamaica and each other.

Nic wouldn't consider a model again for all the money in the world. He came home to find his model ex in bed with another man and him looking like a fool with an engagement ring in his pocket. Nic decides to have a meaningless fling with the curvy Keeta and finds more than he bargained for.  Life gets more complicated when he takes on a second supposedly routine assignment and wounds up in a deadly situation that only Keeta can save him from.

Can love bloom in the Caribbean between a soldier and a woman whose very job reminds him of past mistakes?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tressie Lockwood
• Release date: Dec 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781502256058

Book preview

Chapter One

Keeta dropped into her desk chair and yanked the phone off the hook. She was about to call her girlfriend to tell her the good news, but her boss, Ann Marie, interrupted yet again. Keeta, I need you to make all the flight arrangements for the girls and book the hotel. Here’s my company card. Just charge it to that. And get me a latte, would you, sweetie? It’s been a long day.

Sure, Ann Marie. The phone went back on the hook. How many are going? She slid her scratch pad close and prepared to take notes.

Five girls, two hair stylists...wait, ugh! Let me get you the number. No, better yet, you call down to Jill and get her to give you the rundown of all the staff we need to take. Then call each of the models to find out who they can’t live without, and cut that to essentials. You know how they are. I know you can create miracles, Keeta. So get cracking. We don’t have much time.

With that whirlwind of words tossed at her and a few almost indecipherable names written on Keeta’s pad, Ann Marie strode with purpose into her office, her spiky heels clicking all the way. Keeta sighed. It looked like another late night. Who was she kidding? Another several late nights.

Either way, the work would get done, and all preparations would be made on time, because Keeta was nothing if not good at what she did. She stole a moment to call her girlfriend anyway. She’d pop if she didn’t share the news with someone. Candace answered on the second ring, panting. Keeta pictured her friend in her usual attire, biker shorts and a sports bra, sweating from exercise, but always thin and beautiful. Keeta avoided thinking about her own plump figure and jumped into conversation.

You will never guess the good news I got today, Keeta exclaimed.

Your company finally recognized real talent and promoted you to editor? Candace said.

Keeta rolled her eyes. No, but I believe that’s coming. You watch.

I hope in our lifetime. You really need to rethink working for that place, Keeta. All they value is plastic.

Keeta had heard it all before. She knew Candace referred to plastic surgery, which she claimed every single person working at LisaLicious Style magazine had had done to them. Everyone except Keeta, that is. Her waistline was inches larger than every other woman in the place, and even some of the men. And although big boobs were a plus, Keeta’s were big and somewhat saggy—not a great combination. Put with her oversized booty, well, she had nothing going for her but big, innocent brown eyes. Not that she thought her eyes were fantastic, but the innocent part and the big part had gotten her a ton of favors with vendors who wouldn’t see things Ann Marie’s way. So the saying went around the office that Keeta’s eyes could get you anything. Never mind her Bachelors in business management with a concentration in fashion merchandising, for which she’d slaved night and day to get.

Frustrated with reviewing how her life seemed to be moving nowhere at the moment, she griped, Do you want to hear my good news or not?

Lay it on me. The sound of Candace’s treadmill started up again. The woman never quit.

I’m going to Jamaica, Keeta announced. Can you believe it?

No way! That’s awesome, girl. You’re finally getting a break from the sweat shop. I’ve been telling you forever you need to take your earned days and make them realize what an asset you are.

Keeta grimaced. Well, I’m not actually going on vacation.

Why did I get my hopes up?

It’s still Jamaica. You can’t beat that. Keeta wasn’t even convincing herself at this point, and she knew it wasn’t going over to Candace. Her girlfriend was always a reality check for her when Keeta lost sight of her dreams or, like Ann Marie sometimes did, forgot that she was a person. Remember that Caribbean Nights shoot I was telling you about a couple weeks ago? They’re doing it in Jamaica, which I knew, but today Ann Marie said she needed me there, and the magazine will pay for everything. I know I’ll be working hard, but I’ll have my nights free to walk on the beach or whatever. I can’t wait.

Okay, I’m excited for you, Candace admitted. And who knows, you might meet your one and only down there and fall madly in love. I can hope. You, above all others, deserve someone special, Keeta.

Keeta sucked her teeth. Girl, don’t even go there. You know I’m all about my career right now, and I’m thinking about going back to school for my Masters. Besides, I don’t have time for a man. What she didn’t admit was that there was absolutely no way in the world a man would look her way with five supermodels in bikinis running around. Her size fourteen body, pushing a size sixteen, had never once gotten a man’s pulse racing when she walked by, and that wasn’t about to start in Jamaica.

I better get off this phone, she told Candace. I have a ton to prepare and nothing started. I was just so excited I had to tell you. We’ll talk about it later when I get home.

"If you get home. Okay, sweetie, don’t stay too late. Luv ya."

Luv you too, Keeta echoed and hung up the phone.

When she went back to her list of models, she marveled that after five years working as Ann Marie’s assistant, Keeta still had to squint and stare at Ann Marie’s handwriting to figure out what she’d written. She concentrated so hard, that it took her a minute to realize someone stood over her desk, blocking some of the light.

Keeta looked up—and up farther. The man standing over her desk was a veritable giant with broad shoulders, a powerful chest, and the rest of his body lickably hard in slacks and a collared shirt. When she made it to his face without cramping her neck, Keeta caught her breath. Even better, his face was that of a god carved in marble. Except he was tanned from, she guessed, lots of time spent outdoors. His eyes were chips of coal to match the tight, dark curls on his head. His jaw line was steel with a small goatee and a slight, shaped beard at his chin.

A full bottom lip compressed with the top one, teasing Keeta’s feminine senses and giving her a brief fantasy of kissing him. The aura the man gave off was danger, and the way he stood erect and proud gave her the impression of a military career. Keeta was good at noticing details about people like that. It helped with work.

Still staring at the man, she snapped out of it when he cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow. May I help you? Glad her voice had worked and she didn’t sound like the mouse she felt, she waited for his response.

Dominic East to see Ann Marie Connor,