Alexander: Isle of Eagleland, #1

By Kaydee Mavericks

One weekend.

One sexy man.

That's all we agreed on.

I never thought agreeing to spend the weekend with him would change my whole world.

Change every aspect of my life.

Only knowing his first name would come back to haunt me.

No man ever compared. No man ever came close.

Almost seven years later... Same town... Same instant spark... Only this time he's not available, he kept a secret from the start and I've had a secret I couldn't share with him until now.

Can we get past the obstacles in front of us, or are we just destined to be apart?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kaydee Mavericks
• Release date: Feb 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781536549669

Book preview

September 2008

This is the final weekend before my classes start back up. I can’t believe I’m almost finished with Le Cordon Bleu in Las Vegas and I can finally open up my own bakery. Ever since I was a little girl I’ve loved to bake. My mom and I would be in the kitchen every chance we got baking up a storm.

I knew I would need help with the business aspect so before I started with my baking and cooking schooling I went to The University of Las Vegas and received an associate degree in business. Once I finished there, I transferred over and started my cooking lessons. I have one final semester before I’m done.

My best friend and roommate, Riley Harris, decided that this weekend we’re going to let loose and have some fun. When Riley says we’re going to have fun, I get a little worried. I never know what she may come up with and this time she’s decided that we need to stay in a hotel on the strip and party like it’s nineteen ninety-nine. I think it’s a waste of money to go to the expense of a hotel room when we can just get a cab, but she won’t have it any other way.

I have my bags packed and I’m waiting on Riley to get out of the shower so we can head out. She booked us a room at the Bellagio, knowing I wouldn’t be able to turn down staying there. I absolutely love the water show and could stand there for hours just watching it.

Hey, Em, you ready to go? Riley asks, walking into our living room with her suitcase rolling behind her.

Yep! Just waiting on you. I hop off the couch and follow her out the door.

We make it to the Bellagio around dinner time. We drop our bags off in our room before heading back down to The Buffet for dinner. I have to say that even though I thought this was a stupid idea, I actually love how relaxed I feel sitting here with Riley. She comes from a different background than mine. I’m an only child and my parents are still together and live in San Diego. We weren’t rich but we also weren’t poor. We had a great life. Riley on the other hand, is from a small country over in Europe, called Isle of Eagleland.

Before meeting Riley, I never would’ve even known it exists. Her family is pretty high up in the totem pole over there. They aren’t quite royal, (according to her, yes her country is run by a king and queen), but her family is very influential. While I’m the only child, Riley has an older brother and sister, Luke and Taylor. I love them too pieces. Even though I’ve never met them in person, I chat with them on Skype as much as I can when Riley does. They are my second family.

The whole dinner I’ve felt someone’s eyes on me, which is ridiculous. If anyone was being watched it would be Riley. She’s got dark brown hair, almost black with Caribbean blue water eyes, her figure is amazing, even I’m jealous of the way her body is. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not fat and ugly, just a little curvier than she is, and my hair is pretty much a basic brown color. I have hazel eyes, which I love because depending on my mood they change from a deep brown to a bright green color.

I look around to see if I can spot anyone staring over at us but I can’t see anybody. Trying to shake off the feeling I say to Riley. Let’s walk the strip for a little while to walk off all this food we just ate before we have to get ready to go to the nightclub tonight.

Sounds like a plan, I feel like I’m about to burst at the seams with how much I ate. She says, laughing and getting up out of her seat.

We are almost out the door when I get that feeling again, so I look around one last time and my eyes land on a very hot and extremely sexy man sitting in the corner booth. He gives me a little smirk and I quickly turn my head and walk out of the restaurant.

After walking down the strip and then back to the hotel, we make our way up to our room to get ready for the nightclub. I'm actually looking forward to getting all fancy and dancing my ass off with my best friend. Riley comes out of the bathroom just as I pull my dress up. She's wearing what I would consider a little too short, red sequin mini dress. She looks fantastic.

Damn girl, you look hot in that dress! I tell her

If anyone looks hot my dear, it's you. Damn, Emma, that dress is amazing. She says while motioning for me to spin around so she can zip me up.

I'm wearing a somewhat tight mini dress, though it's much longer than Riley's. The minute I saw it in the window I knew I had to have it. My dress is also sequined but mine changes from a pink to a champagne color depending on how the light hits it. After one last look in the mirror we decide we’re ready to party.

••••○○○○••••

I internally groan when I see the line to get into the nightclub. Even though, I know its Vegas, just once I would love to not have to stand and wait. Pulling me out of my self-pouting, Riley grabs my arm and pulls me past the line.

I got us an in, I know you hate standing and waiting. She smiles, and this is why I love her to death, she understands me.

I smile and let her pull me to the front entrance where she hands the bouncer something and he lifts that famous red rope so we can enter. We push our way past the crowd of people heading straight to the bar. We order two shots of Vodka, a Rum and Coke for me and a Cosmo for Riley. Downing the shots quickly, we sip our drinks while we people watch. It's something we always do, living and going to school in Vegas means you're going to run into a lot of people. I spot some of our friends on the dance floor. I point them out to Riley as we finish our drinks and then we are heading their way to join them.

Riley is practically dragging me as we try to push our way through all the people standing around the dance floor when all of a sudden I run into something hard, causing me to lose Riley.

Shit! Is the only word I get out before looking up at the person blocking my way. When my eyes meet his, I'm momentarily stupid. I can't form any words. He's absolutely gorgeous. Beautiful brown eyes, short dark blond hair and from the way my body bounced off his, he’s built like a brick wall.

He smirks, when I can't say anything else and that's when I realize he's the man from the restaurant earlier.

Sorry for bumping into you. I finally find my words and practically have to scream so he can hear me.

That's okay, love. No harm done.

Holy fucking shit! He has an accent and a hot one at that. All I can do is smile like an idiot and push past him and his friend to find Riley and the girls. Looking back one last time I see him still looking at me, so I smile and turn around to the girls.

What happened to you? One minute I've got you and the next I don't. Riley asks.

I ran into a fucking brick wall and got stopped. I say pointing him out to my friends. Thank God he's not looking over here to see them as they all break their necks trying to see him.

Damn, those men are fine. Alicia says. And of course everyone agrees.

After all that, we finally get our dance moves on. I love to dance, I don't know if I actually look good doing it but it relaxes me and I get lost in my own little world.

We dance our asses off, and the drinks I had are finally running through me so I tell Riley I need to go to the restroom, when she offers to come with me I shake her off and tell her to keep dancing. Finishing my business, I head out of the restroom and once again I find myself being stopped by a wall. Only this time I know it's him.

Seriously, again? What are you, stalking me or something? I ask completely flustered that this man keeps popping up in my space. I don't know what it is but he makes me crazy and I don't even know his name.

Well, love, I would say you're the one following me.

Goddamn with that voice. I look around and realize we're the only ones around. I know I should go back to my friends and get far away from him, but I can’t make myself move, all I can seem to do is stare up at him.

What's your name, love?

Taking a deep breath and trying to calm my nerves, Emma, and you?

James.

Well with his accent I wasn't expecting James, but hey, it fits. We move a little further away from the noise, his hand on my back sends tingles throughout my body.

The fierce look in his eyes makes me want to do anything this man tells me to. Hell if his small touch on my back is any indication of what he could do to my body, I'm all for it. I'm not a slut by any means, I've actually only been with two men, but a body needs what a body needs to survive and right now my body is telling me it needs James.

Where are you staying, Emma? That damn voice of his sends chills down my spine.

Should I actually tell him? Why the hell not? Bellagio. You?

Same. He pulls me close, Come. He starts to walk towards the exit.

Now is the time I need to decide what I want to do. I know his one word come means go back with him, but I need to tell Riley. I'm not normally like this, but something is telling me to go with him.

I pull him to stop, I need to tell my girls I'm leaving with you. Stay here. He nods and releases my hand. I see him walk over to his friend and tell him something.

Finally, I find Riley and the girls. What the hell happened to you? Riley asks.

I'm outta here Rils. I cock my head toward James. She follows my lead and smiles.

Be safe Emma, call if you need anything. Do you know where?

I cut her off, Bellagio and I will text you the room number.

After telling me I better, we hug and I make my way back to James. He grabs my hand and pulls me close as we make our way out of the nightclub and back to the Bellagio.

The night air fills my lungs, yet I still can't take a deep enough breathe to relax. I know it has nothing to with the drinks and everything to do with the man walking next to me. The way he carries himself has me in awe. I'm sure he knows he looks like a God but his manor is nothing like conceited, but confident.

Every woman that passes us stares, yet he doesn't pay any attention to them. At some point he even pulls me closer to him. I didn't think was possible, yet my body is pulled up against his side and there isn’t any room left between us.

The walk back to the Bellagio seems like it took forever. He rushes us to the elevator and once the doors close behind us he pounces. Okay not actually pounces, he pushes me against the side wall and crashes his mouth down on mine as his hand cups my face at the same time as he’s pushing the button for his floor.

The elevator dings and I pull back so I can walk, but he doesn't let up, instead he walks me over to a couch. Wait, a couch? I lean back and this time he lets me. When I look around I realize we’re in the presidential suite. I turn back to look at him, Seriously, this isn't a room James.

He smirks as he lowers his mouth back to mine. The second our lips touch every thought fades away, all I can do is feel. Needing him closer to me I pull at his jacket and bring his body so it’s touching mine. We both moan the second our bodies collide.

Breaking our kiss, he rests his forehead against mine. What are you doing to me, love?

I take a steady breath, I could ask you the same, James.

Look. I say just as he says, So. We both laugh, You go first, love. He says.

I take a deep breath, knowing this could come across bad, but he needs to know my intentions. I'm not looking for anything past tonight. I've got too much happening right now in my life and I needed a night out, which is why my friend and I are here. I know it sounds slutty but I just want this moment between us, nothing more, I don't even want your last name or where you're from.  

He kisses me less urgently now and when we pull away we're both breathless.