Paradise Passion

By Marisa Chenery

Alysa had always wanted to go on a tropical vacation in Bora Bora, and she finally saw it realized. Literally swimming into Heath Nash, a famous movie star she'd been lusting over, is something she hadn't expected in a million years. After making an ass of herself in front of him, she makes a quick getaway, thinking he must be happy to see the back of her.

Heath had wanted to be alone, but finds himself intrigued by Alysa and wants to get to know her better. He quickly accepts the attraction he has for her, and they soon agree to have a two-week fling since he can't promise her anything more.

As their relationship evolves in to something more lasting, the realities of life push their love to the breaking point. A holiday on an island paradise brought passion, but the consequences might be too much to handle.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marisa Chenery
• Release date: May 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781988659442

Marisa Chenery

Marisa Chenery was always a lover of books, but after reading her first historical romance novel she found herself hooked. Having inherited a love for the written word, she soon started writing her own novels. She now writes young adult books and erotic romances. Marisa lives in Ontario, Canada, with her four children, four grandchildren (she’s a young grandma in her fifties) and three rabbits.

Book preview

Chapter One

Alysa Payne looked out the window of the plane as it landed, then taxied down the runway on the island of Bora Bora. Her first flight had taken a little over twelve hours from where she lived in Lansing, Michigan, to Tahiti. After that, it’d been a short trip to the island of her vacation destination.

She hefted her carry-on bag before she followed the other passengers off the plane. Excitement coursed through her to finally be in Bora Bora. Alysa had saved for years. Now that she was there, she was going to enjoy every minute of it. Even though she was vacationing alone, it didn’t bother her. She was a bit of a loner, anyway.

Inside the airport, Alysa waited for her suitcase to arrive on the baggage carousel. Once she’d claimed it, she headed through customs, then out to the front of the building. She took a deep breath of the tropical air and smiled. She’d spend the next two weeks swimming in the tropical waters and soaking up the warm sun.

Alysa headed to the dock where she’d find the private boat she’d hired to take her to the islet where the resort was located. Her suitcase and carry-on had been loaded into the watercraft, then they started the ten-minute trip. She watched the scenery go by. It was about three in the afternoon Bora Bora time. Back home, it’d be around nine at night. She wasn’t going to let the six-hour time difference affect her enjoyment of her first day. She was determined to get adjusted as quickly as possible, even if that meant she had to force herself to stay awake by downing a crap-ton of coffee.

Seeing the Pearl Beach Resort and Spa took her breath away. As she stepped out of the boat and onto the dock, Alysa caught her first sight of Mount Otemanu, one part of the extinct ancient volcano on the island. It was the highest point on Bora Bora and towered over everything.

She paid the driver after he placed her luggage at her feet. She slung the strap of her carry-on over her shoulder, extended the handle of her suitcase to pull it behind her, and headed to the building where she’d check in.

It only took a matter of minutes for Alysa to sign the paperwork, then have the key to her bungalow in hand. She walked outside and went in the direction she’d been instructed to go.

She’d picked this part of the world to take her tropical vacation because of the overwater thatched bungalows the resort was known for. They were set over the crystal-clear water of the lagoon. Alysa planned to spend a lot of time in it and working on her tan.

She unlocked the door to her bungalow before she pushed it open. Alysa walked into the main room and set her luggage close to the king-sized bed. The coffee and bedside tables were glass. She crossed to the glass-topped coffee table and looked down to see it revealed the lagoon below. From researching the resort, she’d known the tables had tops that slid open, allowing guests to feed the fish that swam by.

Alysa crossed to the glass sliding doors that made up an entire wall and stared outside. There was a terrace as well as a lower deck that provided a shower and steps leading into the water of the lagoon, which wasn’t so deep that she wouldn’t be able to touch the bottom. She couldn’t wait to go for a swim.

Not really hungry and with dinner a few hours away, Alysa decided a dip in the lagoon was what she needed. She crossed back to the bed and placed her suitcase on it. She unzipped it and found the new bikini she’d bought specifically for this trip. She held it up and bit her bottom lip. It was the kind that had strings on each side that held the bottom together and two more for the top. She hadn’t worn one like it since her teenage years. She could pull it off without having people wishing they could bleach their eyeballs at the sight of her, but it wasn’t exactly something she’d wear in her everyday life. It would take her a little time to get used to it. Maybe by the end of the two weeks she’d be all for wearing a thong bottom. She chuckled and shook her head. That isn’t going to happen.

Alysa used the toilet and changed into her bikini while she was in the bathroom. It took her a few tries to figure out how to unlatch the sliding doors to open them and push them into the pockets on each end of the wall. Mechanically inclined, she was not.

She walked out onto the terrace, then headed to the deck closer to the water. Alysa dipped a toe in and found it warm. She could see clear down to the white sandy bottom. She took a deep breath and jumped in feet first. Her head went under the water as she bent her legs when she hit the sand. She straightened and wiped her eyes. Standing, the water reached the top of her chest.

Alysa swam a few circles in front of her bungalow before she set out farther into the lagoon. She made a mental note of which one was hers as she headed in the direction of the bungalows at the end of the pontoon. Once she was past them, she flipped to her back.

She lazily did the backstroke, not really paying too much attention to where she was going. Alysa closed her eyes as the hot sun beat down on her. She slowly turned in what she thought was the direction that would take her to her bungalow and kicked her feet.

Alysa could get used to being able to open a door and jump into the warm water of a tropical lagoon. Some of the stress from her life back home seemed to leave her. She worked at a call center for a major insurance company. Getting yelled and sworn at was an almost everyday occurrence.

She kicked her feet again and swung an arm behind her to propel herself along. There was a grunt, and her hand came in contact with bare skin. Alysa opened her eyes and looked up at the male face that smiled down at her. Her brain seemed to stop functioning. She recognized him, even though he wore dark sunglasses. The longish, golden-blond hair and gorgeous good looks were all the same.

Hi, he said in his deep voice. You seem to have swum right into me.

Alysa sucked in a breath as she splashed around like a floundering fish, then sank like a stone. Her victim wrapped his hands around her biceps and pulled her to the surface, where she choked on the water she’d tried to drown herself with. She coughed as Heath Nash, one of the biggest movie stars of the day, held her steady and thumped her on the back as she fought to take a deep breath. She just prayed to God she didn’t have snot coming out of her nose. That would be so sexy and leave such a great impression. Not.

Once she could finally breathe without trying to cough up one of her lungs, Alysa looked at Heath and nodded to let him know he could stop thumping her. He released her and smiled again. She couldn’t help feeling a little starstruck. What were the chances of her meeting the movie star she’d been lusting over for a year and a half during the tropical vacation of her dreams?

Alysa knew just about everything about Heath. She’d read every article she could find about him. He was twenty-eight years old, two years her senior. He was six-foot-three, and his eyes were blue behind the dark lenses of his sunglasses. He’d never been married or engaged, for that matter. He lived in a mansion in Hollywood, California, that had six bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a square footage that would allow her small apartment to fit inside more than once. He was one of the top-paid movie stars, making millions for every film he was in.

The longer Alysa looked at Heath, the more she found herself unable to come up with something to say that wouldn’t make her sound like a total fangirl. It was an effort not to squeal like one. She wanted to play it cool. That being the case, she clamped her mouth shut to stop any verbal diarrhea that was sure to come. She smiled, but she had a feeling it looked more like a grimace since she’d clenched her teeth.

HEATH GAZED AT THE woman in front of him. She was pretty, and not in the artificial way the women who inhabited the world he lived in could be. This one had long brown hair and brown eyes and was almost a foot shorter than he was. Her face hadn’t been touched by any plastic surgeon, which was a good thing. Some women went to extremes and didn’t know when to stop.

Are you okay now? he asked.

She nodded. The smile she wore looked strained. Uh-huh.

What’s your name? I’m—

She cut him off in a rush of words. I know who you are. You’re Heath Nash. You’re hotter in person. Her eyes widened and she slapped a hand over her mouth.

Heath grinned. That’s who I am. You still haven’t told me your name, though. Her hand remained over her mouth and she mumbled something behind it. He gently pried her palm away from her lips and lowered her arm to her side. How about you try that again.

She gave him a sheepish smile. Sorry. I’m Alysa. Alysa Payne.

It’s nice to meet you, Alysa. I’m guessing your bungalow is on this pontoon.

Yes. It’s that one, three from the end.

Heath glanced where she pointed. We’re practically neighbors, then. This one is mine. He cocked his head toward the last bungalow.

Alysa suddenly let out a shriek and threw herself against him. She grabbed his shoulders and wrapped her legs around his waist. Heath quickly put his arms around her and stumbled until he found his balance once more. He looked at her to find her staring at the turquoise water.

Ah, he said, is something wrong?

Alysa kept her gaze glued to the water. Something bumped into my leg. I know sharks supposedly don’t come into the lagoon, but there’s always a chance, right?

Heath looked around until he spotted a small school of fish. It wasn’t a shark. You can relax. It was just some small fish, probably coming into the lagoon to see if they can get fed.

She slowly lowered her legs until she stood and let go of his shoulders. Alysa blushed. Sorry...again. I know there are sharks and rays around. I don’t plan to get up close and personal to any of them. I actually want to avoid them.

Hey, I didn’t mind. It’s no hardship to have a pretty girl throw herself at me.

Alysa seemed to blush even more and slowly backed away. I think I’ll head over to my bungalow before I do anything else that’s stupid. I’m sure you came here to relax and not be pestered by fans. I promise I won’t come knocking on your door now that I know which bungalow is yours. I’m going to go.

Before Heath could say anything in return, Alysa dove under the water and swam away farther down the pontoon toward her bungalow. He remained where he was, gazing in her direction. She surfaced and did the front crawl until she reached her deck. He continued to watch as she walked up the steps, then went inside the thatched building, disappearing from sight.

Heath walked the short distance to his bungalow before he gained the deck. He used the shower to rinse off the salt water, then went to the