Too-Perfect & Stranded by Cami Checketts

CHAPTERTHREE

Holden watched Navy stomp away with far too many emotions battling within him. Frustration at himself for ruining the moment, desire for her, and humiliation at her response to his apology were the top three. He had never been so taken in by a woman, but even though she’d responded to his kiss, it was blatantly obvious by her sharp words that he was just another desperate man for the beautiful Navy Quinn to reject, to put in his place. He’d had his reasons for not kissing her before and now he wished he’d kept them in the forefront of his mind. Falling for Colt Quinn’s sister was stupid, but he was afraid he’d already fallen.

He gave her space, watching her perfect form until she was out of sight before pushing through the sand back toward the house. At least he had the rear set of stairs up to the master suite and didn’t have to face anyone else, most especially Navy.

The rest of the day didn’t get any better for him. He had to watch as Ryan hit on Navy and she rejected him time and again. Throughout the filming as they pretended to exit the yacht, explore and exclaim over the house and island, and then started their workouts, Ryan kept making little quips. While Ollie had them hold or repeat certain things so he could get the right angle, Ryan leered at and made suggestive comments to Navy.

It didn’t seem to matter to the musclehead if Ollie was filming them or if the camera was focused on someone else. Ryan was apparently incapable of giving Navy any space, even though she didn’t seem to encourage him. Holden gritted his teeth. He wasn’t any better himself and wished he was the one flirting with Navy and sneaking quick touches of her hand or finding opportunities to lean in and whisper something no one else could hear.

The young contestant, Alecia, was almost as annoying in her attentions to Holden. She flaunted her body and made silly flirtatious comments to him. It became his quest the rest of the day to be wherever she wasn’t. Luckily Ryan was Alecia’s trainer so Holden followed Navy and Michael whenever the groups separated, but with only Ollie filming on the island he didn’t let them separate very much.

It was torture to be close to Navy and know she didn’t want him, especially with the remembrance of her kiss. He’d been the instigator of many fights in his celebrated NHL career. It must be his nature to be a glutton for punishment, to want to earn more bruises. The damage Navy did to him was all internal. He’d rather get slammed against the wall or into the ice. The media always claimed he was too aloof and private, but that was a much safer spot than giving your heart away and having it skewered by a beautiful blonde.

Dinner was delicious—mahi mahi, kale salad, and sweet potatoes. How Jorge made kale taste amazing was beyond Holden, but he had missed Jorge’s meals the past few months. Cooking for himself or getting takeout weren’t his favorite things. He ate plenty at dinner and enjoyed every bite. Navy looked far more delicious than the food. After the fitness shoot she’d changed into a white floral sundress for dinner. Her long, blonde hair teased across her firm, tanned shoulders. He knew what those shoulders felt like under his fingertips. He hoped he kept the longing glances at a minimum in regards to Navy. How could he have messed up so badly on that beach? Touching her had truly blown his mind and he’d thrown reality and consequences into the sand and reacted like a hormone-driven teenager, not a professional thirty-six year old.

When Ollie finally set the camera—his “girl” as he called his equipment—down, he was as close to Taya as he could be. Navy talked with Ollie and Taya during the meal, keeping her distance from Ryan and Holden. Holden had wondered if Ollie and Taya had feelings for each other. They would be an unusual pair. He was a big, laidback guy with a perma-grin and she was smaller than Navy with spiky dyed red hair and a lot of body jewelry and tattoos. She was like an adorable little sister who had a chip on her shoulder.

Speaking of chip on her shoulder, Navy had just glanced his way and caught him staring. She looked away, her cheeks turning pink. His mind flashed back to the kiss. He shouldn’t have let himself think of it because his body heated up and he wanted to get her alone, pin her against a wall, and explore her lovely mouth all over again.

Everyone dispersed after dinner and Holden went to his room to deal with work on his laptop. There was a notice from the storm-analysts that Zack employed alerting him that extreme weather was headed to the island, but it should pass within twenty-four hours. They advised everyone to stay indoors if the storm got too fierce.

Holden took a break to open the windows and enjoy the crisp breeze from the incoming storm. Then he tried to focus on the profit/loss statement his financial analyst had sent about the Bruins hockey team. Holden loved that he sponsored the team he used to play for, but right now the salty breeze was calling to him. Within minutes he realized he was completely distracted and closed his laptop, stretched, and walked toward the patio doors. It was impossible to work with a half moon reflecting off the water, the ocean down below, and the memory of Navy Quinn in his arms.

* * *

After dinner, Navy hurried to her room, shut the door, and locked it. The tension from being in this beautiful location with Holden close by was getting to her. She took some ibuprofen and laid down on the bed, but the sensation of kissing him would not leave her. She could almost taste him and feel him and she definitely ached for him. The reality of kissing him was so much stronger than the daydreams she’d had of him and her together. It was impossible to shut the memory of his kiss from her mind now that it had finally happened.

“No!” She sat upright and started pacing the room. Maybe she should head down to the home gym and get another workout in. Maybe she should go to the theater and watch a movie with the rest of the group, but what if Holden ended up there too? She decided to go walk on the beach instead.

Her phone rang and she snatched it off the dresser, relieved for the distraction.

“Colt!” Her voice was much too happy, ecstatic even, not her usual sarcastic tones. What was Holden doing to her?

“Hey, sis. Happy to hear from me?”

“Always. What are you up to, little bro?”

“Another day, another girl. You know how it is.”

Navy scowled and started pacing the room. Okay, maybe Colt wasn’t the best distraction. She loved him so much, but he was wasting his life on women who could never make him happy. All her other brothers—even the hard-hearted Griff—had settled down with amazing women. Why couldn’t Colt give up his philandering ways?

“When are you going to quit that crap and find one with a brain in her head?”

“Ah, sis. You know the ones with brains aren’t any fun.”

“You are such a pig.” She knew that Colt respected women and wouldn’t betray his upbringing or faith, but she still had to give him a hard time and try to help him change his path, find happiness with the right woman for him.

He simply laughed. “What about you? You done with the Muscle Up show yet?” He made his voice even lower than normal and added a little Arnold Schwarzenegger accent.

“This is the last week. We’re on location at the most beautiful island. Zack Tyndale’s place.” She’d done the show for a few seasons but she didn’t know if she’d continue, especially if things kept being so awkward with Holden.

“The Olympian guy? Always promoting protecting the children and adoption?”

“Yeah. He’s a cool guy.” But Navy’s mind was on another guy.

“Does your boss come to stuff like that?”

Apparently her brother could also read minds. “Yeah, he’s here this week.”

“Huh.”

“What was that?” She clung to the phone and watched the moon reflecting off the water below her windows.

“I’m just … not a fan.”

Navy blinked and sank into a soft chair. “Really? I didn’t even know you knew Holden.” Maybe this was a good thing. If Colt didn’t like Holden then there was no reason to date him. She trusted her brothers. Always. No one came between her and her brothers. Being the oldest, she was definitely a mama bear in regards to all of them, even the ever-tough Griff.

“It’s been years. I’m sure he’s a standup guy with business, but he and I have some … history.”

Navy pushed out a breath. “Well now you have to tell me the story.” If Holden had injured her brother she’d have an even better reason to stay away from him.

“Forget I brought it up.”

“No. Uh-uh. Spill it now. I can still thump you.”

Colt chuckled. “You haven’t thumped me since I was ten.”

Navy couldn’t say it wasn’t true. “Come on, bro. I’m dying here. How do you know Holden?”

“Why are you dying?” His voice got suspicious. “You don’t like him, do you?”

“No!” She protested much too quickly to be believable.

“Sis. I don’t want you dating him.”

“I’m not.” Though if Holden would have asked her to date him moments ago she would have screamed yes. If Colt wanted her to stay away, she would listen, no matter how hard it was to give up the dream of Holden in her life. “Can you please tell me why you don’t like him?”

A few seconds passed then Colt said, “Do you remember Kim Heathrow?”

Kim had been a child and teenage Disney star, but she hadn’t been in a movie for years. “The one from The Impressionable Years?”

“Yeah.”

“She’s adorable!”

Kim was a brunette beauty with the cutest dimples and a full, curvy shape. She was gorgeous. Navy knew Kim and Colt had dated years ago, but it was short-lived—like all of Colt’s relationships.

Colt let out a disgusted grunt.

“She’s not adorable?” Navy would always be on her brother’s side—always—even if it meant lying about how delightful Kim Heathrow was.

“Maybe she is to some people … like Holden.”

Holden and Kim. Navy’s stomach pitched. They’d be a beautiful couple with their dark coloring and him so tall and manly and her so delicate and sweet. Navy had never heard anything about them dating, but Holden was an expert at keeping his private life private. No matter how often she had Google-searched him, she’d seen nothing about family and very little about women besides the occasional doll on his arm at some important party or business function.

“What happened?”

“I was young and stupid and thought I was in love.”

“You? In love?” She didn’t mean to balk but she’d never seen Colt even act like he would stick with one woman for longer than a week.

“I told you it was stupid.”

Navy stood again, concern washing over her. Was this why her kind, conscientious brother had gone from a flourishing career in the Army to doing erratic security jobs and loving on and dumping beautiful women? Had Kim broken his heart? Navy didn’t think Kim was so adorable anymore, and if she found her, they’d have words, maybe more than words.

“And?”

“She cheated on me with Holden.”

Navy had never, ever heard emotion like this in her brother’s voice. Kim and Holden had broken her brother’s heart. It was clear, even through the phone line that it was still painful for Colt. She wanted to fly home and give him a hug. She wanted to plant her fist in Holden’s gut.

“Colt … is that why?” She couldn’t finish it, couldn’t say what he’d become, even though she teased him about being a womanizer all the time. Right now it was too real. Her brother had been broken and turned to dating a different girl every week the way some might turn to alcohol or prescription drugs to relieve their pain.

“I gotta go, sis. I’m picking up my date. Love ya.” His voice was falsely bright and cheery.

“Love you,” Navy returned. The phone clicked dead.

Navy set the phone down and paced her room for a few minutes. She felt like a caged animal. She opened her windows and tasted the salty breeze. The wind was picking up and the light of the half-moon danced off angry waves. The sea had been so tranquil earlier. Navy didn’t usually like storms but as unsettled and turbulent as she felt right now, she wanted to be out in the middle of the incoming storm in the worst way. She wished this suite had an exterior door. There weren’t any screens on the windows. She pushed the window wider and squirmed through, thumping onto the grass outside.

Standing, Navy brushed her dress back into place, wrapped her long hair up in one hand and set out for the closest staircase she could find. It was by the master suite. She hoped she wouldn’t run into Holden but wouldn’t mind giving him a piece of her mind. He and Kim Heathrow had broken her brother. What a jerk. Navy hated thinking of her brother hurting and she loathed picturing Holden and Kim Heathrow in each other’s arms, but she was relieved to know that she was justified in being mad at Holden and that he wasn’t perfect. Far from it.

Regardless of how little she liked him right now, she found herself peering into the master suite’s open windows. Her chest relaxed when she couldn’t see him.

She took the stairs down to the beach, loving the wind whipping at her clothes and hair as she inhaled great gulps of tangy, crisp air. Releasing the fistful of long hair, she let it fly around her. As she reached the beach, she plodded through the soft sand.

A large form appeared in front of her and she screamed. Arms wrapped around her and she instantly recognized Holden’s muscular frame and his spicy scent—a fabulous combo of bergamot, cinnamon, and saffron. Jerking herself away, she squinted up at him. He looked incredibly handsome in the moonlight and she couldn’t help but stare at his mouth. The kiss earlier today had ended much too soon. She hadn’t even savored the feel of his beard against her face, tasted each of his lips.

“No!” she yelled at herself and backed a step away. How easily this jerk could make her forget her anger at him and her loyalty to her brother. She actually doubted Kim Heathrow was to blame. What woman could be strong enough to resist Holden Jennings if he set his sights on her?

Holden reached out as if to steady her but quickly withdrew his hand. “I apologize,” he said.

“For what now?” she demanded, stomping her foot in the sand. “I think I’ve been apologized to more than I can handle.”

His perfect lips bowed in a grim smile. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“Apology accepted … for that transgression at least.”

Holden took a bold step forward. He was at least six four and every inch of it looked good on him. He leaned toward her and she caught undertones of vanilla in that fabulous cologne. “How many transgressions do I have?” he asked quietly.

The wind almost took his words away but she held on to them because it reminded her of exactly how mad she was at him. He’d rejected her after their one beautiful kiss but even more horribly, he’d hurt her brother. Nobody hurt one of her brothers and escaped unscathed from her.

“Too many to count.” She slugged him in the gut. “Ow!” she yelled when her fist made contact with his muscular abdomen.

Holden grunted but she hadn’t even budged or injured him, far from it. His brows drew together. “Was that for the kiss?” he muttered.

“No!” she yelled loud enough to be heard over the wind. “That was for my brother.”

She was tempted to hit him again, simply because the first punch didn’t have the desired effect, but her hand hurt too much.

“Your brother?” He straightened and nodded, his eyes registering his transgression. “Colt.”

“Yes, Colt.” She glared up at him. “You may be my boss. You may think you own me, but I can stand on my own. I had no clue what kind of a jerk you were. I will finish this job because Quinns never quit, but then I am done. Don’t you worry about me. I’ll find a better sponsor soon. One who doesn’t try to come onto me and who hasn’t hurt my family.”

Emotion crossed Holden’s face that almost made her feel guilty for her tirade. He seemed to care deeply for her and he seemed to regret cheating with her brother’s girlfriend, but he couldn’t have any clue the damage he’d really caused to Colt.

Holden backed up a step. “We’ll regret losing you, Miss Quinn.”

“Yes, you will.” She stormed around him and down the sandy beach. The wind was picking up, but she welcomed the fear the storm inspired in her. It was nothing compared to the storm deep inside of her. She’d had strong feelings for Holden Jennings for many years and tonight they’d all been shattered. She was mad at herself for falling for a man who had hurt her brother. The fact that she’d be unemployed after this week hardly bothered her. The fact that she would never kiss Holden again and still wanted to ticked her off to no end.