"Ma'am, I can say with absolute certainty, that you are under the illusion that no law or rule applies to you."
"Why, thank you! How sweet." Grandma leaned back in her chair. "Where shall I start?"
"The beginning."
"It began with a curse."
"Shit."
"Don't worry, it was a good curse. And it wasn't real, but he didn't know that. You see, sometimes we just need to be given permission to do things. We need to be told something is okay."
Beth
Jace looked like he'd just seen a ghost. I waved in front of his face; he sucked in some air and began choking wildly and tugging at the beaded necklace around his neck.
"When did you go shopping?" I fingered the necklace.
"Don't touch it. I'm cursed!" he shouted.
I'd never witnessed a nervous breakdown. But I was almost one-hundred percent sure that's what was taking place. Jace pulled at his neck, nearly choking himself in the process and kept holding his breath.
"Get it off!" he yelled again.
"Jace. Breathe," I demanded.
His wild eyes looked everywhere but my face. Finally I grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. "It will be okay. It's just six days."
"You can't touch me. I'm serious, Beth. This is serious!"
"Right. You and your necklace are cursed." I patted his back in a motherly fashion. "You're under a lot of pressure right now. It's okay to freak out every once in a while. Just take some deep breaths, and we'll get some food in you."
"I'm not…" He started hyperventilating. "What the hell kind of perfume do you have on anyway?" He pulled back, eyes wild.
"I'm not wearing perfume."
"Aw, shit!" Jace finally pulled free from the necklace and threw it into the ocean, nearly popping his arm out of the socket in the process.
"Better?" I crossed my arms.
"Immensely." His chest was still heaving from exertion. "Sorry about that."
"Oh, it's fine. I've always wondered what it would be like to watch someone completely lose their mind." I smiled.
And was rewarded with a middle finger.
"Whoa there, Senator, manners."
His eyes narrowed. "The damn captain cursed me. He cursed me with you!"
Mad as hell, I smacked him on the arm. "Then why don't you just go back to your perfect life with your ridiculous amount of money and leave me the heck alone! I need this vacation, and I don't need you here being all—" I pushed him again, "—angry!"
"Fine!" Jace shouted, and then he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I mean, you're right. I'll leave. I just. He just—"
"Aloha!" A lady approached us on the dock. "I don't mean to interrupt what I'm sure was a very healthy and emotional conversation where you're both searching for your feelings deep down inside and—"
"Who are you?" Jace interrupted.
The lady was wearing all black and had a name tag that said Dr. Z.
"I'm the manager of this fine establishment, and I've been expecting you." She couldn't have been more than five foot two, was of Asian descent, and had black-rimmed spectacles that covered half her face. "Now if you'll just follow me to the center."
"Center?" I repeated. "I thought it was a hotel?"
"Oh, it's so much more! Here at Ocean Breezes Couples' Retreat, we pride ourselves on being up-to-date on the latest couples' therapy, relaxation treatments and—"
"Back up." Jace held up his hand. "Couples' therapy?"
"Of course." Dr. Z nodded. "That is why you're here, is it not?"
"Not," I answered for both of us. "Not, not, not, not."
"Strange." She folded her arms. "I've had your reservation for over a month."
"A month!" I yelled. This time Jace braced me as I lunged for the innocent doctor.
"Come along." She ignored my violent outburst. "Dinner starts in about ten minutes, and we need to get you in your clothes first."
"You have our suitcases?" That was the best news I'd heard all day.
"Oh no." Dr. Z snapped her fingers. Two men came running; one handed her a packet, and the other handed her a key. "Here at Ocean Breezes Couples' Retreat, oh my, that is a mouthful. Here at OBCR, we value equality over style. Both men and women wear the same white outfits every day to show their commitment for a clean slate."
"Clean slate?" Jace gave me a nervous look.
"Ah, here we are." Dr. Z led us down a pathway to a large hut. "You'll find a change of clothes inside. Please hurry. As you were dropped off later than expected, we do not want your dinner to get cold."
With that she closed the door, leaving Jace and me alone in the hut.
After a few moments of silence I said, "I think we were played."
"You think?" Jace snapped.
"Don't try to pin this on me!" I stomped over to him. "Besides, it's not like we could have made an escape, what with you grabbing at your chest like you had fleas or something. My necklace, a curse, a curse, a curse!"
"Not funny. I was cursed!" he argued.
"Yeah, with a nervous breakdown, and now we're at some mental institute for unhappy couples! Screw you and your advice on the boat. I want the fairytale, you hear me!" I pointed up at the ceiling. "I want the fairytale, damn it!"
"Who are you talking to?"
"God."
"Why?"
"So he can tell Grandma I want a do-over."
"Nice." Jace smirked. "And I'm the one with the nervous breakdown."
"Don't push me." I pointed at his chest and held up my fingers. "I'm this close, this close to snapping."
"Well, we don't want to see what that would look like, you snapping. Hurry up and hide the cookies."
"Aghhh!" I pushed him against the bed, causing it to move against the wall. And then I realized I was on top of him. Straddling him. And he was warm. And great gods of Asgard, my body savored it.
"Nice thighs." He smirked. "They're strong. Mind unleashing me before I have to get both legs amputated from blood loss?"
"Please, like it's your legs you're worried about."
A knock came on the door. "Five minutes!"
"She's just going to keep coming back." Jace grunted from underneath me. "I say we hurry up and change, get some damn food in our bodies, and then call Grandma. We can take the next flight out of here and still have time to have a nice quiet vacation."
"How brave! You're running away with your tail between your legs."
"Are you saying you want to stay here?" Jace lifted his arms into the air and turned around in a circle.
"No, that's not what I'm saying." I put my hands on my hips. "What I'm saying is I can handle staying here. I have balls of steel. What do you have?"
"Balls. Normal ones. Ones I'd like to keep intact, and if I stay here much longer, they're going to pull back up into my body and render me a eunuch. You want that to happen? You want that on your conscience?"
"Three minutes!" Dr. Z shouted.
Beth threw a set of white clothes at me. "You're ball-less, just like I'm chargeless!"
"Excuse me?" he shouted, reaching for his pants.
Was he going to show me? Was this a pissing contest? Seriously?
"You heard me!" I peeled off my shirt and threw it onto the floor. "You don't want to stay because you know you couldn't take it!"
"Is that a challenge?" He took two steps toward me. "Hmm, Beth?"
"It's only a challenge if the other person stands a chance."
"What do I get if I stay?" His eyes roamed greedily over my chest.
I crossed my arms and glared.
"Not that."
"Like I'd have to ask."
"You're an ass!" I hissed, pulling the white linen shirt over my body and following with the white linen pants.
"I'm a politician, sweetheart. I've been called worse."
"Time's up!" Dr. Z said, knocking on the door again.
"So what do you say?" I held out my hand. "We have a bet?"
"Wager."
"Dare."
&n
bsp; "Deal," we said in unison.
"You stay for six days, and I help you with the whole I'm a prostitute situation. I'll say whatever I need to say to those nice little cameras. I'll even kiss you on national television."
"And I'll…" Jace frowned.
"You'll give me six days." I licked my lips out of nervousness. I hadn't meant to ask for that, but the more I thought about it, the better the idea became. After all, it was his kiss I hadn't been able to get out of my head for twelve years; his touch I'd been thinking about every single time another man put his arm around me. If anyone in that godforsaken hut was cursed, it was me. Cursed with memories of a man that made me wish for the fairytale. I'd been feeling sorry for myself for too long. And Jace was probably right. Maybe the fairytale wasn't real, but I wanted to experience it just for a little while. And he was going to be the one to deliver it.
"Pardon?"
"A real six days. No strings attached. Six-day vacation with food, drinks, fun, and…" I felt heat rising to my cheeks, "just six days. Six days of being a normal girl in a normal relationship with a normal guy." If the normal guy happened to look like you could break boulders off his abs.
"Stop saying six." Jace swore. "It sounds like sex, and I just watched you take off your shirt."
I felt my cheeks heat.
"And it makes me want to slam you against the wall and rip it from your body, so when you ask for six days, know that you're asking for a real six days. I'm not going to keep my hands to myself."
"Fine." My lower lip trembled. "I just want to be romanced."
"You want the fairytale," he said in a low voice.
"Yeah. I do."
"I can do six days," Jace whispered. "Just don't hate me on day seven, because I will walk away."
I snorted. "Easy, Jace. You aren't that irresistible. It's a risk worth taking. I want to put Boring Beth away for a while." Besides, he'd walked away before. What's one more time?
"Beth." Jace sighed. "You're not boring. Look maybe this isn't—"
A whistle sounded, and then Dr. Z opened the door. "Ready?"
Jace held out his hand to shake mine. I touched it, feeling the sizzle all the way down to my toes.
"Ready."
Chapter Twelve
"This ship captain, did you pay him to curse the senator?"
"Of course not!" Grandma shook her head. "No money exchanged hands."
The agent took a long sip of coffee.
"However," Grandma paused, "there are other ways for payment."
The agent choked. "Ma'am, prostitution is illegal."
"I would never sell my body." Grandma shook her head vehemently "Besides, the captain's already tasted the goods. Past lover, you understand. He was only too happy to… aid me in my quest."
"Your quest for love?" The agent's eyebrows narrowed.
"Yes. Let's call it that. It has a certain ring to it!"
Jace
I'd just made a deal with the devil. I'd signed the contract in blood, and now all I had to do was live through the next six days. The good news? I could save my career. And Beth was right. She was the answer. I'd send a text to Rick as soon as I could.
As for giving her six days of a fairytale? I imagined it would be like babysitting, more or less. Lavish her with gifts, feed her, give her enormous amounts of wine, and wait for her to fall asleep at night. Okay, so maybe if I wanted to get arrested, it would be like babysitting. I just needed to keep her happy, repeat for six days, and home free. How hard could it be? To woo a woman? I wooed people on a twenty-four-seven basis. Then again, most people I wooed weren't ones I'd been pining for since I'd gone to my first dance.
The other issue would be that damn curse. I wasn't an idiot. I didn't believe in curses, but the man had been right. Thirty-two minutes ago we'd gotten to the island. And for thirty-two minutes, I'd done nothing but stare at Beth's mouth, watched her hands as she gripped her silverware, and closed my eyes when the breeze carried her scent into my personal space.
Shit.
Six days.
Less than a week.
I could do anything for a week.
"Jace." Beth's soft voice carried across the table. At least she didn't sound pissed anymore. "Did you hear anything I just said?"
"Sure." I sipped my wine.
"So you agree?"
"Absolutely."
"On the neck, don't you think?"
"Uh…" Well hell, that's where daydreaming got a person. "The neck is perfect."
"How long should it be?"
"Long enough." I was the king of vague. I could field questions all day long without actually giving an answer. Point, Jace.
"And color?"
"I think bright colors are the best." I nodded. "They seem to… attract attention." I gave her my best politician smile.
"Hmm, maybe you're right." She looked down at the paper in her hands and started scribbling. "Tomorrow good?"
"Sure." I leaned over to see what she was writing down. But she jerked the sheet back. "I need you to sign."
"What am I signing?" I asked, giving her another polite smile.
"You said you were paying attention." She handed me the pen.
"I was. I am."
"Good. Sign here."
I was ashamed to admit I signed, only because I didn't want to look like an ass.
Dr. Z approached the table. "I take it you filled out the information?"
"We did." Beth grinned.
"Fantastic." Dr. Z took the folder and pulled out the sheet I'd signed. Her eyes widened slightly. "How very brave of you two!"
"We thought so." Beth reached for my hand.
I had a bad feeling.
"A twin dragon tattoo! And on your necks! How lovely! The dragon is the symbol of being connected. It's rare for couples to be so committed upon arrival!"
"That's us," I said in a dry voice. How the hell was I going to talk myself out of that one? I'd signed the damn document. "Committed." I kicked Beth under the table.
She winced as Dr. Z examined the rest of the papers. "Alright, I'll just schedule the rest of your week and slip the paper under you door this evening. Your first session is with one of our newer therapists. She's absolutely lovely."
The sound of Dr. Z's heels clicking against the tile floor felt like a noose getting tighter around my neck.
"Tattoo?" I tilted my head. "You think you're funny, don't you?"
"You weren't paying attention."
"I was." Sort of. If watching her mouth move was paying attention, and memorizing her scent was my pop quiz. Yeah, I was paying attention.
"No, you weren't. We shook on it. Six days. I don't want you ignoring me, I don't want you texting. I want the fantasy. God knows, it's only six days." Her face fell a bit before she smiled to cover up her disappointment.
Shit.
"You're right." I reached for her hand. "I'll do better. It's just been a long day." And if she kept saying six, I was going to six the hell out of her in a public forum.
"I know." Beth stared down at our hands.
I should have pulled back. I should have run. Instead, I placed my other hand on top of hers and whispered, "Why don't we go back to the room. I'll draw you a bath and romance the hell out of you."
Which also meant I was going to be rewarded with sainthood for not trying to seduce her the minute we were alone.
"I thought you were gifted with words?"
"Exhaustion. It's set in. Plus, I'm cursed. Don't expect perfection."
"Who said I wanted perfection?" She winked. "I just want the fairytale."
"Didn't we already have this talk? They're the same thing."
"No," Beth stood, "they aren't. And that's why you're so bitter. Some things aren't always black and white, Mr. Senator. Now romance me."
"Day one." I smirked.
"Day one." She agreed.
I held her hand the entire way to the hut.
****
"Sure, I'll dance with you." She put her hand in mi
ne. I walked her to the dance floor, unable to take my eyes off her glistening dress or pretty brown hair. My cousin was going to kill me if I bailed on her, but the pull was too strong.
"You're really pretty." I pulled her into my arms and tried act smooth, even though I was pretty sure my hands were shaking. "What's your name?"
"Beth." Her head tilted back, enough for me to see her crazy green eyes. "What's yours?"
"Jace." My voice cracked at the end. Great, I'd just give away my age. No doubt she was a senior and thought I was about as cute as seventh grader with a cold.
"Thanks."
She leaned her head on my shoulder. At least I had my height going for me.
"For what?"
"The rescue." She laughed. And a part of me that had been dormant for a lifetime flared to life. God, she was beautiful.
"I'll rescue you anytime. Day or night."
"Is that a promise?"
Her smile was deadly. It made me want to kiss her, and the last thing I needed to be seen doing was kissing a girl from another school while I got my ass handed to me by the defensive line of the football team. It was their territory, not mine.
But I couldn't stop the words from coming. "Of course."
My head descended; she met me halfway. Our lips touched, and I kissed her hard. Harder than I'd ever kissed a girl before in my entire life. It was a hello and a goodbye kiss, because I knew it wasn't something I'd be repeating. She was way out of my league. As it was, I was playing with fire even kissing what I'm sure was the quarterback's girlfriend. But I couldn't help myself.
"Brevik," a male voice sneered from behind.
I pulled away from Beth and slowly turned to face, who I was sure, would be the largest kid in school.
Instead, it was the coach from the football team. Aw, hell. He only knew me because I'd unintentionally put one of his players out of commission for the rest of the season.
"Who are you here with?"
"My cousin." I swallowed nervously.
He peered around me at Beth and chuckled. "She doesn't look like your cousin."
"Not her." I ground my teeth together. "She's just… a friend."