Into Thin Air Read online

  The nearby scraping of a chair against tiled floor heightens my curiosity. Sam—or his girlfriend or wife—is on his balcony too. I call him Sam like we’re old pals. The pop of a beer bottle travels through the air, followed by the clink of the cap landing on a glass table. I lean closer to his side to listen for a female voice, careful not to fall off the chair. I stay that way for several minutes, but I don’t hear anything else from his side. Maybe he’s not even outside anymore.

  I yawn. That huge bed—all mine—is calling my name. I pull the towel off my head and shake out my hair. Just as I reach the door, I hear a faint and soothing, “Good night,” from behind the wall. So, he is still there.

  “Good night,” I respond softly and wander inside with a smile on my face.

  It’s going to be hard to stay alone when someone like him is next door.

  Chapter 4

  Ellie

  I’ve spent the morning lounging on the balcony outside my bedroom like I’ve done the last couple of days. What a spectacular view of the glistening ocean. The sweltering humidity finally decreased yesterday.

  When I woke up a couple of days ago and looked outside, a radiant red parrot with an electric-blue tail was observing me from the railing. It hung out for a few minutes, then flew over to Sam’s side. He does this every morning now. I call him Petie because that’s the name of the parakeet I had when I was little. For all I know, he could be a she.

  The doorbell rings. I called the front desk for a new toothbrush—I accidentally dropped mine in the toilet. I trot down the stairs and open the door. A stout woman with a cheerful smile hands me a bag.

  “Thank you so much.” We chat for a few minutes. As she turns to leave, Sam walks past my door. Shirtless and glistening with sweat, he has a yellow-and-black soccer ball tucked under his arm. He halts, and his smoky eyes trace every one of my curves like a soft feather. Goosebumps trail behind, and every nerve in my body wakes as if it’s been in deep hibernation. His heated expression makes me feel beautiful, so I don’t try to cover myself.

  The hotel worker has disappeared without me noticing. Sam and I continue to stare at each other. I cross my arms and slowly lean against the doorframe, enhancing my breasts in my emerald-green string bikini. His eyes blaze, and his mouthwatering grin appears again.

  “Hey, neighbor,” he greets me with his hypnotizing voice.

  “Hi there.”

  He struts a little closer, tossing the ball from one hand to the other. The scents of sunscreen and sweat tease my sexual senses. Man, he’s intoxicating. He needs to leave right now.

  “I’m not sure the word neighbor fits you. I don’t think I’ve ever heard your name.”

  I extend my hand, hoping it won’t quiver. “Ellie. You can call me Ellie.”

  He tucks the ball under his arm again. “I’m Sam.” His large, warm hand wraps around mine. We’re a perfect fit, like a lock and key.

  I let go first and cross my arms once more. “I know. I remember from the first night we arrived when you picked up your suitcase. I see you’re alone again.”

  “Yup. And will be for the entire stay. How about you?”

  “Yes. And I’m enjoying every minute of it.” I say it firmly, but I’m not sure I mean it. His eyebrows rise. I already regret what I just said.

  He steps back. “Well, I don’t want to interrupt your alone time. But if you get bored and want some company, you know where I am.” His heated eyes scan my body again and then he walks away, tempting me with a fine view of his muscular back.

  “Wait, are you the guy next door who snores and keeps me up all night?” I tease.

  He looks over his shoulder and his fiery gaze latches onto mine. “If I ever keep you up all night, I promise it won’t be from snoring.” He winks and disappears into his suite.

  When his door clicks shut, I exhale deeply. Holy shit, all of my feminine bits just combusted! I close the door behind me and rest against it.

  We’ve been seeing each other around the resort for the last couple of days. We’ve smiled politely, nodded as we caught each other’s eye, or murmured hello. At the dinner buffet last night, we reached for the same clean plate. All motion seemed to slow around us. My stomach swirled in anticipation. It always does when he’s near.

  I wanted him to ask me to have dinner with him, but someone else disturbed our moment by asking us to move on. We must’ve looked ridiculous, holding a stupid plate and not speaking to each other. He let go, grabbed another one, and stepped to the other side of the buffet table. It surprised me how disappointed I was.

  I sat at my corner table for one and observed him from afar. Women gawked at him and fluffed their feathers to get his attention, but he showed no interest. I chuckled quietly, I thought, but then he turned in my direction as if he’d heard me. Did he? I pretended to peel some shrimp. So sexy. I don’t know if I was convincing enough. But like me, he closes himself off. Whatever. We ate alone on opposite sides of the room.

  I tried the breakfast buffet for the first time this morning. On my way back from the main building, I saw Sam playing soccer with a boy who was probably in his early teens. Sam was so patient and attentive while showing the boy some foot tricks. He looked like he was in his element, like a professional. Sam was awesome, and the boy looked at him as if he were his idol. Their smiles and laughter were contagious—I found myself smiling along with them. Something about it tugged at my heart in an unfamiliar way. And then Sam stopped midkick and glanced my way as if he knew I was there. I tried to hide behind a palm tree, hoping he didn’t see me.

  I feel this magnetic force pulling me toward him, but I keep pushing back with equal force. I want to talk to him, but I always hesitate and act like I don’t care. Because I don’t want to care! But I think I do, and that’s annoying as shit.

  With a tube of sunscreen in my hand and my Kindle tucked under my arm, I put my sunglasses on and go outside. The extent of my reading lately has been boring legal documents. I could do with some sexy romance right now. Some smut, as my friend calls it. The pool glistens with the reflection of the sun, and a floating raft invites me to lie on it. High, blinding white cement walls provide privacy. Fuchsia-colored flowers drape heavily over sections of the walls. An old wooden ladder leans against the wall shared by Sam’s place. I guess it’s decoration. There’s no wall at the end of the property because it would obstruct the view of the beach, but it’s long enough that it hides me from the outside world.

  The sound of splashing water erupts from Sam’s pool. I try not to think of him without his shirt on, but instead I get a vision of him with nothing on at all. I shake my head. A perfect body means nothing. Cooper had one, but he turned into an asshole just like all the others.

  I place everything on a table near my favorite sun lounger. After squeezing a generous amount of sunscreen into my hand, I spread it everywhere I can reach. Maybe I should ask Sam to do my back for me. And maybe some other places. I chuckle to myself. The lotion soaks in and leaves my skin soft and dry, not sticky. With the humidity so low, my hair isn’t a frizz ball. That’s a first. I lift up the end of the lounger to aim it in the direction of the sun, but it slips from my fingers and lands on my foot.

  “Shit. Stupid chair.” I hop on one leg until the pain goes away.

  Chapter 5

  Sam

  I kick off my sneakers by the door and walk to the refrigerator. I take out a water bottle and press it to my forehead. Ellie’s driving me mentally and physically insane. I’m not sure how much longer I can stay away from her. I’m trying to be patient and let her come to me, but if I don’t talk to her more or touch her soon, I’m going to lose my mind. From the very second I saw her in the welcome room, she’s been all I can think about.

  It’s evident she wants to be left alone, but I know she’s just as curious about me as I am about her. I see it in her beckoning eyes, the way they trace the lines of my face and then the rest of my body. This magnetic thrill is not one sided.

  The cold b
ottle pressed against my head isn’t doing much to cool me off after seeing her in that barely there bikini.

  When I saw her in the welcome room, I lost all train of thought. For a moment, I had no idea how I got there or what I was doing. Her beauty is like something I’ve never seen before. Pure comes to mind. No makeup or processed hair. She’s long and lean with perfect curves. I want to tug her wild red mane to the side to expose the sexy curvature of her neck. My lips long to kiss her ivory skin. Her green eyes fascinate me—I want to know what shade of green they’ll become when I caress her body.

  I down the water bottle within seconds and open the glass door leading to the patio. A light breeze blows in. I reach up and grab hold of the top of the doorframe, then lean forward to stretch. My imagination gets the best of me. I envision her lying topless on a lounge chair, waiting for me to spread sunscreen on her back and the rest of her beautiful body.

  After a few minutes of daydreaming, I wipe the new sweat off my forehead, readjust my shorts, and search for a distraction. I pick up my phone to check for messages. Still none. Good. My phone hasn’t rung once, and not one message has come through since I got here. Silence is strange to me because my life has never been quiet. But I’m not complaining.

  I put it back on the table and grab my swim shorts off one of the chairs. A painful spasm in my left shoulder stops me in my tracks. I massage the knot that has been bothering me for several months. It’s strange—I seem to be in more pain than usual, and not just my shoulder. I’ve had a headache, and my whole body is stiff. I swear, when I first got here, I felt like I’d been hit by a train.

  Ellie doesn’t seem to know who I am, and I appreciate that. Other women have approached me, but I politely make it clear I’m not interested in socializing. Of course, the boy today was different. He asked me for an autograph, and I couldn’t resist. I offered to show him some moves, and we played for a while. He didn’t look at me like a professional but like an average person who’s good at something. I love to train people.

  My future is on the line. I need this space to think, to be on my own so I can make decisions without outside influences or constant phone calls from Jackson and Diana. Instead, I end up with Ellie as a neighbor, and she’s a formidable distraction. She has consumed every one of my brain cells.

  I could feel her nearby while I was with the boy. I don’t know how to describe it, but I can feel it when she’s observing me. It’s like a mild heatwave… but not what you’d feel from the sun. I looked around and caught her hiding behind a palm tree. I didn’t acknowledge her, but I loved that she was there.

  I roll my shoulders and stretch, trying to release the tension. Maybe a swim in the pool will help. If it doesn’t, I’ll have to schedule a massage at the hotel spa. I change into my swim shorts and head outside. Without checking the temperature of the pool first, I dive in. The cool water is an acute shock to my system, but it’s good for my muscles. I swim around for a while until my body loosens up, then I relax on a raft and enjoy the sunshine.

  “Shit. Stupid chair.” Her voice floats over the wall.

  I chuckle because, even irritated, her voice is sweet like maple syrup yet almost comical like cotton candy. I roll off the raft and swim to the stairs. I can’t take it anymore. I need to find a way to talk to her now.

  Chapter 6

  Ellie

  I dip my toe in the water and swirl it around. Perfect temperature as usual. I’m not surprised since everything here is perfect. Almost too perfect. I hold onto the edge to help balance myself on the raft. It’s so peaceful. I can hear the birds chirping and waves crashing in the distance. No horns honking or gavels banging on desks. It’s music to my ears. I trail my fingers through the water as I drift lazily around the pool. I could fall asleep right now.

  “Hey, neighbor.”

  I sit up so fast that I fall off into the deep end of the pool. I come up for air, choking on the water I inhaled. This might be the deep end, but the water only goes up to my collarbone.

  “What the hell? Haven’t you ever heard of privacy?” I hack again. How attractive.

  He laughs. Laughs! Seriously?

  “It’s not funny! There’s a thing called the front door. I guess you never heard of that either.” I wipe away the water from my eyes and nose. My sunglasses are probably somewhere on the bottom of the pool. “And where are you, anyway?”

  “Up here.” I finally see him, leaning on his forearms on the top of the wall. “I’m sorry. I thought I’d try out this ladder. Why else do you think we have them?”

  I lift my hand to shade my eyes from the sun. “Maybe decoration. Hey, what if I were naked?” I ask indignantly.

  “That would’ve been even better.” He wiggles his eyebrows.

  “Whatever. What do you want?” I have to use every facial muscle to prevent myself from smiling. This is the most ridiculous situation. But I have to admit it’s funny, and we’re finally having a conversation that’s lasting more than five seconds.

  “I wanted to make some fresh lemonade, but I need two or three more lemons. Do you have any that I can have?”

  My sunglasses drift past, bumping my leg. I kick them upward and grab them before they can sink down again. “Can’t you call the front desk? They’d probably bring you an entire lemon tree and prepare the lemonade for you. You wouldn’t have to lift a muscle.”

  “Come on. Please.” He pouts. “You can be my guinea pig when it’s ready. What do you say?” He flashes his swoonworthy smile that makes me glad I’m in refreshing water. “You know you want some,” he says with his velvety voice. He has no idea.

  I waver back and forth in the deep water. “Fine,” I grumble, and swim to the stairs. The water suddenly feels cooler and strange on my skin. I walk up the stairs and turn to face him. His eyes bulge, and then he looks away, but the corner of that damn smirk is still there.

  I cock my hip. “What’s so funny now?”

  He doesn’t look at me but points his finger at my body. I look down and gasp. My right boob is hanging out of my bikini. I grab my towel off the chair and wrap it around myself as fast as I can. My cheeks are probably as red as the parrot this morning. I dash to the kitchen and fix my top, then pluck two large lemons, the size of mini footballs, from the fruit bowl there.

  With long strides, I’m back at the pool within seconds. “I hope it was a good show.” I throw the lemons at him like I’m a quarterback, but I have a lousy aim.

  He tries to catch the first one and misses. The second one hits him on the forehead and knocks him off balance. I leap forward as he disappears, and then a loud splash echoes from his pool.

  “Oh, shit. Shit. Shit.” I drop my towel and run to the ladder. This thing better be sturdy. I look over when I get to the top.

  He’s floating face down in the pool.

  “Sam? Sam! Are you okay? I’m coming!”

  I throw one leg over the top, balancing myself carefully as I switch from my ladder to his. I grip the sides as the ladder wobbles, then hands grab my waist and pull me down. I yelp.

  “Are you crazy?” Sam grumbles.

  I spin in his arms, and my wet, peaked chest rests against his glistening bare one. This is when my height comes in handy. I’m almost as tall as he is. Like lighting a match, a flame bursts within me from the friction. I’m surprised my bathing suit doesn’t dry instantly. Every part of my body sizzles like a sparkler. We stare at each other, and then his eyes drift to my lips. I swipe my tongue across them, wishing it were his.

  “You were floating in the pool. You could’ve drowned,” I mutter as I rest my shaky hands on his toned biceps.

  “It was only for a few seconds. Maybe you need to work on your aim,” he jokes.

  “Sam. Ellie. Crazy.”

  We split apart and look up. The damn parrot is perched on the wall, watching us. Sam and I burst out laughing.

  “Not him again. I’ve had so many surprises since I’ve gotten here.”

  He props his hands on his hips. �
��You’ve seen this parrot before?”

  “Yes. I named him Petie. He hangs out on my terrace every morning, watching me through the glass door.”

  “Lucky bastard,” he mutters.

  I jab him in the side. He’s such a flirt, but I love it. Whoa! Time to go!

  “You saw enough a few minutes ago,” I simper.

  “Maybe enough for you.”

  I smack him playfully in the gut.

  “Are you sure you’re okay? You have a red bump on your forehead from the lemon.” I look closer. “Oh no. It’s bleeding a little bit. I’m so sorry.”

  He gingerly touches his forehead, then inspects his fingers for blood. “It’s not really bleeding. Probably just a scratch, but it is a little tender.” I squint at him in disbelief.

  “I promise I’m fine. It was only a lemon. Believe me, I’ve had worse.”

  He bends over to pick up one of the lemons on the ground. I don’t see the other one and cringe. It’s probably in the pool. Do lemons float? I hope it doesn’t get stuck in the filter.

  He nudges me with his elbow. “So, do you want to be the judge of my lemonade-making skills? It’ll be my first go at it. I found a recipe on the iPad. Maybe I’ll spike it with some of the high-shelf alcohol stashed in the bar.”

  I know I should leave, but my body has other intentions, and it’s overruling my thoughts. I can be alone again in an hour, right? One hour. That’s all.

  “I guess I can stay. It’s the least I can do after I hit your head and made you fall off the ladder. You should really put some ice on that bump.”

  He dries himself off and wraps the towel around his waist. I can’t help but notice his perfect abs and the V that disappears beneath his towel. I don’t understand how I’m comfortable standing here wearing only my bikini. This is not like me.

  I inspect his place as we walk to the kitchen. His unit has a more masculine flare than mine. Instead of the pinks that adorn my place, there are different shades of blue in here. Otherwise, it’s identical.