Surprise Trip
My husband of two weeks was lying to me.
I could see it in the way his jaw clenched every time I asked about his family, in the careful way he chose his words about the island we were traveling to. Riker Maddox—my take-no-prisoners Wall Street banker who could stare down corporate sharks without blinking—was currently fidgeting in the back of an SUV like a man heading to his own execution.
I just didn’t know why yet.
“You know I love you so much, right?” His light blue eyes were full of sincerity, and worry as he turned toward me, cupping my face in his hands.
I smiled despite the knot of unease in my stomach. At 6′4" and 250+ pounds of solid muscle, Riker had always been my gentle giant. When we met a year ago, what he wanted was me. We’d eloped to Niagara Falls two weeks ago—so deliciously scandalous and fifties-style. But I was the middle of eight kids. Six of my siblings were already married. My parents would probably thank me for saving them one more wedding.
“Of course,” I said, letting my chest expand with the warm love I had for this man. “And I love you too, babe. It’s going to be okay. What are you worried about?”
His hands dropped to rub my arms, and he pressed his forehead to mine. “It’s just… I haven’t prepared you enough for my family. They’re different. Really great people, but they have different… customs.” He bit his lip.
I stuck out my tongue and licked his mouth. He pulled back in surprise and chuckled, the tension breaking for just a moment.
“They’re going to love you and basically pounce on you right away. Just a warning.”
“It’s okay, luv. I can go with the flow.” I leaned into him, inhaling his familiar scent. “I’m proud of your native heritage. I know it will be different than what I’m used to, but that’s fine. I’ve been to cultural events all over the world. It will be fine.”
But even as I said it, doubt whispered at the edges of my mind.
In the year we’d been together, Riker had mentioned his family exactly three times. Each time, his voice had gotten quiet, distant. “We had a falling out,” was all he’d say. Seven years of silence. Seven years he’d stayed away from an island I’d never even known existed until twenty-four hours ago.
I hadn’t pushed. That wasn’t my style. But sitting here, watching tension roll off him in waves, I was starting to wish I had.
“Besides,” I said, trying to lighten the mood, “I’m sure I’ll love them as much as you do. You know you don’t have to worry about me. I’m an adult, and parents love me. In fact, I’ve had way more parents fall in love with me than their sons.”
I gave him a peck on the lips, but he held me to him, deepening the kiss. I blushed as we teetered on the line of making out in the back of the cab. I pulled away and snuggled into his side.
Riker chuckled, the sound deep and wonderful in his chest. “We’re in a car. It’s not really PDA.”
“I’m sure Viktor has no desire to have us getting hot and heavy in the back of his town car,” I said louder.
The driver smiled at me in the rearview mirror. “I appreciate the consideration,” Viktor said dryly. The dignified Asian gentleman in the dark suit had been our chauffeur for the last several hours.
I smiled back, but couldn’t hold in the giggle as Riker’s hands gently tickled my sides. He seemed to melt around my body as I laid my head on his shoulder, but he was still tense. I wasn’t used to Riker being tense. The man thrived under pressure, lived for high-stakes negotiations and impossible deadlines.
But right now, with the prospect of me meeting his family, he was nervous about something.
There probably wasn’t anything I could say to help him feel better, so I settled for touch.
I’d been surprised when Riker woke me on the last morning of our honeymoon with an urgent intensity.
“I need to take you to meet my family,” he’d said, leaning over me in bed. He brushed my hair from my face gently. “I’ve kept you to myself too long.” He kissed me, and I kissed him back.
“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, Rike.” I threaded my hands through his dark hair as I pulled him back for another kiss. “But I’d love to meet them. The wonderful people who helped make you the perfect man for me.”
“It’s time I went back.” His voice was quiet as he kissed down my jaw and neck. “And I want to show you off.” He rumbled the words against my skin.
I’d grinned. “Then let’s go.”
By afternoon, he’d booked our flights. We’d left that same day.
Now, after three flights and several hours in Viktor’s SUV, we were minutes away from a dock on the Pacific coast of British Columbia. From there, we’d take a boat to the island where Riker’s family lived.
The sky hung low and bruised as we pulled into the parking lot—more gravel than pavement. Salt air hit me the moment I stepped out, sharp and wild, nothing like the processed ocean smell of Niagara Falls. This was real. Remote. The kind of place where you could disappear and no one would ever find you.
I shook off the thought. This was Riker’s family. Not a crime scene.
I pulled my jacket around me as a stiff wind came off the ocean. A long dock stretched out from the beach into grey, choppy water. At the end, a single boat was docked—a yacht, bobbing on the waves like a toy in a bathtub.
Riker stood next to me as Viktor did a large U-turn and headed back toward civilization. I waited by Riker as he stared at the boat, something unreadable in his expression.
A lone figure emerged from the hatch and waved.
Riker’s demeanor seemed to lighten. He smiled—genuine and warm. “That’s Axel.”
"The Axel?” I asked with a raised eyebrow.
“There’s only one.” Riker didn’t seem to struggle at all with our bags as he started down the beach.
I followed, my boots sinking into dry sand. The dock was narrow, and I motioned for Riker to go ahead—with his large frame, it would have been precarious to walk beside him.
Axel leapt from the boat and moved swiftly to meet us halfway down the dock. He was as tall as Riker, if not as stocky, with dirty blond hair and chocolate brown eyes. Black jeans and biker boots, black t-shirt stretched across his chest. Leaner than Riker, but just as muscular.
They really knew how to make men on this island.
“Damn, it’s good to see you, brother.” Axel’s voice was gruff as he grabbed Riker in a tight hug, smacking his back the way men do.
I was surprised to see Riker’s eyes watering when he turned back to face me. He wiped them and cleared his throat.
“Axel, this is Charlee. Charlee, this is Axel.”
I stuck out my hand with a grin. “You’re one of the four brothers-from-another-mother. I’ve heard great things about you, Axel.”
Axel stepped toward me and covered my hand with both of his.
My skin where he touched me seemed to tingle—the exact same electric sensation I only got with Riker. Goosebumps exploded up my arms.
What the hell?
I’d only ever felt that with Riker. Only with him. I pulled my hand away, shaking it out like I’d touched something hot. Axel’s eyes tracked the movement, and something flickered in his expression. Recognition? Satisfaction?
“I can’t describe how wonderful it is to meet you, Charlee.” His voice was deep, and he stared at me with those intense eyes.
I glanced at Riker, waiting for him to notice something was off. But he was already looking away, his attention on the boat.
Or pretending to.
Just then, a gust of wind hit me from the side. I let out a small shriek as I flailed my arms, trying to regain my balance.
Axel’s arm snaked around my waist in a flash, and I instinctively grabbed onto him. I could feel his warmth as he pulled me tightly to his body to keep me from falling off the dock. His serious eyes watched my face, inches from my own.
I felt comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time.
Once I felt steady, I cleared my throat and stepped away, slipping under his arm to stand by Riker, wrapping an arm around my husband.
“Thanks,” I managed, my heart beating quickly. I wasn’t sure if it was from the shock of almost falling or from Axel’s proximity.
Get it together, Charlee. You’re a married woman.
Even though I was married, I wasn’t dead. I could appreciate another attractive man. But it didn’t matter how attractive another man was—he wasn’t my Riker.
I smiled up appreciatively at my husband, trying to ground myself.
Axel reached for our bags. “You take care of Charlee, and I’ll grab these.”
Riker squeezed me and turned us toward the boat. I noticed the name “Grizz” painted along the side. Axel hadn’t lowered the gangplank, and the boat’s edge was quite a bit higher than the dock.
Riker let me go and jumped up, grabbing the side of the boat and pulling himself aboard with impossible ease.
I admired the muscles of his back that flexed through his shirt.
“Um, I hope you’re not expecting me to do that.” I shifted my weight to one hip and folded my arms.
“Of course not.” Axel scoffed.
He was right behind me, and I turned to let him by. He easily tossed first my bag, then Riker’s, up to Riker’s waiting arms.
My eyes widened. It’s not that I had anything too valuable in them, but still—
My backpack sailed through the air.
“Hey! Careful!” I shouted. “My laptop is in there.”
Riker caught the backpack gently, an apologetic look on his face.
I put my hands on my hips and turned to confront Axel.
However, all I could do was shriek as strong, warm arms swept me off my feet. Instinctively, my arms wrapped around Axel’s neck to keep from falling.
“Excuse me!”
“Do you trust me?” Axel asked, a sparkle in his eye.
“I just met you. Please put me down!” I let go of his neck and pushed off his chest. I looked to Riker for assistance, but he was walking away with the suitcases, completely oblivious.
Or pretending to be.
“Rike trusts me. Do you?” Axel asked again, his voice serious.
I was about to call for Riker, but for some reason, I stopped and looked at Axel. Really looked into his chocolate eyes. They were sincere, strong, and gentle.
I felt… safe.
“I guess so,” I admitted, letting my hands move gently around his shoulders again.
“Good. I’ll never let you get hurt, Charlee.” Axel’s voice was solemn.
Then, before I could even process what was happening, Axel bent his legs and jumped off the dock.
Without any running start, he jumped—and we landed on the deck of the boat. It had to be over a ten-foot jump. My heart was in my throat, and I had a death grip on Axel when he landed, gentle as a cat.
“Here we are.” Axel dropped my legs but still held my upper body. I swung to standing, still gripping his shoulders for dear life. “Safe and sound.”
My hands slid down to his chest, but I didn’t pull them away. What was this pull I was feeling? It was so similar to the pull I had always felt towards Riker. The smell of Axel’s cologne—woodsy and clean, plus his masculine scent, surrounded me in a pleasant way. His smile made my knees feel weak.
Axel’s other arm wrapped around my waist, and the movement brought me to my senses. I stepped away, clearing my throat. A wave hit the boat, and I had to grab the railing to keep upright.
Axel was still smiling at me.
“It’s a good thing I took motion sickness pills.” I said, trying to change the subject.
Riker came up beside me, the bags gone. “New boat?” he asked, seemingly oblivious to the tension between me and Axel. He moved to the side and somehow pulled the rope that held us to the dock. It came undone down there and he coiled it on the deck.
Axel smiled like a kid on Christmas. “Yup! Partly due to you, man. Alpha says you’ve tripled the island’s income. Most of the p—islanders can fit in here. Five hundred people. It’s a bit of a squeeze, but it’ll work if needed.” He gave Riker’s back another pat. “Mikael did not want to let me drive it, but I talked him into it. Let me give you the grand tour.”
“You talked him into it?” Rike asked.
Axel shrugged. “I may have borrowed it without asking. But we got things sorted out on the way here.”
Riker burst into a belly laugh as Axel laughed too. Axel walked around us and Riker took my hand and brought it to his lips for a quick kiss.
I felt a pang of guilt over my moment with Axel.
What am I thinking? Why am I letting Axel touch me?
I shook my head. I would not let that happen again. Riker was the only man for me.
