No Strings__ - By Janelle Denison Page 0,21
pictures for my presentation.”
“I need to do the same thing.” He placed his napkin on his empty plate and stood, looking extremely handsome in a casual gray polo and khaki cargo shorts. The man pulled off the executive look as well as a more casual style with equal aplomb. “Shall we?”
She joined him, and together they walked out of the hotel to the pool and lounge area. The sun was shining, making it a beautiful, cloudless day, perfect for outdoor activities. The area was quickly filling up with singles and couples, and laughter rang out as a nearby drinking game at the underground pool bar turned a bit rowdy. Other men and women were heading down a pathway that led to the beach to enjoy a swim in the ocean, or participate in the ongoing volleyball game on the sand.
Waiters carrying trays of fruity rum drinks aptly named “Love Potion” seemed to be everywhere. Chloe grabbed one for herself and Aiden as they watched a Ping-Pong tournament for a while before moving on to the game of bikini Twister that had them at times cringing and chuckling out loud as nearly naked, oil-slicked bodies vied for space on the overly large Twister mat. Each turn of the spinner had the men and women switching into very interesting and compromising positions that Chloe couldn’t imagine executing in a public place.
“I’d love to see the greenhouse they have here on the island,” Chloe said, ready for something a bit more low-key and quiet. “Want to join me?”
He gave a nonchalant shrug. “Sure. We still have a little bit of time to kill before charades.”
Chloe swapped out her empty glass for a refill of the fruity cocktail, then followed the signs pointing the way toward the botanical garden. The sounds of calypso music faded the farther away they walked from the hotel, while the lush green foliage and bright flowers and shrubbery increased. Most of the plants along the way were labeled with their name, origin and description. The intoxicating scent of jasmine hung in the air, seductive and alluring...as if pulling Chloe toward a magical place.
She sipped on her drink as the narrow pathway eventually gave way to a smaller, more intimate area, with a gazebo and greenhouse filled with beautiful, vivid flowers. Intrigued, Chloe gravitated toward the glass-enclosed nursery, and Aiden followed. As soon as they stepped inside, they were wrapped in humidity and the perfumed scent of flowers.
With no one else around, it was quiet and peaceful, and stunningly beautiful. Chloe wasn’t one to stop and smell the roses, so to speak, but she was completely in awe of all the beauty surrounding her. She and Aiden walked along the rows of floral displays, taking in the dozens of exotic blooms in brilliant hues, and more species of orchids than she realized existed—all labeled with names and descriptions.
Drawn to a unique cluster of fuchsia flowers that looked like a cross between a lily and an orchid, she studied the blossoms, fascinated by the way the inside folds looked similar to a woman’s vulva, with a small nub resembling a clitoris, while the thick stamen gave the impression of a very large, erect penis.
“This one looks like a combination of female and male genitalia,” she murmured in amusement, her thoughts tumbling out of her mouth thanks to the alcohol loosening her tongue.
Aiden moved closer to get a better look, the warmth of his body and the brush of his arm against hers causing her nipples to tighten in awareness. Everything inside this greenhouse—the steamy humidity, the drugging scent in the air, the erotic flowers—made her think of sex.
“The flower definitely has a lot of similarities,” he agreed, his voice low and huskier than normal, as if he, too, was affected by the sensual atmosphere.
Drawn to the bright pink flower, Chloe reached out to caress the protruding yellow stamen—even though she knew better than to touch something so fragile.
“Hello, you two,” a soft female voice said from behind them, causing Chloe to snap out of her weird trance and snatch her hand back before she could make contact with the fuzzy stalk.
Startled by the fact that they weren’t alone as she’d originally thought, both she and Aiden turned around to face the person who’d spoken—an older woman, probably in her sixties, with dark brown skin, warm brown eyes and a kind, welcoming smile. She was wearing a colorful caftan dress with billowing sleeves and her hair was wrapped atop her head in