Bad Romeo Christmas: A Starcrossed Anthology (Starcrossed #4)(39)

They both smile before taking their leave. When they're gone, I open the letter.



Darling Liss,

By now I'm sure you've already had a tour of the house and island. I hope you like it. When I think that we're going to be alone together with no one pointing, staring, or taking our picture for a whole month, I get stupidly excited. Total and absolute privacy is the only gift I want this Christmas. Screw the usual presents. Being with you is all I need. I hope it's okay that I've organized to have my gift a little early.

If everything goes to plan, I'll arrive on the island just before dinner tonight. So relax, have lunch, get Luis to show you the waterfall and have a swim. I'll be there soon, and goddammit, sweetheart, I can't wait to see you.

All my love,

Liam x

PS. Did you see the size of that bed?

Oh, the things I'm going to do to you on that thing.



I smile and flop back onto the feather-soft duvet. He'll be here soon. Thank God. The wait is almost over.

???

After having a shower to freshen up, I slip into one of the new bikinis I bought especially for the trip. Even though I could count on one hand the amount of times I've worn any sort of bathing suit, I'm surprised how comfortable this one feels, despite it being on the skimpy side.

I cover up with a floaty sarong tied around my neck before heading down to the main living area. Alba is in the giant kitchen, cooking something that smells delicious on the fancy glass cooktop.

"Perfect timing, Miss Elissa. Lunch is ready."

"You didn't have to do that, Alba."

"Oh, it was no trouble. Plus, Mr. Quinn didn't hire me just for my pretty face. I love to cook."

She turns off the stove and spoons a steaming dish of meat and vegetables onto a waiting bed of rice. "This is called feijoada. It is popular in Brazil and my husband's favorite."

I perch on one of the stools that sit along the front of the massive marble island as Alba places the plate in front of me.

"It smells fantastic."

She smiles before turning away to clean up.

Turns out, it tastes even better than it looks, and I try to act like a lady while I shovel it into my mouth. I don’t think I fool Alba for a second, and she gives me a warm smile as she washes the dirty pan.

"Will you go to the beach after lunch? It's a beautiful day."

"Actually, Liam said I should check out the waterfall. Is it far?"

The pan slips from Alba's hands and hits the edge of the sink with a loud bang. When she looks over at me, she looks a little pale. "No. It isn't far. Luis can take you."

"Oh, I'm sure I can find it by myself if you point me in the right direction."

She picks up the pan and continues to wash it. "You should not go by yourself. There are wild creatures on the island. Best to have someone with you."

Wild creatures? What, like lions? And tigers? And bears? Oh, my ...

When Luis walks in, Alba has a hushed conversation with him in Portuguese. Whatever she says, Luis seems to reassure her. Then she smiles at him before coming over to collect my empty plate.

"Thank you, Alba."

"You're welcome, Miss Elissa."

"So," Luis says as he leans against the bench. "Alba tells me you'd like to see the waterfall."

"Yes, as long as that's okay. If you’ve got something else to do, I could—"

Luis raises his hand to cut me off. "My only concern is taking care of you, Miss Holt. Would you like to go now?"

"Sure."

Before we can leave, Alba takes a canvas beach bag from a nearby closet and hands it to me. "This contains a towel, hat, sunscreen, and bug repellent. The bug repellent is most important. Many mosquitoes in the rain forest."

I take it from her and give her a smile. "Thanks, Mom."

She laughs as Luis and I head out the door to the waiting jeep.

???

Dense foliage whips by on both sides of the jeep as Luis speeds through the forest. Heeding Alba's warning, I concentrate on rubbing thick bug repellent all over myself.

"Is there something wrong with the waterfall?" I ask.

He looks confused. "No. Why?"

"I just got the impression Alba didn't want me going there."

He chuckles. "My lovely wife listens to too many ghost stories, and she believes the waterfall is cursed."

"A cursed house and a cursed waterfall? Wow. No wonder Liam got this place for a song."

Luis laughs again. "Well, if you believe my wife, the waterfall is the source of the evil spirits who haunt the house. You see, this island has not always been so idyllic. Many years ago, it was the home of a particularly brutal tribe who believed their god would only keep them safe if they offered human sacrifices. There's a large stone altar near the waterfall, and legends tell us that was where the sacrifices took place."

"You don't believe it?"

"Oh, I do. When the Sultan bought the island, they cleared nearly a hundred sets of human remains from the area. I just don't believe that means it's cursed. But then again, my wife has a far better imagination than I. When workers were building the Sultan's mansion, they claim to have seen something in the jungle they called, Espírito Vingativo, or The Vengeful Spirit. They swore it sabotaged them on several occasions by moving their work tools or interfering with machinery." He gives me a quick glance. "Do you believe in these superstitions, Miss Holt?"