Sample Sunday- Elysium: "We're kind of living in a romance novel."
On Sundays, I share a sample from a back list title or a current work in progress. Calculated Risk is nowhere near ready to share, so I’m protesting the official fall kickoff with one last glance back at summer. The Black Diamond Bay books are my ode to summer and island vacations that pave the way for sweet, steamy relationships to blossom.
Started in the DMs, now we’re here…
Vance and Athena bring an online love affair up close and real life. Long distance lovers arrive on Black Diamond ready to begin the second chapter of their lives and discover what it means to wander together.
Book 2 in the Black Diamond Bay series.
Athena wore a black and tropical print swimsuit that made my mouth water. The halter bodice tied around her neck, which let her breasts hang like teardrops. The bottoms were cut high to show off as much hip and thigh as possible. As soon as I settled onto the built-in seat around the perimeter of the hot tub, I pulled her onto my lap, wrapping both arms around her. She reclined with her head on my shoulder, her back flush against my chest, her hands gripping my biceps.
Her chest expanded with a deep inhale. Then she pushed it out in a lung-clearing sigh.
“Word,” I replied.
I plucked a mini cupcake from the lined tray next to us and fed it to her, then poured her a shot of liqueur.
“You know what, Vance?” Athena tossed back the shot and handed the glass to me.
“What, babe?”
“This whole resort vibe we’ve got going? The beachfront room, the cabana, the valet to bring me whatever kind of fruity, frozen drink I want? The spa, the hot tub, the sunrises and sunsets and constant sounds of the ocean in my ears while we fuck?”
“Sounds familiar. What about it?”
“I’m with it. Any time you’re traveling to one of these high-end ass places for work, I need you to slide me an invite.”
“Okay.” I laughed, mostly to myself, and set about pouring her another shot. “But stop pretending this is an original idea you came up with, Athena. I been saying that shit for months.”
“I know. But before, it seemed like some silliness. Like…just talking. We hadn’t even met in person.”
“I was never just talking, gorgeous.”
“But since we have met and we are here, I’m just saying that I now agree it’s a good idea.”
“Uh-huh. You convince yourself that you thought of it, and it’s suddenly a good idea. Here.”
She took the drink and finished it, then picked up a plump strawberry and fed it to me. I took a bite, moaning as the flavors rolled across my tongue. She finished the strawberry, then poured us both a shot. We knocked them back and set the glasses aside.
I leaned down to capture her lips, mixing the taste of the liqueur with the sweetness of the cupcake and strawberry. That kiss was delicious.
“So. Just checking in,” I lobbed softly, feeling guilty that I was more concerned about getting all of my time with her than making sure she was okay. “How are you? About having to jump into nurse mode on vacation.”
“I’m fine,” she said quietly. But it sounded like a robotic, automatic answer. Something someone said when they really wanted to answer terrible, thanks for asking.
It reminded me of the night I had called Athena after she’d had a terrible shift. She seemed fine at first, just tired. She asked me about my day, and I jumped into a rambling story about a trip I had planned to send a group to Egypt—except everything that could go wrong did.
Too late, I realized she was not okay.
She was driving and sobbing, the sounds of her tears like a dagger to my heart. I stayed on the line with her until she made it home, and even then, I didn't hang up. I gently prodded her to talk, to release the tumult of emotions she was holding inside. She wasn’t used to having someone to talk to that cared about her day and how she felt about her work as a nurse, the impact she made, what it was like to lose a patient.
It was the beginning of a different era for us. I learned to decipher her moods from the words she chose in a text or the inflection in her voice. If she needed space to unwind after a grueling shift, I caught on quickly. I sensed that Athena was putting on a brave face, attempting to sound more upbeat than she truly felt.
What happens on Black Diamond doesn't have to stay there...
In the mood for hot sand, a cold drink, and a seaside escape? Take a trip to luxurious Black Diamond Bay, the setting for searing, swoony, beachy love stories featuring seasoned couples ready for love. Pack for undeniable sparks and a warm, sandy feeling in your heart.
“Just fine?” I prodded.
“I mean…I’m glad I was there. I just wonder how long she has been sick and ignoring it. Young folks think youth is like having a bulletproof vest. They think they're invincible, that bad things can't touch them. I tell Darius that shit all the time, but don’t ask me when was the last time that boy saw his doctor—”
“You’re right,” I interrupted, soothing her. “It’s good you were there. You could have saved her life.”
“That’s what scares me. Tonight could have ended so much worse, Vance. Can you imagine if…” Her voice drifted off, but I knew where she was going.
“That would be a nightmare. But baby, that nightmare didn’t happen.” I stroked her skin, which I hoped was helping. “It didn’t happen because you were there.”
“Yeah.” She shrugged a shoulder, nonchalant. “I don’t mean to downplay what I do, but…it is what I do. I acted because my instinct was to jump in. I can’t stand to feel helpless.”
I let out a short snicker. “Like me? I was just standing there watching like you were Angela Basset on an episode of 9-1-1.”
“You know her name is Athena on that show, right?” She chuckled, tapping my arm, soothing me back. “No, you were the best support, handsome. I appreciate you were there to come get me and bring me back. Otherwise, I feel like I would have tried to take care of her. Followed her home. Put her to bed, maybe baked her a cake.”
I laughed, recognizing her attempt to brighten the mood and inject some levity. "You know, I've been thinking about our conversation about the book you’re reading*1. So, the young sister..."
"Hester?" She offered.
"Yeah, her. She met…um…ol’ boy…”
"Ol' boy?" Athena chuckled. “You mean Galen?”
“You’re gonna make me forget my point.”
“Okay, sorry.” She tapped my hand and giggled again. I loved the way her laughter felt against me. I locked that sensation away in a vault for when I wouldn’t have her with me. “Continue your lecture on a romance novel you haven’t read featuring character names you can’t remember.”
“Thank you. So Hester was doing what she does and then boom—she meets Galen. He gets on her nerves until she likes him. And then they bump stuff.”
Athena cackled in laughter, kicking her feet.
“I was watching you do what you do while we’re on a trip I planned.” I laid my hand on my chest, puffing it out proudly. “Because I had to come down here and do what I do. So, we’re kind of living in a romance novel. Wouldn’t you say?”