Brothers of Paradise Series

“I miss you,” I say. “I know I’ve only been gone for a week and a half, but we’re flying so much it feels like a month.”

“You’ll be home soon,” Penny says.

Dad nods. “Only two more stops now. Bali, and then Sydney.”

“I’ll be taking a ton of pictures for you.”

“How is it going with the photographer you’re traveling with? Has he been behaving himself?”

I glance toward the open door between our rooms. No doubt Rhys can hear this whole interaction. “He has,” I say. “Turns out, he’s actually quite nice.”

“What about your studies? Have you been keeping up?”

Penny elbows Dad, but he ignores it, looking straight at me. “It’s been difficult to find the time,” I admit, “but I don’t think it’ll take me more than a day or two to catch up when I get back.”

It really hasn’t been long at all, and I’m loving this trip, but my chest is aching with homesickness when we say goodbye, with only a few minutes to spare before the hair stylist shows up.

Rhys appears in the opening between our two rooms, dressed in nothing but a pair of slacks. His hair is a tousled mess, his abs on full display.

He leans against the doorway. “The photographer is actually quite nice?”

I groan. “You heard that?”

“I did. I’m not sure which word is more offensive. Actually, quite or nice.”

“You don’t like being called nice?”

He shakes his head. “The weather can be nice. Having a cup of coffee can be nice. People shouldn’t be described that way, least of all me.”

“I’m sorry,” I say, cocking my head. “Would you like to give me a list of pre-approved adjectives that may be applied to you?”

He grins, stretching out beside me on the bed neither of us had slept in. “I’ll email it to you,” he says. “Are you ready for Bali?”

“I’m not sure,” I say, stretching out beside him. “I have no idea what to expect.”

His pushes a tendril of hair behind my ear. “You’ll love it,” he says. “I might have asked the agency to give us an extra day there.”

“You did what?”

“Good surprise?” he asks, eyebrow raised. “I figured we could both use a day’s breather after all the flying and jet lag.”

My smile widens. “Excellent surprise. One might even call it nice.”

He groans. “Not that word.”

“I can’t help it, I haven’t been given a list of pre-approved adjectives yet!”

“You’re hopeless.” But as Rhys tucks an arm under his head, as we grin at each other, I’m feeling more filled with hope than ever before.

Ivy

“You know,” I tell Rhys as we trail after the Indonesian receptionist, “I keep thinking that Rieler Travels can’t possibly outdo themselves. That the next place can’t be any better than the one that came before it.”

Rhys snorts beside me. “Are you creating marketing slogans for them now?”

“I should be. But I mean, look at this place!” The hotel looks like it’s nestled into a hillside jungle, thanks to the abundance of greenery around us. The humid air is already curling my hair, but what does that matter when we’re escorted past deep-blue pools?

“We’ve given you one of the best villas in the hotel,” the hotel attendant tells us, opening the front door for us. “On your patio, you’ll find a private pool overlooking parts of the forest. It has been covered in rose petals for your photoshoot.”

“Thank you.”Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“Of course,” she says, with a small bow. “Please enjoy your stay, and don’t forget, don’t feed the monkeys.”

“Monkeys?”

She shoots me a smile before she heads back down the path we came from. Rhys and I are left alone in the bright, luxurious villa, this one with two bedrooms.

As if in a daze, I walk out onto our private patio. “Do you think someone can be too impressed? Have too many new experiences in too short of a time? Can it be fatal?”

By my side, Rhys chuckles. I hear the snapping of his camera, but I don’t turn, knowing better by now. I just close my eyes and breathe in the thick air instead.

Click click click.

He wraps an arm around my waist and points at the pool. “See all those rose petals?”

“Yes.” They cover the pool, placed in swirling patterns. It’s an art piece.

“I’m going to send the drone up and capture a few shots of this without you, and then with you in it.”

“All right, perfect.”

He bends to press a kiss to my temple. As good as it feels, I push him away with a grin.

“What?”

“The hair and makeup artist will be here soon. I don’t want to be seen as that model, you know, the one who sleeps with the photographer.”

He rolls his eyes. “So I’m just the photographer again. Good to know. Once again reduced to my working status.”

Laughing, I grab his hand and pull him back into the villa. “You’re being ridiculous.”

“That’s not one of the pre-approved adjectives.” He stops by my gigantic suitcase and aims a casual kick to the side. “What asinine outfits has the agency packed for you today?”

“Let’s see.” I sit down cross-legged on the floor and open it up, deftly finding the clothing bag titled Bali. I pull out a red bathing suit that’s cut high on the legs and has a low scooped back.

“Well, I like that one,” Rhys says.

I laugh, clutching it to my chest. “So predictable.”