Sunny and 75 (Volume 1) Read online

  Sunny and 75

  (Part One)

  Scarlett Metal

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  Also by Scarlett Metal

  Goodbye Girl (Hidden Lane Ranch 1)

  I Remember You

  Home Sweet Home (I Remember You 2)

  Naughty Girl

  Mine (Naughty Girl 2)

  Watching Her

  Blurred Lines (Watching Her)

  Under the Mistletoe (Watching Her)

  One Night in Paradise Part One

  One Night in Paradise Part Two

  One Night in Paradise Part Three

  One Night in Paradise Part Four

  Finally (Windy City)

  All I Need Volume One

  All I Need Volume Two

  All I Need Volume Three

  Working Girl Volume One

  Working Girl Volume Two

  Play It Again (Up North)

  Coming Soon

  Crash My Party

  Reckless Love

  Fade Away

  Working Girl Volume Three

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2015 Scarlett Metal

  Cover Design: Redbird Designs

  All rights reserved. No parts of the book may be used or reproduced in any matter without written permission from the author, except for inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, establishments, organizations, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously to give a sense of authenticity. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locations is entirely coincidental.

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to another person except when loaned out per Amazon’s lending program. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then it was pirated illegally. Please purchase your own copy and respect the hard work of this author.

  For Tabitha ~ Without you I don’t know where I would be today. You’re a great friend and I’m lucky to have you in my life. I love you!

  Synopsis

  Julia had the perfect life...or so she thought. On the eve of her wedding, her world came crashing down on her. She escaped it all, heading out on the trip that was planned as a celebration.

  Aiden was living the dream, working as the head bartender at a resort on Punta Cana. Every day, he fights the demons of his past, even in the midst of paradise.

  He comes to Julia's rescue one night and after numerous run ins, start spending time together. Things get physical quickly, but is there more to their relationship? What happens when Julia has to head back to reality? Will Aiden join her or is he unable to get past the memories back home?

  Due to mature content, this is not suitable for readers under 18.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One ~ Julia

  Chapter Two ~ Aiden

  Chapter Three ~ Julia

  Chapter Four ~ Aiden

  Chapter Five ~ Julia

  Chapter Six ~ Aiden

  Chapter Seven ~ Julia

  Chapter Eight ~ Aiden

  Chapter Nine ~ Julia

  Chapter Ten ~ Aiden

  Chapter Eleven ~ Julia

  Chapter Twelve ~ Aiden

  Chapter Thirteen ~ Julia

  Sunny and 75

  Part One

  By

  Scarlett Metal

  Chapter One ~ Julia

  My hands didn’t stop shaking until the plane landed in Punta Cana. I clutched my turned-off phone in one hand and my purse in the other. I almost turned my phone on out of habit but I didn't want to face all the missed calls and text messages that probably awaited me.

  I closed my eyes and sighed, leaning my head back against my seat. We hadn’t been given the okay to exit the plane and the stale air was stifling; I was beginning to feel as if I was suffocating. The plane was full of people anxious to start their tropical vacation in paradise. Me? I was here to escape.

  There was a ding and people started getting up from their seats, grabbing their bags and other items from the overhead compartment. I rose to my feet and turned towards the back of the plane when I saw a young couple smiling sweetly at each other, her hands all over his chest while he reached up for their items in the overhead compartment. He turned his head for a kiss and I threw up in my mouth a little when I saw some tongue. It was probably a newlywed couple here for their honeymoon. I glanced around the plane and was suddenly painfully aware of all the other couples snuggling closely all over the place. In fact, I seemed to be the only one traveling alone. I'd been too anxious to notice it until now.

  I rolled my eyes and sat back down. I didn’t need to see any of that; I was going to wait until everyone was gone to get my stuff and get off the plane.

  I glanced at the empty seat beside me. I was supposed to be one half of a couple also on their honeymoon, although I doubted we would be snuggling much. He'd probably be too busy checking his phone to even pay any attention to me. I'm on this trip alone, still single.

  I fought back the tears that stung my eyes and watched the people file down the aisle, exiting the plane. Why had I chosen the honeymoon capital of the world to run away to? I hadn't been thinking when I decided to leave. I'd come across the plane tickets when packing my bag and it just seemed an easy way out. With one call, I was even able to move up my flight by a day.

  Why was I escaping my life at the age of twenty-two? Well, I was about to marry a total asshole my father had hand picked for me. It was pretty much an arranged marriage and I don't know why it'd taken me so long to wake up. The night before the wedding was the final straw when I walked in on him fucking one of his friend's wife. My hands started to shake again, thinking about the events of that night.

  "Ma'am?"

  I looked up, thankful to be rescued from my own thoughts, and saw a pretty young blonde flight attendant standing in the aisle next to me. "Is there a problem?" she asked.

  "No," I shook my head. "I was just waiting for most of the people to leave so it wasn't so crowded."

  She nodded and but I could see her hands balled together into tight fists. Maybe she was ready to put on her bikini and hit the beach. Everyone was probably here for a good time except for me.

  I stood up and reached above me, finding my small bag. I slung it over my shoulder and began my exodus from the plane. As I walked down the steps, I was hit by a wave of warm air and humidity. I took a deep breath and had to admit, the warmth was a nice break from the cold Chicago winter I'd just left.

  I found the baggage claim quickly and waited for my suitcase to appear. Even with my delayed exit from the plane, they still hadn't gotten the luggage off yet. The couple I'd spotted making out on the plane were standing right next to me and still had their hands all over each other. Gag me.

  I looked down at my phone; I still hadn't turned it on. I noticed the garbage can nearby and had an idea. No one could get a hold of me if I didn't have my phone, right? I walked over and tossed my phone in it. It was totally liberating and I already felt as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. They'd probably figure out soon I'd left town and gone on our honeymoon trip alone, but maybe I would have a little time before all the questions.

  The whir of the baggage belt filled my ears and I watched for my Coach bags to pass by. I couldn't wait to get to my room, take a shower, and sleep for days. I’d barely slept from the stress of the wedding the past few months. Rest was all I had planned for this trip. Beyond that, I had no idea. I didn’t even know if I would go back to Chicago
. I didn’t want to face my father after the whole wedding debacle. I’m sure he was pissed. I could stay here until I figured out what to do with my life.

  Eventually my bags appeared. I grabbed them quickly and followed the signs to go through customs. Thankfully, I made it through without much fuss and headed to the exit of the airport. At the front door there were about ten taxis waiting to take people to their various vacation destinations. I gave my driver the name of my resort and he put my stuff in the trunk while I got into the back seat.

  The drive to the resort was about twenty minutes long. I watched the scenery whiz by my window and I quickly could see why so many people came here to visit; it was a beautiful island with the colorful flowers and gorgeous beaches. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to hang out for a while. It certainly was better than dismal and gray Chicago.

  When we arrived at the resort, my driver got out my bags and took them to a spot near the check in. I thanked him and paid along with a generous tip. I gave them my name at the front desk and waited while they looked up my reservation.

  "You have the honeymoon suite for ten days?" the receptionist asked me, glancing around to look for my groom.

  I caught my bottom lip between my teeth and shook my head. "Actually, can I get something smaller on the beach, and can you please make it indefinitely?" My face felt warm; I was so embarrassed to admit I was here alone.

  She looked at her computer, typing in some things. "Let me check,” she replied and I waited, noticing a line forming behind me. More humiliation. Might as well shout out to everyone there I was alone and my wedding never happened.

  "I think I found you something. It's a little bit away from the main resort, but it's on the beach and you can have it for as long as you need it," she finally said, reaching in the drawer to get me some key cards. "I'll have someone come and drive you over there."

  I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

  "One key or two?" she asked.

  "Just one," I said softly.

  She slid it across the counter at me. "You're all set." She glanced over on the desk. "Oh wait. Julia Thompson, right?"

  "Yes," I replied, leaning over and trying to get a glimpse of what she was looking at.

  "We have a bunch of messages for you." She reached over to grab a pile of post it notes and handed them to me.

  I clutched them in my hand. Crap. So much for hiding out unnoticed. "Thanks." I slung my purse over my shoulder. "One more thing, if anyone else calls here looking for me, please tell them I'm not here."

  "Yes, ma'am." She nodded. "Your driver is here to take you to your villa." She pointed over to the golf cart near the entrance.

  "Thank you," I nodded back, walking over to the cart, clutching the stack of messages tightly in my hand. I told the driver what villa I was in and pointed out which bags were mine. As he put them on the back of the cart, I sat down with a sigh. I was suddenly so exhausted.

  The drive to my villa was bumpy and the receptionist wasn't kidding when she said it was away from everything. That's ok though; hopefully I wouldn't be near any honeymooning couples.

  We arrived at the villa and I tipped the driver after he took my bags inside. He gave me a flyer with a number I could call any time for a ride to the main part of the resort or if I wanted to go into town.

  I thanked him and shut the door behind him with a sigh. I leaned against the back of the door and closed my eyes. My emotions were all over the place and part of me wanted to cry, but I was pretty sure I'd used up all my tears the night before. I made a vow not to shed any more tears over that man.

  I set the pile of messages on the edge of the dresser; I would deal with those later. I took my suitcase into the bedroom and found some yoga pants and a tank top. I dug my shampoo and other toiletries out; I was dying to get the grime from my hours of travel off of me.

  The shower stall was huge with dual showerheads. There was room for probably three people in this stall. After a long hot shower, I got dressed and ran a comb through my hair. I pulled it on top of my head into a messy bun and climbed into the California king size bed. It must've had about ten pillows. I hugged one to my chest, my eyes heavy. I pushed out any thoughts I had about the last few days as I drifted off to sleep, relieved to be away from everyone and everything.

  Chapter Two ~ Aiden

  I rolled over in bed and cringed when I noticed where I was. Next to me was a small blonde, lying on her stomach, her long hair falling down her bare back, stopping above the tramp stamp tattoo. I rolled my eyes; if I had a dollar for every girl I've fucked here with one of those, I could buy my own resort.

  When I'd closed up the bar last night, I stumbled home with some girl who had been hanging around and we ended up going back to her room to fuck. This was a common occurrence most nights but I tried not to make it a habit to sleep over. The morning after was too awkward, with the girl making plans of all the tourist shit they wanted to do together that day.

  I glanced at my watch. It was six in the morning. Maybe I could sneak out before she woke up. I slipped from the bed and looked for my clothes. I managed to find my shorts and boxers but my shirt and flip-flops were nowhere to be found. It wouldn't be the first time I left clothes behind so I could make my escape. I tiptoed out of the bedroom, almost breathing a sigh of relief when I found my shoes and t-shirt. I slipped them on and headed out of the condo.

  My heartbeat slowed down the further I got away from my latest one-night stand. I racked my brain, but I couldn't remember her name. I think she was still in town for a few more days, so she probably would find me at the bar again tonight. I worked there almost every night, so I wasn't hard to find.

  I didn't really mind though. After all, tourists came and went through Punta Cana and I had my fair share of beauties to choose from to fuck and didn’t have to worry about anyone getting attached. Been there, done that, not happening again. I touched the tattoo on the inside of my right arm, the one that reminded me of her whenever I looked at it.

  "Walk of shame this morning again, Aiden?"

  I moved my hand from my arm and turned around to see my best friend and boss Jason behind me. "Something like that," I grinned.

  He laughed and shook his head. "How do you keep them all straight?"

  I waited for him to catch up before continuing my walk. "I don't," I shrugged. "But I don't have to. They're usually gone in a week or two. Then I move on to the next one."

  He let out a hearty laugh and slapped me on the back. "Some day you're going to meet your match, mister, just you wait."

  I shook my head and looked down at the ground. "I already did once,” I mumbled, my voice barely a whisper.

  Jason frowned. "I'm sorry, man. I didn’t mean to bring it up."

  I dismissed his apology with a wave of my hand. I didn't want to talk about her right now - I never did actually. That was my past. I had known Jason for a couple of years and even he didn’t now about my past. He totally respected it and he never asked questions. I was thankful for that because it hurt too much to even whisper her name.

  "Why are you up so early?" I asked him, changing the subject.

  "I couldn't sleep and there are some contractors coming to look at the spot on the other side of the beach where they want to put another bar so I have to meet with them." Jason was the manager of the bars and restaurants at the resort. We met in the Marines but he was one for much longer than I was. He was in fifteen years as opposed to my five and when he retired, he came to the Dominican. I had a feeling he had his own demons he was escaping here, but I didn’t push it; it seemed like most of us living here were running away from something back in the States.

  “Do you want to go get some breakfast?” I must’ve worked up an appetite last night with the blonde bombshell whose bed I just left, because I was starving.

  Jason looked down at his watch. “Sure, I have about forty-five minutes. I was going to go for a run, but breakfast sounds much better.”

  We hit up the resort dining r
oom, making small talk while we were eating our eggs and bacon. Our resort had some of the best food in all of Punta Cana and one of the perks of working there was that we got to eat for free. When I first started, I gained fifteen pounds from all of the good food.

  “What're you up to today?” Jason asked me before taking a sip of his coffee.

  I ran my hand over my closely shaved head. Once upon a time I had long hair, but when I had to cut it short for the military, I grew to like it and kept it that way ever since. “Well, bed, then maybe a run before work,” I replied. My days consisted of late nights, sleeping in until mid-afternoon and working all night at the bar.

  Jason laughed. “Must be the life. And I’m sure you’ll have the women lining up for you like usual. I’m surprised they haven’t put you in the resort brochure as an attraction.”

  “I’ve seen you in action, you don’t do too bad yourself with the ladies,” I grinned at him. “You should come by tonight.”

  “Maybe I will,” he nodded. “The busy season is winding down and I could use some fun.” He stood up from the table. “But now, some of us have to get to work. I’ll catch you later.”

  “See ya, man,” I replied, pouring myself another cup of coffee as he walked away. I stifled a yawn and sat back in my chair, looking around the dining room. My gaze stopped to rest on a dark-haired beauty sipping her coffee and reading a People magazine. She was wearing a black strapless maxi dress, her long hair up in a high ponytail. She had silver hoop earrings dangling from her ears and she was playing with one as she read. She wasn’t really wearing much make up from what I could tell, but I noticed her high cheekbones and luscious lips. For a second I thought about what it would be like to kiss her. Her Louis Vuitton purse was on the chair next to her and it was obvious she had money - at least more money than I did.