Free Island Pleasures by K. T. Grant

 
     
    Chapter One
     
     
    The moment Carly stepped off the plane she knew she’d made the right decision. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been to the beach, let alone a Caribbean island. Sun and surf weren’t part of the plan though. On her first undercover assignment for Chit-Chat Weekly , she planned to show Daphne, the editor-in-chief, she had real talent. Then maybe she’d get more high-profile articles to write instead of all the fluff she’d been covering for the past six years.
    She was going to find the truth behind Madame Evangeline and her popular matchmaking service, 1Night Stand. She’d reveal the “Madame” was a sham and the Castillo brothers running the hoity-toity luxury Castillo Resorts were the ones who’d invented the matchmaking service providing singles a special night with the person of their dreams.
    Snorting, she slipped on her sunglasses. Her dream man was just that—a fantasy. She strolled toward the exit, engulfed by the enticing scent of the tropical breeze and nearby ocean. She wished her twin sister could be with her. She’d call Cassidy as soon as she arrived at the Grand Turk Castillo Hotel and Resort, the premiere Caribbean vacation destination for singles and couples.
    “Love, bah,” she grumbled, searching for a taxi or a shuttle bus.
    “Hey, pretty lady, need a ride?” An attractive, dark-skinned man standing next to a white cab waved her over.
    “I’m heading to the Castillo resort. Can you get me there fast and in one piece?” She tilted her glasses down and winked.
    “I’ll give you a ride you’ll never forget.” The man winked back.
    A thrill shot up her spine. If most of the men in Grand Turk looked and acted like this handsome devil, she could engage in a little harmless flirting while she worked.
    She dropped her bags near the trunk of the car. With a sway of her hips in the beige, knee-length sundress she’d borrowed from her sister, she settled into the rear seat.
    She used the drive to mentally transform herself into the more restrained and collected woman she’d pretend to be for the length of her stay. Cass would be proud.
     
    ***
     
    When she tipped her driver, he slipped her his cell number. “Call me if you want a tour of the island, beautiful.”
    She grinned, caught up by the island’s—and his—charm for a moment. What would it hurt to have a little fun during her stay?
    On second thought, she wouldn’t have time for a fling. She had to stay focused to achieve her goal.
    A bellhop appeared and took her luggage. She followed him inside a huge lobby boasting a high ceiling with whirling fans over a polished porcelain tile floor. Soft salsa music flowed from speakers overhead. People in summer wear loitered among the staff dressed in tan linen pants and bright, flowered print shirts. She itched to take out her notepad and jot down all she saw, but feared she might raise some questions. She needed to blend in and not bring attention to herself while snooping for top secret information proving 1Night Stand was actually an illegal prostitution or escort service and Jagger Castillo the pimp.
    Ducking behind a large potted palm tree, she opened her bag and replaced her sunglasses with rectangular framed eyewear. She drew her hair back in a tight clip and buttoned the front of her dress to her throat.
    Maybe I should have dyed my hair a darker shade to match Cass’s ? She shook her head and rejoined the flow of guests heading for the registration desk. What were the odds someone would know her or her sister?
    “Hello there. May I help you?” A woman near her age wearing a busy, floral shirt and white scarf appeared at her side.
    She noted the hotel employee’s name tag and flashed her a timid smile. “Hi, Fiona, my name’s Cassidy. I’ve never traveled alone, and to a place like Grand Turk.” She rested her palm on her throat and glanced around, wide-eyed.
    “There’s a first time for everything. With the weekend fun planned,