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    Christmas on Wherever Island: A Paranormal Christmas Romance
    Christmas on Wherever Island: A Paranormal Christmas Romance
    Christmas on Wherever Island: A Paranormal Christmas Romance
    Ebook91 pages1 hour

    Christmas on Wherever Island: A Paranormal Christmas Romance

    By Amber Polo

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    A magic Santa brings Caribbean Christmas Joy!

    Marti Bell is facing the prospect of a very unmerry Christmas. Reluctantly leaving her married lover, she travels toward ice, snow, and a judgmental family, until a sudden winter storm, and a magic Santa, conspire to send her to a surprise destination in the warm waters of the Caribbean.

    Wherever Island would be a winter paradise, but it's slightly less idyllic when the only place to stay is the beachside cottage of romantic, globetrotting, photographer Cliff Holmes. Cliff wants to unwind and treat Marti to a little romantic Caribbean Christmas fun, but she’s determined to relish the warm ocean and stay out of the hot water.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBryant Street Publishing
    Release dateNov 17, 2020
    ISBN9781094413860
    Author

    Amber Polo

    Amber Polo is best known for her Shapeshifters’ Library series, a light urban fantasy filled with dog-shifting librarians and book burning werewolves. Released, Retrieved, Recovered, and Reprinted.Amber's love of books drew her into a career as a librarian- and later a writer. One day a plane flew past her office window and she turned her pen to her own Arizona airpark backyard and Heads in the Clouds was the result. Hearts in the Vortex, a Sedona paranormal romance, was also is set in amazing Arizona.Following her trail back to libraries, The Pharaoh & the Librarian imagines what would have happened if Cleopatra had faked her death and escaped on a pirate ship? While her sister sailed for Wales with the most valuable ancient books from her Library of Alexandria? And they both landed in an imagined new world filled with crypto-creatures and historical humans?In addition to her novels, she is proud of Relaxing the Writer: Guidebook to the Writer’s High which offers hundreds of tips to help writers and readers relax and her self-produced Relaxation One Breath at a Time, an audio that uses her voice to teach relaxation to calm your body and mind and/or help you fall asleep.

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    Book preview

    Christmas on Wherever Island - Amber Polo

    Chapter One

    Sharp crystals of rock salt bit into the soles of Marti Bell’s sexy red heels, but she’d suffer through a bitter blizzard without boots rather than turn down a ride to the airport from Ben Clawson. And she sure wasn’t going to look like a yeti.

    Marti’s breath came fast and shallow. Her body’s hesitancy to take in the morning subzero air or the nearness of her lover? Sleet stung her cheek when she glanced at his profile and a gust of wind flapped her scarlet scarf across her face. Her camel coat’s sleeve touched his black wool overcoat. One wet slingback slipped on a patch of ice and she reached for Ben’s arm. He supported her discretely, the way he’d help an old lady cross the street.

    Approaching the terminal entrance, Ben stared ahead ignoring the Salvation Army Santa, but the stocky black man looked directly at Marti. A flash of green eyes lit his face and his berry red lips formed a familiar and knowing smile. She slowed, momentarily hypnotized. Santa winked and wished her a merry Christmas in a lilting West Indian bass that reminded her just slightly of her grandfather. She felt his gaze until after the automatic door had already muffled his annoying bell, trying to remind her that tonight was Christmas Eve.

    Ben hurried her briskly through the sliding doors to the lower lobby elevators, wiping his face with a monogrammed handkerchief. He despised rain and snow, and as far as Marti could tell, pretty much all forms of water. She was a little wistful as she contemplated the swim club membership she’d scrimped on her clothing budget to pay for.

    A couple maneuvered a baby stroller into the closest elevator and held the door open. Ben refused with a shake of his head. As soon as the door closed, he pressed the up button. A second door opened, and they stepped in.

    Ben elbowed the closed button and in one quick movement dropped Marti’s carry-on, and her bag of gifts, and punched hold.

    She had a moment to worry about the fate of the more breakable gifts, before the elevator jerked to a stop between floors and he pulled her to him. Oh, babe, he whispered. I’m gonna miss you so much. Cold lips pressed dry against hers. His tongue slipped between her lips and thrust possessively into her mouth. One hand slipped inside her coat. With a quick move he unbuttoned her gray suit jacket and slid his fingers up the white silk blouse. His icy fingers instantly turning her nipples to ice, as he squeezed her breasts.

    He pushed her against the back wall, rubbing against her charcoal skirt. The sacrificial three-inch heels raised her pelvis above his. Encased in black stockings, her lean legs, tight and muscular from morning swims, pressed against his stocky thighs. Her cheek, damp with melted snow, touched his as her lips moved down his neck, automatically avoiding his crisp, white shirt collar. Her thoughts stuttered as he inched her skirt higher.

    Marti slid one hand down the front of his dark pants. He wanted her. He always wanted her and that always excited her, made her feel cherished. She whispered into his ear, I love—

    He pulled back with a bit of a groan. No time. They’ll be sending someone to check the elevator. He adjusted his pants, buttoned his suit jacket and pulled his overcoat closed. He watched her tuck in her blouse and smooth her skirt.

    She tossed the silky red scarf over her shoulder. She could wear Ben’s Christmas gift everywhere, and only she and Ben would know he’d given it to her. Another of their secrets.

    He nodded and released the elevator. That’s my girl. The floor vibrated and lurched upward to the second floor.

    When the elevator door slid open, they stepped out into a crowd of impatient holiday travelers. Elevators. Ben shrugged and rolled his eyes. Can’t trust them. Avoiding eye contact, Marti followed him silently. She checked her watch. Her plane wasn’t scheduled to board for an hour.

    Ben set her carry-on down next to a section of seats crowded with travelers. She choked at the musty smell of wet coats.

    Have a great trip, Ms. Bell, and a great Christmas with your family. His words, typical holiday sentiments tossed to casual acquaintances, carried no emotion.

    She raised her chin and smiled. Thanks so much, Mr. Clawson, for taking me to the airport in this awful weather. She saw the longing in his gray eyes and tried to signal her feelings without smiling.

    Think nothing of it. I was on my way home. He nodded, a tight-lipped smile, friendly and businesslike. See you next year! Ben disappeared into a mass of college kids.

    Marti strained to get one more glimpse of him through the moist film that abruptly fogged her eyes, but he was gone. She wouldn’t see him for two weeks, the longest they’d been apart in a year. She shivered, almost like she did at the pool when she emerged from the water and cool air hit her skin. She’d miss her daily swims over the holidays. Swimming kept her sane.

    Her eyes overflowed. She hadn’t expected leaving Ben would be so hard, but she couldn’t stay in town. With Holiday Media International, their auspicious employer, closed until the new year, she’d end up waiting around her condo hoping Ben could break free of his obligations. No, this was better, she reminded herself firmly.

    Of course, she expected this family visit would be as bad as the previous trips. Or would it continue getting worse? Since her divorce, her parents and siblings had reverted to treating her like a child. She’d pretend to be happy and independent, while her sisters just repeatedly asked if she had a boyfriend yet. Did thirty-seven-year-old women have boyfriends? She wished she could tell them about Ben – her Ben. But if she did, she’d have to field questions she couldn’t answer.

    She wondered if she could locate a pool, the thought of a daily escape sounded lifesaving, though she could already hear her

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