XXX Marks the Spot - Softcover

Chapter One

"Remember girls," Kennedy said as she led her two friends through the clubhouse to the bar, "tonight is just for practice. Our sexcapades don't officially start until tomorrow."

"Midnight or daybreak?" Justine asked.

Lisa smiled. Typical Justine-like question; her friend had voiced dozens ever since their plane landed on Walker Hook and Kennedy presented them with this irresistible challenge.

Lisa, normally the quietest of the three, was determined to show her friends that she could play as wild as they could.

"Your interpretation of tomorrow," Kennedy said as she wangled a spot for the three of them at the bar before she scampered off.

"Gotta admire her style," Justine said as their vivacious, redheaded friend lost no time in becoming the center of attention among a group of male golfers. "When I see her like this I wonder, is she for real? Or just so deep into her public relations persona that Kennedy ceases to exist?"

"I doubt even Kennedy knows the answer to that one," Lisa said.

"I have all the answers." Kennedy squidged in between them and linked an arm around each of their shoulders. "Smile. The long, tall Texan's taking our picture. He's calling us the blonde, the brunette, and the redhead."

Lisa turned her attention to the man with the camera. Very yummy. "Think it's true what they say about Texas?"

"That everything's bigger? I sure hope to find out." With a quick kiss to the cheek of each of her friends, Kennedy scampered back to her waiting fans.

"You know she'll win. This is her kind of game." Lisa slipped her hand into her skirt pocket and fingered the folds of the sexcapades hunt Kennedy had distributed upon their arrival at the luxurious private villa where they were staying on the island.

"Kennedy went to a lot of trouble to surprise us with this vacation and invent an excuse to behave outrageously. And she did it because she loves us."

"I know," Lisa said. "I'm just freaking at the thought of even kissing someone new, never mind anything else. It might be easier to get my wallet out right now."

"I don't know about you." Justine ran a hand through her thick chestnut curls that Lisa, with her fine, straight blonde hair, had always envied. "But I fully intend to give Kennedy a run for her money."

"Me too," Lisa said quickly. Whoever lost paid their bar tab for the week.

How hard can it be? Lisa chided herself. I used to be a first-class flirt. Just because I married a loser doesn't mean I've forgotten how to attract a man.

"Time to troll. Wish me luck." She navigated her way through the room, pleased to see more than one man giving her the bar-code. They're probably all married and looking for a quick, easy diversion.

Stop that, she told herself. Not all men cheat.

Suddenly the meet-market atmosphere of the bar became stifling and she stepped out onto the wraparound veranda. It was blessedly quiet, and the balmy warmth felt good compared to Seattle's typical soggy spring. She breathed the tropical air, heavy with the scent of magnolias. In the background, the rhythmic chirping of the watering system did its part to keep the golf course lush and green.

"A pretty lady without a flower is a crime against nature," said a deep masculine voice from the shadows. The voice's owner stepped forward and presented her with a lily. "Please allow me to right that wrong."

Not knowing what else to do, Lisa took the flower and buried her nose in its center. "Thank you." She gave her companion a covert once-over. Nice-looking without being flashy. Dark hair, dark eyes, a cute dimple. "Does that line usually get results?"

"I wouldn't know; I've never used it before." He was dressed in the golfer's uniform: crisply pressed pants in a tasteful neutral with a matching, discreetly logo'd golf shirt.

"I'm Rich," her companion said, extending a hand her way. Before she could offer him hers, he brushed her cheek with his fingertips. "You have pollen on your face."

"Oh." Lisa didn't know what to say or where to look. Her face was burning and it took every ounce of self-preservation not to grab his hand and hold it against her cheek.

It's natural to want to jump from one relationship to another, her counselor's words rang in her head. But it's not smart. Take the time to explore yourself. To learn about Lisa.

"Rich. Is that your name or a financial summary?"

His smile lit up his eyes and made him even more attractive. "Better make that Richard. I'm not used to following a beautiful but sad-looking woman to see if I can make her laugh."

Lisa stiffened. "I'm not sad. I'm on vacation."

"I was watching you earlier. You hide it well, but there's a faint shadow behind your smile."

Before she fully digested the fact that he'd been watching her, a second man stuck his head out the door. "Hey, Rich. Early tee time tomorrow. You coming?"

"Be right there." He turned to Lisa. "I hope to see you again. Maybe next time you'll tell me your name."

"It's Lisa," she called after him.

Tucking the flower behind her ear, she turned and went back inside.

Justine raised her brow at the sight of the lily. "A conquest so soon?"

"Perhaps." Lisa glanced quickly around the bar but Richard was nowhere in sight.

"I think the time change is getting to me." Justine slid off the stool and jangled the car keys. "You ready to go?"

"I guess. Where's Kennedy?"

Justine cocked her head to where Kennedy's shiny red head was tilted against her Texan. "It appears she's having a practice round. I need my beauty sleep to be in fighting form."

Outside the clubhouse, Lisa slid into the passenger seat of their rented Jag convertible. "You never said much about when you and Mr. Married split up."

Justine shrugged. "You were going through your own stuff with Les. My problems seemed petty in comparison."

"Nothing about supporting a friend is ever petty."

"Lisa, he was married. You were always pretty vocal concerning your view on men who cheat."

"Oh." Yes, she'd struggled with Les's infidelity. For some reason, it had been harder to accept than his death. She laid a hand on Justine's arm, forcing her friend to look at her. "Did you know he was married, or did he lie to you?"

Justine's lips thinned. "I knew he was married; and yes, he lied. He said they were estranged. He was leaving. They weren't sleeping together."

"None of which was true, I take it?"

"When his wife got pregnant, he didn't even have the decency to tell me. Someone else did." Her eyes were shiny as she blinked furiously. "He knew I wanted to have a baby and was just waiting for him to be free. More fool me. But I'm glad to be here."

"Me too," Lisa said. "This is going to be a whole lot of fun."

Justine started the ignition and the car's headlights came on, illuminating Kennedy as she broke out of a very tight clinch and tossed a tiny wave to her disappointed suitor before sashaying toward the car.

"What happened?" Lisa flipped the seat forward so Kennedy could climb in the back.

"Bad kisser," Kennedy said, running her fingers through her shoulder-length hair, fluffing back its bounce.

"How bad?" Justine asked.

"Let's just say I think my tonsils drowned."

"EEEEWWWW!"

"If I don't want that mouth on mine, I sure don't want it anyplace else," Kennedy said. "He used his tongue like a battering ram." She pulled out a mirror and lipstick and inspected the damage. "How about you two?"

"We're not quite as quick off the mark as you are," Justine said. "Do you think there's anything to eat at the villa?"

"We'll get Miles to make us something."

"Welcome back, darlings," Miles sang out as they tumbled into the villa, arm-in-arm.

"Oh, good. You're still up." Kennedy tossed her bag on the couch, sparing the barest glance at their surroundings. The girls had oohed and aahed when they first arrived, forcing Kennedy to take a second look -- at her life, as well as her surroundings. She was accustomed to the best, along with someone who provided it. What fun to share with the others things she took for granted, like this luxury villa with a private swimming pool and live-in butler.

She was spoiled, but why have it any other way? Her thoughts darkened. Except for work. All those nubile twenty-somethings the agency had hired lately were making her feel old and tired, and she didn't enjoy the feeling.

"So..." Miles said expectantly. "I'm waiting to live vicariously through all of you, so spill. I prepared a little midnight snack."

"You're a marvel," Kennedy said. "Will you marry me?"

"Kennedy, love, not even if I preferred women over men would I marry you. You'd break my heart a million times."

"You're right," Kennedy said. "I'm not the settling down type. Much better you and I stay friends."

"There isn't much to tell." Justine pounced on the plate of bruschetta. "Kennedy picked up some guy from Texas who didn't understand that saliva is a condiment, not a main course. And some dude hit on Lisa with the 'pretty lady, pretty flower' line."

"Try the ceviche," Miles said. "I just made it."

"Out of this world," Lisa said.

"Is there any champagne left?" Kennedy asked.

"If there isn't, we'll open more."

Four glasses were quickly filled and raised together in a toast. "To the hunt for Ted October," the girls sang out in unison.

"And to Miles, for agreeing to keep score," Kennedy added.

"Anything for you, darling. You were my favorite of all Mr. Macho's dates."

Kennedy batted her lashes. "Shucks, I bet you say that to all the girls."

"Only the ones who are nice to me. Now tell me, why Ted October?"

"There was this hunk calendar we all had. Mr. October was the hunkiest and had signed it Ted. It kind of became a moniker for Mr. Right."

"Surely that's not how you three met," Miles said.

"No," Justine said. "Once upon a time we were all dating men who golfed, and wound up taking golf ...