Boot Key Harbor Series Boxed Set (Contemporary Romance Short Reads) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Ben's Story #1

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Cole's Story #2

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Zach's Story #3

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Boot Key Harbor Series

  Introducing the first 3 bad boys of Boot Key Harbor:

  Ben

  Cole

  Zach

  by

  Cyndi Raye

  Copyright © 2016 www.CyndiRaye.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced in any format, by any means, electronic or otherwise, without prior consent from the copyright owner and publisher of this book. This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places and events are the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously.

  Cover by Deb

  https://www.fiverr.com/debbydale

  To all my readers, enjoy...

  Ben

  Chapter 1

  What's a girl to do when she is feeling down, out, and has to lie to her family about having a date to her brother's wedding?

  Throw herself a pity party by getting liquored up, of course. Throwing back a few shots of whisky should definitely make her forget the fact that her love life was in the dumps. This was so unlike her, yet, she was also hoping that the resulting alcohol-induced amnesia would take away the fact that she was in love with a man who was off limits.

  Bottoms up!

  Angela Dalton hated the taste of alcohol, which is what the occasion called for. Tipping the glass, she barely kept from spitting the foul concoction out. The bitter liquid tortured her taste buds and she began coughing. Her throat burned and her eyes watered.

  "Ugh, how do people drink this stuff?" Her body shuddered at the harsh liquor’s taste. Angela did not become the lead reporter at QTY Channel 14 by giving up when the odds where tough. Or in this case, tasted horrible. So she took another sip and dutifully swallowed. Her face contorted into a grimace.

  A snicker from behind the bar had her glaring at the muscle-bound man there.

  "Got something to say, Lenny?"

  The older man was a huge, neatly bearded-biker and owned the bar and grill. He was not a native to Key West but was loved by locals and tourists alike. With tattooed arms and a few piercings here and there, he was now a Boot Key Harbor staple.

  His t-shirt proudly embossed Lenny's Place and looked ready to rip any second as it tried to contain the bulges of his arms. Even at his ripe old age of fifty something, he was muscled to the max. She thought she heard a tell-tale rip when he came closer but the cloth remained dutifully intact.

  Wiping down a glass, he leaned against the scarred wood of the bar and replied, "Just wondering if you wanted to switch that drink up with something a lightweight like you can handle. Say, water?"

  Everyone knew Angela never backed down from a challenge. She took another sip, staring him down despite her watering eyes. "Why ever would I do that, Lenny? This tastes magnificent. And who are you calling a lightweight?"

  Lenny shook his head, held his hands up in surrender and grinned. "No offense honey, but where I come from if you break out into 90s music dance moves after one shot of tequila, you're considered a lightweight."

  "That was one time and over a year ago. You can't continue to hold that against me. I can hold my liquor against the best of them. I'll show you."

  Angela raised her glass, intending to down the remainder when it was suddenly removed from her grip. "Whoa there, feisty pants. What are you doing? I hope you don't feel up to another N Sync dance marathon because I am totally beat tonight. I will have to watch from the sidelines this time."

  Lenny threw his head back and roared, his burly voice causing others in the bar to glance over.

  The newcomer, and self-professed comedian, pressed his chest against her back when he kissed the top of her head in greeting. His chuckle sounded near her ear when she swatted at him.

  Electricity raced along her back and neck, and goosebumps quickly followed in its wake. She just barely controlled a tell-tale tremble of desire. Her body always quaked with longing whenever he was near.

  By the time he sat in the bar stool next to her, she had fine-tuned her expression into one of bored tolerance. "Ha ha. You’re one funny guy."

  He downed the rest of her drink like it was nothing more than fruit juice and grinned. "I know. My wicked sense of humor is what makes me so irresistible to the ladies. That, and my smokin’ hot bod."

  He wiggled his eyebrows at her and flexed his arms. She bit her bottom lip to hold back her laughter. “Conceited much?”

  Giving him a once over veiled by her lashes, she internally admitted his conceit was well earned.

  The man’s hair was cut short, a style he retained from two tours in Afghanistan with the US Armed Forces. There was a perpetual stubble highlighting the strong line of his jawline. It did nothing to hide the dimple that dented his right cheek. At almost six feet in height, Ben Trooper was the definition of tall and sexy and he knew it.

  He was a known player, had been since high school. Now the same age as her, he had not changed one bit since then in that regard. He loved woman but viewed commitment as if it was a skin-eating disease.

  Even now, he eyed a scantily dressed blonde a few tables away as he spoke to her. Angela did not have to see the other woman to know she was making goo goo eyes right back at him.

  It was pathetic the way women flocked to him.

  Sad to say, she would all too willingly join the horde if he ever turned that lustful look her way.

  And herein lay her terrible secret.

  She was in love with Ben Trooper.

  She had no idea when she fell for him. Maybe it was when they first met in the high school cafeteria. Or when this boy who had girls tripping over themselves trying to gain his attention sweetly offered to be her date to the homecoming dance because no one else wanted to go with her.

  She truly had no idea. All she knew was that every time she was in his presence, she drowned in his eyes. Each time she fell deeper into their abyss.

  They were the color of gunpowder and crinkled in the corners with laugh lines. She saw past the façade though. She saw the sadness in their depths and every time she recognized the emotion she wanted to cuddle him to her bosom and stroke his hair until the pain went away. Of course, in that little fantasy he would realize he could not live without her and profess his undying love.

  But that would never happen. Even if Ben was willing to commit, he would never see Angela as anything more than a friend, a pal to hang out with.

  Therefore, her secret would remain just that, a secret. She could not handle the heartbreak of having him only to watch him walk away.

  Lenny placed a beer in front of Ben and a soft drink in front of her with a wink. He went to serve a hailing customer and Angela pulled her customary cloak of sass and wit to hide her true feelings from her best friend.

  <><><>

  They were seated opposite each other at a table with a view that overlooked Boot Key Harbor. The moon was full and decorated the gently lapping water with sparkles of gold. About two hundred meters away, a white sailboat swayed to the easy rhythm of the waves. There were bigger and pric
ier boats docked around it but still it stood out. It was Ben’s home. He purchased it when he came back to the Florida Keys after his stint in the army.

  Ben not only lived on the water but he worked in it. He was the proud owner of the private explosives disposal dive team called BKH Bad Boy Charters. The company was a product of combining the skills obtained in his military career and his love for the ocean. He and his team members specialized in ensuring underwater assets were safe from explosives and removal of explosive material from underwater property.

  Ben ran the quickly growing business with the help of four of the seven men from the team he led in the Middle East. Their specialized training often led to them extending a helping hand to the BKH Police Department but most of their jobs were privately contracted.

  Down the road, just beyond where Ben’s boat was docked sat the main house of her adopted father’s property. It commanded attention like the man that owned it, arrogant and intimidating. The cottage she rented from the well-established man was a few meters away but was not visible from where Ben and Angela sat.

  The duo was enjoying the view, the remnants of their dinner, Cajun-spiced BBQ wings for Ben and crab cakes for Angela. A basket of seasoned fries sat between them. They both occasionally dipped into it. Ben sipped on this third beer for the night and Angela, an iced tea.

  The atmosphere in the bar and grill was relaxed, most of the occupants chilling alone or softly chatting with a companion while soft music set the stage for easy listening. The mellow mood had seeped into Angela’s pores and she sighed her enjoyment.

  The ocean scented breeze blew Angela’s loose auburn hair around her face. The strands tickled her freckled nose. Before she could push them back, Ben’s fingers were tucking them behind her ear. Heat simmered low in her belly at the touch.

  Her eyes jumped to his and she fancied she saw an answering passion there. She shivered in response but then lectured herself for her wayward imaginings.

  Ben would never look at her like that.

  “Are you feeling cold?” Ben asked.

  He did not wait for an answer but stood and removed his light jacket. It was imprinted with the BKH Bad Boys logo on the front. He placed it around her shoulders before moving back to his side of the table.

  Another unruly thought was produced. Had his touch lingered longer than necessary when he draped the black coat around her?

  She did not bother with a lecture this time, opting to ignore the idea because again, why would Ben do such a thing when he stressed more than once how important it was that their relationship remain non-sexual?

  His signature scent came off the fabric, a combination of the outdoors, spicy cologne and an underlying scent that was uniquely Ben. The lingering warmth from his body soaked through her casual sleeveless dress and a sense of security engulfed her. She pulled the sides of the jacket closer.

  Was this how she would feel if he were to wrap her in his arms the way a man embraced his woman? Her thoughts became wicked.

  He was watching her and she offered him a small smile, suddenly feeling vulnerable.

  He sipped his beer. “So, are you going to tell me what was bothering you earlier? You hardly ever drink hard liquor.”

  This time her sigh was filled with annoyance. “I lied to Jon about having a date to his wedding.”

  Jon was Angela’s biological brother. He and his fiancé, Abby, were going to marry in less than two weeks.

  “Okay.” Ben drew the word out like he was trying to make sense of Angela’s statement. “So get a date to go with you. You’re a beautiful woman. It should not be hard to wrangle a date for the big day. Besides, what’s wrong with going alone? You might meet someone there.”

  Trust Ben to make it sound so simple but it was anything but. Not in Angela’s mind, anyway.

  Angela had been adopted as a baby but was reunited with her original family while covering a case at a local hospital. She accidentally stumbled across a patient who looked exactly like her only with longer hair and identical eyes. That day, Angela not only discovered she had a twin sister named Annie but twin brothers who were older, as well.

  It was eerie how close they had been to each other all this time without knowing.

  Her real mother was long gone but she still had a real father somewhere. He had decided to give the twin girls up thinking he was unable to raise them. She still hadn’t gone to see him, even though she became close to her brothers these past few months. Perhaps in the future she would want to meet her real father.

  Her relationship with her adopted family was wonderful but she assumed they expected her to be this perfect sister, happily with someone and she was the most unhappy woman alive.

  She did not want to show up alone and have them feel pity for her. All her siblings were settling down with the special person in their lives while her love life was non-existent.

  “I can’t go alone. That would be pathetic.” Her voice lowered as she added, “I have tried to get a few guys to go with me but no one has agreed. I’m not the big catch you seem to think I am.”

  He rolled his eyes. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. You’re great. Better than great. You got turned down because you asked wimpy guys that are intimidated by you. You need to start looking for a real man who is not afraid of that sharp tongue of yours.”

  “Hey, I resent that remark.”

  “That does not make it any less true. You have the rare ability to find guys who perpetually have their tail tucked between their legs. You’re too headstrong for a guy like that. You need a man who will stand up to you and give as good as you dish out.”

  Angela’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as she tried to find an answer to that. She came up empty.

  Where was this impromptu dating advice coming from? His only input on the men she dated before was that none of them were not good enough for her.

  He continued, “In the meantime, I’ll be your date for the wedding.”

  She finally found her tongue. “You can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  An embarrassed blush lit her cheeks. “I kind of made it seem like the guy and I are serious. Like getting engaged soon kind of serious.”

  He shrugged like it was no big deal. “I got this, Angela. By the time we leave the wedding, no one will doubt that I’m in love with you.”

  Those words triggered a craving for the impossible.

  Later, like clockwork, Ben walked her to her cottage. He always made sure she was safe inside before turning away. Walking back down the path, he whistled like he did not have a care in the world.

  She wondered if he would go home to an empty bed like she was doing or if he would go back to Lenny’s Place to enjoy the rest of his evening with the blonde.

  Chapter 2

  Jon joined Abby in holy matrimony at a beautiful ceremony on a late Thursday afternoon. They stood atop a small wooden deck that seemed to float on the calm sea waters below and recited self-written vows as family and guests looked on.

  Abby was adorned in an extravagant gown that flowed around her feet while Jon looked dashing in a suit that fit his tall, muscular frame perfectly.

  Jake stood beside his brother in a suit a shade lighter than his twin. With dark hair being gently ruffled by the wind and steady, serious eyes, the two were almost mirror images.

  Angela was honored to stand as a bridesmaid, garbed in a sliver dress similar to what the other bridesmaids were wearing. Annie stood next to her holding a bouquet of flowers like hers.

  The setting sun baptized the couple and all that surrounded them with splashes of red, gold and violet. Huge white and ivory shells lined a path that lead to the custom designed arch where Jon and Abby stood. On either side were white chairs lined with flowers that matched those on the arch.

  The set-up was gorgeous, just like the couple.

  Nothing was more beautiful than the apparent love between the bride and the groom. More than one person shed a tear watc
hing their emotional declarations to one another. Angela was one of those with damp eyes.

  She clapped and cheered when the pastor announced, “I now pronounce you husband and wife.” The newly married pair walked down the sandy aisle amidst congratulations.

  She looked over to where Ben was standing with the rest of those in attendance. He looked fantastic in a black tux. He looking over at her with an indecipherable quality in his gaze. She got caught in the scrutiny, something about it making her heart beat fast and furious.

  The moment was broken when someone stepped between them and interrupted the visual contact.

  When she caught his gaze again, his usual cocky grin was back in place. She answered with a half-hearted smile of her own before following behind the bride and groom.

  There was romance in the air and her gullible heart was hoping it was contagious.

  The reception was held in a large tent on the gorgeous, sprawling property. Palm trees surrounded the set-up and the sea lapped at the edges of the isolated land.

  A huge, crystal chandelier commanded attention in the center of the temporary room and ropes of tiny light branched away from it in a brilliant display. Tables were lined artfully around a stage set for dancing. The bride and groom were in their own world, with eyes for each other, but the rest of the party was tearing up the dance floor and setting the mood for a night of fun.

  Ben and Angela were both laughing and a little out of breath as he led her away from the dance floor. His hand held hers securely but his grip was gentle. He drew her to an empty table, pulling out a chair for her before seating himself beside her.

  A waiter appeared out of the woodwork. Champagne was poured and the golden liquid splashed smoothly into the fluted glasses. The waiter disappeared just as quickly as he appeared.

  Angela took a sip from her glass, never taking her gaze off Ben. The effervescence popped on her tongue.

  Ben retook possession of her hand, sliding his thumb over her knuckles as he drank from his glass.