Chapter 1: Zach

"Where the hell is it?" the attractive brunette muttered to herself while frantically digging through her purse.

Zach smirked at her for a moment before asking, "What are you looking for?"

She shot him an annoyed glare. "My passport."

Zach had been admiring her snug denim shorts for the last few minutes and had recognized the familiar rectangular shape in her back pocket. "What's it worth to ya'?"

Her eyes narrowed at him as her face flushed red. "Are you messin' with me?"

To avoid completely blowing his chances, he raised his hands along with his eyebrows. "Check your back pocket." The instant shift in her expression from anger to embarrassment brought back his smirk as he lowered his hands.

"I'm so sorry," she gasped as she pulled the passport out of her pocket to look at it. "I thought ... I mean..."

"Zach Gilbert," he said as he extended his hand.

"Jillian Cortez." She shook his hand and gave a nervous chuckle. Zach saw the tension leave her shoulders as she relaxed. "Have you ever been to Eilean D'maichte before?"

"Nope, but a buddy came during their grand opening this summer and wouldn't shut up about it. What about you?"

"I won this trip on that word puzzle game show." The line moved forward again, and he watched Jillian kick her bag and step closer to the registration desk. "Hey, have you heard about the curse?"

Zach shook his head as he sat his bag down next to hers.

"Well," she continued as she turned to face him. "Supposedly a Scottish pirate roamed these waters and kidnapped the daughter of a voodoo priest. The pirate traded her back for a spell that let him and his crew live forever, but the priest tricked him or something. I don't remember the whole thing, but I heard he haunts this island."

Zach laughed. "I've never heard that, but I wonder if they'll give us a discount if we run into ghost pirates on Halloween?"

"It's worth a shot!" Jillian said. He noticed she was giving him a good look-over with a flirty smile. "So, are you here alone?"

"Yeah," Zach sighed.

He didn't usually vacation alone, but he had to get out of town. Ever since his fiancée had dumped him and moved out in June, his whole life was off balance. Friends and family all treated him like he was dying, and then danced around mentioning Chloe, which only made it worse.

"What about you?" he followed up, quickly trying to shake the mood that threatened to cast a shadow over his trip.

"I was supposed to come with a friend, but she got sick at the last minute. No refunds or changes allowed, so here I am!" Jillian didn't seem to notice his shifting mood, so Zach plastered on a grin to keep her interest.

"It must have been cool to win a trip on a game show like that."

"I've always been good with words. I teach high school English. What do you do?"

Zach wished he had a teacher that looked as good as she did. Some might consider Jillian pretty, but Zach decided the brilliant smile that lit up her face pushed her over the line to beautiful.

"I'm in sales for a technology company, but I also teach mixed martial arts at a dojo near my apartment."

"I knew you worked out," she complimented as her eyes drifted over his arms and chest visible through his tight t-shirt.