Excerpt of Miss Guided: a Guide to Love novella by Alexia Adams

Marcus sipped a tropical fruit concoction through a
straw, considering the addition of rum to the drink. What
good was a Caribbean vacation if you couldn’t sample the
island’s best product? He needed to keep his alcohol
consumption to a minimum as it counteracted his
medication. So he usually saved it for special occasions.
Like when how unfair his life was got to him.

“How ’bout her?” He pointed his drink at a buxom blonde
woman wearing a tiny white bikini and high heels.

Liam glanced up from his laptop. “Nah, never liked
blondes, they’re too pale. You lose them in the bed if
it’s got white sheets.”

Marcus laughed at the comment, knowing his brother wasn’t
serious. However, Liam’s apathy toward relationships did
slow things down. Marcus had managed to cross most of his
life’s goals off his bucket list, but finding a life
partner for Liam was the most important, and proving the
hardest. And there wasn’t a lot of time left. Marcus was
already living beyond the doctors’ expectations, and he
needed to make sure his little brother was loved before
he went.

“Hey, I thought we agreed no working on this vacation,”
Marcus said.

With a reluctant sigh, Liam closed his laptop. “You can’t
tell me you’re not working. I can all but see the cogs in
that big head of yours turning. You’re thinking plot
lines and characterization and who would be murdered
first. There’s a book formulating in your brain. Any
minute now you’re going to excuse yourself and race
upstairs for your own computer.”

Liam was right of course. Marcus saw stories everywhere.
It was what had made him a prolific and best-selling
mystery author by twenty-five. And the blonde would be
the first to die. The question was whether the hero in
his book would do her first. He shook his head; she
wasn’t his type, and therefore not suitable to play a
heroine. Marcus preferred a real woman without chemical
and saline enhancements. Liam was usually drawn to the
plastic versions, probably because he’d never known the
love of a real woman. Marcus was going to do his
damnedest to make sure he did.

A sudden flood of people wandered past the bar,
disgorged, undoubtedly, from a returning tour bus. They
all clutched cameras, hats, and bottles of water. He
caught snippets of conversation about their day—the
majesty of the Pitons and the wonder of the drive-in
volcano.

Liam swiveled around on his bar stool. “You know, if you
really wanted to relax, we could have rented a private
villa. Hell, we could have rented a private island.”

“And miss this human sideshow? Besides, I hate to break
it to you, brother, but you’re boring. All you do is play
on your computer day and night. I need some stimulation
in my life.”

Liam sat up taller on his stool and put his drink on the
bar. “I don’t play…”

Marcus tuned out his brother’s monologue on the latest
Trojan horse, or worm, or virus, or something destined to
destroy all computers, everywhere. And how it was guys
like Liam who made it safer for regular people to
download cute cat videos or porn, depending on their
preference.

Mercifully, his brother’s voice was drowned out by
another, this one richer, sultrier, and with a hint of
island charm. “Mrs. Winthrop, Mrs. Winthrop, you left
your glasses on the bus.” A gorgeous local woman raced
down the steps next to the poolside bar and stopped an
older lady who was wearing Bermuda shorts, socks up to
her knees, and sandals.

“Oh, thank you, dear,” Mrs. Winthrop replied. “I’d
probably leave my head behind if it weren’t attached.”

The local woman gave a polite laugh, which had the effect
of sending a thrill, not at all polite, through his body.
She then turned to run back up the stairs, her long brown
legs in sharp contrast to her white shorts. Her T-shirt,
stretched tight across full breasts that bounced like
real ones, read St. Ives Island Tours and Travel on the
back. A mass of dark curls was piled impossibly on the
top of her head. But it was her face that had Marcus
taking a long drink of his mocktail. It had been a good
long while since he’d seen anyone as naturally beautiful
as her. There was no way she’d get lost in bed. Or up
against a wall. Or in the shower. Or on the beach.

Dragging his mind back from inappropriate thoughts, he
glanced again at Liam who was watching the news on the TV
above the bar. “How about tomorrow we take a tour of the
island?”

Liam stared at him with undisguised horror. “Marcus, if
you want to see the island, we can hire a private car and
driver. I’m loaded, remember, recently signed a billion
dollar deal with the-software-company-that-shall-remain-
nameless? I’m not getting on a smelly old bus with a
bunch of smelly old people and visiting places I have no
interest in going.”

Marcus put his drink down and played his trump card. “My
vacation, my rules, remember? You promised. Tomorrow we
are going on a bus tour, and you will not complain for
one second.”

Liam opened his mouth then closed it again, trying to
hide the flicker of pain in his eyes. A curt nod was his
only response.

“That’s settled then. I’ll go make the arrangements.”
Marcus abandoned his drink and headed up to reception. If
he were lucky he’d be able to catch the tour guide woman
and find out exactly which tour she would be leading
tomorrow. His brain was already plotting ways to get her
and Liam together.