Love in Paradise by Maya Sheppard Read Free Book Online Page B

children crowded the terminal, some looking more dazed and confused than excited for their vacation.
    Moving forward Nika exited the boarding area and walked into a busy airport terminal. As airports are concerned, this one was rather large, the main public area being the size of your average auditorium. The center of the rounded room featured a massive fountain comprised of what Nika could only guess was a piece of modern art, and one that people could only guess at the true meaning of.
    Making her way around the fountain, she was able to find the taxi service booth which was located directly next to the car rental service. She had the option of renting a vehicle of course, but having never visited Sian Island, she was unsure of her ability to navigate the streets. What many people never realize is that both traffic laws and signs differ from country to country, and she had not taken the time to research the rules of the road on Sian Island.
    Nika approached the counter and smile to the attendant who couldn’t be more than sixteen.
    “Hello, my name is Dominika Kitaev, and I need you to call a car for me,” She said.
    The boy at the country smiled, revealing a mouth full of braces. He appeared to have a momentary lapse of judgment, as he allowed his eyes to run up and down her body.
    In response, Nika tapped her nails on the counter. “I need a car, sir. I need a ride to the Twin Beach Hotel.” She said this with an upward inflection and a smile which made her demand seem like more of a request. Inwardly she was annoyed at the attention she was receiving from a pre-pubescent teen, but she would never let that show.
    “Of..of course Ma’am...Miss..er...Ma’am,” He said in a thick Spanish accent. Perhaps, he was an exchange student, but more likely he was one of the migrant workers from Portugal. Recently the Portuguese government had encouraged a number of its students to seek employment outside of the country to expand their horizons and bring their new experiences back to the tiny country.
    The boy recovered his composure and finally said, “We offer a basic taxi service from the airport to the hotel and it will be...” He paused for a moment to punch a few buttons on a countertop calculator. “Eighteen Euros plus the tip to your driver.”
    “Eighteen Euros?” Nika repeated to confirm.
    “Plus the tip,” The boy nodded.
    “Okay,” She smiled. “Set it up.”
    The boy fiddled with the cash register as Nika handed over her credit card. With the transaction finished, the boy smiled and promised to have the car meet her in front of the airport. Nika nodded, thanked him, and briskly walked to the front of the airport. The time now as 3:45 and she had set her appointment for 4:15. Time was lacking, but if the driver was fast, she might have a chance.
    She exited the airport through the steel and glass automatic doors just in time to see an uncovered jeep screech into place. The driver was none other than the boy from the counter. She approached the jeep with what could only be described as an extremely awkward smile.
    “You’re the taxi driver too?” She asked.
    He nodded. “Si, I am also the shift supervisor. Get in and we’ll drive to the Twin Beach Hotel!”
    She made her way to the passenger side of the vehicle, deposited her luggage in the back, and climbed into the front seat. Aware that the boy was eyeing her legs, she straightened her skirt and stared straight ahead as he pressed the gas. Before she knew it, the airport was a speck on the horizon.
    For the first time, Nika saw the beauty of Sian Island from ground level. It was clear that the island was nowhere near as developed as many of the western nations. The two lane highway was well maintained, probably with tourism funds, but for the most part the beauty of the island was permitted to remain.
    On the left, a white sandy beach could be seen, those sands ending in a blue crystal ocean that stretched on for hundreds of miles. To the right