by Jenna Brandt
Her eyebrows raised in shocked admiration. “That’s right; from your questionnaire, I didn’t take you for a women’s fashion expert.”
“I’m not, but I did date one of the designers that worked on that line. She invited me to the runway show—and the after, after party,” he explained, making sure to put the emphasis on the word that would drive home the message he wanted. “She made sure I knew all about how hard she worked on that exact suit—you know, pillow talk and all.”
Simone seemed to ignore his comment, instead focusing on his experience on the island. “Well, if there are any garments you need that aren’t in the stores here, we can have one of our personal shoppers overnight ship it from the mainland for you.”
They climbed into the back of the limo and headed towards the resort. Simone went over the accommodations that had been upgraded since his last visit, explaining the new additions to the luxury aquatic center and golf course.
Once inside the lobby, Simone handed over a key card to him. “We have you staying in the presidential suite on the east end of the tower this time. You’ll have a different view than you did last year.”
She must have figured out from his survey, or possibly even from Tara, he liked to be kept on his toes. Unlike Wade, who was a creature of habit, Samuel regularly enjoyed new adventures.
“Thank you, but I’m not tired enough to go to my suite, yet. I think I will head over to the lounge for a nightcap.”
“Of course, sir, I made sure that all of the bars and restaurants, as well as room service, have your drink of choice—Macallan Single Cask. I’ll see you here in the lobby at eight a.m. to start your birthday surprise.”
Samuel sauntered off towards the lounge, ready to enjoy a drink while watching whoever the club brought in to entertain in the lounge this week. They had a steady rotation of up-and-coming pop singers. They were more than willing to come perform for the constant influx of billionaire guests, despite the non-disclosure agreement they had to sign in order to be there.
The lounge was filled with dozens of people, most of them sitting at the various tables. Deciding the bar was the best option for him, he sidled up and waved his hand for the bartender.
“Mr. Butler, I’ll get your Macallan Single Cask right away, sir.”
For a moment, he was surprised the young man recognized him. He then remembered that the pictures from each billionaire’s dossier were circulated to the staff so that they would know the guests when they came into the various establishments. This made the service truly one-of-a-kind.
“Thank you,” he muttered as he took the glass from the other man.
Samuel sipped on his drink as he listened to the alto crooning of the pretty blonde that was standing in the middle of the stage on the far-left side of the lounge. She was singing a classic Frank Sinatra song and doing an exceptionally good job at it.
“Is this seat taken?” a husky, feminine voice asked from beside him.
Samuel’s head jerked to the side, his eyes focusing on a young, pretty brown-haired woman waiting for his answer.
“No, not at all. Please, join me.”
“I have to admit, I know who you are, Mr. Butler. Binge-watching your show is a guilty pleasure of mine.”
Great, a fan; Samuel didn’t feel much like making small talk. He also knew that he had to keep up his image. Even when he was jet-lagged, he had to play the part of the friendly, flirty celebrity chef. “That’s very flattering, Miss…”
“Heather, Heather Lewis,” she said with a seductive smile. “I’m here to celebrate my birthday. Everyone else went to bed, but I wasn’t tired, so I decided to come down to the lounge for a cocktail.”
“Great minds think alike,” he said raising his own glass. “I wasn’t tired either. Let’s get you a drink.” Samuel gestured for the bartender to come over.
Heather placed her order and the bartender scurried off to make the elaborate cocktail.
“You know, you’re even more handsome in person than you are on TV. I thought it had to be all the makeup they put on you, but I was wrong,” she praised, placing her hand on his arm. “And all those muscles under that shirt. You never see those on the show.”
“Believe me, a lot of it is the makeup. Can’t you tell I’m wearing some now?” he teased with a wink.
“You can’t be,” Heather exclaimed, moving closer to inspect his face. For the first time since her arrival, he could smell the stench of alcohol on her breath. Warning bells went off. Samuel wasn’t one to turn a beautiful woman away, but he drew the line at hooking up with someone while they were inebriated. Heather placed her hands on either side of his face, squeezing his cheeks. “When I saw you walk through the lobby earlier, I knew I had to find a way to meet you. I asked around and found out you were in here.”
Something about how strong she was coming on to him seemed off. He had a good mind to make an excuse and leave, but before he could escape, a burly dark-haired man with a thick beard and beady eyes came charging up to them.
“Heather, get away from him, right now. I know you just came down here to make me jealous.”
“Is it working?” she asked as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. “You shouldn’t have treated me the way you did earlier. This is your fault.”
“I came here to make you happy, Heather. Why are you acting like this? You’re getting everything you want, exactly how you want it, and it’s still not enough.”
“You’re right,” she shouted, jumping up from her leather barstool. “It’s never enough, and you should know that. When my daddy finds out how you treated me this week, you’re going to lose your job at the firm,” she threatened.
“Don’t do that, sweetie; we can work this out,” he said, coming up beside her. “Don’t be mad at me.”
Another brown-haired woman, who looked similar to Heather, came up to the two of them, a worried look on her face. Samuel wasn’t sure why, but there was something familiar about the new woman.
“Why don’t you come to bed, Heather? We had a long day, and we’re all tired,” the new woman coaxed.
“Don’t talk to me like that, Nessa. I don’t need you to handle me. William was awful to me earlier. I have a right to be upset.”
“I told you, I wasn’t looking at that server at the beach today. I was just placing my food order,” William whined.
Samuel wished he could get away from the ridiculously awkward situation, but if he tried to exit now, he’d have to go right through the trio. Instead, he was forced to stay and watch the train wreck of a fight continue.
“See, Heather, you were wrong about what happened. William would never do that to you. Why don’t we just go back to our rooms?” Vanessa pleaded.
“Fine,” Heather stated with a huff. “I guess we can go back. William, will you give me a back rub when we get to the suite?”
“Anything for you, sweetie,” he groveled, taking her by the arm. He leaned over and said to the other woman. “Vanessa, why don’t you give us a little while. I think we need some time alone.”
Vanessa’s eyes widened as she slowly nodded her head. “Sure thing, William. Whatever the two of you need.”
Heather and William made their way out of the bar, leaving Vanessa on her own. Samuel finally found his chance to escape. Before he could move, Vanessa made her way over to the bar, taking the seat the other woman had just vacated.
Even though both women were beautiful, Vanessa had the edge with her perfectly heart-shaped face, sparkling green eyes, and silky chestnut hair. She also carried herself in a way that made her seem regal, while her counterpart was anything but. Perhaps it was because Heather was already intoxicated when she came into the lounge. Either way, Samuel was grateful that Vanessa was now sitting beside him; so much so, he decided not to leave just yet.
Chapter Two
The bartender returned with a drink, an uncomfortable look on his face as he glanced around as if unsure what to do. “Should I send Miss Lewis’ drink up to her room?”<
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Vanessa shook her head. “I’ll take it; I think I earned it after the day my sister put me through.”
“She’s your sister?” the man next to her blurted out in shock.
“She sure is,” Vanessa confirmed, placing her purse down on the bar. “I’m just glad she came to the lounge tonight, instead of heading somewhere harder to find her. Last time she got like this, she ended up swimming naked in the ocean at night.”
“Sounds like she keeps you on your toes,” the man remarked before taking another sip of his drink.
“That’s the nice way of putting it,” Vanessa stated with irritation. She took a long swig of the frothy, pink drink and nearly choked on the sugary sweetness. She pushed the drink away, deciding that nothing was better than whatever that was.
For the first time since arriving in the lounge, Vanessa Lewis’ attention focused on the man who had been a pawn in her sister’s attempts to upset William. Instantly, she recognized him and froze—Samuel Butler. The man she had shared a sizzling New Year’s Eve kiss with two years ago. She thought she had a real connection with him after spending the evening together dancing and getting to know one another. After the kiss, however, he’d promptly gotten so drunk, he had forgotten all about her.
What were the chances that he would be here at the Billionaire Birthday Club the same week as her sister? If Vanessa had any luck at all, it would be bad luck. He was the last person she wanted to see, but if she jumped up and rushed off, he might try to figure out why. She didn’t want him to know that she knew who he was. What he did to her was already humiliating enough. There was no way she was ever going to explain to him how he hurt her.
Deciding to take control of the situation, she reached out her hand to him. “After what just happened, I should probably introduce myself. I’m Vanessa Lewis.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Samuel Butler.” He cocked his head to the side, as if inspecting her for some reason, then took her hand in his own.
The moment they touched, a jolt of electricity shot up her arm. Goosebumps raced along her skin, creating a tingling sensation she hadn’t felt in a very long time. She wanted to yank her hand away, but decided against it. She was afraid it would draw attention to the effect he had on her.
Vanessa hated to admit it to herself, but Samuel was just as handsome as she remembered, maybe even more so. It seemed he aged well, without a single wrinkle or gray hair to show for the two years that had passed since their red-hot encounter. She could tell he still took care of himself, with rippling muscles that couldn’t be hidden under his starched-white shirt. With a square jaw stubbled with a sexy black beard that matched his hair and piercing crystal blue eyes, he was still the most attractive man she’d ever met. She wasn’t about to let him know that though.
“Have we met before? You seem familiar.”
“If we had, don’t you think you would have remembered?” she asked coyly, knowing full well he had done just the opposite. Averting her eyes, she finally pulled her hand away and promptly picked at the imaginary lint on her cashmere blouse, hoping he didn’t notice how nervous he made her.
“You don’t like the drink?” he questioned, glancing at the pink drink that was starting to spill over the top of the tall glass and slide down the sides.
“Too syrupy for my liking. My sister’s the one with the sweet tooth.”
“We should fix that, right now.” Samuel gestured for the bartender. “The lady would like another drink.”
“What will you have, Miss Lewis?”
“A Sazerac, please.”
“That’s an interesting choice for a woman,” Samuel pointed out. “You don’t hear it too often.”
“What can I say, I’m an unusual woman. I’ve always been partial to rye whiskey—plus, my ancestors originally hailed from New Orleans.”
“I seem to recall knowing some other woman that liked that drink, too, but for the life of me, I can’t place who it was. Maybe I read it in an article on the internet somewhere.”
Vanessa shifted in her seat, knowing that on the night they’d kissed, she’d nursed one the entire evening. There was no way, however, she was going to confess that to him. “That’s probably it. I can’t be the only woman in the world who likes it.”
“My, my, my, why if it isn’t Samuel Butler,” a curvy woman with chocolate skin and curly dark hair gushed as she came up beside him and took a seat. “I should have known you’d be here this week. Our birthdays are only a few days apart.”
“Monica Sunder, I completely forgot that we ended up here last year together.”
“Wow, you sure know how to make a woman feel like she can’t leave a lasting impression on you.”
“You can say that again,” Vanessa muttered under her breath, realizing that Samuel had a pattern of forgetting the women he spent time with.
“What was that, Vanessa?” he inquired, turning his head towards her.
“Is this your girlfriend?” Monica asked with a hint of jealousy in her voice. “I didn’t read about you being off the market on any of the blogs.”
“No, we just met,” he quickly explained. “She’s here with her sister.”
“Oh, you must be Vanessa Lewis; I didn’t recognize you in this low-lighting.” Vanessa doubted that was the case. The truth was, the other woman hadn’t even looked at her until she thought Vanessa might be a threat to whatever she believed she had with Samuel. “I overheard your sister, Heather, fighting with her boyfriend, earlier this week in the lobby. I didn’t know you were here, too. Of course, I know who you both are since your family does business with mine, not to mention we went to Cornelia-Rutherford together. I was three grades below you, so I’m not surprised you don’t remember me.”
“You live in New York?” Samuel asked, his eyes darting to meet Vanessa’s. “Why haven’t I seen you at any of the parties in the city?”
“I was finishing up my master’s degree in marketing at Yale. I only got back a few weeks ago,” Vanessa explained, purposely leaving out the part they had been at the same parties during her holiday breaks. After the New Year’s Eve debacle, she’d avoided him at all costs.
“I can’t believe you’re from New York, and I’ve never seen you before,” Samuel stated with obvious doubt in his voice.
“Why are you questioning her so much, Samuel? Leave the poor woman alone,” Monica gently chastised. “Besides, it’s time for you to focus on me.”
“What’s that?” Samuel asked, clearly distracted as he turned his attention from Vanessa to the other woman.
“I wanted to see if you liked my new perfume.” Monica bent down and tilted her head to the side as she pressed her neck towards his face. “What do you think?”
It was uncomfortable to watch Monica fawn all over Samuel. Vanessa wasn’t sure how to extract herself from the situation, when the bartender arrived with her drink. He placed it in front of her, then scurried off again. She took a long swig, hoping it might give her the extra push to get up and walk away.
“It’s a nice scent, but I think you might have accidentally applied a little too much.”
Monica jerked back. “Why would you say that?”
“It’s rather overpowering,” he admitted. “Now all I smell is rosewater.”
A look of embarrassment flashed across Monica’s face as she raised her hands to her throat. “I had no idea that was the case.”
“I want to go back to this party thing; I can’t imagine that we’ve never been at the same party before,” Samuel probed. “If we had though, I’m sure you would have stood out.”
“One would think,” Vanessa stated with a sigh. “It doesn’t matter anyway. I’m only going to be in New York for the rest of the summer. I’m heading back to Yale to start my Ph.D. in marketing.”
A look of what almost seemed like disappointment crossed his face, before Monica reached out and touched his arm to gain his attention. “Why are we talking about something as boring as college and degrees, when we can be talking
about your New York Times bestselling book? I can’t believe you have another one. What does this make, six?”
“It’s my tenth, but who’s counting,” he teased with a sexy smile.
“You are, obviously,” Vanessa chimed in from the side. Deciding she’d had enough of both Monica’s and Samuel’s obnoxious behavior, she stood up from the bar, and grabbed her purse before turning around to leave.
“Where are you going?” she heard Samuel ask from behind her.
Over her shoulder, she tossed back, “I’m tired and need to get some rest before we leave for the airport tomorrow.”
“I thought you told me you needed to unwind,” Samuel countered. “I can help you with that, if you’d like.”
“Samuel, let her go if she wants,” Monica protested with a pout on her lips. “We have plenty to catch up on.”
Vanessa didn’t wait to hear anymore. She was done. At a clipped pace, she marched out of the lounge. Even though she was tired, she knew going back to her room wouldn’t do her any good. As irritated as she was at the moment, she would just lay in bed and toss and turn. Deciding a walk would be better, she headed towards the gardens.
It seemed not only had Samuel’s looks not changed in the past two years, but neither had his personality. He was still the same self-centered, flirtatious jerk that had hurt her feelings two years ago. She’d honestly believed they’d had a real connection and he would remember enough to call her after the party, but he never did.
Even though the online papers, blogs, and social media liked to paint Samuel Butler as a lazy, playboy billionaire, part of her always wondered if they just liked making him look bad. It seemed the reports were correct however. He was just the same as he had been two years ago. The difference was, she wasn’t stupid enough to fall for his charms a second time.