by Claire Adams
“You seem very confident.”
“I know men,” she replied. “I know what they want, and I know how to push their buttons. I’ve worked under Tristan long enough to have made a few observations.”
“Such as?”
“He’s driven, ambitious, and hard working. All necessary traits to have in life. But the fact that he also happens to be charming, charismatic, and handsome has catapulted him ahead of men twice his age. He inherited his father’s legacy, and he made it twice as successful in a short period of time.
“In short, he’s a man who’s used to getting his way. He’s a man who always gets the girl. And if he starts seeing you as something he can’t have… Well then, you’ll have him.”
I’d have him. The thought terrified me as much as it thrilled me. One thing was certain: I didn’t want to be just another name on Tristan’s list. I didn’t want to be yet another girl that he had used only to cast aside later. My feelings for Tristan were real, which meant I was the one in danger of getting hurt.
“Are you okay?” Alani asked. “You look upset.”
“Not upset,” I clarified. “Just…contemplative.”
“What are you contemplating?”
“What I’m trying to achieve out of this whole plan,” I said. “Do you I just want revenge for that forgotten kiss or am I hoping for something more?”
Alani gave me a sympathetic smile. “It sounds like you might still be in love with him.”
“Is that even possible?” I asked. “Is it possible to be in love with someone you’ve never actually been with?”
“Of course it is,” she assured me. “It happens all the time.”
“How depressing.”
She smiled. “The point is you need to see this thing through—either for closure or else for…”
“For what?”
“A chance at a relationship with Tristan?”
I took a deep breath. “Is it just me or do the words ‘relationship’ and ‘Tristan’ not go together?”
Alani smiled. “I think that’s all you.”
I sighed. “You know what I wish? I wish I didn’t have feelings for Tristan. That would make everything so much easier. Then I could actually enjoy this vacation instead of constantly obsess about him.”
“Is that what you’ve been doing this whole time?”
“It was just…something about seeing him the day I arrived. It was like all the old feelings came rushing back and somehow, they managed to magnify. I feel like I’ve become the hopeless fourteen-year-old girl I used to be.”
“You’re not fourteen anymore,” Alani pointed out as we made our way out of the gym.
“And yet, what has really changed since I was fourteen?” I asked. “I’m still single, unemployed, and hung up on my brother’s best friend.”
“Wow, you really know how to paint a dismal picture, don’t you?”
I laughed. “Who’s the next guy on your list?”
“His name is Raymond Burke,” Alani told me. “His father owns a chain of golf courses around the country, and he’s in Hawaii on a bachelor trip with his friends.”
“I’m assuming it’s not his bachelor party?”
“Of course not,” Alani said. “I think he’s going to get more of a rise out of Tristan than David did.”
“How do you figure that out?” I asked.
“David’s part of the older, white collar, predictable, and sensible kind of group,” Alani clarified. “Whereas Raymond Burke is...”
“Not?”
She laughed. “Most definitely not. He’s twenty-six and over six feet tall, sandy blond hair, great smile, and a fantastic body. Trust me; I’ve seen him without his shirt off.”
“And you explained the situation to him?”
“He knows you’re trying to make someone jealous,” she nodded. “But again, he’s probably hoping for some hot revenge sex as a thank you.”
“Well, he’s going to be disappointed then.”
“You might actually want to sleep with this one.”
I shook my head. “I doubt it.”
Alani wrinkled her brows at me, but I gave her a smile and withheld the explanation. When we arrived at the elevators, she wished me luck for the next date and headed off towards the staff quarters. I rode up the elevator to my suite.
When I had first stepped into the grand suite, I had been speechless. It was a huge space that looked more like a luxury apartment rather than a room in a resort.
You entered into the living room area, which opened out into the massive balcony. To the right was the dining area and to the left was the bedroom. The bedroom was situated in a completely separate alcove that extended out from the main structure of the building. I had only one wall against which the massive super king bed had been pushed. The other three walls were thick, floor-to-ceiling windows that gave me a spectacular view of the ocean below.
If you sat on the bed and looked straight ahead, all you could see was miles of ocean and sky. The blinds were operated through a special remote control, and the floors were covered over with a luxurious faux fur carpet that felt like you were walking on pillows. The room was connected to a separate walk-in closet and a massive bathroom complete with a Jacuzzi and its own view of the ocean.
I headed to the bathroom, stripped down, and slipped into the Jacuzzi for a nice long soak. I closed my eyes and started to daydream. Inevitably, my dreams turned to Tristan.
Chapter Nine
Tristan
I was walking through the resort’s south wing with Ben, going over the construction delays that had been plaguing us for days now.
“What does Larry have to say?” I demanded. “He promised me he’d be out of here before December.”
Ben looked at me calmly. “We’re talking major construction here,” he said. “Mistakes are part and parcel of the work.”
“Not when I’m in charge.”
“You weren’t in charge,” he reminded me.
“I think that’s the problem.”
“Would you like me to set up a meeting with Larry?”
“Yes, first thing tomorrow morning,” I said. “And, casually drops in a few threats. If he doesn’t finish soon, I’m not above going to another construction company.”
Ben smiled wryly. “I’ll let him know.”
“Leave a rundown of all the breakages on my desk,” I said. “I need to factor in how many replacement sets to purchase. All the china we have is imported, and we need to leave room for the import.”
He made a note on his clipboard. “You realize that there are people to handle all these issues. You have fifteen managers under your employ, not including me.”
“I realize that.”
“Do you?” Ben asked, with one raised eyebrow. “Then why do you insist on micro-managing everything?”
“Because it takes a micro-manager to get a resort like this running under quality standards.”
“Fair enough,” he nodded. “But now the resort is up and running…for the most part. Don’t you think it’s time to start delegating? That’s one skill you don’t seem to have.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you trying to tell me that you want less time with me?”
One corner of Ben’s mouth turned up in amusement. “I wasn’t trying to say that, but now that you’ve mentioned it, it does sound like my ideal situation.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “If you weren’t so good at your job, I’d fire you immediately.”
He snorted at the backhanded compliment as we walked down the large pillared corridors towards the construction site. It was late evening, and Larry’s construction crew had already cleared out, but I still wanted to see how much more work needed to be done.
As I looked out over the scenic view of the gardens and the large pool that lay in the center of it all, I noticed a woman getting out of the water. She was small made, but she had the appearance of height. She had a stunning body that I couldn’t help taking a second glance tow
ards. With a little shock, I realized a second later that the woman I was admiring was Molly.
She was wearing a tiny, color-blocked bikini in crimson red and a flashy green. Her hair was pasted against her face, and water drops glistened off her milky skin. She walked over to a lounge chair, took a sip of her drink, and then headed back to one corner of the pool. Then she dove in, displaying fantastic form.
“Tristan!” Gregory’s voice reached me from the opposite end of the corridor.
I turned away, realizing Ben had probably seen me ogle at Molly. Grateful for the distraction, I greeted Gregory warmly.
“Dinner was fantastic last night,” he said. “We must do it again soon.”
“Definitely,” I nodded.
“Ben,” Gregory nodded at Ben.
“Mr. Winchester,” he replied, without enthusiasm.
“Where are you two headed?”
“Just looking through the construction site,” I said.
“Shouldn’t that be finished by now?”
I shot Ben a glare, despite the fact that he had nothing to do with the delay. “It should, but as usual, all I’m getting are excuses.”
“Minor concern,” Gregory said, waving away my worry. “You’ll have this resort in ship shape by Christmas. How has the feedback been so far, Ben?”
“We have zero guest complaints so far,” he said, referencing his magic clipboard.
“And rightly so,” Gregory nodded. “As a guest here myself, I can attest to the quality of the service here. The staff is helpful, the food is amazing, and the resort itself is perfect.”
“Almost perfect,” I said darkly.
Gregory laughed and clapped me on the back. “Chasing perfection is going to leave you seriously dissatisfied,” he told me.
“I’ve been trying to tell him the same thing,” Ben said, just as a beep came in on his phone. I saw his expression turn sour as he checked the message.
“What’s wrong?”
“Apparently, a warning has been issued in the area,” Ben said. “They’re expecting a major thunderstorm in the next couple of days.”
“What?” I said, unable to keep the annoyance from my tone. “Thunderstorms rarely hit this side of the island.”
“Apparently, this is unusual,” Ben said. “Thank you, global warming.”
“Fuck,” I cursed. “Just my luck. We have to make sure the construction is completed by that time. I don’t want ongoing work while we’re trapped inside all day.”
“Don’t worry,” Ben assured me. “I’ll handle it.”
“Come on, how badly can a little thunderstorm affect you?” Gregory asked. “And, I’m not just asking for selfish reasons.”
“It shouldn’t be that bad,” I said. “As long as it passes quickly. But guests will be confined to the resort, and all their expeditions will have to be canceled. I know a few people who aren’t going to be happy about that.”
“That’s not the resort’s fault,” Gregory pointed out. “They’ll have to blame Mother Nature.”
“They’ll blame whoever they please.”
“Just as long as my return remains the same,” he said, giving me a cheeky smile.
I rolled my eyes. “Self-interest rears its ugly head, huh?”
He laughed. “Hey, I gotta look out for myself.”
“You’ve got investments in every major company in New York,” I pointed out. “I think you’ll be fine.”
Ben looked bored by our talk of money, and when his phone rang, he answered enthusiastically. After a few moments, he hung up and turned to me. “There’s an issue with one of the suppliers. I’m going to have to see to this myself.”
“Go ahead,” I said. “I can survey the construction site myself.”
Ben nodded and headed off in the direction of the elevators. The moment he was gone, Gregory looked at me with a teasing expression on his face.
“What?” I asked.
“Are the rumors true?”
“What rumors?” I asked, frowning at him.
“That there’s a beautiful woman at this resort…and you hold a candle for her?”
I hid my surprise underneath disdain and rolled my eyes. “Where did you hear that?”
“People talk.”
“My staff?”
“Not just your staff.”
“The guests?” I asked incredulously.
“Maybe.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t have the time to devote to a woman just now,” I said. “And, I don’t hold a candle for anyone.”
“No?” he asked suspiciously.
“No.”
“What about the beautiful blonde you were staring at in the restaurant last night?”
“I told you—”
“Brotherly concern,” he nodded. “Whose sister is she, anyway?”
“You’ve met him once or twice at one of our annual business mixers,” I said. “Jason Sinclair.”
“Ah, of course,” Gregory nodded. “He’s got the same coloring.”
“Hmm,” I nodded, trying to appear disinterested.
I desperately wanted to take a peek at the pool to see if Molly was still swimming or if she had emerged again. I was aware of the irony of denying my interest in her only to be completely desperate to get another glimpse of her in that bikini, but it seemed I was incapable of controlling my impulses around her.
“I remember Jason mentioning his sister, actually,” Gregory nodded. “I believe she was still in university at the time, senior year.”
“Quite possibly,” I said. “I hadn’t seen her since my own graduation.”
“Oh, you didn’t keep in contact with her?”
“Molly and I were never friends,” I said, hoping that Gregory would drop his line of questioning. “I mean, she was my best friend’s little sister. She was a child when we first met.”
“She’s certainly not a child anymore,” he observed, as his eyes fell towards the pool. I realized he was staring directly at Molly.
I resisted the urge to ball my hands into fists. I pushed back the impulse and glanced over at the pool indifferently. Molly had emerged again. She was lying back on her lounge chair and enjoying the evening sun. My eyes lingered on her slim thighs, her flat stomach, and the fullness of her breasts. I hated the fact that Gregory was staring at her with obvious lust in his eyes, so I tried to distract him so that his attention would be focused on me.
“I think you need to find yourself a girlfriend, Gregory,” I said, forcing my voice into a teasing tone. “It sounds like you’re hard up.”
He laughed. “Maybe I am,” he said. “It’s been a few months since I last had sex.”
“Really?”
“Well, it’s been a few months since I had really, really good sex,” he clarified.
“I’m sure you’ll find some really good brothels in the city,” I teased.
Gregory shot me a look. “Please, I don’t need to pay for it. Women are more than willing to sleep with me for free.”
“Are these women blind or just desperate?”
“You can be an evil little shit; you know that?”
I laughed, satisfied that he was looking at me now, rather than Molly. “I’ve been told.”
“Was she always this beautiful?”
“Who?” I asked, pretending as though I wasn’t still thinking of Molly.
“Molly.”
“Oh…uh… I’ve never noticed.”
“Oh?” he asked, with a mocking smile that called my bluff.
“She was fourteen when I first met her,” I said. “I was eighteen. That may not be much of an age difference now, but when you’re in your teens, it’s huge. She was just a child to me. She was sweet, polite, and helpful, but she was only ever a child to me.”
Even as I said the words, I remembered that kiss we had shared too long ago. I was only half lying to Gregory. The truth was that at the beginning, I had really seen Molly as nothing more than a little girl. But over the years that had changed.
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I remember the moment our dynamic had shifted. Jason and I had just completed our sophomore year, and we were taking a road trip with a few friends. Since Jason’s parents’ house was on the way, we stopped over for a night to catch up with them.
After a chat with his parents, Jason had gone upstairs to his room to shower, and I decided to take a walk in the Sinclairs’ massive garden that overlooked a cornfield. I was staring out at the cornfield, when I noticed a silhouette in the distance, in the perfect shape of a woman. As the woman approached, I saw the subtle yet gorgeous curves, the windfall of golden hair, the seductive blue eyes, and the ghost of a smile on her lips.
“Hello, Tristan,” Molly greeted me as she approached.
“Molly?” I had balked at how different she looked. In the past year alone, she had transformed from a skinny and awkward young girl into a classic beauty with all the grace of a woman.
“It’s nice to see you again,” she said, without any trace of the shyness that I remembered about her. I had felt my body respond to hers when she came forward to hug me.
Horrified at my reaction to her touch, I had excused myself quickly and headed to the guest bedroom. In the end, I was forced to take a cold shower in order to calm myself down. The whole time, I repeated the same refrain in my head. “She’s Jason’s sister. She’s Jason’s sister. She’s Jason’s sister.”
After that one moment, however, I had never looked at Molly Sinclair in the same way again. She had become something different to me—the forbidden fruit that was forever out of my reach.
Chapter Ten
Molly
I was lying in bed, watching the storm rage on outside the resort. My view gave me maximum exposure, making me feel like I was in the thick of it, except that I remained warm, dry, and extremely comfortable. I could see the terrifying threads of lightning zigzag through the sky, and seconds later, great peals of thunder echoed across the ocean like some deadly creature from a mythical world.
It was a strangely singular experience, and even though a part of me was already scared, I couldn’t stop watching the elements ravage the world outside. There was something feral and violent about Mother Nature that no one realized until she was pissed off. I was so absorbed in my philosophical thoughts that I almost didn’t notice my phone ringing.