He nodded. “I’ll let your assigned assistant know.”
“I don’t want Lance,” she grumbled. “I want you. I saw you massaging the other ladies earlier on our trip, and I’d pay you quite well—”
“Mrs. Caprelle, once we get back, I’ll contact Lance. It’s only right that he gets paid for the massage.”
She threw him a scowl.
He hated that she used her money to control people to do whatever she commanded of them. Cole wasn’t going to be her pet. It didn’t matter if she was a guest who returned every few months – which was what he’d heard from some of the staff. They, too, were tired of her treating them like trained animals.
She cocked her head and gave him a challenging stare. “What if I promise you a hefty bonus when you’re done?”
What would this woman do if she suddenly became broke? She definitely wouldn’t be able to handle real life. Money did her talking for her, poor woman.
“Thanks for the nice offer, but once again, I have to refuse. I’m sure Lance will be able to give you a massage just as well as I could.”
“But aren’t you the supervisor?”
“Yes.”
“Can’t you arrange to help me, anyway?”
Silently, he groaned. Would this woman ever take no for an answer?
Just as he opened his mouth to reply, the scream from behind jerked his head around. The panicked neigh of the horse and pounding of hooves made Cole’s heart stop.
The other guests pulled their animals out of the way as Erin’s mare bucked wildly.
Her face turned white as she grasped the reins. Terror filled her eyes as she silently pleaded with him to help. His heart sank.
He yanked his horse around to help, but before he could reach her, her mare bolted into a run. Grumbling under his breath, he kicked his heels into his steed’s belly and took off after her.
Erin’s horse ran out of control, and the poor woman bounced around on the saddle like a rag doll. He silently prayed she’d stay on until he reached her.
Crouching, he urged his horse faster until he rode up beside her. She looked at him with panicked eyes.
“Take my hand,” he shouted.
Stiffly, she shook her head as her white hands gripped the reins.
“I’m going to pull you over to my horse.”
Once again, she shook her head.
“Please, trust me.” He reached out his hand for her to take as he guided his horse closer to hers.
Erin’s gaze switched between the road and his hand. Finally, one hand let go of the reins and she reached for him. He leaned closer and grabbed her waist.
Letting out a cry, she clung to him as he pulled her from her horse and brought her over. She sat sideways with her legs to one side as she clutched his arm. He pulled his horse to a quick stop. A sob released from her throat and she buried her face against his chest.
Her breathing came heavy, as did his, and her body shook like a trembling kitten. He stroked her back and whispered, “You’re all right now.”
After several long minutes, she lifted her face and met his stare. She managed a smile, but her lips quaked. He caressed her cheek while color gradually returned.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“Anytime.”
She cuddled against his hand and closed her eyes.
He leaned down and kissed her lips. “Are you all right now?”
She nodded.
He liked holding her this way. He especially loved the way she looked at him as though he was her hero. The others in the party would be worried, but he couldn’t bring himself to lead the horse back. He’d never felt like someone’s protector until now, and he wanted to prolong the feeling because he didn’t think he’d ever experience it again. He enjoyed feeling wanted.
“Oh, Cole. I was so scared. When the horse saw that snake and started bucking, I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay on the saddle.”
“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have let you get on the saddle with your pants wet.”
“They should have been dry by now.”
He nodded and stroked her soft cheek. “But I still should have known better.”
She shook her head. “But I would have held back the party.”
“Then I should have had you ride with me.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Does that mean you’ll let me ride with you until we reach the resort?”
“I’m not going to let you out of my sight now.” He wrapped his arms around her. She slid her arms around him, pressing her face against his chest.
Closing his eyes, he breathed in her sweet jasmine scent. He could stay like this all day. But, it wasn’t just them on the horseback ride. He needed to lead the others back.
“Let’s get back to the group,” he whispered.
She nodded. “What about my horse?”
“It’ll find its way back. Don’t worry.”
He pulled on the reins and turned his animal around, heading toward the group. She still held him like he was her lifeline. He loved that feeling.
“I hope this little episode doesn’t scare you away from riding another horse.”
She looked at him from over her shoulder. “It will when I’m wearing wet pants.”
He laughed and tightened his arms around her. “Thanks for not wanting to kill me for getting you wet.”
“No, I don’t want to kill you.”
Her voice had softened. His heart bounced in a quicker rhythm than the trot they were going. “Then what do you want to do to me?”
He shouldn’t have said it that way, because now he wanted to leave the group just so that he could be alone with her.
“Let me think about that. I’m sure I can figure out some kind of revenge,” she said, playfully.
He grinned and linked his fingers with her. “I can’t wait to see what torture you have planned for me.”
Little did she know, she was already torturing him. How far away was the resort? The next five miles were going to be punishment enough, especially because he couldn’t act like this in front of the others. Instead, he’d have to step back into supervisor mode just so that nobody became suspicious.
ERIN LIMPED TO HER bed and fell upon the softness. Every muscle in her body screamed with pain. She’d been horseback riding before, but never had she sat upon a bucking horse with wet pants and fought to stay on the saddle. As the day slipped by, her muscles had become worse, and now she could hardly move.
If only she could walk into her bathroom and get the Jacuzzi going. She lifted up on her elbows, although it took a lot of her strength to do it. This would be a great opportunity to have her assigned assistant help her. After all, he was attracted to her – just as she was to him. She also knew there could be nothing between them. She really didn’t want a long-distance relationship, and he for sure didn’t want to get fired for kissing one of the guests.
Teasing him would be the perfect punishment for him. Then again, she would be punished in return because every time they kissed, she wanted more.
She picked up the phone and dialed the front desk. After two rings, Cole’s voice chimed on the other end.
“Hi, it’s me. I hope you don’t mind that I’m calling so late.”
“Erin,” he said with a sigh.
She grinned, happy to know that he recognized her voice.
“Is everything all right?” he asked.
“No. I... need you.”
“You do?”
“Yes.” She gripped the phone. “I’m so stiff and sore I can’t get the Jacuzzi ready for my bath. Can you come do it?”
There was a long pause, and she thought he would turn her down.
“Of course, I can come draw your bath. That’s what I’m here for, right?”
She breathed a sigh of relief and tightened the sash around her bathrobe. “Yes. You’re here to help me relax. Thanks, Cole.” Her grin widened as she set the phone on its cradle. Although she wanted to do nothing but kiss and cuddle with him
, they really needed to talk. Letting their feelings get involved at this point was dangerous. She needed to know what his intentions were. She also wanted to know if he’d done this with other guests before, even though they weren’t supposed to.
When a knock came upon her door, she almost laughed aloud. That was quick. “Come in,” she called out.
Cole walked in and closed the door behind him. In his hand was a bottle of some kind of lotion.
“I have a bottle of bubble bath in there, already,” she said.
He grinned. “This isn’t bubble bath. I thought you might want a rubdown with your muscles being sore and all.”
She hitched a breath. Her throat suddenly become dry and her heartbeat’s rhythm multiplied. “Okay.”
“Don’t worry. I’m a trained masseur. I am certified to give massages.”
He smiled and walked past her into the bathroom. As the water filled the Jacuzzi, her nerves jumped with confusion. Once again, she was being forward, and she didn’t want him to think she was that kind of woman.
She scooted to the end of the bed and peeked in the bathroom. The scent of jasmine drifted all around her as he poured her scented bubble bath in the tub.
He’d changed from what he was wearing this afternoon. Walking shorts now covered his thighs, showing off his muscular calves. Instead of the same kind of T-shirt he’d been wearing lately, he had on a regular casual, short-sleeve shirt that buttoned up the front. He looked good tonight. Then again, he always looked good.
His gaze met hers and he smiled. “Are you ready?”
“For the massage or the bath?”
“For the bath. I’ll give you a massage when you’re finished.”
The moment was here. Could she go through with it? But she had no other choice. Her body ached and she wanted the soothing only a professional masseur’s hands would bring.
She nodded, but remained where she was.
He stood, walked to her, and then held out his hand. Slipping her palm against his, she kept her gaze locked with his and let him lead her into the bathroom and over to the Jacuzzi. Like an idiot, she just stood, hypnotized by his smoldering green eyes.
His gaze dropped to her mouth. The urge to kiss him was strong, but she’d let him make the first move.
Slowly, he smiled. “Erin, I don’t think I should help you do anymore.” He motioned his head toward the bath. “I’ll be back in thirty minutes so that I can rub this soothing lotion on your sore muscles.”
Her heartbeat raced. Soaking in the tub would relax her, but she’d go half-crazy waiting for his return. She just knew it.
TEN
Cole paced the floor near her bed, knowing he should leave but not wanting to go just yet. From the other side of the bathroom door, he heard the splash as Erin stepped into the Jacuzzi, then a deep sigh followed. He squeezed his eyes closed and took in a deep breath.
What was he doing here? She was just fine and could take a bath by herself. But was that the real reason he was here? Or was it because not more than an hour ago, Joey had emailed Cole to let him know that Erin DeWitt had not won the radio giveaway trip. It was an eighty-year-old man from Maine named Burt Richens. Joey had went one step further and checked out the passengers on the flight Erin took to get here. There wasn’t an Erin DeWitt, either... but there was an Erin West.
Raking his fingers through his hair, he moved away from the door. He berated himself for having feelings for a woman he didn’t even know. She was attractive, and she made him laugh, and yes, she held some kind of secret to why she was here, but he shouldn’t have let things go as far as they had. If only she would trust him and tell the truth.
He stopped and glanced around the room. One thing was for sure, she was a tidy woman. He liked that. Her closet was organized, as well. On her bed sat a closed laptop and a couple of magazines. He stepped closer to her bed, studying the magazines. What Women Want, was the name. He’d never heard of it. But of course, he wasn’t a woman, either.
He picked it up and scanned the cover. A woman model in a fancy business suit graced the cover, as if she was in action, heading to work with a briefcase in her hand. He read the articles headings, and they were all about career-minded women.
Cole noticed a corner of one of the pages was bent, so he flipped to the page. It was an article about how a woman should handle a break-up. Immediately, his gaze fell to the thumbnail size photo of the author of this article.
A gasp sprang from him as he looked closer. Erin? The picture looked a few years younger, but it was still very similar to her appearance now. The name under the picture was Erin West.
His heartbeat took on a different rhythm. She was a journalist? Why hadn’t she mentioned that before? But more importantly, what was she doing at his resort, by herself? The only reason reporters went on trips by themselves was to find a story. So, what story had Erin tried to find here?
He dropped the magazine back to the bed and flipped open her laptop. Unfortunately, it was locked so he couldn’t see what was inside.
Tension throbbed through his head as he moved away from the bed. She lied about her last name, and she lied about winning the trip. What else had she lied about?
He rubbed his forehead, wishing he’d never stumbled across this information, because now his mind was twirling in several different directions. She’d been asking a lot of questions about Jonathan Hunt. Was she doing a story on billionaires or just him in particular? And because she wasn’t being open and honest, he wondered if the story was something he probably wouldn’t approve of.
He whipped around and grasped one of the magazines again. This time when he skimmed through it, he searched for articles about negative things in a woman’s life. But so far, nothing looked demeaning. However, that didn’t mean it couldn’t happen – just that nothing like that was published in this particular month’s magazine.
He sank on the edge of the bed in despair. He’d wanted Erin to be different from the money-hungry women that he’d met, but until she came clean and confessed to why she was really here, it would be very difficult to trust her.
The tightening pain in his chest let him know he’d let his heart get involved. Why he allowed himself to care for Erin, he wished he knew. All that he knew was how different she was from the other women he’d known. Now he wondered why he’d let her capture him in such a way.
From inside the bathroom, he heard her feet padding on the floor. He jumped into a standing position and moved away from the bed. He checked everything to make sure she wouldn’t know he’d been snooping.
Cole would give her one last chance to tell him the truth. His stomach twisted, making his nauseous. The sinking thought in his mind right now told him that she wouldn’t tell him. She was a journalist. They were supposed to lie most of the time. It was in their nature.
He stopped at the window and leaned against the wall as he peered outside. Mrs. Crapelle sashayed along the beach in a fashionable swimsuit, showing off her slender legs and surgically enhanced body parts. At least Erin wasn’t fake that way.
Rumor had it that the wealthy forty-year-old widow came a few times a summer in hopes of finding a husband to take back with her to England where she lived. Cole assumed that since she was still returning, that she hadn’t found a husband. How pathetic.
The creak of the door opening, alerted him that Erin was leaving the bathroom. He turned around and saw her, she had a short, silk robe wrapped around her. When she saw him, her eyes widened.
“You’re still here?”
He shrugged. “I realized I didn’t have anything else to do, so I waited.”
Erin’s cheeks turned pink. “Thank you.” She glanced at her bed. “Do you want me to lie there so you can give me a massage?”
He exhaled slowly, and counted to ten under his breath. This would be difficult, but he must remember that he was here only because she was a guest. He’d given massages to many pretty guests. Of course, he’d never kissed them.
“Yes. You ca
n leave your robe on. I’m just going to add this lotion to your legs and arms.”
She nodded and then climbed on the bed, face down, turning her head to the side.
This is your job... This is your job...
The first few minutes of massaging one of her legs wasn’t bad at all, as long as he kept repeating those words, anyway. But soon, she relaxed, and her deep sighs were more pronounced. He wished he didn’t like the sound of her voice, but he did. He wished he wasn’t so attracted to her, but he was. And he really wished he could trust her, but he couldn’t. Not yet.
“Erin?” he asked.
“Hmm?”
“You’ve never told me where you live.”
“New York.”
Okay, Joey had confirmed that Erin West lived there. Thankfully, she hadn’t lied about that. “What do you do there?”
“I... I write.”
“Write?” His hopes lifted. She wasn’t lying about that, either. “What do you write?”
“Articles, but mostly, I’m writing a novel.”
He chuckled lightly. “Let me guess, you’re going to write the next New York Times bestselling novel and get a Pulitzer Prize?”
“Don’t all writers dream of that?”
“Yes, that’s what I’m told.”
He then moved to her other leg and poured the lotion in his palms before massaging it into her skin. “Do you still live at home?”
Her body shook with a silent laugh. “I’m almost thirty. Wouldn’t that make me look pathetic?”
He grinned. “Just asking.”
“No, I don’t live at home. I share an apartment with Dawn, my best friend from high school.”
He really wanted to ask her how she paid the bills, but he didn’t know how to word it without sounding like he was snooping. “What occupation does your friend have?”
“She’s a school teacher.”
He frowned. Didn’t Erin realize that a school teacher’s salary wouldn’t be able to pay the bills in a New York apartment by herself? But yet, Erin really hadn’t been lying. He just wasn’t asking the right questions.
“Why didn’t you bring your friend with you on this trip?”
The Billionaire's Hideaway Page 6