Unfortunately, Ryan didn’t have much time to consider the problem once she reached work. Her day started with a bang and quickly shot into super speed. In anticipation of the weeklong shutdown, multiple scenes were being shot at the same time—some at the studio and others on location. Ryan worked on location with the assistant director and stayed off-site all day.
The nonstop pace came to an end after 6:00 P.M., when the crew returned to the studio. At the end of the shooting day, Ryan searched for Glo, spotted her, and started her way. Before Ryan reached her boss, the older woman had disappeared down another hallway.
Exhausted, Ryan dragged herself to the cafeteria for a minute of quiet and a cup of coffee before tackling the work for the next day’s shooting schedule. On the way there, she picked up her pace; if she hurried, she might reach home before American Idol started. She pushed the heavy cafeteria door open and was shocked to find Glo sitting on one of the park-type benches, with a sandwich, a Pepsi, and a sketch pad in front of her.
Now that her opportunity had presented itself, all of Ryan’s concerns about Glo and Glo’s anger over what she’d considered Ryan’s duplicity came back with a vengeance. Would the older woman take this opportunity to cause trouble? Reject Ryan’s request for time off? Use the need for a set person to be on call to interrupt Ryan and Keir’s plan?
Ryan shook off those notions and started across the tiled floor to the vending machines. Her sneakers made squeaking sounds as she moved. Ryan stood at the vending machines, chewing on her thumbnail. She glanced back at her boss, mentally working on the best way to handle Glo. The direct approach had always worked best for Ryan. Dishonesty always caused additional lies and problems.
After purchasing her coffee, Ryan added sugar and cream and then headed to where her boss sat. With her belly in knots, Ryan fidgeted with the white plastic lid of her coffee cup and offered a nervous hi.
Glo glanced at the younger woman and then refocused on her work. “Hey.”
Ryan cleared her throat and asked, “Are you busy? Can I talk with you for a moment?”
Without looking up from her sketches, Glo waved a hand at the empty bench. “Sure.”
Ryan slid into the spot opposite her boss. “Do you know when the construction crew will be returning once the studio reopens?”
“They’re expected back the Friday before we all return,” Glo answered absently, studying the pages. “Why?”
Well, it was now or never. Ryan pulled the leave request form from her back pocket and pushed it across the table.
Glo glanced at the triplicate form and asked, “What’s this?”
“Leave request. I know we always have someone stick around while the construction crew works, but I really would like a couple of extra days off.”
“Why?”
Ryan bit her bottom lip. She didn’t want to talk about her trip. It might create new problems. Having Keir step in was out of the question. She didn’t want him to use his role as a studio exec to force Glo into giving her the time off. Ryan wanted to be granted the time off because she earned and requested it. “I’m going out of town and would like to stay a few extra days, if possible. But one of us always sticks around when the crew is here, and I was hoping I wouldn’t have to.”
Pursing her lips, Glo picked up the form and examined it. “Is this about your trip with Keir?”
Shocked, Ryan blinked. “What?”
How did she know about the trip? Oh yeah, Keir had mentioned Glo seemed interested and happy about their plans. Ryan held her breath. Was this the point where Glo stuck it to her?
“Keir mentioned you two were going away.”
Feeling as if her head were full of cotton, Ryan tried to get her bearings. “Yeah. Umm. It is.”
“Don’t worry. It’s not often you get a trip like this one. I mean, Hawaii. Wow! Have a good time.”
For a moment, Ryan questioned what she’d just heard. Who are you, and what have you done with Glo Kramer? Since the party at the Hyatt, Glo had never failed to show her disapproval of Ryan’s relationship with Keir. Ryan didn’t understand why Glo hadn’t used this perfect opportunity to stick it to her.
“I talked with Phil, and we’re going to switch the schedule so that your scenes will be shot this week, and then you won’t have to be here with the crew,” Glo said as she looked directly at Ryan. “Will that help?”
“Yes! Thank you.”
Smiling at the younger woman, Glo added, “There really isn’t a reason for you to be here. I’ll handle anything that comes up. Go enjoy your trip.”
“Are you sure?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Ryan let out a sigh of relief.
Glo reached across the table, signed the leave request form, and separated the middle pink copy from the original and yellow copies. Then she tucked the pink copy inside her sketch pad. “Make sure you get the white copy to Human Resources. You’ll want them to process your check as soon as possible.”
“Okay.”
“Also, talk with George. Make sure he understands how we want the sets to look. They’ll be working late tonight to get everything done for tomorrow. He won’t have you to discuss this with, so he needs to be clear on the details.”
“I’ll talk to him and leave my number if he needs to call.”
“Before the end of the week, you need to bring me up to speed. Just in case there’s a delay or two. We should go over everything you’re working on.”
Ryan nodded. “I really appreciate this.”
“No problem. Enjoy. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Ryan felt strangely let down as she rose from the bench and started for the door. After hyping herself up for a major battle, she felt as if the war had been won without a single shot being fired. Expecting a series of snide remarks and cutting quips, Ryan had been pleasantly surprised to have a decent, professional conversation with her boss. Ryan wasn’t sure how to handle Glo’s change of attitude. Heading for the door, she dropped her empty paper coffee cup in the trash.
Glancing back at the woman sitting at the table, Ryan wondered, What just happened here? After weeks of simmering anger, Glo had politely given her the okay to take a few extra days on the tail end of her vacation.
Why didn’t Ryan feel victorious? Instead, her instincts told her the mousetrap had sprung, and her tail was caught in Glo’s trap.
That had almost been too easy. Ryan strolled from the cafeteria and started down the hall to her office. There was still plenty of work to do before she called an end to her workday. Ryan halted and glanced at the closed cafeteria door. Glo had been her old self. The person Ryan had loved working for before the evening at the Hyatt, the lady that had offered advice and praised Ryan’s work. Ryan continued on. Halting outside her office, she did a mental check of her conversation with Glo. It had been like talking to Dr. Jekyll after weeks of living with Ms. Hyde.
Could Glo have finally realized that Ryan was harmless? All she wanted to do was work and go home at the end of the evening. Granted, she went home with Keir, but she wasn’t trying to upset any plans Glo had for her career.
Her boss’s understanding deserved a little special something. While they were on the islands, Ryan intended to pick up a little thank you gift for Glo. Present the gift as her special way of showing Glo that she appreciated her help. There had been a major shift in Glo’s thinking, and Ryan was very grateful. It would make the return to work easier.
Once she got home this evening, she’d call Keir and let him know that everything was on for their trip. Ryan smiled as anticipation coursed through her. Eleven days in a tropical location with a handsome, sexy man. She could hardly wait.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Captain Elliott speaking. We’ve been cleared for landing, and unless there is an unforeseen delay, we should be on the ground within the next fifteen minutes. Thank you for flying American Airlines. We hope you’ll fly with us again, and have a wonderful stay in Hawaii. Flight attendants, please prepare for landing.”
Honestly, he couldn’t wait to experience Hawaii with Ryan. He wanted to see the whole trip through her eyes.
Ryan turned to him, with a smile on her face. “I can’t wait until we land.”
Keir chuckled, leaned across the armrest, and kissed her leisurely. “Me, too. What’s the first thing you want to do, Mrs. Mitchell?”
“Explore the island,” was her immediate reply.
“Sounds good to me. Once we settle in at the hotel, let’s check out Waikiki.”
She linked her fingers with his and muttered in a soft drawl, “Well, thank you, Mr. Southhall. I think I’d enjoy that.”
The plane started its descent, and Keir offered her a stick of gum. “Make me a promise.”
Frowning, Ryan glanced his way. “What is it?” Her voice held a hint of concern.
“While we’re here, if there’s anything that you want and don’t have, or if there’s a place you want to go to, tell me. Don’t hesitate. I want to know because I want you to have a perfect trip.”
“This is perfect. You don’t have to do anything more—” Ryan began, but Keir cut her off with the firm pressure of his lips on hers.
“This is our dream vacation. Our first vacation together. I want everything to be perfect for you.”
Kissing the back of his hand, Ryan said, “It already is.”
Once they landed, things moved very quickly. Keir escorted Ryan from the plane and through the airport. As they approached the luggage carousel, a man dressed in a dark suit stopped Keir and led them to a black limousine. While they waited in the air-conditioned car, with the motor running, the driver emerged from the airport with their luggage. He stored the bags in the trunk and quickly got behind the wheel of the car. Again, Keir watched Ryan, enjoying her wide-eyed enthusiasm.
Ryan snuggled into the crook of Keir’s arm and laid her head on his shoulder as the landscape flew by. Palm trees, plenty of sand, and the sun represented the best of Hawaii. All too soon the limo pulled into the circular drive of the Sheraton Hotel. Like the prearranged limo, the check-in process took less than ten minutes, and Ryan and Keir were soon on their way up the elevator to the penthouse suite.
At the door to their suite, Keir swung Ryan into his arms and swept her through the double doors. “Welcome to Hawaii, sweetheart.”
Laughing softly, Ryan clung to him. “Oh, Keir. It’s beautiful.”
The living room was decorated in muted tones of beige, crème, and brown. Keir’s sandal-covered feet sank into the plush beige carpeting. Ryan slipped to her feet in front of him as he wrapped an arm around her waist and led her to the balcony.
Pushing the glass patio door open, they stepped out into the crisp, fresh air and got their first glimpse of the spectacular view of the beach and ocean. They sighed, overwhelmed by the scenery.
“This is so beautiful,” she said.
“Once our luggage gets here, we can go out and explore,” Keir suggested. “But first, let’s check out the rest of the suite.”
Taking him by the hand, she pulled him along behind her. “I’ll have to claim my side of the bed if I want to have any peace while we’re here.”
“What makes you think I’m going to let you rest?”
Turning to him, Ryan batted her eyes coyly. Her voice turned deliberately seductive. “Why, Mr. Southhall, did you bring me on this trip so that you could have your wicked way with me?”
“Absolutely, Mrs. Mitchell. I plan to ravage you at every opportunity.”
“I hope so.” Ryan laughed out loud and shook her head. “You are so bad.”
They entered the bedroom together. A bottle of chilled champagne, a tray of assorted cheeses and crackers, and fresh fruits adorned a portable trolley. A king-size bed with a light bedspread dominated the room. An armoire and dresser completed the furnishings.
The glass patio doors in the bedroom connected to the living room patio. It stretched across the suite.
Ryan took Keir’s hand and led him onto the patio. “Thank you,” she said.
Keir wrapped her in his warm embrace, holding her close. Ryan rested her head against his chest, listening to the strong, steady beat of his heart.
“You are welcome, sweetheart.” They stood together for several minutes before returning to the bedroom.
Ryan lifted her head, silently inviting him to kiss her. He took Ryan up on her offer and covered her lips with his. Sighing, Ryan wrapped her arms around the tight cords of his neck and leaned into him, enjoying the feel of his solid frame against hers.
A heated thought feathered in and out of her mind as she stroked his tongue with her own, loving the taste of passion and desire on his lips. This is heaven.
Chapter 13
The heat of passion played heavily in the bedroom. Desire, pungent and thick, filled the air. Ryan couldn’t get enough of Keir. One kiss fed into the next as tension built.
At the first tentative tap on the suite’s door, Ryan stiffened. “No!” she moaned against Keir’s lips.
The second, more insistent rap caused Keir to break away, saying regrettably, “That’s probably our stuff.”
Pouting, Ryan dropped her arms to her sides, and she stepped back a pace, staring with longing at him.
“Let me take care of this. I’ll be right back.” He leaned close and brushed an all too brief but sweet peck on her lips before heading out of the bedroom.
Her heart gave a jolt, and her pulse pounded. Sighing, she saluted his back with a wave of her hand. “Hurry back.”
From her vantage point, she found herself studying Keir’s profile as he opened the door and greeted a young man.
The hotel employee waited in the hallway, dressed in a red jacket with black and gold braiding wrapped around one shoulder. Raven-colored trousers and a pair of sturdy walking shoes completed his uniform. A gold badge with the word GENE written in black letters was pinned to his chest. Their luggage sat on the floor at his side. “Mr. Southhall?”
Keir nodded.
“Your suitcases.”
“Thanks. Please take them through to the bedroom.”
Struggling with three bags, the bellboy entered the suite and made his way to the bedroom. Ryan moved to the sliding patio doors, watching the young man enter the room and place the bags side by side on the bed.
Smiling at him, Ryan said, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He bowed slightly and offered a quick, tentative smile and then headed into the living room.
Waiting at the door, Keir stuffed a ten-dollar bill in the bellboy’s hand and ushered him out of the suite. Seconds later, Keir strolled into the bedroom, crossed the carpeted floor, and halted in front of her. He stood so close, she felt the heat from his body. His hands quickly circled her small waist, drawing her against the hard planes of his body.
Keir’s gaze roved over her face before traveling lower. When his gaze returned to her face, something intense flared between them. A tingling started in the pit of her stomach, intensifying the craving for his touch.
Grinning, he asked, “Where were we?”
Ryan settled into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist, and lifted her head for his kiss. Keir didn’t need a second invitation. His tongue met hers, sliding over it, exploring the delectable recesses of her mouth. Instantly, he transported her back to the heaven they’d shared before the bellboy interrupted them.
He lifted his head and ran a finger across her moist lips. “Beautiful,” he complimented and covered her mouth again.
She moaned, drinking in the heady aroma of soap and the special scent of Keir. His tongue felt erotic, and his taste so unique. Ryan couldn’t get enough of him or the pleasure.
As one kiss ended, another began. They continued like this for several minutes, tasting an
d teasing each other until need overwhelmed them.
Groaning, Keir released her lips, leaning his forehead against hers. He held her loosely against the warmth of his hard body. “Maybe we should get unpacked before we do anything else,” he said. “Besides, I’ve got to check in with my assistant. She needs to know how to get in touch with me.”
“Spoilsport.”
In response, Keir swatted her on the butt and then headed to the desk and flopped into the chair.
Although she would have denied it, if asked, Keir had a point. Their gear completely covered the bed. Until they cleared away their belongings, nothing interesting or fun would happen.
She unzipped her suitcase and removed her toiletries, moving between the bedroom and bath as she stored them. Once she finished that task, Ryan unfolded her dresses, shook out the wrinkles, and hung them in the closet, and then filled the dresser with her lingerie.
“Ry?”
“Hmm?” she muttered, without looking up.
“Look at this chair. It rocks.”
“Does it?”
“Yeah.”
Ryan turned to the desk and watched Keir for several seconds. She giggled. The owner of a multimillion-dollar business sat rocking back and forth in the executive chair like a child who’d just discovered a new toy.
A flicker of an idea ignited in her mind. She strolled toward the chair. Along the way, she pulled out the edges of her T-shirt and undid the snap on her knee-length brown shorts.
Ryan halted in front of Keir and kicked off her sandals.
Eyebrows stretching toward his hairline, Keir remained silent, watching her. She cupped his face in her hands, leaned down, and slid the tip of her tongue between his lips, inviting more.
He accepted her invitation and touched her tongue with his, swirling around hers, and settled into a deep kiss.
Dazed, she drew away.
Keir’s eyes glowed with sensual fire that matched the flame brewing in her. “Am I being seduced?” he asked in a husky tone.
“What do you think?” She sucked on his bottom lip. Her hands spread over his chest, stroking the muscles and lovingly circling his pebble hard nipples through his brown Polo shirt.
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