by A. J. Riley
He heard something clatter to the floor on the other end of the phone and knew that Greg must have chucked his pen, or stapler. He didn’t give a shit. This was costing him time with Amanda, so Greg can be pissed off and have a temper tantrum all he liked but Russ would change companies without batting an eye.
“Listen as your employee I’ll placate your ass and tell you I’ll handle it, as your friend I’m going to tell you to fuck off. Don’t tell me how to do my job.”
He heard the phone line disconnect and while he should have felt some satisfaction because he was going to get a resolution he wasn’t. Russ took a deep breath and tried to let go of his tension. This was important, and he had trusted Greg to make sure that the brochures looked great. What was currently sitting in front of him was not even close to great. It was just like everyone else’s. He was not about to be cookie cutter. Not where any of his hotels are concerned but especially this one. He rubbed his temples and grabbed the next stack of papers that he had to get though today.
Amanda couldn’t help but watch the lobby from her table at the restaurant. When the hostess had shown them in she had asked for a table up front. It afforded her a view that way she could keep a look out for Russ and she would be noticeable in case he was looking for her. One could only hope.
“From the way you keep looking around I take it that the guy just walked out on you?” Janice asked as she sipped her orange juice. She had her eyebrow cocked in a silent question.
“I’m sure that he had to work this morning” Amanda replied before thinking it through. “It really is none of your business.” She was determined not to let Janice get to her. She tried to shake off the feeling and reached for her coffee.
Janice’s smile was overly sweet. “You know that he is only after your money. I tried to warn you.”
“No, he could have his pick of women and he chose me.”
Janice snorted. “Yeah because he found out who you are. You’re just a meal ticket. A way for him to get out of his crummy position here at the hotel. You’re just too naive to see it. It would be easy enough for him to find out. It’s not like you keep a low profile or anything.”
Janice is just trying to get to you, Amanda told herself again trying to keep herself in control before she threw her coffee cup at Janice’s head. After all, didn’t Russ choose her over her sister? A slight like that would have left Janice with nothing but revenge on her mind. Janice had always been that way. Even when Amanda’s father had still been alive. No matter what Amanda had, Janice always had to have it or have something bigger and better. Janice didn’t want Russ; she just didn’t want Amanda to have him.
As far as a profile, Amanda didn’t really have one. The only times she was in the paper was when she was forced to go to a charity event. Amanda really didn’t like the spot light. She preferred to send a check instead of mingling with overly fake people. She left that to her grandfather and his legion of associates.
“Look I don’t know how he would have found out who I am. Besides, it doesn’t matter. It’s just a little vacation fling and when I leave it will be over. I’ll never see him again.” Amanda tried to sound normal. She refused to let Janice know that not seeing Russ again would crush her. Even as the words passed her lips she could feel the ache in her chest. “Look Janice can we just drop this? What are your plans for the day?
“I had a late night. I think I’ll just lounge by the pool.”
Amanda picked up her coffee cup, drained it, and grabbed the check. “Okay I think I’m going to head out and explore the island for a bit. Enjoy. I’ll talk to you later.” Her mind was miles away as she signed her room number and hurried toward the entrance of the restaurant. She had to find that one aspect that would set this hotel part from the rest, as per the client’s request, which is what she thought she had done the first time around, but the moment she found it she would send it to her assistant and spend the little bit of time she had left with Russ. She wanted to eliminate all distraction, so she could give him her full attention. She wanted to explore this thing between them.
Amanda consoled herself with the thought that Russ was probably busy, and he would call her as soon as he could. In the mean time she had work to do. Might as well get it done while she was waiting for Russ. Lost in her thoughts she walked through the lobby not noticing Russ step out from one of the offices.
It finally penetrated her mind that her name was repeatedly being called from behind her. She stopped and turned toward the voice and her heart sped up. Just the sight of him had her mood lifting. The grin that was spread across his face was enough to have her negative thoughts disappearing.
Russ hadn’t made the decision but the moment she was in arms reach he put his hands on either side of her face tilting it up bringing her lips to his. He gave her a chaste kiss knowing that they were standing in the middle of the lobby with employees watching but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. It had been hours since he last had her in his arms. When he leaned back from the kiss he didn’t release her face, just stared down into her eyes. “Where are you off to?”
“Oh, I thought I’d do some exploring. Get out and see what the rest of the island is like.”
She told him off handedly. As if going exploring was no big deal. The way she said it had him wondering for a moment if she was avoiding him until he realized that she was sliding her hands up his chest. Could it be that she was giving him the option of keeping her in? The thought sounded good to him, but he wanted to show her the island. This morning he had decided to do today what he had wanted to do yesterday before he got stuck in the office. “What, and you weren’t going to wait for me?” he asked teasingly finally releasing her face and stepping back.
He watched as the blush spread across her cheeks. “Oh, I thought you might have had to work today and didn’t want to get you into any trouble.”
Russ waved his hand dismissively. “Yeah, I had something come up this morning or I would have been there when you woke up, but it’s taken care of so I’m free for the day. Mind if I show you the island?” He loved this place, it was special to him, and he wanted to show her the beauty of the island.
“I’d like that.”
CHAPTER 17
She felt Russ put his arm around her as he led her out of the hotel. She didn’t care that the woman behind the registration desk was looking at her strangely or that they turned the heads of a few guests. The only thing she could think about was how right it felt to walk into the sunshine with Russ. He led her over to a jeep emblazoned with hotel’s logo on the side.
Always the gentleman he held out a hand to her and helped her into the vehicle. She laughed as the jeep tires squealed as they pulled out of the hotel parking lot. When she looked over at Russ he had a huge little boy grin on his face and she couldn’t help but laugh.
Once away from the hotel the tropical feel really, set in. There were tall palm trees that swayed in the breeze, little ferns and various plants littered the sides of the narrow two-lane road. And beyond the trees that she couldn’t name you could catch glimpses of the ocean peeking through.
The road started to climb though this paradise and Amanda rested her head back against the seat and let the rumble of the Jeep lull her into peace. “This place is amazing. I have never been to a place this beautiful. The scenery doesn’t seem like it is real, like all this time has been a dream.” She said as she turned to look at Russ’ profile. “Where are we going?”
“There’s a little place that I would like to show you. Few people other than locals know it’s here. I thought you might like it.”
As he spoke he rested his hand against her thigh. It was distracting her from the beautiful scenery, but she wouldn’t ask him to move it. They drove in silence, each content to watch the scenery and enjoy being away from the hotel. When Russ turned off the main two-lane road onto a little dirt road, Amanda sat up straighter taking in her surroundings.
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask where they were going wh
en he pulled the jeep into a clearing and shut it off. It wasn’t a parking lot but just a small little clearing that looked more like an emergency turn off they had on the side of the highways back home up in the mountains. She wondered for a moment if it was even legal to park here.
“We have to walk a bit. Are those shoes okay to walk in? I should have looked before I drove out here, but I wanted to get you alone before your sister found us.” He grinned at her.
When he looked at her like that it didn’t matter what shoes she was wearing she would follow him anywhere. “Yeah they are fine as long as we’re not talking miles and miles of jungle trekking.”
“No, it’s only miles. Not miles and miles. So, you should be fine.” He jokingly told her.
Amanda loved the fact that he cared enough to walk around and open her door for her. It was such a small gesture, but it meant the world to her. She wasn’t surprised that the moment her feet hit the dirt he was lacing their fingers together again. It seemed as if he didn’t even realize he did it. Smiling she let him lead her to an overgrown path that looked like no one had trekked it in years. She knew in that moment that she would happily follow where ever he decided to lead.
They must have walked for a good fifteen minutes. About to complain that they were never going to get there she gasped as she stepped under a tree branch that Russ was holding up for her. What met her eyes was the most amazing waterfall that she had ever seen. Surprised that she had not heard it, all she could do was stare in wonder. The glistening water cascaded down the boulders that were framed on both sides by green ferns and other flowering plants.
She turned to Russ. “This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Our own little piece of paradise away from the rest of the world.”
Russ reached a hand up to cup her jaw. As he gazed into her upturned face, he told her “It’s the second most beautiful thing I have ever seen.” Then he leaned down and brushed her lips with his.
The kiss was only supposed to show her how beautiful he thought she was but without thought it turned passionate. Feeling her arms slide around his neck pulling him closer he knew if they didn’t break the kiss now he would strip her then and there and make love to her on the ground. As much as he wanted to, he couldn’t do that to her, reluctantly he broke the kiss and turned her in his arms. Feeling her snuggle into his side he knew without a doubt this place would always remind him of her. They stood staring at the waterfall both lost in their own thoughts.
The rightness of having her by his side lulled him into a false sense of security. He found himself telling her things without filtering them. It was dangerous considering that he wasn’t sure that he was ready to show her all of him. To completely let her in until he was sure that her feelings were as deep as his.
“I have wanted to show you this spot since the first night I met you. I have never brought anyone here. It is my special thinking spot when I need to unwind from the stress. I would come here and lose myself in the sounds of the rushing water, trying to imagine a time when the hotel would be solid. When we wouldn’t be wondering if the new direction was worth it or if it should follow the rest of the resorts. When I needed to be certain that everything I had sacrificed hadn’t been for nothing.”
“What do you mean everything you had sacrificed?” Leaning out of his embrace her eyes met his.
Shit, what had he been thinking? He hadn’t been and that was why his mouth revealed his thoughts without the use of a filter. Maybe he should just tell her. The pretense had gone on long enough, hopefully she knew him well enough that he could tell her without anything changing between them.
He felt her hand slide up his chest trying to get his gaze to meet hers, there was no way he was going to risk telling her the truth, not yet. Needing to do some back peddling he said the first plausible thing that came to his mind. “What I meant is the hotel employs a lot of good people. We have all sacrificed jobs on the mainland to be loyal to the hotel. Some days it’s easier said than done.”
At the curiosity that lingered on her face he found himself continuing. “Do you remember when I told you that this hotel is part of a larger chain?” at her nod of understanding he continued. “Well the original owners of the hotel also owned the entire island. They had decided that they were done. They wanted to retire and play with their grandkids and being strapped to the hotel day in and day out was not their idea of retirement. So, they decided to sell to a larger hotel chain but not before the hotel had started to fall into ruin.”
As he spoke, he led her toward a flat outcropping of rocks along the water. When they were both seated, he continued his story. “The couple right at the end didn’t want to put any of their money into repairs. Since they hadn’t decided what they were going to do, they waited for an offer, but the much-needed repairs hadn’t been done. Upgrades to the rooms hadn’t been done either but the worst part was a storm had swept in destroying two of the smaller private huts.”
“The island has smaller huts? I didn’t see that in the brochures.” She asked in disbelief.
“Yes, they are set away from the hotel giving the guests the feeling of seclusion. When the corporation bought the hotel, it was undecided as to what to do with this hotel. They had the choice, do the necessary repairs or close it all together and sell the island to a private buyer. The owner of the chain fought against his advisors to keep this hotel open. He thought he could make it special, make it a destination for couples to come and just unwind together. He wanted a place where the focus was on each other not on a schedule, so jam packed that it didn’t leave any room for romance. That’s the reason there are not as many activities here that most resorts have. If the guests were less distracted by scheduling activities, then they would in turn spend that time together just reconnecting.”
“You amaze me. You are almost too good to be true. I’m glad that you stuck with the hotel during the rebuild. It’s a special place and I’m glad that you were able to show it to me in a different light. Most of all I’m glad the owner didn’t sell it, then I wouldn’t have met you.”
Russ let most of her comment pass. He couldn’t get words to form around the lump in his throat. He had to change the topic.
“You have no idea how not good I can be.” He said with a wicked grin.
“Oh? A real bad boy huh?” she smiled a cocky grin at him. “I think I need a demonstration of just how bad you can be.”
When she reached up and pulled his face to hers Russ groaned, he couldn’t let this go much farther. Someone could come upon them at any moment. He was just about to stop it when she reached out her hand timidly and gently stroked his erection through his cargo shorts. He laid back on the outcropping of rock and pulled her across his chest. If they didn’t stop now, there was no way he was going to be able to be the voice of reason.
His hand ran across her back holding her against him while his lips pressed against hers. When she leaned back and broke the kiss he couldn’t do anything but look at her. She was gorgeous, and he felt like the luckiest guy ever to be here with her. He felt her legs come up to straddle his hips and she reached to slide his zipper down.
He knew he should stop her, but he wasn’t going to. As much as his mind told him they could be caught, the voice in his head reminded him that the falls were secluded and unless you were a local there was no way to know about them.
When his throbbing cock sprang free he groaned as she rubbed her wetness against him. He couldn’t stop himself if he tried. He reached under her skirt and found the thin straps of her G-string and pulled until they both heard a ripping sound. As soon as he removed her panties he adjusted the hem of her dress, so it covered where they were joined.
He wouldn’t believe that this was the same timid woman who had asked to take control just the previous night. Today she was a goddess, taking what she wanted. It took all of his control not to cum on the spot when he felt her hand gently wrap around his cock and guide him toward her entrance.
As soon as he w
as in position he lifted his hips and seated himself fully inside her. He gripped her hips and helped her to find a rhythm that satisfied them both. Her breath was coming out in quick bursts. “Russ” she panted searching for her release.
With their bodies still joined Russ felt Amanda lay her still heaving breasts against his chest. His hand slowly stroked her back through her top as they tried to catch their breath. The only sound apart from their breathing was the sound of the waterfall. The calming sound of falls had Russ closing his eyes and he took a deep breath. If he hadn’t been sure before he was now. He loved her.
CHAPTER 18
Exhaustion was weighing on her as they reached the hotel. The warmth of the sun and just being with Russ had relaxed her in a way not even the best masseuse could have. She felt so free when they were together. She didn’t have to pretend to be someone else just to please him. He seemed to like her just for herself, and that was so rare that she wasn’t sure what to make of it.
They walked hand in hand toward the entrance of the hotel and she wondered for a moment if they could just stay out there for the rest of her stay. She had a nagging feeling that the minute they stepped through the glass doors of the hotel the real world would come rushing back. She couldn’t stand the thought of popping this perfect little bubble that they were in. Walking silently toward the elevator Russ pulled her in for a brief kiss before the doors opened.
“I left some work undone when we left earlier, and I really need to go get it finished. Can I see you tomorrow?”
Amanda looked into his eyes “You know where to find me.”
When they were ensconced in the elevator he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Reaching her door, she was tempted to pull him inside but understood that he had already put work off to spend the day with her. It was a heady thought that he put her before his job, but she didn’t want to get him into trouble. It gave her hope that maybe he did feel the same way. Okay she told herself just one more good night kiss and then she had to let him go. She would see him tomorrow