Sunset Rivalry: The Caliendo Resort (By The Lake: The Caliendo Resort Book 2)

by Shannyn Leah

  Anya sat up. Taking his shirt with her across the darkened room, she found her clothes before tossing his shirt back at him.

  She couldn’t look in his direction until she was dressed, even if they were cloaked in darkness. She wanted the security of her clothes to keep her from reaching for him...and then what? Asking him to stay? Begging him to stay?

  No, she wasn’t that weak. Even after feeling a piece of herself die each lonesome day that passed and now being home, being with him, placed those puzzle pieces back together. But she wouldn’t beg him for anything. She didn’t need him, she wanted him. And her father had taught her that you didn’t always get what you wanted. Learning more about his life, she realized Robert didn’t always follow that lesson. When he didn’t get what he wanted, he simply took it. Anya would never go to such lengths.

  The sound of Quinn pulling up his pants and she knew this had to be the last time. She couldn’t handle the conflicting looks he sent her, not when she’d never gotten over him. Not when his words and eyes stroked her heart but he could offer no more. It burned too much.

  Anya dived straight into business, because wasn’t that why they were here? Business. The files. Then they would part forever. Quinn with the file he’d used her to try and get and her with file that would set Rebecca free.

  “I will check my mom’s suite first and then Uncle Carl’s. If I don’t find anything, then I will consider other siblings−”

  “Alone?”

  Anya switched on the lamp with full intentions of making sure everything was in order. Filing cabinets closed, desk neat and tidy and no extra clothes lying around. But the accusing tone in his question made her turn to look at him instead.

  “You don’t trust me.” It wasn’t a question and when the words came out of her mouth it dripped with the same allegation as his.

  “...Yes, I do.” The slight pause before he answered didn’t convince her.

  Anya felt the anger pulse through her body. Her body stiffened and she narrowed her eyes on him. He was a controlling jerk who didn’t have the decency to even fake trusting her after he’d touched her more intimately than ever before.

  She replied with sarcasm. “How about I put your number on speed dial and you can lurk in the bushes until I get back to you?” She raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips at him.

  He crossed his arms across his wide chest. “How about I stay in your suite and we do it together? Like we planned.” Quinn was serious.

  Was he crazy?

  They were two wires in a ticking time bomb unable to avoid contact and they would surely explode together.

  Sleeping together was a mistake. They’d both known it last night, both knew it now and they couldn’t play a repeat. Staying together in her suite would only cause additional problems.

  Besides, Anya didn’t want him staying in her suite for who knew how long? A day? Two days? A week? This was a big resort and Anya had to play her moves right. She wasn’t about to start breaking into her family’s suites and offices without a plan.

  Not to mention his presence confused the solid thoughts in her head and she would forget that he didn’t even trust her. He liked her, he craved her, but he was ready for her to stab him in the back...like he’d done to her.

  She was putting her foot down. Enough was enough.

  “No. This...” She waved her hand in the space between them. “...is not happening again.”

  He straightened, defense in his stance. “I didn’t say it was. You made it clear last night it was nothing more than sex.”

  Her?

  “Don’t make this like it’s my fault we are where we are today. If you had been upfront two years ago about how you really felt about me then we wouldn’t be here. And you wouldn’t have wasted almost an entire year pretending to like me.”

  Anger flared a scarlet trail up his throat and to his face. “It’s not as black and white as your life is Princess.”

  Princess? Princess!

  He continued. “You blindly live this luxurious life off the earnings of a deceitful man.”

  He took a step toward her, but she didn’t back away from the fear that this move would have conveyed to others. One thing was certain, she wasn’t afraid of Quinn Barker. He could get as darn angry as he pleased, but she knew he would never hurt her.

  “You judge me regarding my employment with your father for nothing more than money. Haven’t you ever considered the money you so lavishly spend came from the deeds that you continually throw in my face? Aren’t you just as guilty of hurting those people when you purchase your designer clothes and sail away on your yacht?”

  Anya felt her anger multiply. He didn’t know a damn thing about her. “We don’t have a yacht!”

  “Not because you can’t afford one!”

  Anya’s feet remained firmly planted on the ground. She didn’t even jump when he full-out yelled at her, but her heart sank and tears stung her eyes. She blinked them away and watched regret fill his.

  Sadness and regret. Truth or lies. Love or lust. None of it mattered between them.

  Anya snapped the light off and ignored his whisper of her name. She stalked past him and pulled the door open without caution, not caring if someone was on the other side.

  She stepped into the light wishing it was the brightness that hurt her eyes and not the creeping of another round of tears.

  After all this time, the truth about how Quinn viewed her was crystal clear. Anya was the spoiled daughter of a manipulative man and a great bang, but nothing more.

  “You can find your way out,” she snarled and left the office.

  Swiping her key at the foyer door, she walked into the pool room.

  Quinn followed barking accusations at her...so much for his flash of regret.

  “Was this your plan all along? Knowing there were no files in the file room. Throw me off the trail? And then go in without me?”

  Anya groaned and turned suddenly.

  Quinn was right at her heels and she bounced off him. He grabbed her arm to steady her.

  “Yes. I wanted to screw you like you keep screwing me,” she yelled at him.

  “You conquered that.” His grip on her arm was hard but not painful.

  A disgusted laugh escaped her. “I learned from the best.”

  “Here’s one pointer you need. Don’t bring your feelings to the table. You want to screw, then you screw. You don’t look up after promising nothing and asking for everything.”

  Her eyes widened in horror.

  What about him? He couldn’t keep his mouth shut long enough to just make love last night either, offering the ammo that made her presume maybe there could be more between them.

  Anya jammed her pointer finger in his chest and said, “You want a plan? I will give you a plan. Go find another quick bang to get you access to my resort.”

  Quinn caught her wrist and yanked her closer, causing her to stumble and crash against his thick body...his hot hard, sexy body.

  He steadied her effortlessly, staring down at her with a grin like he was enjoying himself. But when he spoke it wasn’t humorous.

  “If I wanted someone else, I would have taken someone else.” He held both her arms now, pulling her body against his.

  She didn’t have to yell. “You know what? Find the damn file yourself. I’m finished playing this warped game of buddy-tag with you. You, Quinn Barker, are nothing more than a pawn in my father’s games and he used you until the very end. Go sit on that without your precious file.”

  She tugged her arms but he didn’t let go.

  “Barker, I swear.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Was he mocking her?

  Anya turned and pulled, but Quinn was too strong and with the move of his arms she twirled in his direction and he embraced her with a kiss.

  A kiss? A kiss!

  This man was up and down like a broken elevator and Anya had no control over the buttons.

  Worse than that, her need to control the buttons
vanished as soon as his hot lips covered her mouth and dragged her into the wonderful world of Quinn. A candy land world that was only fun and games until reality seeped back in.

  She was tired of both his fun and his games.

  Anya pulled away furious. Was he on some mood enhancement drugs, because his emotions were all over the damn place.

  It was never only sex. I don’t trust you. I can’t kiss you enough. Rich little spoiled princess.

  Anya didn’t have a chance to say anything.

  Quinn’s arm wrapped around her shoulders, turning her and pulling her firmly against his side as Eliza’s voice drowned Anya’s.

  “Eliza, we were just talking about you,” Quinn said, overly pleasant, overly loud and overly dishonest. That summed Quinn up to perfection: Dishonest.

  Eliza and Carl stopped in front of them looking fresh and ready for the day in their pressed outfits.

  Carl had on a dark green suit with a charcoal tie that highlighted his greying hair. Eliza wore swooping black dress pants, that could easily be mistaken for a dress, and a slim fitted pink chiffon blouse with billowing sleeves.

  Anya cringed at the appearance of herself and Quinn. Disheveled and sleepy, like they’d both just climbed out of bed. The same bed.

  Anya could have melted and trailed across the tile floor and into the pool.

  Why hadn’t she pulled her unruly hair in a ponytail? Why hadn’t Quinn tucked in his shirt? Why did everyone in this house wake up so darn early?!

  “We were up all night talking,” Quinn continued.

  His sudden admission worried Anya into silence. Would he tell them about the room? No, he wouldn’t...would he?

  “All night?” Eliza observed out loud, sending

  Carl an approving smile and a wink at Anya.

  You’re kidding me? You are voting for Quinn? Really? Really!

  “About both of our pasts. There is so much that we have done. You both know my indiscretions...”

  Quinn sent a look at both Carl and Eliza, not hiding the fact he was referring to his work with Robert. They acknowledged it with solemn faces. They believed Quinn. They trusted him. Fools.

  “Mistakes, bad choices...”

  Barker I am going to elbow you in the gut. Or literally clamp your mouth shut. If fear hadn’t paralyzed her wondering where this conversation was headed. Would he tell them about his theory that Robert was involved with her file?

  “But we want to put the past in our past and look forward for our future.”

  Anya’s anger faltered. Their future. Gloom dulled the moment. He was lying and yet it sounded so real she had to look up at him for confirmation it wasn’t.

  He smiled a fake smile at her. He offered Anya nothing.

  “And we agree that it would be a good idea if we sit down and talked with you, Eliza.”

  Eliza sent such a happy look in Anya’s direction that she couldn’t break her mother’s heart with the truth about Quinn. She returned the smile.

  “So we would like to cook you and Carl dinner. Tonight.”

  Eliza clapped her hands together. “That’s wonderful. Yes, I would love that.”

  What was he talking about? Couldn’t he loosen his grip?

  “In your suite,” Quinn added.

  There it was, weighing Anya’s heart down. Quinn was gaining access to her mother’s suite and stepping into Anya’s life after she’d shoved him out to check off suite number one.

  That sneaky son of −

  “We were just going to get ready to head into town and fetch some groceries. Maybe stop for breakfast somewhere and we were considering spending the afternoon at the beach. Afterwards, we can head over to your suite and prepare everything.” Quinn dropped his giddy tone and released his smooth charm to the doting couple in front of them. “Well, I will only be setting the table. Anya is the real chef and I wouldn’t want to get in her way.”

  Liar. You’ll be snooping.

  Eliza and Carl laughed.

  “No. Stay out of the Caliendo women’s way,” Carl warned, wrapping his arm around Eliza and giving her a little squeeze. Anya swore her uncle was warming up to Quinn too.

  Like the advice made a difference with Quinn. That man’s goal in life seemed to be getting in Anya’s way.

  “I will see you two later,” Eliza said looking thrilled.

  Quinn let go of Anya long enough for Eliza to give her a hug, then he replaced his arm and they watched Eliza and Carl leave.

  His overly pleasant tone was sickening. His lies were disheartening. It only made Anya’s need to get rid of him multiply.

  “You play people just like my father did,” she said, disgusted she’d ever thought any different.

  “In no way is my end result even remotely close to Robert’s objectives or outcomes.” He actually believed what he was saying.

  Anya rolled her eyes and walked away.

  Who really knew what Quinn’s objectives were?

  He caught up to her. No surprise.

  “After you’re finished getting ready, you can drive me to the cabin where I have a change of clothes in my truck.”

  How convenient, as though he planned on sticking around with her. But not for any reasons that pleased her...like for her instead of his stupid file.

  Anya waved an irritated hand at him and continued through her house, down the hall and into her bedroom, this time not bothering to lock the door. What difference did it make? Quinn did whatever he liked.

  Hanging a clean dress on the hook on the bathroom door, she stripped down only to realize her key was missing.

  Quinn.

  Did his dishonesty never end?

  She jumped in the shower and decided she better tighten her armour around Quinn if he was planning on sticking around until they found the file.

  Chapter Eleven

  AT THE CABIN, Quinn changed into a clean t-shirt and dark wash denim pants. He jammed his dirty clothes into his bag and slugged it over his shoulder.

  How did this woman have the ability to set him off? Why did setting him off mean that he automatically turned into a giant ass?

  One minute he was watching her soft features as she lay awake in his arms, his body longing for her and the next minute they were in the middle of a fight about who was the better manipulator, only to have him, once again, screw her over by inviting himself to dinner in Eliza’s suite.

  Anya knew what his motive to the invite was. It went unsaid, but she wasn’t a fool.

  Quinn was having a difficult time overlooking the solemn look on her face. It was a mix of betrayal, anger and sadness. She visibly expressed all shades of her emotions. When he was making her angry, her eyes narrowed in and her lips pouted fully. When passion consumed her, she let her bottom lip drop enough to lick her lips. When he was crushing her heart, the look she sent him crushed his own. The latter of the three was disrupting Quinn’s goal and making him question his motives and future actions.

  He combed his fingers through his hair and mentally shook off the maddening thoughts before he left the bathroom.

  Anya was waiting for him by the front door with her suitcase. He was relieved there wouldn’t be a fight about her packing and coming back to the resort.

  An hour later, Anya had finally emerged from the bathroom at her suite, showing a look of defeat so harsh that it broke his heart. Her fight was gone. She looked more frail and alone now, which left him wanting to wrap his arms around her and protect her.

  Quinn didn’t dare touch her. The only person Anya needed protection from now was him.

  Quinn drove them into town, but passed the market where they planned on doing grocery shopping for tonight’s meal.

  “Where are we going?” she asked, sending him a distrusting look.

  He didn’t blame her.

  “Breakfast,” he replied, parking on the Main Street across the road from Mrs. Calvert’s Bakery.

  The sandy beach stretched out in front of them with a wooden boardwalk and brightly colored huts
. Even early morning, tourists had their umbrellas planted in the sand, shading towels and coolers from the sun.

  Quinn wished he was on that beach relaxing instead of worrying about bringing justice to his sister. He would rather be on that beach with Anya, but she would never know that. Clear from their past and the present, their lives could never intermesh like they wanted them to now.

  Quinn climbed out of the vehicle and started walking across the road before Anya had a chance to object.

  She followed behind...slowly.

  Anya looked like a passing tourist, wearing a cream colored strapless summer dress that hugged her breasts snuggly then flowed down to her strappy sandals. Her wavy hair looked like she’d spent the morning at the beach, helping her blend in with the vacation crowd. Everything about her suggested “tourist” except her pinched lips and glaring eyes directed at him.

  Didn’t she have any idea how adorable she looked?

  Quinn held the door to the bakery open for her.

  She passed him by with arched eyebrows and full pink lips. Pouty lips. Kissable lips. Damn, he was in trouble, lips.

  The fresh smell of baking bread welcomed them into the cozy little bakery. An old-fashioned looking shop with an antique counter across the far wall garnished with covered pedestal trays of sweets and racks of more baked goods behind the counter.

  Anya ignored Quinn when he asked what she wanted and sat down at one of the bistro window tables sprinkled around the sitting area of the bakery.

  Quinn tried to not notice Anya’s long legs as she hiked up the dress to climb onto the high stool. He did however miss the don’t you look at my legs look from Anya until she dropped the material back over her legs and his eyes found hers.

  Oops. Busted. His bad.

  He turned and waited in the lineup, ordering them each a coffee and a muffin.

  At the table, Anya had gone from glaring at him to completely ignoring him as they ate breakfast.

  He was thankful that even if she was quiet, she consumed the food instead of being stubborn and disregarding breakfast altogether.