I’d only been there a few days, but the staff had already seemed to pick up on my patterns. I nodded. “Just don’t make it seafood again today.”
Lily chuckled. “How about Mexican? Maybe Thai? Italian food?”
They all sounded wonderful to me right now because I was starving. I had passed on breakfast but the current grumbling of my stomach told me that hadn’t been a wise choice. “Why don’t you surprise me?”
Lily wore an expression of shock and dismay. “You really want me to pick for you?” I nodded, and she added, “I’d rather not. Not after the last person who asked me to do so. Let’s just say he was far from happy with the choice.”
I raised an eyebrow and asked, “What did you bring him?” I couldn’t think of any foods that I don’t like, but maybe the man was picky.
“My favorite. Liver and onions.”
Point taken. “Can you find me a Cobb salad?”
Lily smiled. “You’ll be much happier with that, I think.”
There’s no question about that.
As Lily trotted off with my order, I slipped my headphones back on and turned my attention to the waves crashing onto the beach. I might not make it off-property to explore Tabiq, but I had to admit the ocean view and amenities here were top-notch. It just would’ve been better if I had come with a friend. Most people here were already coupled up. The whole resort was a hidden getaway for lovers. My job as an attorney keeps me so busy I don’t have time to prioritize romance. And after spending all day in court defending my client, there’s just no energy left for dating. I can barely remember how long it’s been since I’ve been with a man. God, that’s sad to admit. I’m young and have needs. God, I have needs.
Off to the right I could see a man caressing a woman’s back as he kissed her neck. I turned to my left and there was another couple in an intimate embrace. And here I was, sitting on the beach with a hot and spicy romance novel to keep me company.
I grabbed my cell phone and turned the volume up, hoping the sound of some rock ‘n roll blasting my ears would help drown out the sexual frustration building within me.
I felt a tap on my shoulder and I practically jumped out of my skin. I pulled my headphones off and spun around to find Lily standing there with my complimentary Bloody Mary in her hand. Or at least it was in her hand. She was equally startled. The contents of the glass headed in my direction, and unfortunately down the front of my white bikini top.
Well, that’s one way to chill my frustration.
Lily gasped. “Oh my God! I’m so sorry. I’ll pay for the cleaning. I didn’t mean to.”
I could tell from the way she looked around that she was afraid someone might have seen. I have no idea why she was so afraid. It was a simple accident. The management of New Hope Resort can’t be so strict that she’d be afraid of making a small mistake like this. But her demeanor said otherwise.
“Lily, don’t worry about it. It wasn’t your fault. It was mine. I knocked the glass when I turned around,” I said, knowing that wasn’t the truth. But I wanted to ease her mind. I would feel horrible if she got in trouble because of something so minute.
“No. It was my fault.”
I could see out of the corner of my eye that there was someone, maybe a custodian or housekeeper, I wasn’t sure-but they seemed to be watching Lily. And it seemed to be making her even more uneasy. I tried again and said, “I’m a total klutz. This happens to me all the time.” Once again, another lie. “At least it was something cold this time. Usually I knock soup out of someone’s hand.”
The person who had been watching Lily disappeared. She seemed to have noticed it, too. She let out a sigh of relief and responded, “I guess it could have been worse.”
I tried to lighten the mood and added, “Yes, it could have been my lunch.” I laughed and eventually Lily seemed to relax.
“Did you want me to bring your Cobb salad out now?”
I shook my head. “I think I’ll have it in my room. A shower is in order,” I said, hating the sticky feeling that still lingered on my chest.
Lily said, “I’ll have Rae bring it up to you.”
That sounded good. It would give me time not to just shower, but to see if Rae was as jittery as Lily was. I collected my beach things and trudged back towards the hotel.
This is what I’ve come halfway across the world to deal with, other people’s issues? I laughed at myself. That’s what I’d been was trying to get away from in taking this trip. But the truth is, everyone has issues–it’s just that some issues are greater than others. Right now, I needed to find out if Lily was actually having any or if it was just my imagination.
I had told her I was going to my room to take a shower, which I desperately needed. But first I would make a stop at the lobby. If I could find a manager or even one of the owners, I could gain some insight as to what might be going on. Likely they’d tell me it was none of my business, which is fair. I was a foreigner here, unfamiliar with the cultural norms. It’s hard sometimes imagining ways of living that are not as free my life in the United States.
I struggled with the door to enter the building, as I had my beach blanket, my bag, my book, and also half a Bloody Mary all in my hands. Desperately, I raised my foot and pressed on the handle to open the door.
“It’s probably easier just to ask for help,” a deep, husky voice said from behind me.
I shouldn’t have for help if a staff member sees me struggling. Come on, man. “I wouldn’t want to put you out,” I said sarcastically, as I walked through the door and let it slam behind me. Something inside me said it was probably the same guy who was watching Lily. His voice was strong and powerful, and was filled with authority.
But I don’t answer to you. I don’t answer to anyone.
I didn’t even bother turning around. All I did was make me want to speak to the owners even more. Instead of stopping at the lobby as I had planned, I headed straight to my room and threw down my belongings. I showered quickly and put on a casual sundress and a pair of sandals. If I wanted the owners to take me seriously, it was probably better to do it when I wasn’t in a bikini.
Freshly recharged, I walked down to the welcome desk. “Is the manager available?” I asked.
The woman behind the counter smiled brightly and said, “Good afternoon, Miss Wellington. He is actually in a meeting right now, but I could definitely let him know you’d like to speak to him once he’s free. Unless it’s something urgent, and I will most definitely get him a message promptly.”
It really wasn’t urgent. It just was a feeling I had. What was I supposed to tell the manager? I think one of your employees might feel threatened by another one of your employees, but I have no proof? That didn’t make any sense. Most likely the only thing I would accomplish was getting Lily in trouble. And if she was afraid of that man who was watching her, it might be more trouble than I could handle. I’m great in a court of law. I’m just not physically capable of defending another human being. And my gut tells me she needs protecting.
“Please just ask him to reach out to me when it’s convenient for him.” I smile and turned away from the desk.
“I’m sure it won’t be long.”
My lunch should be delivered shortly, so I might as well wait in my room for the manager to reach out to me. But it also gave me an opportunity to check my email. Even though I was supposed to be on vacation, that didn’t prevent people from asking me questions. And maybe it would provide me a distraction from worrying about Lily.
I press the button for the elevator and once again that deep voice spoke to me from behind.
“We have to stop meeting like this,” he said.
Then maybe you should stop following me.
The doors to the elevator opened and I stepped inside I pressed the button for the third floor. Before the doors closed, I found my eyes roaming over the stranger. This definitely was not the person who had been watching Lily. Although this man looked fierce, from his strong joy to his absolut
ely muscular physique, he did not appear to be an employee of the resort.
It seemed like an eternity, but my eyes leisurely traveled up from his sneakers over his muscular calves to his cutoff jean shorts. Thankfully he wasn’t shirtless, but he might as well have been. His T-shirt fit him so snugly I could see every beautiful ripple of muscle from his abs to the massive mounds of shoulders and biceps. He was one gorgeous man. The person that had been watching Lily didn’t compare at all to the prime specimen standing in front of me.
This man was fierce-looking and I couldn’t even see his eyes behind those mirrored sunglasses. But as an attorney, I was used to men trying to intimidate me. It didn’t work with them and it definitely wasn’t going to with this guy. Staring directly into his sunglasses, I saw my own reflection. Holding my head up high, I said, “I agree, so hopefully this is the last time.”
Before the elevator doors closed, I saw a smug grin cross his face. He oozed arrogance. It was nauseating. When the elevator stopped, I quickly made my way to my room. Once inside, I opened my laptop, ready to dive into work so I could stop thinking about the stranger. But as I looked at the screen, I realized the man hadn’t said anything inappropriate to me. So why did I give such a snippy response? And as far as that smug look on his face, it was better than what he could’ve had. Oh my God, I practically ogled him from head to toe. If anyone had something to say, it should have been him.
Part of me was embarrassed about this out-of-character behavior. Normally I’m careful and have full control of everything I say and do. I decided to blame it on the heat, or maybe the lack of substance in my stomach. Whatever it was, if I ever saw him again, I should probably apologize. Then again, it was a big resort, and with any luck this would be our one and only encounter.
Who am I fooling? I’ve already bumped into him twice in less than an hour.
There was a knock on my door, and instantly I wondered if the stranger had followed me to my room. But when I got up and peered through the peephole, I saw it was a gentleman in a suit. Something about his demeanor reminded me of the stunning man from earlier, but they did not look at all alike.
“I figured I would bring your lunch since I was on my way to see you anyway,” the man said when he sensed my eye on him.
I opened my door to take the tray from him and asked, “I don’t understand. You were coming to see me?”
He nodded and replied, “I am Bennett Stone. You asked to speak to someone who is in charge here. I’m not one of the owners, but I can assure you I have authority to handle anything that may be an issue for you.”
I waved my hand to invite him in and closed the door once he was inside. “Thank you so much for coming to speak with me. It really might not be anything, but it left me feeling a bit….”
Bennett waited and then said, “Scared?”
That wasn’t the word I would use to describe my feeling. I shook my head and replied, “I would say concerned. It’s in regard to one of your employees. Well, maybe it’s not an employee of yours but I believe it’s affecting one of your employees.”
I could tell I had Bennett’s full attention. “Would you like to sit down and tell me what has you concerned?”
I sat on one side of the couch and he took the other. I didn’t want to sound flaky. Bennett didn’t know me from a hole in the wall. This was a gorgeous vacation spot, and most people wouldn’t have even noticed the man watching Lily, but when you have nothing else to do but people-watch, it kind of stood out. I wasn’t about to tell him that either.
“You have a waitress, Lily. She’s the one I’m concerned about.”
“Did she do something wrong? If so, I’d be happy to send her for more training, if it’s that sort of issue,” Bennett offered.
“No. Not at all. She’s very attentive. But I noticed she seemed…nervous. She didn’t mention anything to me, but there seem to be someone…watching her.”
Bennett raised a brow. “Watching? Do you mean he was checking her out?”
I shook my head. “I’m not sure, but it didn’t seem like that. He seemed to be hovering just out of Lily’s sight for a long time, watching her. He may have been her boss, and watching her so closely to make sure she was doing her job properly?”
Bennett said, “But that’s not what your gut is saying.”
“No, it isn’t.” I was glad Bennett was taking this seriously. “I’m not even sure there’s something to be concerned about. I’m not used to your ways here. It was just my observation. I could be wrong.”
Bennett took a moment to think. “I have learned over the years to trust my gut,” he said, finally. “My understanding is you’re an attorney. A criminal prosecutor. I assume you had to learn to rely on yours as well. Thank you for taking the time to bring this to our attention. I will have my security team keep an eye open for anything unusual. Would you mind meeting with one of my team members? It would be helpful if we had a description of the gentleman we’re looking for.”
“Of course. Would you like me to come down now?” I asked. Part of me hoped I could just give him the description and be done with it.
Bennett shook his head. “I don’t want to interrupt your lunch. Besides, I want to speak to my security team first.” He got up from the couch and headed toward the door. Before leaving, he turned and said, “Miss Wellington, please be assured that if anything unseemly is going on, I will put an end to it.”
The force of his conviction and the sternness of his face almost made me feel bad for whoever was watching Lily. If you need backup, I know another guy here who can be intimidating, too.
I rolled my eyes. Why was I thinking about that man again? Maybe it wasn’t just arrogance that I picked up on. Maybe it was his sex appeal. Goodness knows, he had plenty of it.
I’m going to need a second shower, and this time a cold one.
Chapter 3
James
I was in Tabiq for one reason only, and that was to see if Bennett had a job for me. Not just any job, either, but one I’d actually want to do. If he tried offering me a security job walking around and keeping an eye on tourists, I knew my answer already. I didn’t want it. Playing babysitter to the richer than God didn’t appeal to me. They probably never worked a day in their life, or at least, not a long, hard day.
As I stood on the beach looking out over the water, I saw Bennett approaching. I was a little underdressed for a job interview, but he was supposed to call me to schedule something. And I hoped it wouldn’t take place on the beach.
“I’m glad you made it. How was your flight?” Bennett asked.
I shrug. “Private luxury jet. Not my usual mode of transportation.” I had not issue with Bennett’s success. It just wasn’t the lifestyle I usually lived. It was usually a military transport plane flying me from one place to the next, and none of them had leather seats, widescreen TVs, and a stocked bar.
“It’s practical. At least with the amount of flying we do. It also illuminates questions of what we’re carrying. Many times, I will transport my men from one location to the next, as well as supplies required,” Bennett stated.
I understood what he meant. Bennett had a team of veterans, each with very specialized skills, who required certain equipment in order to do their jobs. That’s the type of team I wanted to be on. “Are you ready to talk business?”
Bennett nodded. “Let’s skip the interview. I’m thinking you could start work right away.”
“That’s what I was hoping to hear.”
“Good. I need you to keep your eyes open while you’re here. We have a guest who seems concerned about a man looking around here, and potentially intimidating one of our staff members.”
What the fuck? I am a babysitter. Dammit.
“It’s a guest that noticed it? Not your employees?” He probably assumed I was speaking about the New Hope employees. I actually meant Bennett’s team. But as I looked around earlier, I hadn’t seen anyone who would’ve fit the build to be on a specialized team like that. Mayb
e they’re not here.
Bennett shook his head. “Tabiq is different. Even though they work for New Hope, and they have for several years, I’m not sure they trust us.”
“You mean the Hendersons? Or are you referring to Americans?” I asked.
“Both,” he said. “This country has been through hell. And it’s like the Tabiqian people are always waiting for it to return and with a vengeance. No matter what we say or do, I don’t think they will ever fully believe it’s over, at least not for many years. Or maybe several generations.”
That was no surprise to me. I’d heard about things that happened in this country. If even half the rumors were true, the women and the people here weren’t just suppressed, but exploited too. “Then why the hell did the Hendersons build a resort here?” They weren’t known for...being kind.
“I wish I could discuss that with you. If you take this job, I think you’ll begin to understand.”
“Can’t or won’t tell me?” I asked.
“Some things are not mine to disclose. My in-laws’ personal life would be one of them,” Bennett stated.
It really shouldn’t matter what the hell the Hendersons do. Their reputation is questionable in itself. I couldn’t picture the Tabiqian people or anyone else ever trusting them. I knew I didn’t. But I wasn’t going to be working for them. At least not directly. Right now, I wanted to hear more about this so-called threat at the resort. “So, what did this guy do that has a guest concerned?”
“From what she said, the man was watching one of the employees. I honestly don’t have any more information than that.”
That doesn’t seem like anything to be concerned about. Like Bennett had said, I’m not familiar with things at New Hope, never mind in Tabiq as a whole. For now, I’d need to trust Bennett’s judgment and not my own, at least where business was concerned. “Do you want me to talk to your employee or would you like me to question your guest first?”
“I already spoke to Miss Wellington.”
Eleven Days in Paradise (Barrington Billionaires Book 11) Page 2