Chapter Three
Julian tapped his pen against his desk, his eyes scanning the calendar of events for the hotel over the next few months.
Two more conferences booked and we’ll be back on our feet within the quarter.
“Julian, the painters are here. Do you have time to do a tour of the grounds and look at the other facilities while the painters work? I’ve got a spare minute or five.”
Samara’s bright voice presented a welcome interruption to his already long day. He dragged his gaze up from his computer screen and blinked his tired eyes. “Yes. Let’s go.” He could use some fresh air, and after a frosty phone call from his father, a dose of Samara’s particular rays of sunshine might be beneficial.
Why his dad chose to stick the boot in every chance he got, only God knew. Julian had been through the very worst year of his life, and yet he received nothing but disdain from both of his parents. It made him wonder sometimes why he tried so hard to please them.
Pushing himself to his feet, he followed Samara’s gorgeous bum out the sliding doors that led into the garden. His groin tightened just watching her sashay through his hotel. The allure she possessed confused him, yet excited him to his very core. She was so different to anyone he’d ever met.
The Hawaiian heat hit him like an oven door being opened up in his face.
Woah.
Samara fanned her cheeks with her dainty hands. “Wow… I’m still not quite used to that heat.”
He didn’t want to appear weak, but nodded in agreement as he took a careful breath of low oxygen air. He travelled a lot, but the humidity here was stifling, and so thick you could practically eat it. “Any areas you specifically want to look at?”
“The pool. The bar area there is a key feature at drawing people to the hotel, so, if you’re going to spend any money on the outside areas, that would be best, and…replacing the front door sensors of course.”
He chuckled, then smothered it. He’d almost broken his nose trying to walk through that door. “Yes, agreed.”
They walked toward the pebbled path, her hand brushing his as they moved together.
“Oh, sorry.” She jumped away and he grinned, his own hand tingling from the contact. His brain flashed up images of her naked beneath him in bed. Her mouth open in a gasp as he tantalized that perfect skin of hers.
They wove through the palm trees together, the fresh air lifting his spirits despite the heat, as he gave his back a break from the office chair.
Samara turned toward him with a professional smile in place on her lush lips. “I’ve got three gardeners coming tomorrow to work on the foliage. Trim the trees, get rid of the weeds. Just basic maintenance, no new planting.” She looked up at him through her thick dark eye-lashes.
This time he let the happy chuckle rumble from his throat. It was such a good feeling to be this calm. His shoulders were relaxed, his mind clear. Six months of bedding anyone he could find as he travelled throughout Greece, Italy, and Spain, hadn’t made him feel this free. He hadn’t known at the time that his family’s empire was on its knees. No one had, until it was almost too late.
“Good idea. And put them on a weekly maintenance schedule too, once the pruning has been done.”
She’d been trying to save money, which he appreciated. She was obviously good at her job, but he may have been too harsh in that regard. It had been an initial test that she had passed with flying colors. But now that he knew that she wouldn’t bankrupt his family in the days she was here, he’d give her more leeway.
There was also no point putting in all this effort if it was going to fall apart the moment she left.
Samara gave him a big smile and a quick salute. “Will do, boss.”
He liked the playful tone in her voice. As long as she toed the line and he was able to maintain face with his parents, he’d enjoy watching her have fun while she did her job. It was great to see. Someone who loved their work as much as he did.
They’d reached the tired old outside pool and he stopped to survey the damage. The water was at least clear, but the surrounds needed a lot of maintenance. A twist in his gut made him swallow hard. Another reminder of how bad things had become when he’d looked the wrong way. He still couldn’t believe it happened. That the one person he’d trusted to oversee his business had snaked into their accounts, diverted funds, and left the hotels high and dry for almost a year.
One of the few guests that were booked into the hotel caught his eye and he grimaced as his chest squeezed tight and hot anger poured through him like lava down the local volcanoes. The last thing he wanted to see was some loved up, deluded couple on their honeymoon.
He remembered it too well. His own quick marriage. His hot, sexy honeymoon, that had come to an end too quickly. The happiness he’d felt then now sat in his memory like a lump of coal at Christmas time. She’d turned on him so fast when she realized she wouldn’t get what she wanted. Her plan had always been to get pregnant, take half his money, then walk away.
He shuddered at the memory of her parting words to him. Putting up with you isn’t worth it unless I get a hotel at the end. Their subsequent divorce was swift and relatively pain free for him. But the scars still ran too deep to deal with a disgusting public display of affection.
****
There was a young couple ahead of them and Samara stopped to rest under the shade of a palm tree, watching them as they canoodled by the pool. Warmth filtered through her heart, making a happy sigh escape her lips. That would be her soon, hopefully. And even if it wasn’t in her immediate future, she’d soon have her own baby to love and adore. Happiness came in all forms.
Her boss turned to snap at her, as he often did. “Let’s move on.”
She suppressed the need to roll her eyes at his tone. She had to assume his bark was worse than his bite, because despite his earlier threats, he’d been quite easy to work with so far.
She lifted one eyebrow at Julian in question. His cheeks were flushed pink due to the heat. Why the man still wore his business suits on days like today, she had no idea. Didn’t he own a pair of shorts and a tank? Visions of his tight ass and broad shoulders made heat swim through her belly and she was suddenly thankful for his suits. She’d maintained a professional distance so far, but she suffered a weakness for bulging biceps that may just get in the way if she got to see him up close and personal.
“Move on? Why? Aren’t we going to talk about the pool’s maintenance? What’s wrong?”
He lifted his chin high in the air. “We’ll come back later. It’s occupied.”
He turned and she watched his shoulders stiffen, his mouth tugging down on one side.
Hmm…there’s a story there.
“Because of the couple? Don’t worry about them. The pool and bar area are a great asset and should be optimized.” And it was. A huge, opulent open space that was perfect for couples.
He began walking once again and she glanced back at the couple. They wouldn’t disturb them, surely. When she twisted back to Julian, he was half way around the pool already.
Shit.
Samara took off, her leg muscles stretching tight as she sprinted after him. She didn’t catch up to him until he stopped at the pool bar, staring up at the roof.
“The tiles need replacing.”
She laughed, sweeping a hand out in a broad gesture. “Everything needs replacing. The pool needs to be drained and re-tiled, the sun lounges need to be replaced, the concrete needs painting. The bar needs to be knocked down and completely re-built.”
He turned and glared at her, his nostrils flaring and his jaw tight.
She frowned. “What’s your problem? I’m just telling you the truth.”
He took a long, obviously measured breath. “Tell me what you’re going to do about it then.”
Her first response was to snark back at him, but she focused on the question instead. This was what they were paying her to do. Julian may think he knew the answer to everything and he could do this all on his own, but she knew he was better off with her help. Though, by the look on his face, this wasn’t the time to tell him that.
“We need this space to be where all the loved up couples and honeymooners will come to enjoy the sun and spend lots of money on alcohol.” He grunted and she rolled her eyes. “You have a problem with loved up couples on holidays? Because you know they are your main market.”
“Of course I know they are. That’s not the point.”
“Did those words taste terrible, Julian? Because you look like you need a mouth freshener after that.”
He waited a moment and continued to glare, those bright blue eyes throwing shards of ice at her. Something about those honeymooners had obviously hit a nerve on him.
She had to change the subject because she was getting nowhere. “When do the contractors start work on the outside of the hotel?”
“I have people coming tomorrow.”
“That’s great.”
He nodded his head, pivoted on his heel and strode away.
Far out. What was that?
Part of her, the nosey part that saw him like a brilliant puzzle waiting to be solved, was desperate to find out what was going on inside his head. The other half, the rational part that knew she was a contractor and he was her client, therefore off limits, said it was none of her business.
She heard him barking orders inside at the staff and flinched. That, unfortunately she couldn’t ignore. She’d spent every minute of her waking day on hiring and training the new staff. The last thing she needed was him pulling unstable threads that would cause the whole thing to unravel. Which meant she was going into his office once again to bait the bear.
Taking a deep breath of hot Hawaiian humidity, she strode back into the air-conditioned hotel. She lifted her hand to wipe her damp forehead. Lucky she wasn’t paying for the water bill here, she was up to three showers a day at the moment.
The new concierge, Trey, stood by the front desk, his jaw tight and his eyes down.
“Trey. You’re doing a wonderful job. I’m going to have a meeting with Mr. King so if any of the staff need me, I’ll be in his office.”
Trey nodded and lifted his head, his mouth relaxing with her praise. “Yes, Miss Jenkins. The painters said they’d be finished by three. Do you need anything else done today?”
“The restaurant staff have to move all the furniture out to make way for the cleaning and painting in there. If you’re not busy, you could help them later.”
Trey nodded once, the determined look on his face making her smile. He was perfect for the job. He had lots of experience in the industry, he was polite, hard-working, and team focused.
She swiveled on the newly polished marble floor and headed for Julian’s office, knocking once before sweeping inside again. “Can we make a few notes about the pool area and then I’ll get out of your hair, and onto the hotel’s external grounds upgrade.”
He grunted at her and shuffled papers around his busy desk. “Do whatever you want, Samara.”
If she’d been a cartoon character, her jaw would have dropped to the floor and he tongue would have rolled out three feet. “Why thank you. I wasn’t sure if you would trust me like that.”
Steely blue flashed as his eyes met hers. Liquid heat poured through her veins. God, he was breath taking when he was mad. Why did she want to walk around his desk and wrap her arms around his neck and kiss all of his troubles away?
“Samara, you’re great at your job, hard-working, personable, and can command a room while wearing cleaning rags. You’re welcome to do whatever you want to the gardens and the outdoor areas. I’ll keep focusing on getting people back into the hotel.”
She clapped her hands. Brilliant. “Great. I’ll get back to it. The new linens are arriving soon and I need to check them all…”
Her foot swiveled towards the door as her brain ran through the huge check list she had in her head. But something stayed her feet, stopped her from moving toward the outside world where a hundred jobs lay waiting for her. She twisted back so she could see him better. Julian now sat in front of his computer, jaw set and tight as he tapped away.
“What happened just then? Why did you respond so badly to that young couple by the pool?”
A muscle clenched and throbbed in his jaw. “That’s teetering into personal, Samara, and we said we wouldn’t do that.”
“As long as it doesn’t stop you from doing your job properly.”
“It won’t.”
She waited. She wanted to know. Had he loved a woman once? Had she broken his heart? It was hard to imagine a man as strong, arrogant, and gorgeous as Julian King had ever been hurt.
He didn’t speak and she finally took a deep breath, letting out a long sigh as she envisioned her future. She believed in the power of positive thinking and the laws of attraction. She’d built her life and business on it. On the wall of her bedroom she had her personal vision board. In her two bedroom, east end apartment that she’d paid for with profits from the company she’d built from nothing. Her focus had shifted and she was now calling on the Universe for her ideal man, her optimal health, and of course, a healthy baby.
She let her heart have its way when she spoke, irrespective of what would follow. “I wish I was in love like that couple were. I think it’s a beautiful thing.”
The disgusted noise that came from Julian surprised her, and he threw her one line she’d never forget. “Love’s a fantasy. Never wish for that.”
****
Julian wore his swimming trunks and a tank down to the pool level. It was time to work out some of the tension from another restless night, and the gym was first on his list. A swim after to cool down.
As he stepped out into the foyer he glanced around the room, expecting to see Samara buzzing around. When he didn’t see her he moved over to the front desk.
“Do you know where Miss Jenkins is?” he asked one of the new clerks with pimples on his chin and a modern hair cut that hung to his shoulders. The boy looked far too young to be working at the hotel, but Samara assured him that the kid was a genius at computers. Not only was he updating the software, he was redesigning the website too.
“Yes, sir, she’s in the gym.”
Perfect.
He nodded and walked toward the gym and internal pool—another area that needed addressing. He opened the door and froze with his hand still plastered to the glass. The room was unrecognizable from when he’d used it only yesterday.
The mirrored walls shone brightly, not a smudge in sight on their huge reflective surfaces. He’d barely been able to see himself in them yesterday. The weights were stacked, the equipment cleverly arranged for ease of use. It looked twice as big, and far more impressive.
Another job well done.
He twisted around and couldn’t see her anywhere in the gym. “Samara?”
“I’m in the pool.”
Images of white bikinis and her gorgeous round bum flashed through his mind and he shook his head, dispelling the pictures. It had been a month since his last woman which was obviously far too long. His need for Samara was growing with each day he worked alongside her.
He cleared his throat and moved into the heated pool area. It was like stepping into a warm, dark cave. The lights were dim, the walls a natural dark stone. He searched around the room and finally found her, standing on the first step in the pool, her hourglass figure clad in a simple black one piece that did nothing to hide the incredible curves she possessed.
His mouth ran dry and his blood pulsed south as his desire grew with each passing second. He couldn’t remember a time when he’d had such an immediate, intense attraction to a woman.
For the past year, he’d gone through women like an alcoholic goes through wine. He hadn’t been too picky, as long as they offered the affection and moment’s pleasure he’d needed since his wife’s betrayal and abandonment.
Samara was something different completely. His hands ached to hold the curves of her body, his lips parted in anticipation of finally tasting her mouth. Perhaps it was because he hadn’t had her yet? He called out to her, “What are you doing in here?”
She stepped out of the pool and wrapped the hotel’s white towel around her hips. When she walked over to him, her full breasts bounced softly with each step she took.
“I’m trying out the facilities. It’s important to see the hotel from a guest’s perspective, so I re-arranged the gym to make it easier to use, had the staff clean it from top to bottom, and I’m now assessing the pool. The water temperatures a bit hot from what I can tell, but I haven’t been in yet. The lighting could be better, but they’re easy fixes.” She cocked her head to the side and twirled her ponytail with her fingers. “What’s happening with you?”
His tank clung to the sweat on his chest and his heart began to pound a heavier rhythm in his chest. “I’m taking a break and thought a swim might be good. Mind if I join you in the assessment?”
He reached over his head and grabbed the white tank, pulling it off quickly. Samara’s eyes dropped to his chest, her mouth open. Julian puffed out his chest and threw his towel onto a nearby bench as he shuffled out of his trainers.
“Ah… I suppose not.”
“Great. I have a few questions about the painting too.”
“Ah…” Samara stammered, her eyes dropping down his body, and then away, her discomfort obvious in the glow of her cheeks. He knew she was as attracted to him as he was to her. All the awareness and signs so far indicated it, but she hadn’t made a move, and he wanted to know why.
He’d accepted her help and guidance in the rebuilding of his hotel and now that he knew they had to spend what was left of the two weeks together, why not make it more of a pleasurable working environment?
“Let’s go.” He reached out for her hand, enjoying the heat and sensations moving up his arm in reaction to her touch. The darkness of the room worked perfectly. Hot and intimate.
Samara was the perfect size for him, he realized as she moved close. She came up to his chin and he would be able to tuck her into his lap and keep her beneath him all night.
A growl rumbled from his throat at the thought and she pulled away, stepping down into the water again with hasty movements. “You ok?”
He nodded as most of her body disappeared beneath the water. He surveyed the pool, which looked like it had been rendered with sand. He gestured to the water as he took one step into the pool, which had five descending steps at the shallow end. Bath temperature heat swirled around his calves.
“What’s with the sand? And you’re right. It is too hot.” Something he would have surely missed if he hadn’t taken her advice and used the hotel as any normal guest would.
He continued to wade in, Samara’s eyes on him as they surfed through the water to the deep end, the steam from the water rising around them. Cloaking them, embracing them.
“This is an unusual place to hold a meeting.” Samara’s voice trembled a little as they continued to move in the hot water. Their bodies reminded him of two magnets of opposing forces. Untouching and yet, mirroring each other’s movements.
Samara bit her lip and her eyes skittered away. She was nervous and he liked that. He wanted her to be so aware of what was between them that she wanted to run. She’d conducted herself far too professionally so far, he needed her to act on the connection between them.
“It is. Give me an update on your side of things.”
He swam closer, waving his arms under the water and sending ripples her way. She shivered, despite the heat, and he crept closer, wanting those legs wrapped around him.
“Ah… I’m quite happy with the progress so far. I hired eleven new cleaners, full time. They’ve stripped and cleaned all the suites we’re renovating now and I’ve put them to work on the rest of the hotel. Even if we aren’t re-vamping everything, they all need thorough cleaning. Those bathrooms are disgusting.”
“Well done.” She’d followed his instructions and stayed within the guidelines of what they’d discussed.
“I’ve also hired five new bell boys, restaurant staff and a proper concierge. They need some more training, but I’ll make sure that’s all done before I leave. The welcome to this hotel when I arrived was well below par and I feel that with that small improvement, it will make a massive difference.”
She was swimming away from him now, backward, her voice getting stronger as she focused on her work.
“Have you organized an employee manual for them?”
She swallowed as she moved further away, her back finally hitting the edge of the pool and her eyes going wide. “Ah… No, I’ve done some basic training with them, but I will be doing an official launch of the new employee work book next week.”
Good. He hated those sorts of things. “Great.”
“The rooms have been freshly painted, as has the restaurant…and ah…”
He moved closer until they were inches apart and stared into her eyes, placing both hands either side of her shoulders, the sandy concrete beneath his palms.
“Julian…um, what are you doing?” Her voice trembled as she spoke and her pupils were so dilated he could barely see the green colored iris.
“I’m testing out a theory I have.” He moved the lower part of his body closer, pressing his pelvis against her belly while still maintaining some distance.
Samara licked her lips, her pink tongue darting out as her hands floated up to press against his chest. “What theory, Julian?”
Whether this was lunacy or not, he didn’t know. And in this moment, he didn’t care. As a contractor, Samara was free to fraternize with whomever she chose, as was he.
“Whether you want me as much as I want you.”
His heart was pounding in his chest like a drum. Her closeness affected him like an aphrodisiac, all by itself. He needed to know if she tasted as sweet as she looked. If her spirit in the bedroom matched the spirit she had for her work.
When the hands she had against his chest didn’t move to push him away, instead, they tightened in his chest hair, curling and holding tight, he lowered his mouth, pausing as their lips were a hair apart. Her breath blew hot and fast against his mouth.
“That’s a very interesting theory.”
Her eyes opened even wider and she lifted her chin, pressing her lips against his and uttering the softest of moans. As though, she too, had been waiting for this moment.
He groaned and grabbed her lush arse with his hands, the same curvy bottom he’d been fantasizing over for days. He lifted her in the warm water, her legs drifting up in the weight less pool and wrapping around his waist.
Samara’s arms went around his neck as she opened her mouth to him. He speared her lips apart with his tongue, a shudder passing through his body as her taste spread through his senses. Honey and sex. Perfect.
Her gasp sounded as he pushed back against her and she threw back her head. The long expanse on her neck was as tempting as anything he’d ever seen. He pressed his lips to her, tasting the sweetness of her skin and feeling the erratic bounce of her pulse against his lips.
“Julian…” Her moan was so sensual his whole body vibrated. So hot, so beautiful.
Her whole body moved against him and as he slid his fingers between them, his heart pounded harder. He pushed aside her bathing suit and found her swollen clit nestled in the hidden folds between her legs.
She groaned and dug her nails into his shoulders, pressing against him as though she were starving for his touch. How long had it been for her?
Too long, obviously.
He found her lips again, kissing her deeply as he slid his long middle finger into her core. Her body slick and warm, gripping him like a greedy mouth.
“Ah… Julian.” Samara panted against his mouth, her hips thrusting against his hand.
His cock throbbed inside his shorts, his belly tight and his breath coming in pants as sweat beaded his forehead. He wanted to be inside her now. He withdrew his fingers and lifted her with one hand as he pushed down his shorts with the other. His length bounced up against her open thighs and she lifted herself to gaze into his eyes. Her look pleading, desperate.
This wasn’t how he’d wanted it to happen. He’d planned hours of foreplay, chocolate mousse, and music loud enough to mask her orgasms.
“Please hurry.” Samara’s voice broke through the feelings of inadequacy and guilt.
“You want this?” he asked, grabbing a hold of her tiny waist and pulling down on his body until the head of his shaft pressed against her soft, hot entrance.
She bit her lip again and he waited, his balls pulsing with need.
“I want you to say it.”
He wasn’t budging until she begged for it. He needed them both to know later that this was totally consensual.
“Yes. Please.”
He groaned and took her lips in a deep kiss, pulling her down, hard. An explosion of sensation ricocheted through his gut, rippling out into the very far reaches of his soul.
She felt like home.
He shook his head and tried to throw away such a ridiculous notion, instead focusing on the physical sensations wrapping around him.
Samara was a writhing mass of femininity, need, and desire. Every noise she made sounded like bliss to his ears and echoed in the room around them. She bit into his shoulder, her hands holding him as tight as possible as she gasped and moaned in his ear.
He gripped her hips, wishing she was totally naked and swearing to himself that he’d take his time next time. He thrust against her, and used his hands to push her up and then pulled her down to impale her again. Then again and again until her channel squeezed him as tightly as a glove and he could barely hold on to his own control.
The heat built in his body, tingles of his impending orgasms rippling along his spine.
“Julian! I’m…going to…” Samara’s body gripped him as her spine arched and he cried out as she called on his orgasm. It ripped through his core with an intensity that made lights explode inside his head.
Samara screamed as he poured himself into her pulsating body.
Too late, he realized his mistake and pulled out, holding tight to him the woman who’d blown apart his brain and body.
Samara clung to him like she’d never let him go, her lips finding his in a kiss so sweet it made parts of his heart he’d believed dead, ache with wanting.
He righted their swimming suits and carried her in his arms to the edge of the pool. The world shifting on its axis like it never had before.