Annette tried to backtrack, just as Kayla knew she would. Oh, the agency owner hadn’t come right out and said so, but she had casually tossed out subtle suggestions about the poor timing of the trip and the influx of new clients. Anticipating the ploy, Kayla had crossed every “t” and dotted every “i,” leaving Annette without a valid excuse to cancel, postpone, or delay. As a result, Kayla found herself on a plane less than a week later, staring out at the fluffy cloud layer below.

“Going on vacation?” the guy next to her asked. He had been trying to start a conversation from the moment he had taken the empty seat beside her. So far, he had either failed to pick up on her subtle hints of non-interest or he was simply ignoring them.

Kayla had been around the block enough times to read men with a fair amount of accuracy. They weren’t overly complicated creatures. She smiled inwardly, tacking on a “bless their hearts” to the end of that thought. Sue Ann Sanders, a coworker originally from Alabama, used the phrase all the time. While it sounded supportive and sympathetic to northern ears, Sue Ann often used it to convey veiled anger or pity. The blessing could be intensified by bringing a hand up to the collarbone, something Sue Ann referred to as a “pearl-clutching moment.”

This guy, however transparent, didn’t warrant even a single clutched pearl. Kayla guessed he was going through a classic middle-age crisis. He was fairly good-looking, but had the soft look of a man who had eaten too much takeout and hadn’t spent enough time in the gym. His hair was freshly cut; his clothes new enough that they still had that off-the-rack smell.

“Yes,” she said simply, returning her gaze to the window.

“Me, too,” he admitted. “I’m trying to get back out there, you know? Have some fun, live life while I’m still young enough to enjoy it.”

Kayla said nothing, hoping that would be the end of it, knowing it wouldn’t.

He cleared his throat then gave a small, nervous chuckle. “I forgot how hard this was,” he admitted.

Mild curiosity made her flick her eyes his way. “What, flying?”

“No,” he said, color rising in his cheeks. “Trying to talk to a beautiful woman.”

Despite her resolve not to encourage him, her features softened. “You’re doing just fine.”

“Yeah?” The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. “Because it feels like I’m going down in flames here.”

She laughed and glanced pointedly at his left hand where he held his bourbon. The indentation on his ring finger told her he had only recently removed a wedding band. “How long?”

His smile faded somewhat. “Not long. We were married for twenty years. She was my high school sweetheart. She died last year. Cancer. Made me promise I’d move on with my life. So, here I am.” He shook his head. “Doesn’t feel right, though, being here without her. Have you ever been married?”

“No.”

“Ever been in love?”

Something inside her chest tightened. Had she ever been in love? Not really. There had been men she had lusted after and been infatuated with, but no one she had actually wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Did that make her self-centered? Probably, but she had made her peace with it. Better to be content and alone than married and miserable, she thought. If nothing else, her mother’s mercenary approach to marriage had taught her that much.

Aloud, she said, “That is a very personal question.”

He looked away, embarrassed. “I’m sorry. That was rude. See what I mean? I’m terrible at this.”

“Tell me about her,” Kayla said.

For the rest of the flight, he did.

“Thank you, Kayla,” he said, offering a sincere smile as he helped her snag her carry-on from the overhead storage compartment. “Can I buy you dinner? No strings, no expectations, just a thank you. You deserve that much for letting me bend your ear.”

“No thanks necessary,” she told him honestly. “But if we happen to run into each other again, I’ll let you buy me an overpriced drink with a fancy umbrella in it.”

He laughed. “It’s a deal. Enjoy your vacation, Kayla.”

“You too, Rick.”

After they parted ways, Kayla sought out her connecting flight. Unlike the previous leg, this one would involve a private, chartered jet, followed by a boat ride to the island.

While she received some appreciative glances along the way, she was left to enjoy the rest of the journey in peace.

A limousine awaited her at the dock. Kayla sucked in a delighted breath when she realized the “limousine service” used real limousines, not the shuttle buses most resorts did. Even better, she was the only one designated for pick-up and got the posh ride all to herself.

After a thirty-minute drive along the coastal road, they passed through a guarded security gate and along a beautifully landscaped drive to the secluded resort.

She tipped the shuttle driver, a very attractive younger man with mischievous eyes and a flirty smile. She had barely had a chance to reach for the grip of her rolling luggage before another guy, also easy on the eyes, bowed his head and took it for her. He flexed his nicely-sculpted biceps and forearms in the process, which she appreciated.

Oh yeah. Being waited on hand and foot by buff, gorgeous man candy? She could get used to this.

If possible, Sate was even more impressive than she had expected. The website photos she had been drooling over pre-trip were stunning, yet they paled in comparison to the real thing.

The main building rose up out of the rocky coastline like some ancient Greek temple, a dazzling mix of white stone, open balconies, and tinted windows.

She walked through the open-air lobby, taking in the immaculate, polished marble floor and matching columns. Crystal lighting, not on in the bright mid-morning light, sparkled between massive, ocean-themed murals depicting sexy scenes of mythological hedonism.

Her job had taken her to some pretty nice places, but this place silently screamed of wealth, class, and privilege. Kayla didn’t fit into any of those categories, but no one here knew that. Annette wanted the agents to get the same treatment their clients would receive so they could make honest recommendations. Therefore, as far as anyone else was concerned, she was just another wealthy woman traveling alone.

Two people stood behind the reception desk, one man and one woman. Both were movie-star beautiful. Kayla wondered vaguely about the application process to get a job here. Was a portfolio required?

“Welcome,” the man said, greeting her with a devastating smile. “Checking in?”

“Yes.”

“Excellent.” Sea-green eyes discreetly looked her up and down, flashing with approval. “Name?”

“O’Connell. Kayla O’Connell.”

He tapped his fingers on the sleek tablet before him. “Ah, yes. Miss O’Connell. We have you in the Aphrodite suite. If you would place your hand here, please.” He held out what looked like a slim plate made of black glass. Kayla placed her hand upon it, and seconds later, he said, “You now have full access to all guest amenities.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it. Keys and cards are unnecessary. Feel free to explore everything Sate has to offer. Simply press your hand to the access tablets mounted at the entrance to each private area and you’re in.”

“That’s amazing!”

He grinned. “We aim to please. Nikolai will take you to your suite. If there is anything we can do to make your stay more enjoyable, please don’t hesitate to ask.” His voice had dipped slightly lower when he said “anything,” sending potential thoughts of exactly what she might ask for flitting through her mind.

Since that was no doubt his purpose, she met his flirty smile with one of her own. “I will, thank you.”

The buff and sexy blond guy who had taken her luggage smiled and led her farther into the resort, stopping before a circular hub ringed by three gold-accented glass elevators. The atrium stretched up through the center of all twenty-seven stories, with terraced gardens spilling vivid tropical flowers and lush foliage in a stunning cascade of color.

The Aphrodite suite was on the nineteenth floor, and was every bit as impressive as the lobby and atrium. The decor was a sea of white and aqua with crystal and gold accents, from the plush area rugs to the supple leather furniture. To the left, a series of archways and wide steps led to a raised bedroom. If that wasn’t enough, beyond the bedroom lay a spacious bathroom, complete with a sunken Jacuzzi and a six-head shower stall. The entire outer wall, spanning the bathroom, bedroom, and sitting areas, was made of glass panels and led out onto a wide, open-air balcony with a breathtaking view of the sea.

Kayla felt as if she had died and gone to Heaven. Either someone made a mistake, or Annette had just put herself in the running for Most Awesome Boss Ever.

“Are you sure this is my suite?” she asked.

“Quite sure.”

Assuring Nikolai that she required nothing further at the moment, she slipped him a generous tip—she could afford it since someone else was footing the bill for everything else—then stepped out onto the balcony. Directly below, a swim-up bar sat in the center of a large pool. Farther out, a pristine white beach led into the clear waters of the Caribbean.

Yeah, she thought as she filled her lungs with scents of sunshine and sea, she could definitely get used to this.