snapped. “Listen, I don’t know about you, but I’m here to relax, and these last few minutes around you have been anything but relaxing. So, I’m going to leave.” Her face, though it was contorted by anger, was beautiful, especially her full lips. Solomon wanted to just reach out and take her bottom lip between his. He inched closer to her, thinking that one kiss would melt this beauty’s resistance. But the threatening look she flashed him stopped Solomon from proceeding with his wanton desire.
“What in the hell is wrong with you?” she demanded.
“Let me just say, you’re the most stunning woman I’ve seen in ages, and if I’m coming on too strong, I apologize,” he said, his voice oozing with the Crawford charm that had caused countless thongs and panties to drop.
This woman wasn’t buying it as she placed her tote bag on her shoulder. “I’d appreciate it if you moved out of my way,” she said as she extended her hand and pushed him aside.
“I’d love to know your name,” he said as he took her hand in his and held it.
“And people in hell would love ice water. Let me go.” She didn’t make much of an effort to free her hand from his, and Solomon smiled. After a moment, he let her go as she’d requested. He wasn’t used to rejection and there was no way he planned to give up.
She silently moved away from him and didn’t even glance back. As he watched his mystery lady walk away, Solomon knew he had to find her. Just as he was about to dry himself, he saw one of the waiters from the restaurant enter the grotto to remove the used dishes. Solomon smiled, knowing the woman’s room number would be on her dinner slip. Before the waiter took the plates away, Solomon crossed over to him.
“Excuse me,” he said. “How many people ordered dinner in here tonight?”
“I’m sorry?” the waiter asked.
“Were there a lot of people in here? A young lady just left and she forgot something. I want to make sure she gets it,” Solomon bluffed.
“I’ll be happy to return her lost item,” the man replied as he’d been trained to do.
Solomon—the businessman—was happy, but the man trying to find the sexiness that had just walked out of the hot tub needed information. “It’s a rather delicate item and I’m not sure she’d want a stranger returning it,” he said.
“If you don’t know her room number, I’m willing to guess you’re a stranger too,” the waiter replied, struggling to keep his voice respectful.
Solomon sighed. It was time to unleash the big gun. “Do you know who I am?” he asked.
“Other than the fact that you’re a valued guest at our resort, I’m going to say no.”
Solomon chuckled again. This guy was trained very well. “Solomon Crawford. I own the resort.”
The waiter raised his eyebrow and studied Solomon’s face as if he was trying to recall the image he’d seen in his training manual. Of course Solomon was fully clothed and smiling in the Crawford Hotel Handbook.
“Mr. Crawford, I didn’t recognize you,” the man said.
“I noticed, and I think you handled things superbly, but I need that woman’s room number.”
“Of course, sir,” he said, then handed him the food charge slip. Solomon looked up at the waiter.
“What’s your name?”
“Matt, sir.”
“All right, Matt, I’ll ask one more thing of you. No one needs to know I’m here. So, if you can keep your mouth shut, expect a bonus at the end of my stay,” Solomon said. “A big bonus.”
Matt smiled brightly. “Yes, sir.”
“Thanks. And you’re doing a great job. Keep it up,” Solomon complimented as he read the food slip. Kandace Davis was staying in the Wonderland Suite, and from the looks of her dinner order she was alone. Ripe for the picking, he thought as he left the grotto.
Kandace stormed into her room and thought about calling the front desk to complain about that jackass. That jackass with the sexy emerald eyes, hard body that seemed to be designed for pleasure, and hands that probably knew how to find every erogenous zone on any woman’s body. When he held her hand, she felt a sizzle that spread from the tips of her fingers to the center of her womanly core. And there she was standing in a bathing suit that she was sure barely covered her ample assets. Inadvertently, Kandace ran her hand across her bottom. Yep, her suit was showing off her cheeks. No wonder he walked over to her and tried to run that weak game. She rolled her eyes. No matter how cute he was, she would not succumb to his smooth voice and killer body. At least she didn’t give him her name. Now, she wished she’d brought her phone so that she could tell Alicia and Serena about the jerk. They knew how to handle men like that. Serena probably would’ve pushed him into the hot tub and Alicia would’ve made him feel worthless with her biting sarcasm.
Well, if I see him again, I’m just going to ignore the horn dog, she thought as she peeled off her wet suit and headed for the shower.
Still, as she stood in the shower, her mind wandered back to his haunting eyes, and despite herself, when she felt the lick of the water against her neck, she thought of his lips and tongue being there. Kandace quickly shut off the water.
“Get it together,” she admonished. “He’s just trying to score, and you were the only one in the hot tub.”
Just as Kandace finished drying off and rubbing lotion on her skin, there was a knock at the door.
“Yes,” she said as she wrapped herself in the robe and looked through the peephole.
“Delivery for Kandace Davis,” the hotel messenger said. Kandace opened the door and accepted the large white box.
“Wait, let me get you a tip,” she said.
“No need, ma’am. It’s been taken care of,” the delivery man said. “Have a good evening.”
Kandace looked at the box, wondering who sent her a gift. She was sure it wasn’t any of her friends, but no one else knew she was staying there. She looked down at the ivory box and saw that it had come from the resort’s gift shop. There was no card on the outside of the box, so Kandace opened it. Inside, she found a red fur bikini. Kandace lifted the barely-there garment from the box and a card fell to the floor. She dropped the box on the bed and picked up the card.
I want to see you in this and then I want to see it on the floor. It was signed, The Jackass.
“He has some damned nerve,” she muttered as she grabbed the box and then stuffed the bikini back inside. Kandace grabbed a pair of lounge pants and a tank top, then she stuffed her feet inside her Uggs and headed downstairs to the gift shop. The message on the card echoed in her head. I want to see you in this and then I want to see it on the floor.
What in the world made him think she’d wear that bikini, and more importantly, what in the hell gave him the balls to think she’d take it off for him? Kandace stormed inside the shop and walked up to the counter.
“Yes, ma’am, how may I help you?” the clerk asked with a cheery smile on her face.
“I
