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He tilts his head to the side and studies my face with interest, and then he smiles. He takes a step toward me. I don’t move. His eyes are hooded and focused on my mouth.
“You know what? I don’t understand it myself.” He smiles gently and shrugs his shoulders.
He tips his head to the side and reaches out and strokes the tip of my nose before tracing the line of my top lip.
My pulse gives a little leap at the warm, intimate caress.
I shouldn’t allow it.
I can’t bring myself to step away from it.
“So, I’ll see you later,” he says casually and drops his hand. There’s an undercurrent of anticipation in his voice that both scares and excites me. Without saying bye, I turn around and rush toward the beach and safety.
5
Harry
This trip was a huge gamble. My father thought traveling to West Africa to source new plants for our farm’s greenhouse was crazy. It had taken months of running numbers, research and data to persuade him to let me make this investment.
I have big goals for the estate, and meeting them will require thinking outside of the box. My father’s been ill this year, and it’s reminded me that one day I’ll be in charge of running the business, and I want to make sure that when that day comes, I’m ready.
I want the people who depend on it to provide for their families to know it’s in good hands. And I want to show my father that taking calculated risks, if we’re smart about it, can pay off in spades. And that's why I'm here. I want us to expand from supplying just the stores and restaurants in our county. I want our new storefront in London to become a place where people come to find exciting new brands and products they may have tried on vacation but have never seen in the United Kingdom. Ghana is the last country I’m visiting before the end of the year. The relationships I establish and the new trade contracts I sign will be crucial to seeing my plans bear fruit.
So, it’s a real problem that I’m as distracted as a fifteen-year-old boy who's just seen his first Playboy pin-up. A pin-up who’s fully clothed and who wears a scowl instead of a beckoning smile. It’s almost time for dinner, and I'm salivating for a
glimpse of her now.
It's not any female company I want. I've been propositioned more times than I can count today. I thought the women at home were forward, but they're like docile lambs compared to the predators at this resort. A few of them have even rubbed hands down my chest, the sun glinting off the diamond rings adorning their left ring fingers.
I think about Emma and wonder if I’m being too impulsive. This is completely uncharted territory for me. I’ve never had a causal fling. I probably shouldn’t start now. But, I’ve never been attracted to someone instantaneously before. It not just her looks that intrigue me, it’s all the glimpses into her personality, too. She was right, we haven’t exactly gotten along since we met, but I can’t stop thinking about her. And for once in my life, I want to know what it’s like to do something just because I want to. To not have to worry about my responsibilities or the consequences.
My waiter asks for the third time whether I'd like to order anything. I start to respond in the negative when I see Kojo walk in, and instead decide to order him a beer. He's a good sport to come meet me, and I'm glad he'll be here to distract Bambi. I want to try and talk to Emma tonight, without an argument breaking out.
"Harry, am I late?" he says with a pleasant smile.
"No, I’m early.” I grin back and stand up to shake his hand. “Thanks for coming, K. You sure you don't mind?" I ask.
"Not at all. If she’s as pretty as you said, this will be fun. As long as she doesn’t ask me to buy her a new phone before dinner’s over, we’ll get on fine.” Kojo grins and takes a sip of his waiting beer as soon as he sits down.
I laugh dubiously. “Do girls ask for phones on first dates here?”
“You’d be surprised. Some of these girls come to the resort just to find a man to fleece,” he says dryly.
“She’s very pretty,” I reassure him. “She and her cousin are on vacation. I think you’ll like her. But if you don’t, wait until dinner’s over to show it. Please.”
He grins at me and lifts his beer to his mouth. “No problem. Restraint is my middle name.” And then he takes a huge sip of his drink.
“You’re such an idiot,” Bambi sneers at Kojo. “What do you know about the plight of students in this country?”
“We spent the week together.” Kojo spits at her, his fist pounds the table for emphasis. So much for his restraint. I take a huge gulp of my beer and stare at my food in dismay.
“She enjoyed all the nice meals I bought her, enjoyed riding in my nice air-conditioned car and pretended that we were going to keep in touch after she left.”
He twists his lips in disgust.
“And then one morning, I woke up, and she was gone. On the final morning, my bed was empty, and the only thing in my wallet was a note saying, “Thanks for the cash. Had fun.”
“And is it the fault of every woman that you’re too stupid to know the difference between a girl who’s working the resort and someone who’s really on vacation and looking for a good time?”
