AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Brodie
Christ, I couldn’t believe I told her my dad was in prison. Was I fucking crazy? I never told anyone that willingly.
“How did it all go down?” she asked.
“My dad’s business partners found out he was shifting money around to get them through a rough patch. He could have handled it differently—it’s not like he was hurting for money. But they took the case to the DA, and he ended up in prison.”
She took a bite of her halibut. “How’d you end up in charge of the hotel?”
“Well, the agreement we worked out was that I would run the hotel and make payments to the plaintiffs—in this case, my dad’s business partners. They eventually passed away, and now, I’m dealing with their sons. We had to put together a partnership, and I’ve done well by them. I want to make it up to them.”
“That is a lot to take on, especially when you didn’t even wrong those folks.”
“Yeah. Well, I love the hotel. My dad built it, and I practically grew up there. This arrangement was really the only way to save it.”
“I’m impressed. You’re making it work,” she said.
“Well, it’s not been without its issues. In fact, I’m afraid something serious is brewing right now.”
God, it felt good to talk about this.
“What’s going on?”
I told her the story of my call to the firm and how the dissolution of the partnership might work.
“Oh my god! What are you going to do?” she asked.
I took a sip of the Opus One wine I’d ordered. Sublime…like the stunner sitting across from me.
“I’m not sure, yet. I’m thinking through my options.”
“Wow, just wow. And I thought I had problems.” She gave a small laugh and shook her head.
I held my glass to her.
“Cheers. May all our problems be solved. Eventually.”
* * *
I thought I’d been smitten by women before, but apparently, I’d fooled myself. This here, this was the real thing.
Nara was a scrapper, not some spoiled Manhattanite like I was used to. When she excused herself for the ladies’ room, all I could do was stare at the lipstick on the rim of her martini glass.
Get a grip, asshole.
After dinner, we had time to kill before the helicopter returned to pick us up. We headed toward the moonlit beach where a light breeze was blowing off the Atlantic.
Much to my delight, she shivered, giving me another excuse to wrap my arm around her. Funny, I never needed an excuse to touch a woman before. But with Nara, I wouldn’t make assumptions.
Patience was suddenly a valued virtue.
We headed toward a pier where a couple old guys were fishing. We passed them, and at the end of the old wooden structure, we leaned on the railing and looked down at the black water circling around barnacled pilings. I inhaled the saltwater smells, which reminded me of coming here as a kid.
My family hadn’t taken helicopters to get here back then. We’d piled into an old Volvo station wagon back before my dad had made it big with the hotel. Back before he’d screwed up badly enough to end up in prison.
I turned to find Nara, eyes closed, face turned into the breeze. A few strands of her inky hair had come loose and whipped around her face. Goddamn if she didn’t take my breath away.
I ran a light finger from her temple to her cheek, and I tucked the errant hairs behind her ear. Her eyes remained closed, but her lips formed a slight smile. She sighed deeply.
I brushed my lips over hers, and she released the hottest little moan. In seconds, my dick was standing at attention inside my trousers.
I ran the tip of my tongue over her relaxed lips. They parted with my gentle probing. She tasted like wine, only sweeter, and it was all I could do to keep from devouring her.
When I pulled her closer, her hands fell on the back of my own neck, running through my hair. She grabbed a handful and hung on hard.
Playing rough. I did not expect that.
Pulling back, I left her needing more. I had a sudden urge to see her face, which was all the more beautiful in the dark where I could really only see the contrast of her blowing hair against her fair skin. I cupped her cheeks.
“You’re something, Miss Happy.”
She looked down, maybe in embarrassment, I wasn’t sure. Then her gaze met mine.
“You’re not too bad yourself, Hotel Guy.”
“You know what?” I asked.
“What?”
“The cab is here to take us back to the helicopter.” I laughed.
I could swear she looked a little disappointed that our intimate moment had to end. But she needn’t worry. There’d be more.
* * *
