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Trust Grace to put a logical spin on the situation. But she was right. If she did sleep with Bryce, it could be with the full knowledge that she wouldn’t ever see him again. There wouldn’t be the remotest chance that one day she would bump into him as she stepped off a subway train. And if he wasn’t what he seemed, would it even matter?
She glanced at her battery operated friend.Sorry honey, you are going back in my suitcase. I’m getting some real action tonight.
“Alright. If the opportunity presents itself, I will spend the night with him. He has an ocean view suite. And before you ask, yes, I did pack my blue cocktail dress.”
She wasn’t ready to become a cat lady just yet. Besides Grace was Spike’s cat mom, not her.
A year ago Grace had pressured Vivian into buying the dress. It had cost her a serious amount of cash at Saks Fifth Avenue, but if there was any garment in her wardrobe guaranteed to have men checking her out, it was the halter neck treasure which she took with her whenever she was staying at a high end resort.
“That’s my girl. I told you that dress was a wise investment. They should have it listed on the New York stock exchange. Its trading code would be SEX, and I’d make a killing shorting the stock.”
Grace worked for one of the big investment and trading houses on Wall Street. She liked to make up finance and sex analogy jokes. Vivian didn’t have the heart to tell her friend that most of them went over her head.
Ok, if Bryce asks, I am in.
Decision made, Vivian nodded to herself. Her little blue devil dress was going out to shine in a California sunset. And if things went well tonight, she would be wearing it again tomorrow morning as she stole back into her room.
“I’ve got to go Vivian, Marlon will be here soon, and we are heading out for drinks and dinner. I hope tonight goes off like an orgasmic rocket. If you are ready to get back in the game, then when you’re home, I think we should look at that dating apphe who shall not be namedsigned you up to and see what sort of talent it attracts. And yes, I am going to utter the magic words—use this guy as a palate cleanser. Now go and get some.”
Grace was gone before Vivian could make her protests. She wondered what sort of guy would willingly sign up for a thousand dollar a year dating site. No doubt many of them would be ambitious, driven, and determined. Men who saw themselves going places. But somewhere in the middle of all the finance brokers and C grade celebrities there might just be a special man, one brave enough to swipe right for a poorly paid travel writer who couldn’t afford to renew her subscription.
“Even money mavens need love.”
She tossed her cell onto the mattress and went to take a long, hot shower.
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
Nerves had Vivian pacing her room long before she was due to meet Bryce for dinner. She’d checked her emails and Lionel had confirmed he’d received her review. He was happy with both the magazine copy and the photos. Vivian sent a brief reply, noting their agreement for her to do the Como piece. Lionel was a good boss, but it paid to have those sorts of things in writing.
Review done and dusted. Well done, Vivian.
Her mind wouldn’t settle.Time to venture out and have a calming cocktail.If she didn’t, there was every chance she would wear a hole in the carpet of her room.
The restaurant was exactly how she hoped it would be, mood lighting and an unobtrusive sound track playing low in the background. Whoever had designed this part of the resort had read the memo about letting the Pacific Ocean be the star. As Vivian took a seat at the bar, she gave it a tick of approval.
I expect it was the same member of the design team who insisted on the glass windows in the breakfast space. I am glad I mentioned them and the view in my review.
Lionel had always impressed upon her the ideal that resorts were meant to be in tune with the landscape. The guest experience should be one of taking home memories of food and the wonderful locale. Soft sheets, and excellent service was merely a side dish. He might be right about stunning locations, but then again, she doubted he’d ever had to go to a hotel reception desk late at night and beg for a duvet.
As the bartender sat her tall glass of Royal Mimosa gently in front of her, Vivian wondered if somewhere deep inside, Lionel didn’t really understand resorts. They were meant to be a whole. A complete experience. And in the case of the expensive ones offered by groups such as Royal Resorts, they were supposed to leave their guests with an incredible and lasting memory of their stay. Unfortunately, the Royal Resorts Platinum Collection, Laguna Beach, had missed the mark. There was so much room for improvement.
The review is done, now it’s time for me.
The warm air kissed her skin. Tender fingers of breeze threaded their way through her long tresses. It felt like an imaginary lover was touching her body. Vivian took a sip of her cocktail as the sensuous night air had her sex clenching with need. The heady beat of desire drummed through her body.
She shivered as a warm fingertip traced its way down the skin of her naked back. When Bryce leaned in and whispered, “You look stunning,” she was ready to call for the check and drag him back to her room.
“May I join you?” he murmured.
She swallowed deep and replied in a voice thick with anticipation. “Yes, please.”
He took the stool next to hers and held his hand up to catch the bartender’s attention. Vivian was just about ready to melt when Bryce ordered a drink in fluent Spanish. She wasn’t the least surprised that he could speak another language.
She smiled as he exchanged a few friendly words with one of the resort staff. Some people had a way with others and Bryce Jones seemed to be one of those men who was not only comfortable in his own skin but happy to make others feel good.
Why some woman hadn’t already snapped him up Vivian couldn’t for the life of her fathom. If he was as good at everything as she suspected he was, Bryce was the kind of man who many women would have had no qualms about throwing away their own life plans in order to follow him around the world.
Maybe that’s not what he wants. He might be looking for a woman whose destiny is as important to her as his is to him. Then again, he couldn’t make a long distance relationship work.
