by Angel Devlin
"Oh look. You're going to have time."
Jodi took a huge exhale. "Thank God."
I met her mouth with my own. "I'll see you very soon."
As we stepped out of the elevator I pointed toward the female bathroom. I carried on through to my office as I had my own en-suite.
Tasha stood. "There you are. Ella Cassidy is here. Ms Griffin should be here shortly."
"I just have something to do in the office. I'll see you all in the boardroom at eleven. Could you get me a coffee and make sure—"
The look I was given stopped me from speaking any more.
"Of course, you already have all this organized. I really don't know what I would do without you."
"Well you'll get to find out soon because I'm going on vacation with my friends. We're going on Spring Break." She narrowed her eyes. "And before you make the mistake of saying am I too old, I didn't go the first time around. So myself and two other friends have decided we'll do it now, the year we all hit twenty-five because surely to God, someone will take pity and marry me before I'm thirty."
"You deserve someone who will cherish you, not someone who will take pity. He'll arrive one day."
"You sound like my mother."
"And on that note, I'll take my ancient thirty-year-old body through to my office ready for this meeting." I laughed at her and walked off.
The laugh fell off my face though as I looked at my reflection as I splashed my face with water. What was Jodi going to say when she found out who I was?
Chapter Seven
JODI
"Where the hell have you been?" Ella whisper-shouted after I'd shaken Connie and Tasha's hands following introductions.
"Having coffee." I replied, before accepting a mug of the stuff from Tasha.
"You are flushed and flustered. I don't know what you did with Mr. Emerald." She said his name strangely, "but it wasn't having coffee. Unless that's the new phrase replacing 'Netflix and Chill'?"
Then he was there. Alex walked into the room. He never said he was going to be here! But I guessed he did do the research…
"Ah, here's Mr. Green now." Said Connie and the world stopped turning.
Mr. Green?
But his name's Alex… Emerald.
You dumb bitch. He's Alex…ander Green.
I stood up, my legs trembling and not because of the previous hour's antics. "You'll have to excuse me. I'm feeling ill."
Ella stood up to follow me.
"No, Ella. Finish the meeting. See what Mr. Green is offering. He seemed in a pretty giving mood earlier."
"Jodi. Please stay. We can talk afterward." Alex pleaded, trying to grab my arm as I walked past him.
"I've nothing to say to you except screw you, you damn liar."
With that I turned on my heel and walked out of the room.
I was such an idiot.
I took refuge back in the restroom. My legs had started to buckle as I left the room, so I felt it wise to not stray too far away from Ella until I felt a bit stronger.
The first time I took a chance for some fun and it was with the CEO! What must he have thought? I don't care what he said, I'd bet he'd had his share of pussy and now I would be added to his list of conquests. He was a billionaire for fuck's sake. What would he want with me?
A billionaire. I started to laugh hysterically. I’d fucked a billionaire in the elevator of his department store. I'd bet even a hooker would have gotten a five-star hotel room.
The washroom door opened and Ella walked in.
"I thought I told you to stay at the meeting?"
"You're my best friend. As if I'm going to leave you on your own. Alexander said we can reschedule for any time. I'd already talked to Connie for thirty minutes before the meeting anyway. What they want us to do is incredible. They want us to do a bridal line, Jodi. Our own bridal line in Juniper!"
"Really?" I began to stop thinking about my humiliation and concentrated on the amazing opportunities for our careers. I could put this behind me, if Alex was willing. Or I would bow out and let Ella take the lead. She couldn't lose such an opportunity because of my mistakes.
Ella opened her mouth to speak then stopped.
"What?"
"Alexander is distraught. He's pacing around outside the restroom."
My eyes widened. "How does he know I'm in here?"
"He contacted his security team to follow where you'd gone. All the halls have cameras."
I folded my arms over my chest. "Well, I'm glad he's distraught seeing as he just used me and then humiliated me."
That earned me a tilted head sympathy look. "Jodi. Alexander hasn't used you. I've just been talking to him and he told me everything. He's so into you."
"He only met me a couple of days ago!"
"So what? Me and Finn pussy-footed around each other for over a year. The minute we knew we both wanted each other that was it. You know he proposed the next day. The next day! Just because you slept with each other within seconds of properly meeting doesn't mean you can't take your time getting to know each other now."
I bit the side of my lip.
"You know I'm right in matters of the heart. Don't make me contact Grace Graham to see if you're the perfect match for each other."
That made me smile. She would as well.
"So what do I do?" I chewed on my bottom lip.
"Let him come talk to you. See what he has to say. What do you have to lose?"
My heart.
I took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll talk to him."
Ella hugged me. "It's the right thing to do. He didn't mean to give you a false name, he just panicked, and to be honest, you're not the sharpest knife in the drawer, are you? Mr. Emerald. I worked it out in seconds."
"You knew?" I asked incredulously.
"Yes, and I encouraged you to go for it. He's a fucking hot billionaire!" She gave me an extra squeeze. "Right, I'm out of here and going back to the store. I won't expect to see you again today, but when you get a chance send me all the dirty details."
I was about to protest when she glared at me.
I put my hands up in a gesture of surrender. "Okay, boss."
She left and Alexander walked in. Once again, I was struck by how much just being near him made my body tingle with electricity.
I swallowed.
"Jodi. I am so sorry." He walked over to me and tipped my chin up, so I looked into those green depths.
"I feel a fool. Ella worked it out."
"Ella wasn't caught up in our feelings for each other. I said Emerald. I mean, I’m the fool. But you captivated me. Do captivate me. When I'm with you, I can't think straight. Please forgive me. My name was the only thing I lied about. Well, that and letting you think I was a corporate spy or part of a research team. Oh and for full disclosure, I stopped the elevator. It wasn't actually faulty."
My eyes went huge.
"I'd do it all again. I regret nothing." He said, his chin tilted up in a haughty manner.
I stared at the billionaire hottie currently standing in the middle of the female restroom looking like a petulant teenager, and all my anxieties just washed away.
Why was I trying to fight this?
Yes, we’d just met. Yes, we needed to get to know each other.
But we'd gotten off to an amazing start.
We'd gotten off… literally.
"Alex, are there cameras in this bathroom?"
"No. Just outside, so don't worry, our conversation isn't being observed."
"Oh, that wasn't why I was asking…" I waited until the shoe dropped.
“Oh.” His eyes flashed with wicked mischief.
And we did get to know each other a whole lot better… once we made it out of the restroom!
THE END
Tasha's story takes place in SPRING BREAK DOUBLE TAKE. Coming soon!
For more ANGEL DEVLIN reads click here:
www.amazon.com/author/angeldevlin
SPRING BREAK DOUBLE TAKE
Chapte
r One
TASHA
My boss came into the office dressed from head to toe in black. Black suit, black shirt, black tie, black socks, black shoes.
"Alexander. I do not have funeral in your online schedule, so you might want to update me. Plus, I'm sorry for your loss."
"If you were sorry you wouldn't go on vacation tomorrow."
I frowned. He was getting my future Botox invoice if he didn't explain himself soon.
"That's why you have a girlfriend. You go to Jodi for a shoulder to cry on."
"She can't organize my life; she's too busy building her own empire."
"Which you have made busier by offering her and her partner the exclusive bridal contract."
"I was a fool. All I can think to do is to get her barefoot and pregnant as soon as possible so that I can keep her at home."
"Yeah, well that’s a distinct possibility if you continue fucking in every available elevator and ladies restroom." I quipped. I pointed at him and directed it from his shirt to his shoes. "So, are you going to explain this?"
He smirked. "I'm in mourning because you're going on vacation. While you're away I shall fall entirely apart. If the business crumbles and share prices crash, it's all on you."
I simultaneously felt relieved no one died and amused at his antics. "Oh for God's sake. Dramatic much? You’re dressed all in black because I'm having a week off work?"
"Yes!" He fell to his knees in front of me. "Please don't leave me."
"Get up you fool, or I'll make it two weeks vacation instead of one."
He stood up and burst out laughing. "I'll be in my office crying if you need me."
I threw a paperclip at him.
"Go on, get empire building."
I’d worked for Juniper's for five years. Alexander was my elder brother's best friend and I’d known him forever. Basically he was just another brother to me and that's why we worked together so well. He was a billionaire, and most people, especially staff, were in awe of him. I could care less. To me he was the boy who'd joined in with my brother to torment me and pull my pigtails, until they realized I grew old enough to kick them in the balls and wise enough to collect evidence to blackmail them with, such as video clips of them snoring which wouldn't look cool posted to social media and tagged. When I’d passed my secretarial exams, he hadn't hesitated to offer me the job working with him. He refused to say 'for him' because he knew I would have told him to go screw himself. Truth was, I loved the man dearly. He was family to me.
But, this girl needed a vacation. I had been training up a couple of other secretaries just in case a miracle happened and I met someone and got to have the baby I longed for. I was almost twenty-five, and I knew I was still young, but I really wanted a large family. Trouble was I'd yet to meet a man who was enough for me. I think I scared them!
Anyhow, for the next week I was going to put all the stresses of life behind me and enjoy a well- deserved vacation. My best friends, Sherry and Riley had convinced me to come with them to South Padre Island in Texas for Spring Break.
As college girls we'd been too shy to join in with the wild antics associated with it and had opted for days spent swimming. Sherry was about to get married and had decided that her bachelorette was us going wild for a week.
I'd said yes, thinking that I'd just do what I did last time and sunbathe and swim, but after seeing how Alexander had met his girlfriend, Jodi, and just gone for it, I was wondering if I might take a leaf out of his book…
What happened on Spring Break stayed on Spring Break, right?
Chapter Two
TASHA
We’d arrived and I just decided I’d probably made the biggest mistake of my life. The place was slammed with young people. YOUNG. Not twenty-four/twenty-five. YOUNG. I’d never felt so old in my whole life. People were wasted, and it seemed that every female around had a high-pitched giggle. My friends had reminded me to pack a bikini. Looking at the girls here it seemed beachwear was optional, at least on top.
We’d booked a Junior Suite with two Queen beds and an ocean view. Doors from the bedroom opened out onto a balcony and I had to admit the view was stunning. Although I’d have found it even prettier had there been no one on the beach at all.
“Ooh, the couch is comfy.” Riley shouted from the living room area.
She was awarded with serious side-eye from Sherry. “The fuck? We are in Texas, here to go wild and you tell me the couch is comfy? Get up off that fine ass and get your bikini on. We’re off to experience Spring Break, ladies.”
I swapped a worried glance with Riley. Sherry caught it and threw herself on her bed with a deep sigh, her blonde hair flopping over her face. “Oh my god, I came on holiday with geriatrics. This is my last hurrah before Kade puts that ring on my finger. I have brought you two single ladies with me so we can have the most amazing time. And you two, can have utterly wild sex, even if I intend to stay faithful. But girls, I want someone to drink a shot out of my belly-button. So come on, let’s do this.”
“What’s the sleeping situation?” Riley asked nodding toward the beds. Do me and Tasha have to share because you’re the bachelorette?
“If you’re doing this properly, I will have this place to myself and you two will be busy. Getting. It. On.”
Riley winked. “Hey, we’re friends, but not that good friends.”
Sherry narrowed her eyes. “I meant with some of the fine specimens of men on this Island. Time to be cougars at the grand old age of twenty-four.” She giggled.
I widened my eyes at Riley.
“Bikini’s! Now!” Sherry commanded.
Once we got down onto the amazingly named Rockstar Beach, we decided it really was time to forget about the reality of home and join in with the crazy. Cardi B was singing on stage and thousands of people were dry humping, singing, playing beach volleyball, and dancing. You name it, it was happening. Men openly had handfuls of female ass; and so many people were having drinks poured down their throats. I was so out of my comfort zone, I felt the only thing to do was to get drunk. Riley felt the same way and it had been Sherry’s intention all along, so drinks it was. We drank cocktails and before long, we were jumping up and down on the beach to the music and laughing and giggling.
And it felt good. Like I’d slipped the comfort zone right off my body. I felt free for the first time in a hell of a while.
By the time evening came around and it went dark, we were dragged by Sherry to Clayton’s stage where a famous DJ I’d never heard of because I was old, mixed sounds while neon lights flashed at the back of him and everyone held up Glow Stick wands. Sherry had indeed begged a guy to drink out of her belly button, having decided she didn’t want to do it the other way around. Riley had been forced to take photos of the entire 3 second experience so that Sherry could remember how she’d lived life to the full before marriage. The more she went on about her upcoming nuptials, the more it made me feel like I never wanted to settle down ever. I’d had a serious boyfriend in high school, and I’d dated a few guys since then, but like I’d said, none of them ever seemed enough.
As we were walking away from the concert toward the seated area on the beach, a group of four guys came over to us and three of them picked each of us up and ran with us down the beach. I screamed in surprise yet felt exhilarated as the wind whipped through my hair. By the time they put us down I was giggling and loving the feel of warm hands around my body.
I turned around to see I’d been carried by a total sex God. Tall, with short blond hair and blue eyes, his skin was lightly tanned. Sandy eyebrows were raised at me as I was caught fully appraising that fine physique.
A hand was held out to me. “I’m Seth.”
I held my own out. He grabbed hold of it and pulled me in toward him and then his mouth met mine. I was so shocked that my own opened in surprise, giving him time to slip in his tongue. Deciding what happened on Spring Break stayed on Spring Break, I threw myself into the kiss, almost running out of oxygen before I came ba
ck up for air.
Everyone applauded us. Though my cheeks had gone beet red, I bowed to everyone.
“So, what does Seth have that I don’t?” A voice said from behind me. I turned around to find I was staring at a carbon copy of the guy I’d kissed.
And hell, the truth was, without looking to see if they were identical in every way, I had no answer.
I shrugged my shoulders. “I’d need to do more research.” I giggle-snorted. Sherry burst out laughing. Riley was playing tonsil-tennis with another guy from the group and had no idea what was happening around her or didn’t care.
“Well then. Step aside, Seth. Let me kiss the girl and see which of us she likes best, or if she can’t decide.”
I swallowed. Say what?
Chapter Three
TASHA
“Erm.” I stood there not knowing if this was a joke.
“Kiss him.” Sherry chanted and the others joined in. Even Riley and her guy broke off to clap and chant.
I chewed on my bottom lip.
“Go for it,” Seth said. “Compare my kisses with Shane’s. See if you can tell a difference.”
I still hesitated until Sherry grabbed my arm and pointed just up the beach. “Tasha, there’s a girl up there having her ass eaten out by a dude. You’re just kissing two different guys. In fact, they’re so alike it’s like the same guy, so stop hesitating and get your fucking tongue down his throat.”
I took a large intake of breath and then launched myself at Shane.
He was also an amazing kisser and his fingers trailed up and down my back while his mouth danced with mine, causing my skin to goose bump. I shivered a moan into his mouth. After a few minutes I broke the kiss and then looked shyly at Seth. Now what did I do? Which one did I stand next to, talk to? Or did I leave both of them and stand with my friends. Yes, finally the synapses of my brain fired and I went to stand at the side of Sherry.
