“I had no idea.”
“He also said you mentioned I sketched.”
“I did.”
“Did you tell him to take me to the art store?”
I shrugged. I had not necessarily instructed him to take her. I had asked him to pick up supplies. “Did he?”
She was smiling big. “He did. He said you told him that I would have lots of downtime and would be able to sketch. I tried to keep it simple, but he insisted on buying everything. I barely got out of there with just the essentials.”
“I can’t wait to see what you draw.”
“Don’t get your hopes up. It’s been a while. I’m sure I am a little rusty.”
“I have no doubt in my mind that it’s going to be great.”
The car pulled onto the tarmac.
“Oh my gosh,” she breathed. “I cannot believe we are taking a private jet.”
“I think you’ll enjoy your first flight a lot more on a private jet than you would a crowded, stinky airplane.”
“I have no doubt in my mind you are right.”
I introduced Paislee to our usual flight attendant. The two exchanged pleasantries before we settled into our seats.
“This is so nice,” she exclaimed and rubbed her hand over the leather armrest.
“I spend a lot of time on this jet,” I told her. “It needs to be comfortable.”
She was looking around the cabin. Her eyes settled on the door at the back of the cabin. “Is that the bathroom?”
“That’s the lying-down room.”
She laughed and rolled her eyes. “You have a bedroom on your jet?”
“We do a lot of transcontinental flying. I would never be able to get anything done if I didn’t sleep when I could. I’m not great at sleeping in a chair.”
The plane started to taxi down the runway. She gripped the armrests, her eyes wide as the plane took off into the air. “Oh my god,” she breathed. “We’re flying.”
I smiled and nodded. “We are flying.”
“This is bonkers.”
Once we were at the proper altitude, the flight attendant came out of the cockpit area. “Your usual?” she asked.
“Please. Paislee, would you like a glass of wine? Mimosa? Something else?”
“A what?” she asked.
“A mimosa,” I said with a smile. “She’ll have one of those.”
“I will?”
“Trust me, you’ll like it.”
My whiskey was brought a minute later with her mimosa. She took a tentative drink. “Is this alcohol?”
I laughed. “It is. We’re headed to Jamaica. This will help relax you and get you in the mood.”
“The mood for what?” she said with a laugh. “Don’t forget our deal.”
“I think of that deal every damn day. Sometimes five times a day.”
“What time will we be landing in Jamaica?”
“About two,” I told her.
“And do we have something to do when we get there?”
“No. The opening activities start tomorrow. You’ll have the late afternoon to relax and unwind.”
“Perfect.”
She turned to look out the window. I was thrilled to be able to experience this first with her. Watching the excitement on her face made me appreciate flying just a little more. I realized I took a lot of things for granted. She was grateful for all of the little things, and it reminded me to appreciate them too.
It was about an hour later when we were served cold cucumber sandwiches with iced tea. “This is so good,” she exclaimed. “I’ve never had a cucumber sandwich.”
“I figured you would want to eat light. We’ll have a big dinner tonight, and of course, there will be plenty of appetizers.”
“This is perfect. Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me. Remember, we’re engaged. We’re partners. We’re supposed to be a team.”
“I would still thank you if you were really my fiancé.”
I realized then that it was just her personality. “Okay, but just remember, we’re engaged, and I do things for you all the time and vice versa.”
“And I will thank you for everything you do for me.”
I wasn’t going to win this. I didn’t want to win it. I liked that she was appreciative. It was refreshing. She wasn’t spoiled and she didn’t expect anything.
It was definitely a nice change from the other women I dated in the past.
Chapter 20
Paislee
“We’ll be landing soon,” the stewardess said with a smile.
“Already?” I was a little bummed the flight was over. For my first time flying, I felt like I’d done great. I was a little nervous at first, but then it was just fun.
She smiled. “Can I get you anything?”
“No, I’m good.”
I glanced over at Jay. He had his laptop open and had been working for the past few hours. I felt guilty that I was enjoying myself so much while he worked. I had a feeling work was his default. He claimed he was always working. I was hoping he got to relax a little while we were here. Then again, he was opening a hotel. I doubted there was much free time in his future.
The moment we stepped off the plane, I felt the warmth. I deeply inhaled and smelled the moisture in the air. I couldn’t believe I was actually on a tropical island.
“Is everything okay?” he asked me.
I realized I’d stopped halfway down the stairs. “Fine. I just can’t believe I’m here.”
A limousine pulled up and stopped. I looked at him with wide eyes. “Our chariot awaits.”
“Are you serious?”
“It’s part of our hotel service.”
“You pick up your guests with limousines?”
“If they request it, yes. It’s part of our elevated service. It’s what sets us apart from the rest. We go five star all the way.”
I felt giddy. I clapped my hands together. “I cannot wait to see this place.”
He put an arm around me and pulled me close. “You being here is going to make this experience so much better.”
“I will do my best.”
The ride to the hotel was too short. I was looking left and right and trying to take it all in. It was exactly as I imagined it would be but better. It was brighter and smelled better than I imagined.
I was going to take a million pictures. I had my little point and shoot camera. It wasn’t fancy but it would do. The phone he insisted I keep also had a pretty badass camera. I promised to send Bella a ton of pictures.
When the car came to a stop, the first thing I noticed were the colorful birds in a large enclosure on the opposite side of the hotel front entrance. I was definitely getting a picture of those. A man approached, wearing black slacks and a crisp white shirt. It was very professional, yet casual.
“This way, sir,” another man said, rushing toward us.
I followed Jay. He seemed so comfortable in the setting. I was trying to look cool and casual as well. My eyes drank in the sight of the opulent lobby. There was a huge waterwall in the middle with tropical plants surrounding it. Plush couches were situated around the massive space with TVs mounted all around. I couldn’t possibly take it all in with one walkthrough. I was going to spend some time exploring the entire place.
“Your suite, sir,” the employee said.
“Thank you,” Jay said and slipped the man some cash.
Something was bothering me. It took a second to filter through all the good stuff I was feeling. “Wait, what?” I said when the employee pushed our bags into the room.
Jay gave me a look that said to keep quiet. I waited for the employee to leave before I spun around and looked at him. He held up a hand. “Relax.”
“One room? Jameson, I made it very clear that nothing was going to happen.”
“Yes, you did, but we’re supposed to be engaged. I couldn’t very well book two rooms. I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“You can’t sleep on the couch.”
>
His eyes flashed. “Do you want me to sleep with you?”
“No!”
He winked. “Then I’ll sleep on the couch.”
I walked into the suite feeling a little better about things. Once again, I was overwhelmed at the luxuriousness of the room. I walked around the suite and tried to take it all in. I opened a door and walked into a massive bedroom. The bed was huge. I felt a little guilty about making him sleep on the couch. He was a big guy and he deserved to sleep well. I supposed we could make a wall of pillows down the middle. I’d keep that option to myself for the time being.
“So, what do we do first?” I asked him.
“Would you like to change?”
I looked down at the dress. “Should I?”
“No. Only if you want to.”
“I think I’m okay,” I said. I felt out of my element. “Are you going to change?”
“No. Let’s get a drink and then I’ll give you a tour of the place.”
“Perfect!”
I was hoping he would show me around. I wanted to see it all and having a personal tour guide would make it all the better. He took my hand, and we left the suite. I had to remember we were a happily engaged couple as soon as we walked out the door.
“A pool?” I asked when I saw a sign pointing in the direction.
He grinned. “You are going to love this pool. It’s an infinity pool.”
“A what?”
We walked outside and followed a path that was lined with gorgeous tropical plants. I could hear voices and splashing. I gasped when I saw the pool. “Oh my god! It looks like they are going to fall right off the edge!”
“It’s safe.”
“Look at the view!” I exclaimed. Beyond the pool was the Caribbean in all its glory. It was the most spectacular view I had ever seen. I was blown away by the majestic view.
“It’s a billion-dollar view,” he said with a laugh. “At least I hope it is.”
“It is stunning.”
“Let’s move on.”
We walked around the grounds before he led me back through the lobby. Everything was designed with every detail in mind. There was nothing overlooked. There were USB chargers in every seat, just like I heard they had in the airports. The place was quiet yet humming with activity. Excited guests milled about with cocktails in hand.
“Should we get a drink?” he asked.
“I’d love one. They look very tropical.”
He got us each a drink with a little pink umbrella. I took a sip and was immediately in love with it.
“I’ll show you the gym,” he said.
I burst into laughter. A snort escaped me before I could stop it. “You just gave me a cocktail and now we are going to the gym?”
“Just to show you.”
“Damn, this looks like a real gym.”
“State of the art.”
We continued down the hall. He opened a door and I felt like I had stepped into an actual library. There were dark wood shelves that lined the walls with comfortable chairs and table lamps sitting between each one. An older woman looked up from the book she was reading and smiled at us.
“A library,” I whispered.
“We wanted our guests to be able to unwind and relax. Julia spent months curating the collection. There is a little something for everyone.”
“This is innovative. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a library in a hotel.”
He smiled and stepped out. “That’s the goal. We want to offer what no one else does. We have the usual business center, daycare, and bar, but our restaurant is one of the best on the island.”
“You’re not biased, are you?” I said with a laugh.
“Not at all. The chef in our restaurant is the best. When you eat dinner tonight, you will agree.”
“I’m looking forward to judging that.”
“Trust me, you will not be disappointed.”
I followed him down a corridor and turned left. He opened another door and I was immediately in love. “What is this?”
“This is our music room. Eventually, we’ll have music artists here to entertain. It will be a very quaint, cozy performance. We’re courting some local musicians as well as some bigger names that are willing to do an acoustic performance.”
“That’s old school,” I said as I walked into the room.
I was drawn to the Steinway grand piano in the corner of the room. It was set upon a beautiful white rug and shone to the point I could see my reflection in the smooth surface. There were chairs around the room, a few pub-style chairs and a row of folding chairs. Soft lighting set a quiet, intimate tone. It was something I would expect to see in a piano bar.
“What do you think?” he asked.
“Hmm?” I asked. I barely heard him. I was fixated on the piano. It was pristine. I was guessing brand new. I very carefully ran my fingers over it and imagined what it would be like to have one of these. It was always a dream of mine.
“The piano,” he said. “Is it the right kind?”
“The right kind?”
“You negotiated a piano. Here it is.”
“It’s a beautiful piano, but I bet you know that.”
“I honestly don’t know the first thing about pianos,” he said with a laugh.
“What is this place?” I whispered.
“This is our music room. Would you like to play something?”
“Oh, I don’t dare.”
“I would love it if you would. I had this piano added specifically with you in mind.”
“Really?”
“Play?” he asked.
I was dying to play it. “You don’t mind?”
“It would be my honor to hear you play.”
I nervously laughed as I sat down at the piano. “Be careful what you wish for.”
I sat down, my fingers gently resting on the keys. I took a moment to just be in the moment. I was seated in front of a Steinway. I wasn’t going to ask if it was tuned. Of course, it would be.
I started with a classical piece to get warmed up. My fingers flew over the keys. The sound of the piano was superior to anything I had ever played or even heard. It was way better than the piano in the orphanage or the church.
I transitioned to a song I wrote years ago. It was one of my favorites. I had tweaked it a hundred times until it was just about perfect. I got lost in the music. The room was perfect for the piano. The sound wrapped around me and enraptured me. I felt a tear slide down my cheek. It was a tear of joy and sadness. The song was one I had written about being alone in the world and feeling lost. Hearing it on the Steinway amplified all those feelings I had back then.
When the song came to an end, I stopped playing with my fingers resting on the keys and my head bowed. A slow clap drew my attention. I looked up to see Jay clapping with a handful of other people alongside him. I didn’t realize I had an audience. One woman was dabbing her eyes with a tissue. Seeing her emotion was validation that I could play.
“Thank you,” I said, feeling a little embarrassed. I got up from the bench and walked right into Jay’s arms.
He hugged me before kissing the top of my head. “That was amazing,” he whispered.
“Thank you.”
“Beautiful,” the woman said. “Do you play here?”
“No, I was just testing out the piano.”
“Oh my, you should play professionally.”
“One day,” Jay said before he wrapped an arm around my waist and led me out of the room.
He kept his hand around me the whole way back to our suite. I had this feeling like I was floating. Like I was walking on air.
“Do you want to go to dinner?” he asked. “Or I can order room service?”
“I’m okay going to the restaurant if you want to. If not, I’m cool staying in as well.”
“Why don’t we order in for tonight?” he said. “I’m beat and I would like to just take a break.”
“That sounds like a great plan.”
�
�Thank you.”
He pushed open the door. I went into the room, changed out of the dress, and pulled on my lounge clothes. I was actually glad he wanted to stay in. I was ready for a nice quiet night in. I grabbed the sketchpad and new set of charcoal pencils and sat down on the couch with my feet tucked under me. Jay came out of the bathroom wearing a pair of Nike sweats and a T-shirt. It was the first time I had seen him dress so casual.
“You look cozy,” he said.
“I’ll confess, I’m so glad you wanted to stay in.”
“Me too. The next few days are going to be intense. We need the downtime. I know I do.”
I was really looking forward to our night in. It would be nice to get to know him on another level that didn’t include an interrogation.
Chapter 21
Jameson
I lay on the couch and stared up at the ceiling. She was twenty feet away in a bed that was more than big enough for the two of us. I knew it was a comfortable bed. It was the same mattress we used in all our hotels. But, out of respect for her, I was on the couch. I think part of me secretly thought she would invite me into the bed.
Yes, I knew what she said, but I thought we had a nice evening together. We talked while she sketched. I read some work stuff and just really enjoyed the time with her. If this kept up, I was really going to be hooked on the idea of this relationship thing. If this was how good it could be with a fake engagement, I could only imagine what it would be like when it was the real thing.
I could admit I was still hoping she would come out and invite me to share the bed with her. Deep down, I knew it wasn’t going to happen. She was a virgin.
That was still a hard one to get my head around. She was beautiful. She was fun and caring and her vibe was very down to earth and real. Why hadn’t a man scooped her up? The guys in her world needed to get their heads checked.
She wasn’t just beautiful. She was talented, too.
She’d let me peek at her sketches. It was a simple sketch of the pool area. It was crazy to see it in black and white but it was eye-catching. Her drawing skills were great, but damn, her musical talent was ridiculous. It moved me. Hell, it moved all of us that heard her play.
Pay Up Hot Stuff: A Billionaire Fake Fiancée Romance Page 13
