One Way Ticket

by Tricia O'Malley

  “Interesting.” Paige smiled at the bartender – a pretty older woman with thick creases in her face.

  “A bucket of beers again?” Jack glanced at her.

  “Sure.”

  Once the bartender had returned with the bucket full of mini-beers and Jack had opened one for her, Paige leaned back and let out a long breath. Sipping her beer, she nodded her head to the low pulse of music coming from a tiny radio behind the bar and watched people wander past on the waterfront.

  “So you seem to be holding up alright,” Jack said, gesturing with his beer.

  “So do you,” Paige said.

  “Me? How so?” Jack laughed.

  “With CeCe and Whit,” Paige explained. There was a familiarity between the three of them that Paige just couldn’t put her finger on. It went past the normal friendly employee/employer relationship. And the same with the way Jack always spoke with easy affection about Mariposa. There were so many undercurrents that Paige couldn’t yet decipher the relationships of the staff at Tranquila Inn.

  “Ah.” Jack took a long pull of his drink and didn’t say anything else.

  “Why did they buy Tranquila Inn? Have they owned other hotels?” Paige prodded, realizing that Jack was not going to expand on his relationship with CeCe, though Paige desperately wanted to know what they had been arguing about so fiercely the other day.

  “CeCe and Whit have a tendency to be…impulsive. They often throw themselves into projects as a manner of escape.” Jack pressed his lips together in a thin line. “Tranquila was just their latest.”

  “Like…on to the next shiny bright thing?” Paige suggested.

  “Exactly. CeCe’s attention span isn’t great and frankly, I’m surprised they’ve been here as long as they have.” Jack’s words spoke of a long-bred familiarity.

  “How did you come to work for them? Like have you known them for a while?” Paige asked.

  “Yes.”

  It was like pulling teeth with this one, Paige glowered at her beer. “What was Tranquila Inn before they bought it?”

  “Blue Beach Resort. It was fairly run-down, to be honest. But CeCe had read an article about opening bed and breakfasts and somehow that translated into buying a run-down hotel on a tiny Caribbean island where tourism has suffered with recent hurricanes.”

  Sidetracked, Paige looked at him in surprise.

  “Have there been many storms? The downtown looks to be in fairly good shape.”

  “It is. But if you go further south, you’ll see many of the big hotels are still recovering from a storm a few years ago. In fact, it’s what made Tranquila Inn such a steal of a purchase – and actually not the stupidest piece of real estate to buy. While the big hotels are still recovering, Tranquila was able to open at reduced rates while the renovations were happening. We’ve had a surprisingly steady business, though I’d like to see more return guests. It’s hard to impress people when you’re still painting the rooms and so on.”

  “It sounds like you’ve done a good job with everything. This retreat seems fairly successful. Well…” Paige trailed off and remembered Mariposa’s words about Whit.

  “But…?” Jack turned to study her.

  “There’s some tension, I’ll admit. I think some people are questioning where Whit disappears to at night.” Paige carefully kept her gaze on her beer bottle, worried she’d be setting off an explosion with Jack – particularly if he was fond of CeCe.

  “That doesn’t sound like a problem that falls under our domain.”

  “But…” Paige glanced up at him. “Isn’t customer experience something we, well, I, handle?”

  “This isn’t a kid’s camp, Paige.” A note of warning threaded through Jack’s tone.

  “So you just want me to ignore what is happening?” Paige asked, pushing the topic. But seriously – he couldn’t be blind to it, could he? CeCe was all but falling off tables dancing wasted with guests every night, while Whit disappeared with a different guest for “long walks” on the beach.

  “Yeah, I do.” Jack leveled a look at her. “These are adults. They are making their own choices. You can’t control what they do. Understood?”

  “I…” Paige trailed off and instead took a large gulp of her beer. “Understood.” It went against everything in her nature not to try and smooth over the tensions that were clearly growing in the group.

  “Poco poco,” Jack said. “Let it flow. It’s the island way.”

  “Right, it appears that I may struggle with that concept.” Understatement of the year, Paige thought.

  Jack’s lips quirked before he took another pull from his beer bottle.

  “Most do. You’ll get it in time.”

  “How much time?” Paige demanded. “Because I’d like to feel that way now.”

  Jack laughed and leaned back in his stool. “Horatio bugging you?”

  “Honestly, while he’s annoying, it’s nothing that I’m not used to. I don’t think I realized how much handholding I did for him. But now that I’m viewing it outside the relationship, I realize I was essentially his minder for the last couple years. I’ll be happy when he goes home.”

  “Not missing the studio?”

  “I mean…” Paige thought about it. “Not really. I miss some of the clients. But, I’m so busy here and I enjoy tackling the challenges that are presented each day. I think, more than anything, that is what I would miss. The pride that comes with managing a business, problem-solving, and the reward of happy customers. But if I can do the same here, then I think I’ll be happy.”

  “You think you’ll stay on?” Jack didn’t look at her as he opened another beer. Paige’s stomach did a little flip. Was this a performance review or was he asking for personal reasons?

  “I…I’d like to. I’d like to get through a full season and see how things go. Admittedly, this first group is a little weird for me what with my personal history and all. But I am looking forward to working with the next retreats and seeing how each group differs in their needs and so on.”

  “I think you’re an asset to the business. I know I’d like for you to stay.”

  “Thanks.” Paige smiled shyly at Jack. Warmth bloomed inside her, and she realized it had been a long time since someone had complimented her on her work. Horatio was in the business of offering critiques and had rarely praised her. No wonder her chakras had been a mess. “Do you plan to stay on? It sounded like you enjoyed bouncing around the world.”

  “I’ll admit…I do miss traveling. I’m hoping to get off-island in the low season. I usually prefer to come in and clean up problems and move on than to stay. But…this place feels different to me. Maybe I’ll settle in for a while.”

  “No woman pining for you in Indonesia or some other far-off place?” Paige teased.

  “Not that I’m aware of.” Jack laughed and took a sip of his beer. “I’ve been too busy to date lately anyway.”

  “What’s your type?” Paige asked. Maybe the beer was making her emboldened, she thought, and bit her lip, hoping she hadn’t crossed a line.

  “Physically or personality?” Jack laughed.

  “Both?”

  “Physically? Hmm…I like a woman shorter than me with some meat on her bones. None of this stick-thin nonsense. Mentally? Smart, funny, and independent. Likes yoga. Travels impulsively. Fights scorpions. I don’t like women that are too needy or have to be coddled all the time.”

  Heat bloomed through Paige at his words.

  “I don’t blame you. It’s exhausting to have to handhold. I know it.” Paige managed to speak past the urge to kiss him.

  “Not missing that, are you?” Jack laughed.

  “Nope. I much prefer an independent man who can take care of things on his own.” Paige laughed and glanced at Jack. For a moment, their gazes held until Jack broke the look.

  “I think you’d be quite the catch, Paige.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Restless that evening, Paige turned in her bed as her thoughts once more drif
ted to Jack. The dreams she’d been having about him hadn’t abated, and if she was going to be honest with herself in the dark of the night – she liked him. As in, really liked him. She wasn’t sure if it was because he was such a study in contrasts to Horatio, the man who needed constant attending-to and whined incessantly, or if it was simply because he was a confident and sexy man who actively respected the decisions she made. It seemed to be such a silly thing, to have her choices acknowledged and agreed with, and yet it filled her with a sense of pride that she hadn’t realized she’d been missing.

  Could she…should she…make a move on Jack? The thought alone had her laughing out loud. This was the moment when a fairy godmother was supposed to show up and whack her on the head with a magick wand to stop her from being a complete idiot. Hadn’t she repeatedly told herself that banging the boss was a no-no? No matter how enthusiastic Jane was on the topic of sweaty beach sex, Paige was certain it would land her right back where she started – with her duffle bag at the dusty airport.

  No. It was best she kept her fantasies to herself. No matter how much she wanted a taste of Jack. It didn’t help that the man walked around shirtless half the time and had bronzed skin like some Adonis. No, that really didn’t help. Rolling over again, Paige pounded a fist into her pillow. What had he meant when he’d said that she was a great catch? He’d definitely been flirting, right? The questions zipped around her head, making her sigh with frustration, until she finally swung her legs off the bed and stood. Paige walked across the room and examined her air conditioner. Was this thing not working or was the thought of being with Jack driving her temperature up? She might as well be a cat parading through the yard yowling for a mate as heated as she was.

  Making a quick decision, Paige slipped into her bikini and grabbed a towel. She left her cottage and padded quietly across the sand to where the ocean beckoned to her. Now that she knew that no sharks could get into the little bay in front of Tranquila Inn, Paige felt confident going into the water at night. Standing at the edge of the beach, she took a few deep breaths, working to center herself as the light of the moon danced a trail across the gentle waves. Stepping forward, Paige smiled as the water embraced her, drawing her close like a lover, cooling the fire that raced across her skin.

  “Oh, this is heaven,” Paige said out loud, kicking back to float in the salt water and look up at the stars.

  “I see you’re not the only one who needed a break.”

  “Shit!” Paige’s head dropped under water at the shock of a voice near her head and then she shot up, water sputtering from her lips as she whirled around. “Jack!”

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Jack’s grin flashed in the moonlight. “I was going to dive under and tug your leg down but didn’t want to give you a heart attack. Plus, you look pretty strong.”

  “Smart move. I would have attacked.” Paige brought a hand to where her heart hammered in her chest. “You really need to stop sneaking up on people.”

  “It’s the middle of the night. What am I supposed to do? Wear a bell on a collar around my neck?”

  Paige’s mind strayed to thinking of Jack with a collar, kneeling before her.

  “What’s that smile for?” Jack demanded, and Paige realized she’d gotten lost in the naughty little image for a moment.

  “Nothing. Sorry. Okay, I think I’m safe from a heart attack. Do you come down here every night?” Paige asked. She kicked up and floated in the water once more, enjoying the sensation of weightlessness in the buoyant salt water.

  “Here and there. It depends on the night. Or when I can’t sleep.”

  “Do you have problems sleeping, too?”

  “Depends.” Jack smiled when she rolled her eyes at him. “I’m guessing you do?”

  “Depends,” Paige mimicked and laughed when he splashed water toward her. “Only when something is bothering me.”

  “What’s bothering you, Paige?” Jack asked, drawing closer.

  You, Paige thought. Instead, she just shook her head.

  “And here I thought we were friends.”

  “We are friends.” Which is why I can’t tell you that I want to ride you until I can’t think straight, Paige added silently.

  “So, what’s bugging you?”

  “You first,” Paige said.

  “Stubborn, are you?”

  “I have my moments.” Paige tore her gaze away from him, because she was certain if they continued this line of questioning she was about to break her “Do Not Bang the Boss” rule. Instead, she looked back up at the stars.

  “Fine.” Jack sighed and Paige was surprised to find he’d drifted even closer, so that his head was close to her. “It’s you.”

  The words, but a whisper at her ear, sent heat flashing through her body.

  “Did I…have I…done something wrong?” Paige asked, turning so she faced him. Only his head was visible above the dark water, and the moonlight gleamed against his eyes.

  “No, that’s not…” Jack half-laughed and looked away, seeming to argue with himself before turning back to her. “I find you…enchanting.”

  “Oh,” Paige breathed as Jack floated even closer. His hand brushed against her arm and the sensation caused little ripples of lust to spike through her.

  “A siren, really. Maybe you are a mermaid.”

  “From what you’ve said about mermaids, you’d better be careful because it’s likely I’m about to murder you then.”

  Jack threw his head back and laughed and when he turned back, his lips were on hers before Paige could take her next breath. The moment hung suspended as the press of his lips to hers shot heat straight to her core. Jack wound his arms around Paige, pulling her so that her legs wrapped around his waist. She was cocooned in his embrace as they floated, enthralled with each other. Pulling back, Paige gasped for air, and then she was lost once more as Jack found her lips again, nipping softly with his teeth, the taste of him salty on her tongue. Lust bloomed within her and it took everything in her power to break the kiss.

  Paige swallowed as her eyes met Jack’s, and their eyes locked in silence for a moment, the ocean cradling them. Rolling on to her back, she looked up at inky night sky and smiled when his hand found hers in the water. Together they floated, the tension of the kiss entwined between them, their little secret shared with the stars.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  His kiss still warmed her days later. Maybe it was just in her mind, but Paige felt like something had shifted significantly with them. In the coming days, while there were no more stolen kisses no matter how much Paige hoped, Jack had started stopping by her office more frequently or seeking her out to solve one problem or the other. It felt nice that someone with his experience would defer to her opinions on how to handle the clientele, and Paige found herself humming as she went about her work each day.

  “Do him,” Jane exclaimed when Paige had finally found a moment to call her friend and catch her up. “Yes. Hot sweaty sex on the beach.”

  “That sounds buggy and gross. Don’t you know that sand will get in every crevice?” Paige winced as she crossed her legs and thought about the abrasive nature of sand.

  “So? That’s what showers are for. Do him. Please do him. I have to live vicariously through you.” A child’s shout sounded in the background.

  “I don’t think it is lack of sex that got you in your current position,” Paige pointed out.

  “Yeah, but that’s married sex. Yours is vacation-like sex.”

  “There is no sex. Sex will not be happening.”

  “More’s the pity. Live a little. I gotta run.” A crash sounded and Paige was left staring at her phone.

  “Why is sex not happening?”

  Paige screeched and dropped the phone on her desk. She glanced up to where Jack stood in the door to her office and her face heated.

  “Ignore that please. I was just trying to catch up with my friend Jane who, apparently, is sex-deprived due to her three children constantly being
underfoot.”

  “Ah.” Jack studied her for a moment, and Paige’s cheeks heated even further. “Horatio is requesting your presence. Apparently he doesn’t take orders well.”

  “This is not a newsflash. I’m coming, I’m coming.” Anything to get away from this conversation, Paige thought. Jack didn’t back up from the doorway, causing her to brush close to him as she passed. Her mind slid back to the increasingly naughty dreams she’d been having about him recently and she blushed once more. Damn Jane for putting those thoughts in her head.

  “Everything okay?” Jack asked as she all but ran away from her office.

  “Yup, all good,” Paige called over her shoulder and hurried to the reception area. When she didn’t spot Horatio, she continued on down to the beach where she found him with a group of his most devout yogis huddled around him.

  “There you are.” Horatio had finally gotten a real tan and wasn’t looking too bad now that he’d ditched the weird tunics in favor of simple board-shorts. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

  “I didn’t know you needed me today. This afternoon was meant to be free time for everyone as it is the end of another week heavy with classes.” As we’d agreed upon when we reviewed the itinerary, Paige silently added.

  “Jack is a problem,” Horatio said, and Paige looked at him in confusion while the group of yogis all nodded silently around him.

  “Excuse me? What’s wrong with Jack?”

  “He said we can’t take out the SUPs.” Tranquila Inn offered stand-up paddle boards for the guests to use.

  “Why would he say that? That’s odd.”

  “I showed him where I wanted to go. And he said no, because the tide is coming in.”

  “Where do you want to go?” Paige asked. “I don’t see the problem if you go out front here because of the reef-break. This is a nice calm bay for you to be on the board in.”

  “I don’t want to go here. The energy’s off.” Horatio sniffed and the group around him nodded again.

  “Right. Okay.” Paige pinched her nose, squinting at Horatio and wishing she’d grabbed her sunglasses. “Where is it you’d like to go?”