THE LOVING TOUCH

by Stoni Alexander

  The sincerity in her eyes urged him forward. “When we were alone at the hotel, why didn’t you tell me your real name?”

  “I would never have had the courage to stay with you.” Her cheeks flushed with color. “Being Raven empowered me. I’m sorry I told you I was a vet.”

  He acknowledged her with a nod. “I confided that my family was homeless. Why the story about your aunt dying on the streets?”

  Sadness bled from her eyes. “I was being honest about that, Jagger. My Auntie Patty did live with us throughout my childhood and she died homeless. It wrecked me.”

  Forgiveness washed over him as he peered into her eyes. “I’m sorry for your loss.” Now, he could move forward. But should he?

  “Please,” she murmured.

  His guts churned while his pulse raced. Desperate to escape his past, he shoved out of bed, opened the French doors, and inhaled the crisp nighttime air. Tell her. “My mistakes almost cost me everything.”

  “Push past your fear like I’m pushing past mine,” she encouraged. A kaleidoscope of emotions filled her face. “Help me understand what’s driving this change.” She folded her hands in her lap and waited.

  Regarding her, he pondered his options. Could he trust her with the entire truth?

  “I paid my publicist and my attorney a lot of money to clean up my mess and restore my reputation. I’ve got my life back. I’m not doing anything to jeopardize that.”

  “Jagger, is the kink too tempting?”

  “No.” Another long moment passed as he wrestled with whether or not to tell her. In order for her to fully understand, he had to tell her everything. “I was on a destructive path. I forgot who I was, where I came from.”

  “What about your other resorts?”

  “I’m in conversations to sell those.”

  “I see,” she said, her brow furrowed. “Is that what you want to do?”

  “It’s what’s best.”

  “I don’t und—”

  “Ever been homeless?” he asked, cutting her off.

  She shook her head.

  Chills shot down his spine. He hated remembering this part of his life. “Ever watch your mom give up food so her kids could eat?”

  Sad blue eyes blinked up at him. “No.”

  “We got kicked out of our cramped apartment. I saw my mom’s pain and anger when she realized my dad had been feeding his drug addiction with rent money.”

  After a pregnant pause, she whispered, “I’m sorry.”

  “I appreciate your dedication to Walk a Mile but until you actually walk in my shoes, don’t assume you know the fears that drive me.” A stabbing pain pummeled his chest.

  “Okay,” she whispered.

  Tell her. “The sex photos that went viral were designed to grab my attention. The real issue was the pictures and videos of me popping pills and snorting massive amounts of coke. The women wanted millions to keep quiet.” Ashamed, he turned away. “I’d become a hard-core drug addict. Even started selling to my guests. Not for the money, but to surround myself with a steady stream of dealers providing me with the strongest drugs on the market. My life revolved around my next high and I put my business and my reputation at risk. When key executives confronted me, I threatened to fire them. I grew ugly and hated myself, but I couldn’t stop.”

  She flew out of bed and into his arms. “Jagger, I’m sorry.”

  He kissed her with an intensity that scared him.

  “Thank you for confiding in me,” she murmured.

  “I got clean and sober.” His throat tightened, the emotion threatening to explode out of him. “No way in hell would I end up like my father.”

  “The phoenix rising from the ashes.” She leaned up to kiss his cheek. “You should be proud of what you’ve overcome.”

  He cradled her face in his hands. “Only my attorney and my publicist know the full extent of my problem. Not even my closest friends realized how bad things got. Hitting rock bottom was one hell of a wake up call.”

  He hugged her tightly. Goddamn it to hell, it was scary, but it felt amazing. For the first time in his life, he’d let someone in who wasn’t being paid to keep quiet and clean up his mess.

  Jagger had experienced everything but the true love of a good woman. As she shed her bathrobe and they crawled into bed, he wondered whether this amazing woman could be the one.

  9

  The Shift

  As Taylor listened to her team discuss the laundry list of activities, her mind strayed. Even curled in Jagger’s arms, she hadn’t slept well. Her heart felt heavy. Fear was preventing him from embracing the brand that had made him a success. She doubted the hotel would sell out, even with the in-house spa and the entertainment. There were too many other five-star properties in the vicinity competing for market share.

  Though he’d invited her for an early morning run, she’d declined. Being seen outside of a work-related event might catch the eye of a photographer. With his publicist arriving that morning for media day, the paparazzi would be hungry for a shot of Jagger.

  “Taylor,” Adele said. “What do you think?”

  “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

  “Do you like our suggestions for additional events?” David asked. “Can we move forward with Surfing 101? What about parasailing? And we’d like to arrange for offsite wine tours, too.”

  Taylor slid her focus from one to the other. “They all sound great.” But they didn’t. Not when she knew what they could be offering.

  Knock. Knock.

  Jagger walked in, his sights set on Taylor. “How’s it going?”

  “Good,” Taylor replied. “What can we help with?”

  “My publicist is here. Can I steal you for a few?”

  “Of course.” After asking her staff to follow through on their suggestions, she left her office.

  “You look beautiful,” he said as they headed down the hall.

  Before she could respond, she walked into his office and her brain stuttered. There stood Kathy Jones, the last person Taylor expected—or wanted—to see. Oh, God, no. Jagger’s publicist was the she-devil herself. Other than the couture suit, Kathy hadn’t changed. Same highlighted ringlets dangling on her shoulders, same shade of power-red lipstick, and same oversized black-framed glasses framing those cold, unblinking eyes. But it was Kathy’s haughty expression that made Taylor’s skin crawl.

  “Taylor!” Squeezing Taylor’s shoulders, Kathy air-kissed each cheek. “Mmmwa. Mmmwa Big kisses. Small world.”

  Jagger gestured toward his conference table. “Let’s sit.”

  Brushing past, Kathy claimed the chair at the head. Taylor crumpled into the seat across from Jagger, resigned at having to work with this two-faced witch.

  “How do you two know each other?” Jagger asked.

  “She knows me as Kathy Jones,” Kate answered. “We were close friends in high school—” Kathy cocked her head—“and sorority sisters in college.”

  “You two can catch up later,” Jagger said. “We’ve got a packed—”

  “When I got married,” Kate flashed her wedding band, “I changed my last name. Kathy Faraday had no pizzazz. I toyed with using my real name, Kathryn, but ultimately decided on Kate. Kate Faraday sounds regal, doesn’t it?” Her arrogant tone made Taylor’s blood run cold.

  With a curt nod, Jagger shifted his attention to Taylor. “Run through your scheduled events so we’re all on the same page.”

  Ignoring Jagger, Kate continued. “Tell me about you, Taylor.” After eyeing Taylor’s ring finger, Kate frowned. “Not married, poor baby. So, you’re an organizer. That’s perfect for you. Your locker and dorm room were always super tidy.”

  Kathy Jones still excelled in controlling the situation while sucking the life force out of everyone in her self-serving path.

  As Taylor’s stomach roiled, she addressed Jagger. “I’ll begin with opening-day events—”

  “Email those to Jagger and me,” Kate said, her flinty voice grating on Taylor.
“We need to focus on media day. Jagger and I will field all questions. Immediately following, I’ll schedule a series of mini interviews. Ten minutes, tops.” She flicked her head toward Taylor, sending the tight curls flying. “I’ll ask one of the local rags to interview our very own event coordinator.”

  “Kate.” Jagger’s commanding tone hijacked their attention. “Make no mistake, Taylor is part of my executive team.”

  She wanted to hug him for defending her, but she said nothing.

  “I’ve made an important decision you both need to hear before I speak with the media.” Jagger’s confident posture, paired with that deep timbre, soothed Taylor’s jitters.

  Leaning forward, Kate said, “I’m all ears.”

  Robby barreled into the room wheeling Taylor’s lost suitcase. “Ta-da! Look what just got delivered.”

  “That’s great,” Taylor exclaimed.

  “Good to see you, Kate,” Robby said. “You’re fab, as always.”

  When Kate beamed, Taylor glimpsed her porcelain veneers. “I do my best.”

  “The media are congregating in the lobby,” Robby said. “What should I tell them?”

  Kate rose. “Say nothing. I’ll handle this.”

  “Taylor, do you want me to run your suitcase up to your suite?” Robby asked.

  “I can do it,” she replied.

  “I’ll go with you.” Jagger pushed out of the chair. “I want to change into a suit.”

  “Are you two on the same floor?” Kate asked.

  “We’re sharing one of the Presidential suites,” Jagger replied. “Separate bedrooms.”

  As Kate glared at Jagger, her jaw ticked. “Ohmygod, Jagger. Please tell me you aren’t…” Grunting, she folded her arms. “I worked my ass off cleaning up your reputation. Why doesn’t Taylor have her own suite?”

  “Relax, Kate. You’re making something out of nothing.”

  “Am I?” Kate shot him the death stare. “Robby, where are you staying?”

  “In the suite next door.”

  “Robby, you move in with Jagger. Taylor and I will share. That will give us some girl-time to catch up.”

  “Kate—” Jagger said.

  She dismissed him with a wave of her hand. “I’ll be in the lobby. Robby, do you have the podium and mic set up?” She left before he could answer, and he zoomed out after her.

  Sharing a suite with Kate was the last thing Taylor wanted to do.

  Across the table, Jagger regarded her with a glint in his eyes. The atmosphere turned electric, and thoughts of having to work with Kate faded. Frustration morphed into desire.

  “I’ll sneak you into my room in the middle of the night.” His playful grin made her smile.

  Inasmuch as she liked that idea, she had to put a stop to their hooking up. “We can’t. Kathy…Kate has a point. I don’t want to do anything to hurt your reputation.” She stood and, gripping her suitcase handle, she headed out.

  He was by her side, his hand on her shoulder, pulling her to a stop. His possessive touch both soothed and aroused her.

  “Don’t let what she said drive a wedge between us.” He edged closer, but she stepped away, leaving a respectable distance between them. “I’m making an announcement and I want you by my side when I tell the media.”

  For the first time in a long while, Jagger felt solid and whole. The risk he was about to take was the right one. For the past nine months, he’d been playing things safe. Laying low and letting the press chew on other stories. His rehab had gone well. He didn’t miss the booze, and he’d stopped the self-loathing for doing drugs. Though he’d known better, one bad decision had snowballed into a hellish nightmare from which he could barely escape.

  He didn’t miss the whoring around, either. But he had missed the warmth of a woman. Not just the sexual heat, but the connection between two people who thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company.

  Then, in walked Raven. Sexy, dynamic, carefree. But the sweet, surprisingly determined, Taylor Hathaway had stolen his heart.

  He’d woken up in the middle of the night and watched her sleep. Beyond the obvious beauty, her unassuming nature had touched him. He didn’t understand why she disliked her body, but he wouldn’t dismiss her feelings simply because he found her sexy. If she were willing to step outside her comfort zone and trust him sexually, he would step outside his and trust her professionally.

  After changing into a charcoal suit, crisp white shirt, and power-red tie, he returned to the lobby alone, on purpose. When he finished shaking the hands of the business leaders and government officials, along with greeting the journalists, he made his way to the podium.

  His executive team stood behind the speaker’s stand. One by one, he shook each of their hands while the media documented his every action.

  When he stopped in front of Taylor, her sapphire blue eyes bore into his. Though she shook his hand like a consummate pro, her loving touch reaffirmed his decision. She wasn’t just his event director—she was his angel. As he peered into her eyes, he said, “Thank you for believing in me.”

  Her sweet smile empowered him. He was making the absolute right choice.

  He walked to the podium, adjusted the mic, and smiled at the crowd. Though Kate had advised him to avoid the topic that had been his downfall, he would address it, starting right now.

  “Welcome to Loving Malibu,” Jagger began. “I’m extremely proud of our first American-based property and we are honored that the beautiful, majestic state of California has welcomed me home.”

  After introducing his team, Jagger paused. Confront the past. Embrace the future.

  He cleared his throat. “The past year has been a sobering one for me.” The audience chuckled politely. “I regret my choices in Mexico, but learned a great deal from them. What you don’t know is that I’m a recovering drug addict.”

  The clicking of cameras stopped. Scribbling reporters stilled their pens.

  “My habit started with recreational cocaine. A snort or two to clear the cobwebs from the previous night’s hangover. Things progressed until life revolved around my addiction and spiraled out of control.”

  He inhaled a sobering breath.

  “After hitting rock bottom, I dropped off the grid. Then, I checked into a fantastic facility to begin the slow climb out. Today, I’m proud to be clean and sober. I don’t miss the burn of whiskey or the full-bodied taste of a 2000 Latour Bordeaux, and I sure as hell don’t miss the drugs. I’m grateful for my sobriety, one day at a time.”

  Damn, speaking the truth feels great.

  “Enough said. Let’s move on.”

  He highlighted several activities designed to indulge and pamper his guests. Reporters resumed note taking, while others held up their phones to record his speech.

  “I’m sure you’ve noticed the erotic element so prevalent at my other properties is missing from this one. That was a calculated move as a gesture that I’d cleaned up my act.” Jagger grinned. “My act is so clean, it squeaks.”

  Several in the audience chuckled.

  “My previous event director didn’t work out, but one of my investors, Colton Mitus of Mitus Conglomerate, asked his event planner to step in and bail me out.” He turned toward Taylor. “Taylor Hathaway, please join me.”

  Her cheeks flushed. She didn’t move. He addressed the audience. “Let’s give Taylor some encouragement.”

  As Taylor took her place beside him, the room filled with light applause. Though she smiled, her body stiffened. He wanted to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder, but any physical contact would give him away.

  “Loving Resorts book out months in advance. As much as it pains me to admit, Loving Malibu is nowhere near full capacity. The loss of potential business doesn’t just affect my hotel, it’s bad for local businesses, too. Under Taylor’s advisement, I’m spicing things up by adding kink back onto the menu.”

  Again, the room quieted and the flash of cameras stopped.

  “Taylor, please share some of the de
tails.”

  Kate bolted to the podium and yanked the built-in mic toward her. “Hello, everyone. Kate Faraday, Mr. Loving’s publicist. I’m afraid we’re out of time. Mr. Loving and I will be conducting interviews after lunch. Please, head on over to the restaurant and we’ll see you shortly.” She snapped off the mic and, though she smiled at Jagger, her pulse throbbed in her temples.

  “We need to talk,” she said through clenched teeth. “Now.” She shot Taylor a passing glance. “Alone.”

  “There’s nothing to discuss, Kate.”

  “We had an agreement,” Kate replied. “I deserve to be brought into the loop on a major decision like this.” She marched toward Jagger’s office.

  “Join us,” Jagger said to Taylor.

  Once the three were secluded in his office, he closed the door.

  “What the hell was that?” Kate demanded, hand on hip.

  “That was me returning to my core brand,” Jagger replied. “And I’ve got to tell you, it feels fantastic!”

  “Kathy—” Taylor said.

  “It’s Kate.” She glared at Taylor. “You’re an event planner. Period. You don’t know market strategy. You haven’t been with him. You can’t begin to understand the mess he made of his life. I’m the reason he’s back on his feet.”

  “No, Kate, you’re not.” Jagger slipped a hand into his pants. “I confronted my demons and my past. I did the work and I am no longer that man.”

  “You say that now!” Kate’s face reddened. “Wait until some tits and ass cross your path. Or you pop a cork on a champagne bottle. And don’t get me started about everything else. Whatever the temptation, you’ll go right back to snorting and screw—”

  “Enough.” Jagger lowered his voice, widened his stance. “Do not talk to me like I’m a child. You work for me. The fun events and sweet romance will outweigh the erotic, but Taylor is right. It’s my core brand and it stays.”

  Kate whirled toward Taylor. “You’re a dear friend, but you don’t know the first thing about kink.”

  Like hell she doesn’t. Jagger bit back a smile.

  “I’ll be in my office,” Taylor said, ignoring Kate. “What’s my budget?”