Drunk on You
The Happy Endings Resort Series
Book 3
Glenna Maynard
Drunk on You
Copyright © 2015 by Glenna Maynard
This is a work of fiction. Names characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual people, alive or dead, business, establishments, locals or events is entirely coincidental. Any reference to real events, business, organizations or locals is intended only to give the fiction a sense of realism and authenticity. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means – electronic, mechanical, photographic (photocopying), recording, or otherwise – without prior permission in writing from the author.
Photograph © 2014 Dollarphotoclub
Photographer Tamas Zsebok
Editing Crystal Sosa
Dedication
For all the believers of true love and love at first sight. I too am a believer.
True love never dies.
Acknowledgement
A big shout out to my girls in Glenna’s Rebels! I love the shit outta each and every one of you!
Jennifer Benson, thank you so much for inviting me to be a part of this.
To the rest of my HERS authors, thank you so much for doing this with me and for supporting me along the way. You guys are the best!
To my Shield Maidens aka my SOA Widows, thank you for being you and being there for me. I love you all to bits!
To my favorite author friends, ya’ll know who you are love you big time!
To my family, you are why I do what I do thank you!
Izzy Reed has sworn off men. After being jilted by her ex, she moves to The Happy Endings Resort looking for a new start. Her new life plan doesn't include falling in love, but fate and a sexy as sin bartender have other plans for Izzy and her jaded heart.
Luke Greene is a hit’em and quit’em lover who doesn't do relationships. That is until Izzy walks into his bar and tells him no—a word he isn't used to hearing. Can he prove to her and himself that he can be just friends with a woman? He is determined to show her that he has it in him, but he finds himself falling hard.
What happens when a player becomes Drunk on You?
Three Months Ago
Izzy
“Izabella, you aren’t dropping out of college to be a lifeguard!” My mom has her hands on her hips with her eyes narrowed on the suitcase strung open on my bed as I shove my swimsuits inside. “What about school? You already lost enough time chasing after Justin.” I take a good look around my room, wondering if I am forgetting anything of importance.
My room is filled with memories of the lie I have been living. I was so blissfully unaware of the truth. I scan my shelves, trying to avoid the photos of Justin and me. Nothing stands out. I can live without most of the things I haven’t packed already. Oh well, if there is something I am forgetting, I will have my mom bring it when she comes to visit me in a few weeks.
“I’m doing this,” I tell her with determination burning through my veins. “Justin humiliated me. Do you have any idea what it’s like to walk onto campus and have everyone whispering behind your back and laughing at you?” I stop packing and look to her for her answer. She looks down, trying to come up with any reason to make me stay. “Exactly! Mom, I know you are worried about me going off on my own but I can’t stay here and be known as that girl.” That girl, meaning the girl who caught her fiancé in the arms of another man four months ago.
I don’t know why I was so shocked really. Justin kept putting off having sex with me, said he wanted to respect me. Wait until our wedding night, he said. In reality, my fiancé, the man I had dated since eighth grade loved me, but not in the way I thought he did. I can’t believe I never saw it coming. The signs were there. The way he touched me never seemed fully passionate. I always downplayed it to our inexperience, when in reality I just didn’t have the parts that turned him on.
Slamming my suitcase shut, I grab the handle and proceed to taking it out to my car that is packed with my most prized possessions, which isn’t much since Justin has tainted anything that I ever really cared for. My mom is standing on the porch, watching me cautiously as I shut the trunk of my yellow beetle bug car. Well technically, it is a VW but I refer to it as my beetle.
“Izzy!” My mom calls for me, her voice cracking with emotion. “I know you need this, it’s just the mom in me. Call me once you have gotten settled,” she chides me. Deep down I know a part of her doesn’t want me to leave because once I am gone she will be alone. My mother has always been very codependent upon me. She hates being alone.
I smile and wave as I climb into my car and set out for Happy Endings Resort.
When I came across their ad for a lifeguard, it was as if a magnet was drawing me there. I have all of my certificates; I have worked as a lifeguard at the local pool during summer break since I was eighteen. I need this fresh start.
Throwing caution to the wind, I roll down my windows, turn up the radio as I leave my old life behind, and head for my new beginning…
A few hours later, I am pulling up to the gate of the resort and a security guard named Ross greets me. I show him my ID and he checks his clipboard and waves me into the resort. I park at the central office and eagerly go inside. The property manager has me signing documents and finishing anything else they need to complete the hire process. I am so excited to be starting this new chapter.
I will have my very own place for the first time since ever, but it is time. I am twenty-two for crying out loud. I am renting a trailer in the employee court. The thought of decorating my own place has me so excited. I am glad it will only be me and that no one here knows who I am. It means I won’t have to answer awkward questions and I am free to be whomever I want to be. Here I will just be Izzy, as opposed to back home where I am that girl, the one whose fiancé was gay.
Justin always shot me down when I mentioned us moving in together before we got married. And our wedding, well, that was a whole other battle. He refused to marry me until we both were through school. Looking back, I was so foolish. Who really wants to get married at such a young age anyway? I was an idiot. There is so much I have yet to discover on my own.
Rory, the owner of the resort, is escorting me to my new digs. I am following behind her in my car. She said she is on her way home and my new place is on the way. She has a cabin near where I’ll be living. She pointed it out to me on the map I was given of the property. I had no idea this place was so big. She seems really nice. Told me some story of how she inherited the place. Some guy wanted to break up the land and develop condos or something. The story she told me sounded like something out of a movie. I am glad she decided to keep the resort, or else I might not be getting my new start.
As I drive on through the resort, I see this gorgeous, tall, hunk of a man standing by his pickup truck. The hood is up and his shirt is off. My God, those abs. I have only ever seen abs like those airbrushed on romance novel covers. He is well built with defined muscles and one hell of a sun-kissed tan. Piercing blue eyes meet mine. He catches me staring and smirks. His lips curve upward and something tells me that this man is used to the attention. His head is shaven, nothing like Justin’s faux hawk. I advert my eyes back to the road ahead. That man is gorgeous and I can’t wait to explore him. Shit, what? I mean… This place is gorgeous and I can’t wait to explore it.
My trailer is located on the opposite side of the lake from the hunk. That is a good thing. A man like that can only mean one thing…trouble. And I have had plenty of that lately.
I had better stay far away from him, but then again a little trouble might be exactly what I need. As I continue to drive behind Rory, I get this odd sensation like everyone is staring at me as I pass by their trailer.
Pulling up to my new place, I feel so excited. I feel as though anything is possible. My trailer is small but inviting. It actually isn’t decorated half bad and it is already furnished, which is a major plus for me, considering I don’t have much other than clothes and a few knickknacks. Rory gives me a quick tour and assures me that the trailer has been professionally cleaned.
Once Rory has shown me to my new home, I ask her where is a good place to grab a bite to eat and a drink. She points me in the direction of a place known as High Bar. She says they have great burgers and live music. Hell yeah!
*~*
Walking into the bar, I feel a bit overwhelmed but excited. I don’t know anyone here. I look around and I notice the hot guy from earlier behind the bar. He is wiping the bar down with an excited grin on his face. There is a woman working with him. She totally just pinched his butt. I wonder if they are a couple. But then I see her go over to a man sitting at the other end of the bar and lock lips with him. I am pretty sure there is some heavy tongue action going on there. I feel a bit awkward watching.
“Hey sweetheart, you gonna’ come in and stay awhile or you gonna’ stand at the door all night?” The woman behind the bar yells at me.
I feel my cheeks flame and make my way to the bar to order a burger and a beer.
“What can I do ya for?” Sex on legs asks me. His blue eyes are like a damn dagger to my libido.
“Yeah, um… Rory said you guys serve good burgers. So I will take a burger with lettuce, tomato and mayo. And a Bud Light to drink.”
“Sure thing,” he walks away to place my order. When he comes back, he opens my beer, setting it on the counter with a devilish grin. “So who are you? I know you aren’t from around here. I know we would have met by now if you were.” He leans across the counter entirely too close but he smells so damn good I don’t mind it.
“Leave her alone Luke. She is clearly out of your league.” She winks at me and holds out her hand. “Name’s Stixx. You must be the new lifeguard. Rory called and said you would be coming in tonight and to watch out for you. Ignore Luke, I do.” I give her a quick shake. She laughs and goes back to serving the other customers.
“Don’t listen to her. She is just pissy that I won’t join her and her old man in their shenanigans. She likes ménages,” he whispers the last part.
“Dream on lover boy,” she retorts.
“You two are funny. You married or something,” I joke.
“Hell no,” he says, looking offended by the word married.
“Sorry, I didn’t…I was kidding,” I feel so awkward but this hunk is trying hard to make me feel welcomed.
“Relax gorgeous.” He smiles. “Stixx you got the bar?” he asks her while looking at his watch.
“Yeah, go on show off.” She waves him off and I watch intrigued as he takes a guitar from behind the bar and goes over to the stage.
“Prepare to have your panties melted off,” Stixx states, sliding my burger across the counter to me.
I can’t take my eyes from him as he commands my attention with his voice. He looks so at home in front of the crowd with his guitar.
God, he is gorgeous and he sings; I am loving this place already. I try to quit staring at him and enjoy my burger. I don’t want him to think I am infatuated with him, but I can feel his eyes on me too. The attention is nice.
Luke
Taking my guitar from behind the bar, I make my way to the stage. I haven’t played in a while but after Killian came through, the locals have been asking for live musicians more often, so I fill in when I can. I’m no Johnny Cash but I can carry a tune. I go through my normal set, covering everything from Toby Keith to Cold Play. I have an eclectic taste in music. As I strum the chords, I can’t keep my eyes off that stunning blonde who came in a bit ago. I hope she doesn’t leave before I can get her number.
She keeps stealing glances at me when she thinks I’m not paying attention. It’s cute the way her cheeks blush when I meet her gaze.
By the time I make my way from the stage, I don’t see her anymore. Damn, I really wanted her number. She is a welcomed fresh face around here. Either every woman around here is taken or I have already had her. Making my way down the hall to the bathroom, she almost bumps into me as she comes out of the women’s restroom.
“Oh, excuse me.” She smiles at me and her cheeks are tinted pink—cutest thing ever, makes my dick twitch with anticipation. Oh yeah, she is definitely going to be writhing under me soon.
I step into her, leaning in close. “You never did give me your name.” I brush a strand of her hair behind her ear and I see goose bumps pimple across her arm.
She sucks in a deep breath, biting on her bottom lip like she is thinking of lying to me. “Izabella, but Izzy for short.”
“Iz, I like that. I am just about to head out. Can I give you a ride? Take you out for coffee?” I offer anything really to get her attention. There is just something about her. Is she the woman Esmerelda was talking about? Es told me some interesting details about my love life today and she is never wrong.
Izzy is curvy and nothing like the women I am used to bedding. There is just something so innocent and pure about her. She doesn’t seem to be playing any kind of game. Most of the women I meet are climbing all over me, eager for a chance to try to be the one to tame me; my reputation for being a player has gotten around.
This chick, Izzy, shocks the hell out of me. She leans in close to my mouth and whispers a soft, “No.” And then she kisses me. I wasn’t expecting her to turn me down and then kiss me; it’s confusing as fuck. Her lips are parted and I can feel her warm breath against my lips. I wrap my fingers in her long blonde hair and return her kiss. Eager to feel her tongue, I dart my tongue out and lick her top lip. She tastes sweet; her lips have a honey taste to them.
She pulls away from me and she says, “See ya around Luke.” I stand, unable to move, trying to process what in the hell just happened between us. She is into me; her kiss told me that much but now she is just walking away. I touch my lips as if I am making sure she really just did that. Licking my bottom lip, I can still taste her lip gloss—that definitely just happened.
“What, that’s it?” I follow her back to the bar where she continues to ignore me and Stixx gives me a smug look. “Look, I know I am some guy you just met, but I feel like I was supposed to meet you today.” I continue mumbling about what Es told me earlier today and Izzy looks at me as though I am crazy. Fuck, I sound it by telling her this shit. I would run too.
Craig interrupts our conversation and asks Izzy if she’d like to dance. There is no way she is going to choose him over me.
She rolls her eyes at me and takes Craig’s invitation to dance. Guess she likes to play games after all. She must not know I am a master at playing the game. I always win. I always get what I want. After the song ends, Izzy joins Craig and his followers at their table. He has a group of dorks that follow him around as if he is some sort of God. He was a star football player in his college days or some shit. He is just a has been if you ask me.
Whatever, I see Cassie is off tonight and she just winked at me. I do what I do best. I take her to the bathroom for a quick fuck.
Three Months Later
Izzy
“Oh Kiki, you can’t be serious! Me…go on a date with Luke?” Luke, the biggest male-whore in the whole resort. The man is known for sleeping with anyone whom passes through. I mean yeah, he is sexy as sin, but no thank you.
“Izzy, people change. I haven’t seen him with anyone in at least six weeks.” She nods her head yes as I shake my head no at her words.
Luke has been trying to get in my bikini bottoms since I first started working here. I have managed to resist his bad boy charm this long and I am certain I can continue to do so. He is always
trying to get me to hang out with him under the pretense of wanting to be my friend—he just wants to get to know me or so he claims. Yeah right, he just wants to know how to get me to fuck him is all.
“Don’t you have something to do, like work on your tan?” I ask, sticking my tongue out at her. She always just pops in on me at random hours. She has designated herself as my friend. If you had told me I would become best buds with a stripper, I would have laughed in your face. But Kiki has a magnetic personality; you can’t help but be drawn to her. All the men around here are. Every time she comes down to the beach to work on her tan, suddenly all the men have an urge to go swimming or hang out near where she is sunbathing. Well except for Luke, I have noticed he is about the only one who doesn’t show up for the Kiki show.
“I’m out, but we are going out for drinks tonight. No ifs ands or buts about it.” She winks, fluffing her chestnut hair. Kiki manages to keep a flawless tan in between stripping and driving me nuts. I can only imagine what tonight will entail.
Putting on my red lifeguard one piece and pulling my long blonde hair into a ponytail, I look myself over in the mirror. Working here has done wonders for my figure. I’m no skinny girl by any means; I have healthy thick curves, but now I am more tone. I slip my shorts on and pull my tank top down over my chest. I have been walking to my post. I could easily drive but I love the exercise; It helps me clear my head. More often than not, I have Luke Greene on my mind and I don’t like it. Him and his stupid good looks. And his voice—he could sing professionally. He has this husky deep drawl that makes my panties disintegrate. I’d never tell him that though. He sometimes sings at the local bar. And man can he sing!
Okay, so maybe I have a little crush on him. I am not the only one either. I am positive Kiki has slept with him. That shouldn’t make me jealous but it does. I never plan on acting on my crush so I don’t know what the big deal is. Luke has screwed anything with legs as far as I can tell. The first time I met him was at High Bar where he bartends. He had some chick giving it to her hard in the bathroom for Christ sake! The worst part of the whole night was he had come onto me an hour earlier. Spouting some garbage about how fate had intercepted and we were supposed to meet. He said some nonsense about some psychic telling him he would meet the love of his life. Must have been that other chick he was nailing. The sounds that were leaving her throat did leave me curious as to what in the hell he was doing that could make her moan in such a manner.
Drunk on You (Happy Endings Resort Book 3) Page 1
