by Kat London
“Does it hurt?” Darian’s voice surprised me from the door to the showers. I spun around and found him still dressed in his trunks. He stepped into the room and turned on the shower head next to me.
“I thought you were all gone?” It wasn’t that I was nervous to be showering next to him, they were co-ed showers for employees and clients. But my voice still came out quiet, his presence making me nervous for other reasons—like the fact that he was half-naked right beside me.
“I wanted to make sure they were all out of your way,” he said, letting the warm water fall over his dark hair, and down his chest. “So what about your arm?”
I paused for a moment, before looking up from his chest to his face. “I’ll survive,” I said. “It looks worse than it is.”
He nodded, his jaw clenching as he looked at me, as if pondering over his words. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
I ran my hands through my hair. “I’m tougher than I look.”
“Now that I would believe.” He laughed a deep laugh, and I looked away. My heart was beating against my ribs like waves hitting rocks in the rapids. What was wrong with me? This guy made me blush out of control like some school girl.
“You don’t have to come tonight if you don’t want to,” he said quietly.
I dropped my hands, looking back at him as I spoke a little too fast. “I do want to come and see you—all of you.”
He reached up, moving a strand of hair that had fallen in front of my face, and tucking it behind my ear. The soft touch of his hand sent shots of heat across my cheek. His hand paused for a moment, then cupped my face as his thumb skimmed across my lips.
“I’d like to see you, too.”
A tiny gasp escaped my lips, like an invitation for more. He took a step toward me, until I could feel the heat between us overcome the warmth of the shower. I reach up, placing the palm of my hand against his rock hard chest, and let my fingers carefully stroke the small patch of chest hair that lay between his pecs. Darian’s breath sucked in sharp. The thrill of the ride and my near-death experience still had me vibrating with adrenaline. I wanted nothing more at that moment than for him to take me in those arms. In this shower. Right. Now.
“Blake!” Ali’s voice called from the locker rooms, making me jump. “Are you almost ready? Let’s lock up and go for drinks.”
I dropped my arm from Darian’s chest and he let go of me. My face still felt warm from his touch. His gaze was still locked onto mine. I could feel my chest rising and falling with each breath, and my heartbeat was thundering in my ears.
“I’ll see you later,” Darian whispered, then leaned forward and pecked me on the cheek, before turning off his shower and leaving the room.
I stood there speechless, my hand instantly flying to my cheek where I could still feel his lips. He was such a gentleman. I dropped my hand to the taps and shut off my shower. Who was I kidding, the most we’d have was tonight. But at least that was something to look forward to.
“Are you coming?” Ali called out again.
“Soon,” I replied, with a smile on my lips.
THREE
Cher recommended we have drinks back at the boy’s hotel bar. It was better for us girls not to be seen on the town strip, where we were likely to get harassed by fellow cohorts in the service industry. Resort towns were beautiful places to visit, and even more gorgeous when you got to wake up in them every day. But sometimes locals frowned on hooking up with tourists. Hotel bars gave off the aura of a good time where the ones downtown, regularly visited by townies had more of a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.
I stopped quickly at home where I dried my hair, put on a touch of makeup and dressed to impress. If I was going to have a chance at one night with Darian Hunter, I was going to leave my mark on him. That impression would be one of black lace undies, paired with a white lace mini skirt and flowing blouse. The latter was picked to partially hide my rope burns, but also because I loved how it made me feel: flowing and free. Plus the shoulders were bare, which made me feel sexy. The former was so that I could show off my legs.
Cher and Ali were already at the bar when I arrived. When I left the office they promised to save me a seat, but when I spotted them at a long table in the middle of the bar, I frowned. Both girls were sitting on either side of Darian, who sat at the head of the table, with three guys flanking either side. The opposite end of the table had one chair, empty, waiting for me. At least John was there—someone I could have a half-assed conversation with.
“Blake,” Cher called out, holding her cosmopolitan high in the air, waving as the drink trickled onto the boy next to her. “Over here, hon; we saved you a seat!”
My gaze met Darian’s, his eyes filled with pleasure as he surveyed my outfit. Maybe I was kidding myself when I thought he was interested—he was probably pleased enough now with two beautiful girls on each side. I turned away and headed for the bar, where I ordered a pint of dark ale. Cosmopolitans were for Cher, Black Russians for Ali, and dark ale was my drink of choice; I used to brew it in high school with my dad, and he taught me to be picky when it came to taste.
I turned back to the group and leaned against the bar. What kind of drink would Darian be? Was he an import—dark and creamy as if the wheat was roasted. Or was he something closer to home—brewed with hints of a malty sweetness—reliable and trustworthy from the first batch. He turned my way, catching me watching him, and nodded. I raised my drink in hand and then made my way to the empty seat next to John.
The guys were all telling tales of past work trips they’d been on, zip lining in California, fishing in northern Canada. It wasn’t until this last year that Darian realized they’d never explored any adventures closer to home.
A round of shooters showed up at the table. I looked around and Darian smiled at me from across the table like kingpin surrounded by his people. I slid my shooter to John. I wasn’t a shooter kind of girl. But when I looked up and caught Darian watching me, his brows were pushed together. Why did he care?
“So where is home?” I turned to John, trying to avoid eye contact with Darian. Since I entered the bar Darian’s dark eyes felt like they were burning a hole into me.
“Vancouver,” John said. “You ever been?”
“No,” I said. “I’m guilty of not traveling a lot.”
“Such a shame,” John said, putting down his beer and leaning in close. “You should come sometime. I’d show you around. There’s the ocean, the city. Well heck, my place…” His mouth lifted in a half-smile, and I couldn’t help but giggle at his attempt at a come on.
Darian cleared his voice from the other end of the table. “I’m sure Blake has better things than to see your sorry ass bedroom, John. Don’t you still live with your momma?”
The table burst into laughter as John’s cheeks grew red. I frowned and I glanced in Darian’s direction. He wasn’t laughing. In fact he was staring at me with a fierce intensity, his eyes filled with want and hunger. He was jealous. Good. I didn’t like being ignored either.
“For the last time,” John said through gritted teeth, “she lives with me.”
“Well, I think that’s just amazing,” Cher said leaning forward and raising her glass to John. “If only more boys were as sweet as you.”
“Cheers to that,” I said, raising my beer. Darian gave me an odd look. I licked my lips in his direction before taking a sip. Darian shifted in his seat, still watching me.
“I really am sorry about that,” John said, pointing to my rope burn as it exposed itself from under my sleeve when I put my drink down. “It was an accident. We just got carried away. Darian said I was the one that pushed you out of the raft.”
“Really?” I withdrew my arm from the table, placing it in my lap. “How could he tell with all the chaos?”
“He is always paying attention to what’s going on,” John continued. “That guy never misses a beat. That’s how he built his company from nothing to a multi-million dollar corporation; he’s always
watching the details, never missing what matters.”
Another round of shooters showed up. Again I slid mine over to John. I chewed the inside of my cheek as I glanced back at Darian. He was still watching John and me talking, but looked less agitated than he did before. I noticed that both of his shooters sat in front of him untouched. I lifted my glass slightly, and for a moment the corners of his mouth turned up. Then he leaned forward and said something just low enough, only those at his end of the table could hear it.
“Let’s go!” Ali said. “I could use a change of scenery.”
I frowned, watching everyone down their last sips and start getting out of their chairs. “Aren’t you all coming?” Cher asked.
“Where?” I said, confused at the change in pace.
“To Darian’s suite!”
As everyone shuffled out of the chairs, I glanced back at him, arms crossed as he leaned back in his seat. A wicked smile was plastered across his face, like a guy who knew how to get what he wanted.
My stomach fluttered in anticipation of what that might be.
***
Cher had managed to get herself next to John, and the two of them wobbled down the hallway together, arm in arm. I couldn’t help but feel I’d contributed to John’s stagger with the extra shooters I gave him. But neither seemed to mind, both laughing and giggling together.
Ali was up ahead, walking next to Darian. It made sense if she was attracted to him too; he was the one in charge and she loved to be in control. But when we reached the penthouse suite on the top floor of the hotel, Darian unlocked the door, motioning for Ali and the others to go in ahead of him. Suddenly I felt nervous, being the one trailing behind the group. In just moments I’d be within touching distance of Darian again. Images of his bare chest and my fingertips grazing across it jumped to my mind. The touch of his thumb on my lips. His hand guiding my bottom back into the raft. By the time I reached him, I was practically panting.
“Are you having fun yet?” he asked, placing a hand in front of the doorway, blocking me from the others.
I shrugged. “It’s nice to be out.”
“Am I boring you?” he asked, eyebrows raised.
“I haven’t had a chance to find out yet.” I pushed things further, just to get a rise out of him. “You were so busy visiting with my friends when I arrived.” An amused smile played on my lips, which seemed to ignite something in Darian’s eyes.
“Well, I’ve been waiting for you to arrive since our moment in the showers,” he said, dropping his arm as a shiver ran down my back at his mention of the showers. So, he was still thinking about it too. He continued, “Someone had to keep me company so I didn’t go stir crazy. Now, don’t let me stop you from finally entering my hotel room.”
This time I was the one who raised an eyebrow. I wasn’t ready to quit the banter so soon. Darian wasn’t the only one who could take control of the situation. “Why don’t you give me a tour?”
His brows shot up. “Are you sure?” I nodded, keeping my control. “Then let me show you where the magic happens.” I let a laugh escape at the cheesy line. But he didn’t waiver; he pressed his hand against my back and guided me into his suite.
Cher, Ali, and I had seen our share of penthouses before. Darian and his crew weren’t the first group of clients we’d joined for after work drinks. But that didn’t stop me from letting Darian show off all the bells and whistles. Our first stop was the sunken living room, where Ali had taken a seat with two of the guys. John and Cher were already at the bar. I couldn’t help but notice that we were missing three of the guys.
“Married,” Darian said in a low voice, answering my question before I asked it. “They don’t mind drinks, but when it comes to after parties they’d rather not get into any trouble with their wives, if you know what I mean.”
“What about you?” I whispered.
He had the confident smile of a man used to getting his way, but his answer surprised me. “Oh, I haven’t got into trouble in a very long time.”
“I find that hard to believe. A single guy who knows how to have a good time? I’m sure you get into your share of trouble.”
“I’ve been too busy with work to get into any.” I raised an eyebrow and he instantly held up his hands in defense. “I swear. And you know how I feel about people and their word.”
Before I could probe anymore, he turned to John. “Why don’t you get mixing everyone a drink? Spare no expense—give the people whatever they want. And someone turn on some music in this place!”
With the sounds of ice clinking into empty glasses and modern rock chasing after us, Darian pulled me by the hand, down the long hallway that ran behind the bar. He pointed to the large bathroom, where we ducked our heads inside. I admired the marble walls and matching sinks. Next was a large walk-in closet that had nothing but spare bedding and towels inside it.
“Where are all your clothes?” It was a logical question.
He laughed. “In my suitcase, of course. Who wants to pack and unpack, then pack again? What kind of holiday is that?”
He pulled me out of the closet into the last door, his master suite. The center of the room held a large king sized bed, decked out with plush blankets and pillows. Opposite the bed was a large fireplace that shared the same wall as the back of the bar. Surrounding it was a black leather couch, flanked by two chairs. On its other side, a large Jacuzzi tub sat in the corner.
“What do you think?” he asked, letting go of my hand and spinning around. “Does it look sleep-worthy to you?”
“I don’t know how much sleep I’d be doing in here,” I said, wrapping my arm around one of the thick mahogany king-sized posts that made up the bed frame. Darian gave me a quizzical look, and I quickly added. “There’s just so much to do, I mean.”
He grabbed the post opposite me, and looked around. “Yeah, now it kind of looks stupid to have all of this for one guy.”
I laughed. “Why leave your room at all. You could spend your vacation in here.”
His gaze caught mine, his eyes dark and serious again. I stopped swinging on the post, my palms now sweaty from his gaze. “Maybe I would if I had someone to enjoy it with.”
I opened my mouth to reply, but had nothing witty to say. Darian was so intense that he stumped me. He wasn’t like the transient boys I was used to hooking up with from Canmore. He was determined. He knew what he wanted.
But was he willing to come and get it?
I shifted my legs, feeling the heat growing between them, and let go of the bedpost, dropping myself to the edge of his bed. Instantly I sank into the sheets, against the full plush mattress. “Oh,” I moaned, “now this is paradise.” I arched back and swung my arms out like a snow angel, then looked up to find him standing at the side of the bed watching me.
“Are you going to join me?” I patted the blanket.
“Hey,” Cher interrupted. “We’ve all got some drinks.”
John walked into the room and looked from me to Darian. “Um, I think we should take off, maybe?” He gave Darian a quizzical look.
“No, don’t,” I said sitting up from the bed. “There’s room enough for all of us in here.” I stood up and grabbed a free drink from Cher. Darian came right behind me, reaching over my shoulder to grab one for himself. I stepped backward, and found myself pressed against him. He didn’t move, so I pushed closer to him. His fingers slid against my thigh, playing with the bottom hem of my skirt. I could feel his breath, warm against my bare shoulder. It was all I could do to not toss my drink at the fireplace and jump him.
Instead, I took a sip of my drink and tried to send ESP messages to Cher to leave. “Where’s Ali?”
“Off to do who knows what.” Cher winked.
“Good for her,” I replied. Ali needed to have a little fun too. As long as I worked with her, she kept her sex life very private.
“Fancy room,” Cher said, moving past us, staring at the lavish décor. “Oh and a Jacuzzi!”
I stepped away fr
om Darian, instantly regretting it as the warmth of his body slipped away from mine, and took a seat on the smooth black leather couch. Darian followed, turning on the fireplace before sitting next to me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me close to his chest.
“No Jacuzzi tonight,” Darian said, stroking my bare shoulder with his thumb. “Maybe tomorrow?”
“Awe,” Cher pouted. Sweet Cher. I know she didn’t mean to be a cock block, she was just too sweet and naïve. “Now what will we do for fun?”
“You guys should go dancing,” I offered.
“Yeah!” John agreed. Cher squealed as she pulled him out of the bedroom.
“Did you want to go?” Darian asked, leaning in and whispering in my ear.
I shook my head. I was perfectly happy where I was.
Finally, we were alone again.
FOUR
Darian sat silent, watching the door where our friends had slipped out, his eyes avoiding mine. I remembered the feel of his large hands as they gripped my waist under the raft. The look of worry in his eyes I regained my grip on the edge of the boat, and pulled myself out of the water. His concern was sweet; he didn’t know as a seasoned pro that I’d pulled myself out of more than one lake.
But that’s how clients liked it, the male ones at least—a girl in need of their assistance. It brought out their masculinity tenfold, and what happens on vacation, stays on vacation.
“How long have you all known each other?” I asked. Casual conversation was a safe bet to get things moving out of an awkward zone.
“Too long.” He leaned forward, tapping his fingers against the side of his drink. A smile played at the edge of his lips, disguised by the flickering of the fire. The shadows made the scruff of his facial hair look darker, which made me think again about how good it would feel between my legs. And hopefully sooner than later. “What about you girls?” he asked.
I licked my lips before replying, careful not to reveal more information than necessary. I was notorious for over talking when I got nervous. “Same as you.” I turned toward him, pointing my bare knees against his, ready to take this to the next level. “I wonder if we have anything else in common.”
