Second Chance to Wear His Ring

by Hana Sheik

  “BIENVENIDO, SENORITA. WELCOME to Recurso Llave Dorada—the Golden Key Resort.”

  The mustached man in a yellow blazer offered Luna Price his greeting as soon as she stepped out of the limo. As she did, her eyes quickly darted left and right so she could be sure she wasn’t being observed. Force of habit. Even though she was here through an arrangement with the exclusive M Dating Agency, all of whose clients were apparently rich and famous, Luna wanted to be certain that she wouldn’t be recognized.

  Without meticulously done hair, makeup and styling, she hoped she looked like a typical tourist. The hat, dark glasses, simple sundress and sandals she wore should serve as help. Even though she’d been out of the media’s eye for quite a while, she’d never forget the unforgiving judgment the press gave a film star’s appearance.

  “I am Juan Carlos Ortiz, Dorada’s manager,” the gentleman Luna stood opposite continued. Embroidered above his jacket’s pocket was the resort’s logo of two palm trees, one leaning left and the other right, with a gold key across them. “Kindly follow me to a private reception area reserved exclusively for our M guests.”

  That was a good start in ensuring Luna’s privacy. “Gracias.”

  While guests milled about in the area through the wide-open wooden doors, which allowed the check-in area to feel like an extension of the outdoors, Juan Carlos gestured for Luna to follow him to the right. “I trust everything about your journey to us was satisfactory?”

  “It was.” Indeed, Madison Morgan and her M Dating Agency had thought of every detail to make Luna’s trip pleasant, despite her own apprehensions. A discreet SUV had picked her up from her parents’ ranch outside of Louisville, Kentucky, as a limo would have drawn too much attention, and the chartered airplane that departed from a private terminal had every imaginable comfort.

  As was Madison’s design, Luna was to spend a secluded week with a man she’d never met and knew nothing about. And she hadn’t been told until the plane was soaring through the air that she’d be doing it in the archipelago of Caribbean islands known as Puerto Rico. This was how M did business, arranging ultraprivate rendezvous for the elite around the globe. Although the entire prospect made Luna uneasy, the exotic destination had her interest piqued.

  “This way, please.” Juan Carlos held open a door on the side of the building and Luna stepped through. It was a salon-type room with two wooden desks beveled with designs of pineapples, a symbol of hospitality, and plush armchairs with yellow upholstered cushions. Large paintings of native flora and fauna decorated the walls. Open windows gave the space a light feel. She quickly observed that, with one exception, the few other people in this private reception area all wore yellow blazers, identifying them as resort staff. Juan Carlos gestured to a desk, then pulled out a chair and invited Luna to sit, which she would have done had she not been stopped dead in her tracks. Because when she caught sight of the tall man across the room wearing a business shirt and trousers—the one person not wearing the yellow blazer—she was unable to move.

  It wasn’t just that he was good-looking, which he certainly was—in Luna’s line of work, attractiveness was an everyday commodity, and she’d learned the hard way that it had nothing to do with a person’s character. There was something different about this man, though—he had a stature and commanding presence that had little to do with his physical gifts. It was as if the entire room was centered around him, as the employees fumbled over themselves to take the small travel bag he held, an offer he refused. “Thank you, no,” he said in a low baritone. Another tried to hand him a drink, but he shook his head in rejection. “Thank you, no,” he repeated, with a bit of impatience in his voice now.

  Juan Carlos presented Luna with a large bouquet of tropical flowers. “Once again, welcome.”

  As she brought them to her nose to appreciate their fragrance, the tall man who was garnering all of the attention glanced to her. While she’d already noticed his close-cropped thick brown hair and long-limbed muscular build, once he focused his emerald-green eyes on her, something tugged at her heart. “Gracias for the flowers,” she whispered.

  Instantly, she hoped against that he was not the man she’d been matched up with for the week. No, he was too innately impressive, too statuesque. The last thing Luna wanted was to feel pressure to be perfect for a powerful man, one with expectations and specifications. It was that very thing she needed to stay away from. She was not here to please someone, nor was she open to wanting to.

  But two things occurred to her as the man’s pointed stare became impossible to deny and their eyes met. One was the unconfirmed yet somehow undeniable knowledge that they were, in fact, each other’s match for the week. The second was that while his exquisite face did rival that of a Greek god’s, there was pain behind his eyes and in the set of his jaw. There was much simmering under his surface.

  Juan Carlos, sensing the scrutiny his two guests were bestowing on each other, said, “We generally introduce M’s guests to each other once they’ve reached their villa but you two seem to have met.” Met wasn’t exactly the right word. Luna had consented to M’s conditions that she would not so much as see a photo or hear the name of the person with whom she’d be spending the week until they arrived at their destination. She trusted Madison’s ability to unite people who were not only compatible, but also shared the same goals for the match. Which meant that he wasn’t here to meet the love of his life, either. That was good. Luna had made it clear to Madison that she was seeking a week of easygoing companionship and that was it.

  “Yes, we have.” The words fell trancelike from the green-eyed man’s mouth. He removed himself from the staff huddle and stepped toward Luna, where he presented his outstretched palm for a handshake. “Charlie.”

  “Luna.” Managing the enormous bouquet with one hand, she joined her other with his. The contact with his large, thick-skinned hand gave off more sparks than she wished. Not finding him appealing at all would have been ideal. The seven days were supposed to be a safe getaway for Luna. A segue back into casual dating. An escape where she could just be herself, not worry about her image or her appearance or anything other than short-term relaxation and enjoyment.

  So she had hoped that she wouldn’t even find her match attractive or intriguing. That would have been the easiest way to proceed. Now, faced with the reality of a magnetic man with hurt in his eyes standing before her, Luna had the impulse to run back to the limo and immediately return to the hidden safety of her parents’ ranch, where she’d been for the better part of a year. She knew that she couldn’t, though, that it was time to move forward. And, what’s more, she was ready to do so. But now, with this man in front of her, she had the instant suspicion that the next week was going to be different than what she’d bargained for unless she kept her guard up.

  “Senor and senorita, if you’ll come with me, a golf cart will take you to your villa. The luggage has already been delivered.” Luna looked to Juan Carlos, almost silently pleading for him to get her out of this situation. As many strangers as Luna had to meet in her line of work, this would be far more personal. And, therefore, terrifying. Their villa? Had she been crazy in letting Anush, her best friend and personal stylist, talk her into this agreement? It suddenly seemed so.

  As they moved toward the waiting golf cart, Charlie absentmindedly placed his hand on her upper arm to guide her out of the salon. She bristled. It had been a long time since a man had touched her beyond a handshake, and it was still something she wasn’t comfortable with. It hadn’t even occurred to her that this week might put that to the test, as well—whether or not she was ready for physical contact with a man. In any case, the feel of his fingertips was both scary and thrilling, and wholly unwelcome. She moved away.

  Juan Carlos made sure his guests were situated in the back seat of the cart before he took his place in the front beside the driver, and then off they went.

  “Where did you fly in fro
m?” Luna fumbled to make small talk. She hoped she hadn’t offended him by rejecting his guiding hand, but she’d be establishing as many boundaries as she needed to.

  “Heathrow. I live in Buckinghamshire,” he answered with a polite chill in his voice that didn’t match the warm skin she could feel sitting next to her. “A little over an hour’s drive from London.” It was only then that Luna clearly heard his British accent. Madison and the M Dating Agency’s policy was that participants had to put their complete faith in her abilities, as they’d learn nothing about their matches ahead of time. So all she now knew was that Charlie was English, had big hands and a second golf cart’s worth of emotional baggage. He was obviously wealthy or he wouldn’t have been able to afford Madison’s hefty fee. What more would she be discovering about him, and when?

  “Yourself?” he asked as if it required effort.

  “Kentucky,” she answered without going into the details. It was her childhood home and the place where she’d spent the past twelve months.

  “American. Have we met before?” He studied her. “You look familiar.”

  “Senor and senorita, may I present La Villa de Felicidad?”

  “Wonderful,” Luna murmured.

  * * *

  Juan Carlos gestured with a grand sweep of his hand once the golf cart came to a stop in front of the secluded structure at the end of the resort’s property. Through a gate and far removed from any other buildings was its own sparkling cove, and no doubt a private beach. Charlie hadn’t lost the headache that had joined him on his flight, although he couldn’t fail to notice the spectacular setting where he was to spend the coming week.

  The sky was a soft blue under which the gentle waves of the Caribbean glistened in the sunshine. “Oh, my...” Luna let the comment slip as they exited the golf cart, and Charlie had to agree. He’d been told accommodations would be at one of the Golden Key Concierges’ luxury properties but hadn’t known exactly what to expect. They followed Juan Carlos into the villa—into being a relative term as the enormous living space was completely open, with fresh air flowing through a secluded courtyard on one side and the beachfront on the other.

  “Where are the walls?” Luna asked.

  Juan Carlos quickly showed them to a wood cupboard near the entrance that contained an elaborate control panel and electronic devices. “Each wall, as well as portions of the ceiling, are fully retractable. They also provide shading options and climate control for the hotter parts of the day. Please utilize these choices however you wish. May I give you a demonstration?”

  “Thank you, but I think I can figure it out.” Charlie Matthews, CEO of his own biotech empire, AMgen, one of the largest in the UK and Europe, ought to be able to figure out how to retract a ceiling.

  “Bueno. Would you like a tour of the villa or would you prefer to explore it yourself?”

  “Let’s have a quick look.”

  “The lounging and dining area.” Juan Carlos pointed from right to left. “If it’s acceptable, your personal chef and butlers will introduce themselves a bit later to obtain your preferences.”

  “Fine.”

  “Shall I assume you’d prefer dinner here in your villa rather than at one of our restaurants on the property?”

  “Yes,” Luna said quickly.

  Juan Carlos led them farther inside. “And may I present the master bedroom.”

  “There’s only one bed,” Luna blurted out.

  “Yes.” Charlie looked around, estimating the villa’s layout, and dreaded to ask, as he hoped the resort manager would intuit the situation. “Where are the other bedrooms?”

  “Only this sumptuous master suite, senor. The villa was chosen specifically for you by Ms. Morgan.”

  “It won’t do for us,” Luna interjected.

  “I’m sorry, senorita. Ms. Morgan has made all of the arrangements. Perhaps you’d like to speak with her.”

  “We will,” Charlie replied shortly.

  “Either way, I regret to inform you that none of the resort’s other accommodations are even close in regard to the luxury and privacy of this villa and, in any case, we have no vacancies whatsoever.”

  So, Madison had kept this trick up her sleeve. Even though he, and presumably Luna, had clarified that they were not interested in using this week for a romantic tryst, the matchmaker had her own ideas.

  “Wonderful,” he quipped sarcastically.

  The journey, the ride from the airport, the overeager staff and now the prospect of a week with a stranger and one bed was all crashing down on him. He was ready for Juan Carlos to take his leave. There was to be no tipping or money exchanged during this weeklong getaway, as all costs and gratuities had been taken care of previously, so their business was done.

  “I’ll bid you adios, then. I am at your disposal for anything you need. The golf cart will be left for your use and you’ll find a video with Ms. Morgan’s suggested activities for your stay. I hope you’ll find the accommodations spacious enough to meet your needs and that your week with us at Dorada exceeds your expectations.”

  Much as he wanted him to depart, as soon as the manager left, Charlie’s stomach lurched. This was really happening. It had been his right-hand man, and AMgen’s COO, Tom Khatri, who had suggested that Charlie undertake this M Dating Agency excursion. But now that he was here, he wasn’t sure how he’d get through it. A week with a woman he didn’t even know? And why did she look so familiar? He was sure he’d met her before. The awkwardness of being alone with her was already uncomfortable.

  Luna was still wearing her hat and sunglasses but he could see she was a willowy beauty, tall and very slim. Her floral cotton dress was hardly what he’d have expected a client of M’s to be wearing, as the agency catered to a population that likely shopped at the world’s most select boutiques. After they stood facing each other in a silence that became excruciating, he finally asked, “Did I notice that you speak Spanish?”

  “Enough to get by, más o menos.”

  “When did you learn?”

  “I studied it in school. Living in Los Angeles, where there are a lot of different languages spoken, gives me a chance to stay in practice.”

  “Los Angeles? Didn’t you say you arrived here from Kentucky?” That seemed a bit suspect to him. He’d been to the States enough times to know that Kentucky was quite different from California.

  “I, uh... My permanent home is Los Angeles. I’ve spent some prolonged time in Kentucky that’s now come to an end.” If that had been an attempt to clear up the confusion, her tone suggested the opposite.

  She removed her hat and sunglasses, allowing him to see her in full for the first time. Sun-kissed blond locks cascaded past her shoulders in waves, framing her face. And such a pretty face it was, with big blue eyes, flawless skin and perfectly bowed lips. It looked as if she was without makeup, another thing that surprised him given M’s reputation for attracting the polished crème de la crème from every corner of the globe. Charlie actually quite liked that she appeared so natural. It reminded him of a casual comfort he used to know, and something he missed so much the tears he thought had finally dried up threatened to reappear.

  Now that he saw Luna’s full face and hair, the sense that he knew her nagged at him again.

  He realized he was staring when she broke in and asked, “Do you speak any Spanish yourself?”

  “To order in a restaurant, maybe. I suppose I’ll need your assistance this week.”

  “I’ll do my best.” She licked her lips in what seemed like a nervous response. It was quite inappropriate that he found the move sensual, but he wished she would do it again.

  He looked out to the blue water and clean sand, which was visible from throughout the villa. “Well, these surroundings could hardly be lovelier.”

  “Yes. I don’t know anything about Puerto Rico.”

  “It’s interes
ting that Madison doesn’t tell the participants where their destination will be.”

  “Yes, my friend and stylist, Anush, made all the arrangements. She knew about the agency.” Ah, she had a stylist. That sounded more like M’s clientele. Although she made a point of calling her a friend, too. That didn’t seem like the behavior of any of the upper crust he’d ever known.

  “Similarly, my COO, Tom, handled the details on my end.” Blather seemed the only option. He was so out of practice in spending social time with a woman—with anyone really—that he didn’t know what to talk about. And she wasn’t helping any, giving short answers as her eyes glanced all around the villa. She wasn’t going to make this easy on him. He wondered what criteria Madison used for her matchmaking. Did she look for people who were opposite types from each other, or ones that were more alike? Because something beyond the comely features of Luna’s face told him that she might have as many demons to battle as he did. “Let me try to reach Madison and sort out this lodging situation.”

  “Yes, thank you.”

  He pulled his phone from his pocket but the call went to voice mail so he left a message and then sent a text. “We’ll have to wait for someone to get back to us.” He opened his carry-on bag and took out his laptop.

  “What sort of business are you in?”

  “I have a biotech company.”

  “Would I have heard of it?”

  “AMgen. We’re mainly in the UK and Europe.”

  “AMgen. Well, of course, I’ve heard of it. Hasn’t everyone? Charlie. Right. I think I read an article about you in a magazine. Charlie Matthews.”

  “Yes.”

  A magazine. Was that where he’d seen a photo of her, as well? Madison had mentioned that public figures needing the utmost discretion often used her service. Luna? Luna? It hit him like a ton of bricks. “Luna! Of course. You’re Luna Price! I’ve seen some of your movies.”

  * * *

  Juan Carlos must have taken the tropical breeze with him when he left because the air had gone still. Luna knew she was imagining it, as she could see the glorious palm trees swaying outside of the villa. It was just the finality that she, Charlie, this resort and Puerto Rico were going to be a unit for the next week. And now he’d recognized her. It was one thing to agree to this adventure in theory and quite another to be standing in the middle of it.