“No, never,” said Harrison. “I promise, mate, this isn’t anything that’ll get you in hot water. That kettle only has my name on it. I’ll make sure of it. If I do get us fired, I promise to support you financially through best friend alimony of some kind since this is my fuck-up.”
“Why don’t you just tell him the truth?” said Bruce. “Who among us hasn’t sent the errant drunk text to an ex-lover or an estranged parent?” His deep, slow, Californian surfer-dude accent was like a disarming lubricant that made his philosophic thoughts hit harder. Coupled with Bruce’s literal surfer’s body, it was no wonder the ladies at the resort couldn’t get their skirts up fast enough for him.
“Tell him the truth?” said Harrison. He lifted his phone up to his ear and said in a mocking voice. “Oh, hello father! Yes, it’s me, your only son and heir. Listen, sorry about that email, I was thrashed and decided it would be prudent to try and trick you out of your empire. Yes, yes, I know, bloody embarrassing, isn’t it? Glad that’s settled, give mum my love, see you at Christmas!”
Bruce stood there and watched Harrison’s overdramatic display with folded arms and a sour expression. “You pantomime a lot when you’re nervous, have I ever told you that?”
“Fucking hell, Bruce, this is serious…”
The phone in Harrison’s hand lit up, loudly ringing next to his ear. Both he and Bruce jumped in surprise, and Harrison went pale when he saw it was his father calling.
“What do I do?”
Bruce threw his hands in the air and shook his head. “How the fuck should I know?! But don’t answer if you don’t have a plan…”
But Harrison had already panicked and slid his finger across the glass screen to accept the call. He cleared his throat and brought out his best professional voice—at least, the best he could muster through his hangover. “Yes, hello, this is Harrison Moore.”
“Harrison!” His father’s voice was surrounded by loud wind — no doubt the sound of the air at the top of his penthouse tower, while he waited for a helicopter lift to some other tower in London. “I’ve not received a response from you about the visit. Did you get my message?”
Harrison closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Hello father. Yes, I got your message, I was actually just sorting out my reply to you when you rang.”
“Your mother has a charity event she must attend on Tuesday, but we will be departing directly afterward. It was the soonest we could make it out. Hopefully it’s not inconvenient for you.”
“No, not inconvenient at all,” said Harrison. He opened his eyes to see Bruce staring sternly at him, shaking his head. “Frankly, I’m surprised you were able to find time to make it out so quickly in the first place. It’s not really that necessary, you know. We could arrange a trip out to you come the holidays.” It was a long-shot, but he had to give it a try.
“Come now, this isn’t just some custodial visit, is it? I’m simply dying to meet my new daughter, Harrison, and discuss the future of our family. Besides, your mother wouldn’t stand for that,” said George, pushing his voice to be heard over the wind. “We’ll be heading for Bali the morning after the event. I have a few business appointments to attend to upon landing, and then we can dedicate the rest of the trip to visiting.”
Bruce was staring into Harrison’s face, imploring him, first silently and then through a delicate mouthed whisper. “Tell him! Tell him the truth!”
Harrison swiped a hand twice at Bruce and moved his head away in case it was loud enough for his father to hear. “That sounds excellent, father. I’ll make sure everything is arranged in the presidential suite for you.”
“Don’t bother, I’ll call and have Jones take care of it. This is a holiday, for you as well as for us. I’ll let him know to get your responsibilities covered until our trip is done.”
Harrison felt a rush of panic. The more people who knew about the reason for his father’s visit, the harder it would be to keep the ruse up. The staff mostly respected Harrison, but to pretend there weren’t those among them who would relish the chance to put the rich owner’s son in his place would be naïve — and Harrison’s apple hadn’t fallen that far from the tree. He was not about to put his faith in those odds. “That’s really not necessary, father…”
“Come now,” said his father.
“No, father, now you aren’t here for the day to day operations, are you? How would it look to my staff to have my father swoop in and relieve me of duty so we can gallivant off on a surprise holiday together? It’s important I maintain good standing around here. These people have access to my food, remember.”
His father didn’t laugh, but that was nothing new. The elder Moore never had much enjoyed anything humorous. “I suppose that’s a fair point, son. You know your people and your resort.”
“I do. Please trust me on this.”
“But I still don’t want you working while we’re visiting. Your mum is insistent. You know she isn’t a fan of the tropics and she will be an absolute nightmare if you’re running about putting out fires during her rare visit out of Europe. Make sure you delegate to someone responsible, someone you won’t need to check in on every hour.”
“Fine, fine,” said Harrison. “Just let me take care of it, yeah? I’ll see you both when you get here.”
The background interference grew as a helicopter approached on the elder Moore’s line. “Oh, son, and tell me about this woman! What is her name, is she Engl—?“ Before Harrison even had time to panic or scramble for answers, the dying battery of his smart phone finally gave out and the call cut off into blank silence.
He took a deep breath as he looked at the black screen. “Well, that was a freebie.”
4
Clarice
Clarice and the girls agreed to separate for a while after the long plane ride over, to give each other time to unpack, take naps, and unwind from the long, cramped hours of travel. They made plans to meet up that evening for dinner at one of the resort’s many inclusive restaurants. Trudy made the pick of the beachside grille, and the girls split with sweet hugs to find their own individual, plush suites waiting for them.
Clarice had assumed they would be sharing rooms, but obviously, that wasn’t the most attractive plan at a… what had Trudy called it? A hedonistic resort? Maybe it was fun hanging socks on doorknobs in dorms at college, back when they had no choice, but there was certainly no class to them bringing back lovers to shared rooms now. It made sense, but it also made Clarice a little sad for she loved spending time with the girls.
However, once she jiggled open the double doors to her suite, she had to admit that she was just a little less sad. The room was spacious, with high white ceilings and gorgeous crown molding. A small but elegant crystal chandelier hung from the center of the room, just at the foot of an enormous four-poster bed, wrapped lazily in sheer white curtains that danced in the ocean breeze. Lush green plants and bright flowers lined window boxes, spilling into the room. There was a cold fireplace surrounded by parlor furniture under a lazy ceiling fan, enough for a small group of people, and a giant wooden wardrobe. When she finally spotted the claw-foot bathtub in the elegant, white bathroom, she gasped in delight.
“This place is a dream,” she said to herself, running her hands along the cozy white comforter on the queen sized bed. She giggled and flung herself onto the raised mattress, sighing in pleasure as she sunk into the memory foam mattress and down comforter like it was a cloud and she an angel. All the tension from the day of travel started melting out of her muscles. Clarice closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the fresh sea air, listening to the faraway hum of the ocean and chants of exotic sea birds.
For the first time in a very long time, everything felt perfect.
The moment disappeared with a quiet knock on the door. “Excuse me: bellhop, miss. I have your luggage.”
She considered moving to answer the door, but her body wasn’t having it. The bed had captured her. “Come in,” she called instead.
The bellhop didn’t seem to mind as she lay there and watched him roll in the giant gold cart with the four bags she had packed for their trip. He stacked them neatly near the wardrobe, and even gave her a good-natured laugh when she gestured him over to the bed to collect his tip.
“Sorry, I promise this isn’t me trying to be a pervert,” said Clarice as she handed him the cash. “This bed is just… really goddamn comfortable. It was a long day of sitting.”
The attractive young man laughed and turned a bit red around the cheeks and ears as he took the money from her. “Relaxation is the goal here. Trust me, miss, I know a perverted come-on when I see it.” He had a soft accent she didn’t recognize, pitch-black hair darker than even her own, and bright almond-shaped eyes.
She laughed. “I suppose you would, working here, wouldn’t you?”
“It does come with the territory.”
“Tell me something,” said Clarice, sitting up. “Do you feel weird working here? I mean, is it like… just a wild orgy fest here all the time or what?”
The bellhop smiled. “Your friends didn’t tell you anything about this place, did they? Surprise bachelorette party trip, I bet?”
“Surprise, yes; bachelorette party, no.”
“It’s a lot classier than people expect,” said the bellhop. “There aren’t any teenagers working summer jobs here, either.”
“Well, honestly, you could have fooled me. You don’t look that old.”
The bellhop grinned proudly. “Less stress living in paradise, miss. Lots of fresh fish and fruit, plenty of sun and clean air, it keeps you looking young.”
“You should be a realtor here. What do you mean this place is classier than people expect?”
“I mean, there aren’t public sex shows or people just groping each other randomly in the hallways. We do have a nude beach, but we also have regular shores, so there’s no need to worry if you don’t feel comfortable. Mostly, it’s just a sense of community, you know? Everyone is here because they are open to offers and exploration, so there’s a lot less tension than at a typical resort. Also…”
He broke off talking to fetch something on the small antique writing desk, next to the matching wardrobe. He came back and handed Clarice a leather-bound room service menu. “It’s not just food in there.”
Clarice opened up the binder and flipped through its pages, eyes widening when she saw what he meant. There were whole pages of options for guests to purchase any number of sex play items, from run of the mill vibrators and dildos all the way up to hardcore S&M equipment. For a hefty fee, they would even come and install a stripper’s pole or a sex swing in your suite. You could get almost anything your sexual appetite could desire delivered right to your room.
“Oh, wow…” she murmured as she perused the list. “Here I thought I knew some things… man, I haven’t even heard of half the stuff on this list…”
“So you see, it’s not that every room is a different orgy; it’s just that sex is often the end game for our guests, and we do everything we can to provide them the most fun and relaxing experience possible.”
“And if someone doesn’t quite get into the swing of things?” asked Clarice, before she winced. “Pun intended, I guess.”
The bellhop laughed. “Then there is plenty else to do—this is a five-star resort in paradise! The island is full of activities and cultural sights. There’s surfing and wakeboarding and boating. You can even go fishing or take a nature hike. We can find you something you like, miss.”
“Hmm,” said Clarice. She closed the room service book, wanting to still be upset at Trudy and the girls for their deception, but she just didn’t have the energy. This place didn’t actually sound half-bad, and it really seemed like people would leave her be if she decided she didn’t want to join the more adventurous activities the resort offered. “Well, I suppose it will do. Thanks for your help.” She slipped him another bill and the young man nodded.
“Oh, hey, one more question,” she said. “As staff, do you… you know… get involved?”
The bellhop stared at her for just a moment, until Clarice let out a laugh and put her hand up. “Sorry, this is still not a perverted come-on. I didn’t mean you specifically. I’m a curious person, I just wondered if you guys got in trouble if you gave into this, well… pretty enormous temptation you must constantly work under. You must lead interesting lives.”
The bellhop gave her a half-smile that actually did make her want to try a perverted come-on. “People don’t really apply to work here without specifically wanting that perk, if you know what I mean. I’m sure it’s against the rules somewhere, but you wouldn’t know it from practice. I’ve never had any trouble for it. As long as you’re off duty, anyway.”
Clarice nodded. “You’re really living the dream, aren’t you?”
“You can say that again,” he tipped his head at her and pulled his cart out the door. “Have a good trip, miss.”
Clarice quickly passed out after the bellhop left her room. In fact, she didn’t even take off her shoes or change clothes. She crashed hard on top of the plush queen bed in her room as the sea breeze wafted warm across her skin, and when she woke up, it was with a clear head and a happy heart. Sunlight had crept its way into the room and warmed her legs that were stretched out across the bed. She checked her wristwatch and saw she still had a few hours until dinner with the girls.
After a long, hot bath in the claw-foot tub, she lingered around the bright bathroom, slowly getting dressed to the faraway sounds of happy people enjoying the beach. She threw a few of her nicer dresses up in the wardrobe to get them un-wrinkled, and stepped into a fun yellow sundress she had bought just for the trip. Twirling before the full-length mirror, Clarice almost didn’t recognize herself. She hadn’t been in much of a twirling mood in a while.
Lingering on her reflection and remembering the days before everything fell apart left her feeling a little sad, again. That Clarice had been a carefree, stupidly happy woman. She stayed out late and still showed up to work the next morning because she loved doing both, and had the energy to do it.
But the last two years were the complete opposite. In contrast, they felt like a slow decline into a dark hole, where all she did was work, go home and occasionally see her girls on the rare occasion that they managed to coax her out of her funk for the night. She didn’t go to movies or approach men anymore. It was like all the joy had been sucked out of her life.
Standing there in the tropical sunshine, enveloped in the bright yellow dress, all of that felt so far away. Clarice smiled and took a deep breath. She shook off the sadness that was threatening her again. It was time for new beginnings, and she couldn’t think of a better place than this to make that happen.
With hours till dinner, now was the perfect time to take a tour around the place and see how she felt about all this sex party stuff. She applied a bit of makeup, fastened her gold gladiator sandals to her calves, tossed her necessities into a tiny black clutch, and left the suite to explore.
The resort was enormous and winding, spanning several buildings and a whole lot of open space. There were five different pools, and two of them included swim-up bars for people who, apparently, wanted to do the most amazing multi-tasking Clarice had ever heard of. The facilities were extensive and included a spa, lots of sports activities, even an enormous traditional ballroom for gala-type events. There were inclusive boutiques on the far side of the resort, and the walk between the stores and hotel was a perfectly manicured garden trail that was lit up with the colors of tropical flowers and the visiting birds and insects that flitted among them.
She wandered aimlessly, enjoying and searching, oblivious, at first, to the fact that she was getting ogled left and right by passing people of both genders.
When she finally noticed, the sensation was unusual for reasons she couldn’t quite put her finger on at first. It wasn’t like she, like every poor woman in every city, didn’t get her share of unwelcome stares and catc
alls as she went about her day. Being here, though, in a place meant for sex, it didn’t feel as oppressive, and Clarice found herself growing bolder and more excited as she realized how many people were showing open and obvious desire for her. It was hard not to get an ego boost from something like that, even if she was too shy to follow through.
She scoffed at her own thoughts. Too shy to follow through. What was wrong with her? Trudy was right, she was a woman in the prime of her life, and she was a hottie, too. Why shouldn’t she get hers, and have some fun with a hot, random dude while she was here?
The defiant thoughts lit a fire in her. She held her head high, took steps with more boldness, and she even felt the sway in her hips as she walked get a little saucier. She took a left turn and decided to wander outside, following the signs that led to a place called the Water Gardens.
She wasn’t disappointed. It was a beautiful Arabic-inspired courtyard surrounded by high, shining white walls, and filled with neatly manicured flora, including chest-high hedges that formed a bit of a tiny labyrinth. A circular stone fountain stood in the middle, bubbling clear water that filled up its basin and spilled through decorative spouts. The spouts filled up long, gorgeous stone troughs that ran through the gardens next to the hedges, filling the whole space with the sound and smell of constantly running fresh water. It was paradise within paradise.
She sighed heavily and looked around. A few people milled about, including an older couple who held hands sweetly and stopped to identify every single bloom with a tiny guidebook. Clarice wandered a path around the hedges and, at the opposite end, she spotted a gorgeous man who seemed lost in thought, until he saw her. Immediately, he held her gaze, and gave her a lazy, seductive smile as he straightened his posture.
Clarice wanted to look away from the heavy scrutiny of his gaze, but she refused to let herself.
I want Adventure Clarice back, goddammit!
Butterflies whirled around her stomach with every step closer she took, but not only did she hold his gaze, but she also gave him a tiny smile. Although it was admittedly more in an attempt to hide signs of her nervousness than anything else. Still, she continued approaching him down the hedge path with barely a faltered step.
Pranked Page 18
