Page 18 of By His Play

I expect to see people, but much to my surprise, other than one lady sitting behind a reception desk, the place is deserted.

“Is this place open?” I whisper, terrified of making too much noise.

“No.”

“N-no?” I stutter, looking up at him.

“It doesn’t open for another week.”

“Then how?—”

“Effie,” he laughs.

“Oh. It’s a Callahan place, isn’t it?”

“Kingston’s latest pet project. There isn’t a single inch of this place that isn’t five stars, and I don’t know anyone more deserving of trying it out than you.

“We have the entire place to ourselves. The spa, the restaurant, the rooms. Whatever you want to do, all you have to do is say.”

I stand there in silence, gazing up at the ornately painted ceiling above me.

This is the kind of place my parents love. They thrive on being photographed in exclusive resorts like this. Showing a side of their lives that is nothing but fake.

All I’ve ever tried to be is the opposite of that.

“This is too much,” I say weakly.

“For my best friend, nothing is ever too much,” Kieran says with the most genuine of smiles. “Now, I don’t know about you, but I could really make use of the sauna.”

“I didn’t bring a suit,” I confess as he leads me toward the back of the vast entrance hall.

“Ah, no need to worry about that.”

“I’m not going anywhere naked,” I argue.

“Why not? It’s only my eyes that’ll be on you.”

He’s teasing, I know he is. But it doesn’t stop heat from rushing through my veins. It’s closely followed by a huge onslaught of fear.

Kieran has seen more than his fair share of beautiful women. I’d hate to even imagine what he’d think of my body compared to theirs.

I’m not a tall, slim supermodel.

I’m short with more curves than any of those women would accept.

“I’m joking, Eff,” he assures me when I come to a grinding halt a few feet before the sign directing us to the spa. “Everything you need for today is waiting for you in the locker room.”

“You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?”

“Not a chance. All I know is that you deserve to be treated like the queen you are.”

I stare up at him, all my earlier concerns falling away as the sudden urge to just let go of it all gets the better of me.

“Thank you.”

“Anytime, Luck. Anytime.”

5

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