Page 6 of Scandalous Lover

There’s no way around it—this woman is sexy as hell.

Her long, curly brown hair, loose and wild over her creamy tanned and freckled shoulders seems to be begging me to run my hands through it. I find my head tilting to the side, imagining what it would be like to tuck my face into the curve of her neck and the angular ridge above the swell of her breasts. The desire to be closer to her churns through me. I lose focus while she’s telling stories as I watch her tip her head back and laugh.

I’d like to blame the alcohol on this sudden rush of passionate feelings, but I can recall very similar ones when I first saw her at speed dating. The mere presence of her does something to me, and I can’t pass it off as booze-induced.

But there’s no doubt it’s the alcohol making me consider things that otherwise would be out of the question.

I look down at my hands, flexing my fingers to bring myself out of my completely inappropriate fantasies.

“I’m going to go order us a platter of tacos to soak up all thisbooze. Let’s just hang here. It’s quiet.” I cringe, sounding like an old man. “And we can talk.”

Naomi narrows her eyes but doesn’t protest. When the feast arrives, we both dig in. I feel better immediately. More stable, more clear-headed.

But somehow, I still feel like taking this woman back to my hotel.

It’s a bad idea, right?

“I can’t believe I haven't made it to The Sands since opening week. You guys have owned it for what, a decade?”

“Just about.'' It's crazy to think about it like that, but time has flown by. From our meager beginnings as a bunch of clueless city boys to the savvy, island business owners we’ve become, it’s been a wild ride. “You should come visit. Hit me up anytime, I’ll get you the best room in the resort.”

Naomi raises her brows and smirks. “Maybe I’ll do that.” Her attention drifts to her phone momentarily before her eyes come back to meet mine. “I bet my followers would love a full spread on the hottest getaway just a short jump from Houston.”

“Exactly,” I offer, although all the follower talk has me a bit confused. I’ve never been a big social media guy. I have a woman on our front desk staff who manages the accounts for The Sands, and my own personal accounts are dusty, deserted roads, complete with tumbleweeds.

Naomi seems to have combined the personal and professional, creating a business of…well, herself.

“So, what do you tell your followers? How does picture-taking translate into a job?”

Her face blooms open in a way I haven't seen before, the subject clearly lighting her up. “It’s not a hundred percent my job, you know, most things are paid for by the family, but I’m growing my personal brand from local Austin influencing andgeneral lifestyle influencing to sustainable fashion influencing for women in their ‘business and family years’.”

A shadow passes through her bright eyes as she makes the air quotes, but it’s gone before I can identify it.

“It’s been getting more and more challenging to keep up with the younger influencers.” She rolls her eyes when I scoff at that. “You know what I mean. I’m thirty-two, almost thirty-three. That’s a whole different demographic from when I started. I need to be able to have broad enough appeal to stay in the game. Women who are in their thirties have different considerations and interests. Things like family, careers, and houses. And if they don't have those things, they want them. I’m going to have to figure out a way to stay relevant as a single, childless woman in her thirties.”

“Hence the speed dating.”

“Exactly. For the last few years, it’s been easy to slide by on commiserating about how much online dating sucks, but that content isn’t getting results like it used to. Women want solutions.”

She breaks off and looks down at the device gripped between her hands, although she doesn't flip the phone screen to face herself.

“It’s hard getting older and not being sure if all the dreams you had for your life are ever going to happen,” she says softly.

When her eyes rise once more to meet mine, I nod. “I get that. If someone told me at thirty-two that I’d still be single at forty-two, I would have called them crazy.”

She narrows her eyes. “Why are you single? Isn’t that island covered with bikini babes?”

I shrug. “I suppose, but it’s complicated as the GM. Honestly, I’d prefer finding someone who didn't have a connection to the resort at all, so I could have a home life and a work life that were separate.”

“Hence, the speed dating.” Naomi mimics my earlier words with a smile.

I nod. “Hence the speed dating. I know it's a little far-fetched to think I’m going to talk a woman from Austin into moving to Faraday to live with me, but…I don’t know.”

Naomi’s eyes widen in surprise. “Are you crazy? Any lady would jump at that chance.”

“No one has yet.”

Her mouth opens and then closes again. I wait eagerly for her to turn her thoughts into words. I find myself on the edge of my seat waiting for her opinion on things, especially things about myself. Not something I’m used to feeling with anyone, not even the guys.

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