Page 86 of Scandalous Lover

I give him a small one, a bit of silly wiggling and turning as I change back into my shorts and tank, but not enough to takethis anywhere. As much as I’d like to start something, I think I need to go back to Dom’s.

I tell myself that leaving Sam’s warm, welcoming house and driving back to Dom and Reina’s has nothing to do with being reunited with my phone, but I know that’s only partially true.

Baby steps, right? I mean, I did just go the whole day without checking it.

I arrive at Dom’s just as the sun is setting though the panoramic windows. The house is empty, and I stand for what must be half an hour, watching mother nature’s show. The absolute, undiluted beauty of it all takes my breath away.

I don’t even try to capture the moment in a picture.

Something in me has shifted. All of a sudden, just being here is enough.

Still feeling a tad guilty after our frivolous shower session, I decide I’m clean enough to head straight to bed, setting my timer for only ten minutes of scrolling while I lay against the headboard, two soft, fluffy pillows propping me up. The internet is exactly the same as it was when I left it last night. People did stuff, people complained about stuff, and I almost click on way too many very well targeted ads for things that would fit in perfectly with my new island lifestyle.

Instead, I shut the screen off when my time is up and plug it in across the room, sinking into my sheets and letting my memories of Sam’s hands on my body lull me to sleep.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Sam

We do a couple weddings a season here at The Sands, or we have for the last few years, since Fran and Avery teamed up. I also ran high end resorts in the States and abroad before we took this dive into resort ownership, and those properties were popular destinations for weddings. And even after all that, I have never before seen anything like this wedding.

I narrow my eyes at the security guard positioned at the front door to my lobby as he asks me for my ID. “I’m the owner and GM of this property. Why are you checking IDs at my door?”

The man’s face remains stoic, taking his job seriously. “I’m just monitoring the entrances while my team transfers the wine from the secure transport to the resort refrigeration.”

My eyebrows raise a bit. “And then you’ll be standing guard outside the cooler door as well?”

“Yes, sir.”

I nod, letting the reality of the day ahead sink in. “I’ll besure to let the restaurant staff know to get you a meal. If you can’t move from your post, don’t hesitate to ask my staff for food or water if you need it, okay? Dehydration can sneak up on you if you’re not used to the heat.”

I see a slight crack in his stern facade. “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”

I take a long, deep breath as I step through the doorway into the lobby, trying to prepare myself for whatever could be waiting for me inside.

The first person I see, however, is exactly who I was hoping for.

Naomi’s long waves bounce on her bare shoulders as she comes around the corner. Her whole face lights up when she sees me. It’s been a busy few days for both of us, and we haven't managed to see each other.

I wonder briefly if that guard would stand watch outside my office for a half hour, but I shove the thought away.

“Morning stranger,” I say with a smile.

She returns my smile conspiratorially, giving me as much of an embrace with her eyes and body language as I’m going to get today. I allow memories of her skin under my hands to creep into my mind for just a moment before shaking them off.

The last thing I need right now is a boner.

“This is crazy, Sam. I knew it was going to be, especially after watching them all arrive yesterday and seeing their stuff. And their clothes! You are not going to believe the clothes on these people. I want everything.” Her eyes go starry for a minute before she snaps back down to earth. “But also, I don’t.”

I watch as she glances down at her simple tank top dress, sage green and falling loosely to just above her knees. The straps are wide enough to cover the straps of the bra I know she’s wearing from sneaking glances, and the neckline falls lowenough for comfort in this heat, but not too low as to be inappropriate at work. She’s the picture of island business casual.

She looks back up at me, and I can’t quite read the expression there—and not for lack of trying. I want to know everything about this woman, starting with each and every thing that goes on inside her head.

“I didn’t even have to steam this dress, let alone iron it. I passed a woman earlier when I was getting coffee down at Raft who was wearing these super high waisted red pants and I almost sat down right there in the hallway to search the internet for them, but then I thought about how long it must have taken her to get them to look like that before she put them on.” The expression on her face now is obvious amazement. “It was like seven-forty-five in the morning. Can you imagine steaming pants before eight a.m.?”

I lean in just a bit closer, until my lips are inches from her ear. “I saw the red pants woman, princess. And she’s got nothing on you.”

Naomi’s surprised little gasp and matching blush make me grind my teeth a bit as I step back to put the appropriate amount of distance back between us. The last thing I want to do is be further away from her perfect skin and the scent of her hair, but we’ve got a long, crazy day ahead of us and I need to keep my head in the game.

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