Page 100 of What Happens in Paradise

Lola said I needed to find out how Jasmine felt before I fell for her so that I would not get hurt.

But now I knew we were not on the same page.

As for not falling for her and not getting hurt, it was too late.

Because it was clear that I had already done both.

35

JASMINE

I zipped up my suitcase and wheeled it towards my room door. I couldn’t believe it was my last day in Jamaica. The time had flown by. Especially the last couple of days.

From dusk until dawn, I’d been locked inside the hotel’s conference room training the Jamaican Love Alchemists and it’d been intense.

Originally, the plan was to space out the training sessions. But because so many key team members were ill during the first week, I had to cram everything into the second.

But the work I’d come here to do was done. I hoped I’d impressed Hortense enough that she’d rave about me to Hazel and that when I returned to Spain, the promotion would be mine.

The last few times I’d video called Hazel, she’d been fine, so thankfully, I was off the hook and all suspicions of Alejandro and I being involved had evaporated.

Shame I couldn’t say the same for the situation in my brain.

That waterfall morning sex session still lived rent free in my head, playing on repeat day and night. And I could understand why. The feelings were unlike anything else I’d experienced in my whole life. Which was probably why I’d stupidly slipped up and called itmaking love.

I was glad I corrected myself quickly. I didn’t want Alejandro to think I was some sappy almost forty-year-old falling in love with a toy boy just because he’d given her multiple orgasms.

Obviously, I liked Alejandro. A lot. In fact, I didn’t think there was a man I’d ever liked more than him. But as much as wanted to continue seeing him, I just couldn’t see where it could go.

The work issue alone was big enough. Especially as Hazel had made her thoughts on employee fraternisation very clear. But the age thing was an even bigger concern. Not because I thought Alejandro was immature. In many ways, he showed more maturity than my ex who was twenty years his senior. It was the future that concerned me.

Alejandro would want kids and I wasn’t sure if that was something that I wanted or if it was even possible. I couldn’t expect him to sacrifice becoming a father for me.

So that was that.

Plus, I’d already had one failed relationship with an age gap. And that was a nine-year difference, so I wasn’t about to jump into another one with a man who was a whopping eleven years younger than me.Nope. No way.

Once we’d finished eating breakfast at the waterfall, I’d given him a long, slow kiss, thanked him again for an incredible morning and headed back to the hotel. And that was the last time I saw Alejandro.

Even if I’d wanted to see him, it wouldn’t have been possible. Like I said, I’d been working non-stop and crashed out the second my head hit the pillow. He hadn’t messaged, so I suspected it’d been the same for him too.

But now we’d be travelling back to Spain together. And that included an overnight stopover in Miami. As tempting as it would be for something to happen there, this time, I really had to be strong.

I took one last look at my bedroom, then headed to reception. When I arrived, Nadine was there.

‘Hey, girl!’ She smiled. ‘Can’t believe you’re leaving us! I’ve hardly seen you this week.’

‘I know! It’s been manic. How’ve you been?’

‘Good! Hortense said she’s interested in seeing my dance class, so thanks for recommending me.’

‘You’re welcome! I’ll keep everything crossed for you. Let’s keep in touch.’

Seconds after I’d given her my number, the hairs on my arms stood up and a gorgeous woody scent wafted through the air. When I turned around, I saw Alejandro a few feet away, looking ridiculously hot.

Did he ever look terrible? The idea of walking away from him in twenty-four hours would be so much easier if he didn’t look like an Adonis.

Alejandro was kind, attentive, smart and an amazing cook. Why did he have to be outrageously attractive too? I felt sorry for all the single guys in the world. Age and work complications aside, he was the total package.

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