Page 45 of Last Ticket to Paradise

“Whatever.” He tugged on the strings at the neck of her pool cover-up. “I’m walking you back to your room, and I may put a guard at your door while you shower.”

She raised her gaze to his, and her eye twitched at the corner. “Or you could join me in the shower, and we can finish what we started in your office. I don’t think you...”

“I didn’t.” He kissed her forehead and took her arm to walk her to her room. “And I’d take you up on your offer, but I have work to do. I want to check on Jean-Claude’s condition, and as the owner of this place, I have to get to the bottom of what happened. My insurance company is going to be interested.”

She tripped. “I didn’t even think about that. Do you think this is going to hurt business?”

“If it was an accident, no, but if someone on Palumba is murdering tourists, or trying to, we have a problem.”

“It’s not just tourists, though, is it? What about Hallie and Fiso LaCroix? How are they tied to all of this? Unless this is really Palarosa, and Fiso and Jean-Claude were targeted because of their relationships with the women.”

“I’m still not buying the Palarosa angle.” Jake stood behind Georgette while she unlocked her door, his muscles tense, his senses on high alert.

As she stepped into the room, he wedged a foot against the door. “Throw the latch at the top and do not open this door for anyone—household staff, room service, another guest. Do you understand?”

“Yes. I’m just going to shower, change, and go down for dinner.”

“If Gunther and Nicole suggest a restaurant in town or at another hotel, don’t go, and I’m not saying that to keep your business here.”

“I understand.” She caught her bottom lip between her teeth. “Do you think anyone else saw him slip me that note? Is that why Jean-Claude was killed? To keep him quiet?”

“I don’t know, Georgette, but I’m not taking any chances with your life—not now, not ever.” He sealed that promise with a kiss so fiery it awakened the lust he’d had to tamp down earlier when Nigel had surprised them.

She moved her hips against his erection, but he placed his hands on her shoulders and set her away from him. “Later.”

“I-I’m sorry. I...ugh, and with Jean-Claude lying in the hospital near death.” She covered her face with her hands.

He kissed her again, this time chastely on the back of her hand. “You have nothing to be sorry about. You did not misread me or my signs, and we’re both in a heightened emotional state, but I want to look after your safety right now, and a roll between the sheets, no matter how badly I want that, isn’t the right move.”

She split her fingers and peeked at him. “So, I didn’t make a fool out of myself?”

“Impossible in my eyes.” He tapped on the door. “Now get going and lock this door.”

She nodded as she shut the door, and he listened outside for the latch before pivoting away from her room and returning to his office.

He walked across the pool deck and lifted a hand to Nigel, closing up the bar.

“Uh, boss.”

“Yeah?” Jake didn’t turn around. He knew what was coming.

“I’m sorry about barging into your office. I never would’ve done that if it hadn’t been an emergency.”

Jake pressed his lips into a smile. “I know that. Don’t worry about it.”

“If it matters, I’m happy for you. I like Georgette.”

“So do I.”

Jake strode to his office and closed the door behind him, locking it this time. He surveyed the mess, and his smile broadened. Where had Georgette gotten the impression he wanted to be dominated in the sack? Maybe that was what she was into, and if she was, he’d give it a try for her sake.

He crouched down and gathered the papers and files strewn across the floor. Then he sat back on his heels and said, “Naw.”

Georgette had seemed very nervous and shy about making the suggestion that she tie him up, and she’d totally gotten off on his domination of her. As a take-charge kind of woman, the feeling was probably foreign to her.

He shrugged. Maybe she’d seen the dominatrix stuff in a movie and figured she should try something new with him. She didn’t have to do anything special to arouse him. She could stand there with her braid and her prim, slightly condescending smile, and he’d turn into a raging caveman, ready to throw her over his shoulder.

He’d shown amazing and incredible restraint just now in her room. Maybe he’d learned something after all these years of having women throw themselves at him.

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