was a five-star restaurant on the property with dinner service, and also the option to order from the menu and have it delivered. What caught Kandace’s attention was the fact that dinner could be delivered to the hot tub. She snapped the book shut, crossed over to her suitcase, and grabbed her lime green bathing suit. Once she put the bandeau suit on, she placed her dinner order, grabbed the hotel robe and her Uggs, then headed out the door.
Solomon was restless. He’d been at the resort for six hours and no one knew who he was. That was great and so was the service that the staff had been providing. They were living up to the Crawford standard and he was proud. Now that he had taken care of business, he needed something else to occupy his time. Might as well check out the hot tub, he thought as he pulled off his sweater and kicked out of his pants. Solomon grabbed his Ed Hardy board shorts from his suitcase and pulled them on, then headed out to the hot tub grotto. He and Carmen thought the grotto would be a good idea for guests who came to the resort without their families. At first, Solomon had thought it was a silly idea since their peak time would be in the winter, but the grotto was heated and could be cooled in the summer.
As he entered the grotto and saw the woman in the lime green bathing suit leaning back with her eyes closed, he knew Carmen had been right all along. He stood at the edge of the tub watching her. She was a chocolate beauty with at least a D cup. He wondered how her strapless suit held her breasts up. As she stretched her legs, he noticed how shapely they were, and when she lifted her leg to her chest Solomon began to salivate. She had perfect toes, suckable toes. Looking down at his crotch, he saw how much of an effect this woman was having on him. Solomon climbed into the hot tub, happy that water hid his throbbing erection. At the sound of the splashing water, the woman opened her chocolate brown eyes and peered at him.
“My goodness, I didn’t realize anyone else was out here,” she said as she quickly lowered her leg.
“You don’t have to get shy on my account,” Solomon said.
The woman sighed and rolled her eyes. This was a reaction that he wasn’t used to. Was he being ignored? He glanced at the woman again, and yes, he was being ignored. She’d leaned her head back and had her eyes closed as if he wasn’t even there.
Solomon inched closer to her. “Since we’re the only ones out here, you could at least introduce yourself to me.”
“And why would I do that?” she asked. Her voice had a hint of a southern accent and a load of sensuality.
“Because it’s the polite thing to do.”
She smacked her lips and moved further from him. “I don’t feel like being polite,” she replied.
“Now, that’s not nice,” he said. “I thought women in the south believed in southern hospitality.”
The woman stood up, and when Solomon saw how her wet suit clung to her ample ass, he inhaled sharply. “There’s something else that southern women are known for,” she said. “Not talking to jackasses.”
As she strode over to the lounge chair where she’d placed her things, Solomon hopped out of the tub and crossed over to her.
“I guess I deserved that,” he said.
The woman wrapped the hotel robe around her damp body and tossed her ponytail back. Solomon could not help but wonder how her hair would look tumbling down her shoulders. It was obvious that she wasn’t wearing a weave because she didn’t seem to mind getting her hair wet.
“Are you still here?” she snapped. “Listen, I don’t know about you, but I’m here to relax, and these last few minutes around you have been anything but relaxing. So, I’m going to leave.” Her face, though it was contorted by anger, was beautiful, especially her full lips. Solomon wanted to just reach out and take her bottom lip between his. He inched closer to her, thinking that one kiss would melt this beauty’s resistance. But the threatening look she flashed him stopped Solomon from proceeding with his wanton desire.
“What in the hell is wrong with you?” she demanded.
“Let me just say, you’re the most stunning woman I’ve seen in ages, and if I’m coming on too strong, I apologize,” he said, his voice oozing with the Crawford charm that had caused countless thongs and panties to drop.
This woman wasn’t buying it as she placed her tote bag on her shoulder. “I’d appreciate it if you moved out of my way,” she said as she extended her hand and pushed him aside.
“I’d love to know your name,” he said as he took her hand in his and held it.
“And people in hell would love ice water. Let me go.” She didn’t make much of an effort to free her hand from his, and Solomon smiled. After a moment, he let her go as she’d requested. He wasn’t used to rejection and there was no way he planned to give up.
She silently moved away from him and didn’t even glance back. As he watched his mystery lady walk away, Solomon knew he had to find her. Just as he was about to dry himself, he saw one of the waiters from the restaurant enter the grotto to remove the used dishes. Solomon smiled, knowing the woman’s room number would be on her dinner slip. Before the waiter took the plates away, Solomon crossed over to him.
“Excuse me,” he said. “How many people ordered dinner in here tonight?”
“I’m sorry?” the waiter asked.
“Were there a lot of people in here? A young lady just left and she forgot something. I want to make sure she gets it,” Solomon bluffed.
“I’ll be happy to return her lost item,” the man replied as he’d been trained to do.
Solomon—the businessman—was happy, but the man trying to find the sexiness that had just walked out of the hot tub needed information. “It’s a rather delicate item and I’m not sure she’d want a stranger returning it,” he said.
“If you don’t know her room number, I’m willing to guess you’re a stranger too,” the waiter replied, struggling to keep his voice respectful.
Solomon sighed. It was time to unleash the big gun. “Do you know who I am?” he asked.
“Other than the fact that you’re a valued guest at our resort, I’m going to say no.”
Solomon chuckled again. This guy was trained very well. “Solomon Crawford. I own the resort.”
The waiter raised his eyebrow and studied Solomon’s face as if he was trying to recall the image he’d seen in his training manual. Of course Solomon was fully clothed and smiling in the Crawford Hotel Handbook.
“Mr. Crawford, I didn’t recognize you,” the man said.
“I noticed, and I think you handled things superbly, but I need that woman’s room number.”
“Of course, sir,” he said, then handed him the food charge slip. Solomon looked up at the waiter.
“What’s your name?”
“Matt, sir.”
“All right, Matt, I’ll ask one more thing of you. No one needs to know I’m here. So, if you can keep your mouth shut, expect a bonus at the end of my stay,” Solomon said. “A big bonus.”
Matt smiled brightly. “Yes, sir.”
“Thanks. And you’re doing a great job. Keep it up,” Solomon complimented as he read the food slip. Kandace Davis was staying in the Wonderland Suite, and from the looks of her dinner order she was alone. Ripe for the picking, he thought as he left the grotto.
Kandace stormed into her room and thought about calling the front desk to complain about that jackass. That jackass with the sexy emerald eyes, hard body that seemed to be designed for pleasure, and hands that probably knew how to find every erogenous zone on any woman’s body. When he held her hand, she felt a sizzle that spread from the tips of her fingers to the center of her womanly core. And there she was standing in a bathing suit that she was sure barely covered her ample assets.