in his tracks. He scanned the room, at last settling on a most beautiful woman. Her eyes were round with alarm as she straightened, holding a lamp that belonged on the end table. Who was this woman? And what was she doing in his bungalow uninvited?
His gaze moved back to her face. It took a second before he realized he knew her—in fact, he knew her quite well, in a manner of speaking. Sofia. She’d come back. And this time, she wasn’t a figment of his dreams. She was standing before him with those tempting lips and all her curvy goodness.
He noticed how her gaze slipped down to his towel before quickly returning to his face. Her cheeks were suffused with color. Really? How could she be so innocent after the night they’d spent together?
Still, at the sight of her embarrassment, he felt as though the towel had shrunk to half its size. He should have excused himself to go throw on some clothes, but his mind wasn’t exactly working right. “Sofia? What are you doing here?”
Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. She turned and bolted for the door.
“Hey, wait!” He hadn’t meant to scare her off. Perhaps his tone hadn’t exactly been welcoming, but she was in his bungalow without an invitation—oh, who was he kidding? He was frustrated with himself for being so excited to see her.
And he just couldn’t let her get away without finding out why she’d sought him out. He started after her, but when he reached the covered porch of his exclusive bungalow, a breeze rushed past him, reminding him that he was dressed in nothing more than a bath towel.
He stopped and stared at Sofia’s back as she moved away from him as quickly as her legs would carry her. What puzzled him the most was why she kept leaving him without so much as a word.
Usually he had the opposite problem with women. They were too clingy for his comfort. Sofia was different. She intrigued him. He’d have to work harder at making a good impression the next time they met.
He pressed his hand to the wooden rail as he watched her make her way along the path surrounded by lush, colorful vegetation. All too soon, she disappeared from sight. The part that stuck with him was the fact she’d been wearing a maid’s uniform. She works here?
A whistle drew his attention. He turned to find a pretty brunette in a red bikini sunbathing not far from his bungalow. She flashed him a toothy smile and waved, but he didn’t return the gesture, not wanting to encourage her attention.
His phone chimed with a reminder that he had a meeting in fifteen minutes. With a shake of his head, he turned and headed inside the thatched-roof bungalow. Thoughts of Sofia persisted. Had she, too, been unable to forget about their time together? Was that why she’d shown up at his bungalow? But if so, why had she run away? Surely it wasn’t his lack of clothing. It had to be more than that. But what?
He inwardly groaned as he removed the first suit he came across in the wardrobe. His knowledge of women wouldn’t even fill up a shot glass. And he had no intention of learning more—at least not anytime soon. And when he did decide to settle down, it would be a marriage of convenience.
He’d experienced enough loss in his life. He wasn’t about to risk his heart on romance. A strategically planned marriage would be best for all concerned. It’s what made the most sense. From what he’d observed, emotions were too fickle. Sometimes he wondered if romantic love truly existed or if people only imagined it. He sighed. Even if it did exist, he was better off without such an entanglement. It just made life more complicated than it needed to be.
If he were smart, he’d forget Sofia. That was the best thing he could do for both of them, because he had nothing to offer her except a moment here or a moment there. Certainly nothing consistent—nothing lasting.
In fact, tomorrow he would be jetting off, far from the Blue Tide Resort. His grandfather had given him one last mission to complete. And that had to be Niko’s focus—not a beautiful woman with eyes full of mystery.
* * *
Her heart pounded.
Sofia pressed a hand to her chest as she eased open the door to the employee area in the lower level of the resort. With it being midmorning, the locker area was deserted. Everyone was busy trying to get their assigned tasks completed while the guests soaked up rays on the beach, golfed or toured the picturesque seaside.
She moved to the far corner of the room, anxious to be alone. Her mind had been racing ever since she ran into Mr. Dreamy, as she’d dubbed him during her best friend’s wedding. What was he doing back here? And why hadn’t Kyra mentioned his visit?
Sofia leaned against the cool tiled wall. She slid down to the floor and pulled out her phone. She could really use a sounding board. It wasn’t until then that she realized her hands were trembling.
She didn’t know what she’d been expecting for their reunion, but it certainly wasn’t the suspicion in Niko’s eyes. And when he spoke, his voice had been laced with agitation.
The backs of her eyes stung, and her stomach churned. This couldn’t be happening. She hadn’t meant to catch him by surprise. There had been no privacy notice on the door, and she’d knocked several times without getting a response. She hadn’t even known that he’d returned to the Blue Tide.
Her fingers moved over the keyboard as she messaged Kyra.
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): He’s here!
Seconds passed and nothing. She willed Kyra to message her back. Of all the times she needed her best friend... Sofia’s hand moved protectively over her still-flat midsection.
“It’s okay, little one. I’ll get this all sorted out. I promise.” Impatiently her fingers moved over the keypad again.
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): I need you.
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): I’m here. Who’s here?
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): Niko. What do I do?
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): Do you want to see him?
Sofia hadn’t told Kyra the steamy bits that had transpired between her and Niko. It felt strange to hold back from her best friend, who until this point in her life had known all her secrets and insecurities. But this was different. She’d had a one-night stand with Niko—Kyra’s long-lost cousin. That totally changed the rules of the game.
There was something else Sofia hadn’t told Kyra—she was pregnant. Sofia had just found out earlier that week. She would tell Kyra everything just as soon as she figured out how best to deal with Niko.
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): No. Yes. I don’t know.
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): Do you want me to say something to him for you?
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): No!
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): Are you sure?
MaidintheShade347 (Sofia): I’ll handle it.
Mop&Glow007 (Kyra): LMK if you change your mind. I’ll help.
The offer was generous, so typical of Kyra. Her friend had already pulled strings and gotten Sofia enrolled in an in-house managerial training program. Sofia was immensely grateful for the opportunity, but she was seriously considering returning to the States to earn an accounting degree. She’d always had a knack for numbers.
Though Kyra’s offer to help smooth over things with Niko was tempting, Sofia would have to face Niko on her own. She couldn’t even imagine how he’d react to her news.
NIKO YANKED AT his necktie, loosening it. He took the steps leading up to his bungalow two at a time while holding firmly to the notes he’d taken during his meeting with Cristo. He released the top buttons on his dress shirt. Whatever made him think wearing a suit at the Blue Tide was a good idea?
Because it was a habit. He felt in control in a suit and tie. His grandfather had drilled