Page 5

I frown. That was fast.
When I open it, I’m greeted by a woman in a crisp, too-tight Coral Bay Resort uniform. She’s tall, tanned, with a smile that says this visit isn’t just about hospitality.
“Mr. Volcor?” she asks, voice honeyed and smooth. “I’m Regina, the guest services manager here at Coral Bay Resort. I just wanted to personally welcome you to paradise.” She lifts a silver tray stacked with cookies and a chilled bottle of wine. “Thought you might enjoy a little something sweet to help you settle in. Mind if I step inside?”
I gesture her in, already knowing exactly what this is.
She sets the tray down on the kitchen island, then turns, letting her fingers trail along the edge as she faces me. Her blouse shifts just enough to reveal a freckle-strewn neckline, and her smile curves with practiced precision.
“We pride ourselves on… personalized attention here at Coral Bay,” she says, her voice dropping a few octaves. “Anything you need—day or night—I’m just a call away.”
She steps closer.
Very close.
I’ve been on the receiving end of this kind of attention more times than I can count. And under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t think twice about enjoying it—bend her over the counter, lose myself in a few hours of easy pleasure.
But I’ve got a little storm coming back any minute now. A sharp-tongued, wild-eyed tornado who already takes up more space in my head than she should.
So tonight? I let this one go.
Regina stands in front of me now, making sure I see every inch she’s offering.
She’s about to open her mouth again when the door bursts open.
“Seriously?!”
The woman from the airport storms in, soaked from the rain, hair clinging to her face like she just ran through a monsoon—and somehow still managing to look infuriatingly hot. Her gaze locks on Regina, then flicks to me. She freezes. Her jaw tightens.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she snaps. “I’ve been gone for ten minutes, dude!”
Regina straightens, cheeks pink. “I was just delivering complimentary refreshments—”
The woman from the airport holds up a hand. “Yeah, I’m gonna stop you right there. I don’t care what you two were doing; it’s none of my business. But not in my room.”
“Actually, it’s my room,” I remind her.
Regina blinks, then murmurs something about resort protocol and a “very sorry, sir” before practically tripping over her heels on the way out.
The door slams behind her.
And my unhappy roommate?
She’s glaring at me like she’s ready to throw the wine bottle at my head.
I take a long sip of my beer and lean against the counter, utterly unbothered.
“What?” I say, lips twitching. “She brought cookies.”
CHAPTER 3
Ivy
I stand in the doorway, my heart pounding as I stare at him. The storm outside is nothing compared to the whirlwind of emotions inside me. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
“There was a glitch with their website,” I say, voice catching. “They don’t have any more rooms available. What are we going to do? We can’t both stay here.”
His eyes soften for a moment before he sighs. “I know. But the resort is fully booked, and with the storm coming, it’s not safe to move around. I mean, you can always hold a sign up front in the lobby to see if someone else could take you in?” he jokes… I think. I ignore him.