find a drink. You can console me properly as we catch up."
And then they walked way.
He just walked away.
With that… that woman .
I stared after them, hoping I didn’t look as stupid as I felt. Beside me, the valet cleared his throat. "Oh right," I mumbled, looking at the hotel room information in my hand. "I guess I’ll go to my room then."
A wave of anxiety washed over me when the valet opened the room door. The suite was huge. Gorgeously decorated. And complete with a king-sized bed. My stomach knotted. Was Antonio planning for us to stay in the same room?
"Which of these bags belong to you, ma’am?" asked the valet.
"Pardon me?"
"Your bags. Which of these are yours?"
I pointed to the black leather carry-on and matching suitcase, which the young man quickly removed from his rack.
"I’ll take the rest to the gentleman’s room, ma’am. He’ll be staying right next door." He nodded to a door on the right.
"Thank you," I said, fumbling in my purse for a tip.
I slumped on the bed after he left, trying to figure out if I was relieved or disappointed that Antonio had gotten us separate rooms. And who the hell was that blond woman who had immediately attached herself to him? He had warned me about taking care of myself, but he hadn’t even bothered to introduce me? I refused to feel jealous about the woman, but I sure as hell could be mad at him for being so rude!
I blew out an angry breath, trying to shift my emotions, not even trying to sort them out for now. Finally, I pulled out my phone to call home.
"So does your room have a hot tub and vibrating, heart-shaped bed?"
I grinned. It was amazing how easily Maria could cheer me up with her excitement and imagination. "I don’t think the bed vibrates, and it’s not heart-shaped. But there is a hot tub."
"Ha! I knew it! You better tell me everything when you get back!"
I laughed. "I will, I promise. Are you doing okay?"
"Of course. The nurse is very nice. In fact, you’re interrupting our card game, and I'm winning at the moment. You go have fun and don’t worry about me, okay?"
"All right," I said and told her good bye.
I stood up, stretching to get the kinks out from all the sitting, and wandered over to the window. The sun streamed in and I gazed out over a lush field of green with a forest in the distance. To the right, I could see the edge of the golf course. I sighed, glancing at my watch.
"Time to go to work, I guess."
Chapter Thirty-Two
The dining lounge of the club was almost filled to bursting with people. It was just as Antonio had said, several new faces and many I recognized. I stopped to chat with a few acquaintances, all the while keeping an eye out for Antonio. I found him a few minutes later.
He was still with her. The blond she-cat. No wonder they called them cougars. I knew I was being snarky—after all, I had no claim, I was simply an employee. But that didn't stop me from wishing, at least on some level, that Maria's fantasies could be real.
They were sitting at a table, chatting away like they were more than just old friends.
I made my way toward them as casually as I could manage, hoping my smile looked genuine. "The room is lovely, Antonio, thank you," I purred, purposely ignoring the way Naomi’s hand had suddenly found Antonio’s leg the moment she spotted me. Two can play the stalking game .
"Angela," Antonio said, rising from the table. He turned to Naomi. "If you’ll excuse me a moment, I need to speak with my associate."
He took me by the arm, none too gently. "Walk with me."
"You’re not really giving me a choice," I replied, trying to keep up and not stumble over my own feet.
He led me away from the crowd, into an empty hallway that opened onto a secluded garden terrace. When he finally let me go, I turned on him angrily.
"I have no idea what you are playing at, Antonio," I seethed. "I have no idea where I stand with you or what you truly want with me, but I’m tired of you treating me like
And then they walked way.
He just walked away.
With that… that woman .
I stared after them, hoping I didn’t look as stupid as I felt. Beside me, the valet cleared his throat. "Oh right," I mumbled, looking at the hotel room information in my hand. "I guess I’ll go to my room then."
A wave of anxiety washed over me when the valet opened the room door. The suite was huge. Gorgeously decorated. And complete with a king-sized bed. My stomach knotted. Was Antonio planning for us to stay in the same room?
"Which of these bags belong to you, ma’am?" asked the valet.
"Pardon me?"
"Your bags. Which of these are yours?"
I pointed to the black leather carry-on and matching suitcase, which the young man quickly removed from his rack.
"I’ll take the rest to the gentleman’s room, ma’am. He’ll be staying right next door." He nodded to a door on the right.
"Thank you," I said, fumbling in my purse for a tip.
I slumped on the bed after he left, trying to figure out if I was relieved or disappointed that Antonio had gotten us separate rooms. And who the hell was that blond woman who had immediately attached herself to him? He had warned me about taking care of myself, but he hadn’t even bothered to introduce me? I refused to feel jealous about the woman, but I sure as hell could be mad at him for being so rude!
I blew out an angry breath, trying to shift my emotions, not even trying to sort them out for now. Finally, I pulled out my phone to call home.
"So does your room have a hot tub and vibrating, heart-shaped bed?"
I grinned. It was amazing how easily Maria could cheer me up with her excitement and imagination. "I don’t think the bed vibrates, and it’s not heart-shaped. But there is a hot tub."
"Ha! I knew it! You better tell me everything when you get back!"
I laughed. "I will, I promise. Are you doing okay?"
"Of course. The nurse is very nice. In fact, you’re interrupting our card game, and I'm winning at the moment. You go have fun and don’t worry about me, okay?"
"All right," I said and told her good bye.
I stood up, stretching to get the kinks out from all the sitting, and wandered over to the window. The sun streamed in and I gazed out over a lush field of green with a forest in the distance. To the right, I could see the edge of the golf course. I sighed, glancing at my watch.
"Time to go to work, I guess."
Chapter Thirty-Two
The dining lounge of the club was almost filled to bursting with people. It was just as Antonio had said, several new faces and many I recognized. I stopped to chat with a few acquaintances, all the while keeping an eye out for Antonio. I found him a few minutes later.
He was still with her. The blond she-cat. No wonder they called them cougars. I knew I was being snarky—after all, I had no claim, I was simply an employee. But that didn't stop me from wishing, at least on some level, that Maria's fantasies could be real.
They were sitting at a table, chatting away like they were more than just old friends.
I made my way toward them as casually as I could manage, hoping my smile looked genuine. "The room is lovely, Antonio, thank you," I purred, purposely ignoring the way Naomi’s hand had suddenly found Antonio’s leg the moment she spotted me. Two can play the stalking game .
"Angela," Antonio said, rising from the table. He turned to Naomi. "If you’ll excuse me a moment, I need to speak with my associate."
He took me by the arm, none too gently. "Walk with me."
"You’re not really giving me a choice," I replied, trying to keep up and not stumble over my own feet.
He led me away from the crowd, into an empty hallway that opened onto a secluded garden terrace. When he finally let me go, I turned on him angrily.
"I have no idea what you are playing at, Antonio," I seethed. "I have no idea where I stand with you or what you truly want with me, but I’m tired of you treating me like
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