into the open air lobby. A huge fountain dominated the space. Water splashed against mermaids carved into the stone and fresh flowers were everywhere.
Lizzie had forgotten he owned the resort until a young man dressed in khakis and an understated island shirt, came hurrying toward.
“Mr. Maretti.” He fell in step with them. “We weren’t expecting you today.”
“David, I’m not here.” He sounded different. Business voice, she guessed, trying not to be impressed. “We’re here to shop and maybe have dinner. It’s not a surprise inspection. Tell everyone to relax.”
“I’m sure you would find everything in order if it was.”
“I have no doubt.”
David gave them both a polite smile then headed back to the registration area.
“He seems nervous.”
Nic shrugged. “Not everyone thinks I’m as nice as you do.”
David had apparently set off some type of silent alert to the hotel staff that Nic was in the house. Everyone all but curtsied when he walked by. The manager of the ladies boutique was waiting for them when they arrived.
“Mr. Maretti, so good of you to visit us today.”
“Anna.” Nic smiled at the older lady and shook hands with her. Did he know everyone or was he reading their discreet name tags? Lizzie couldn’t tell and she doubted neither David nor Anna knew either. “This is Lizzie. Let her have whatever she wants.”
He turned to Lizzie, his hands on her shoulders. “There’s a day spa. I’m sure Anna can take you.”
She brightened. A spa sounded wonderful.
He kissed her cheek, then whispered in her ear, “I had better come back and find lots of shopping bags.”
“I need some shorts, maybe a pair of jeans.”
“Dresses.”
She leaned into him. “I can’t let you buy me clothes.”
Nic blinked. This wasn’t a false protest. She really didn’t want him to spend money on her. He’d never met anyone like Lizzie before. His former girlfriends, his stepmother and even his sister walked into his resorts and charged whatever they wanted to him. He never saw the bills. Pam took care of those details. It had never occurred to him she wouldn’t expect him to pay the bill. Most people in his life treated him like an open line of credit.
Fascinated by her concern, he leaned down, rubbing his face along her cheek until his mouth was close to her ear. “I kidnapped you remember? You have to do what I say until I let you go.”
Her face dissolved into laughter. The sound filled his chest until he couldn’t breathe. Radiant now, she smiled from ear to ear as she…blushed. He wasn’t used to the soft sweep of color or the way it made his lower body turn to stone while the rest of him felt so light he might float away.
He felt her breath on his cheek. “My dad will kill me.”
“Then we won’t tell him.”
“Is this what you do with your women, Nic? Bring them for facials, buy them expensive clothes and—”
“I’ve never brought a woman here.” It was out of his mouth before he could stop it. Something about her disconnected his brain from his common sense. “Key Largo is my sanctuary. I don’t even let Pam come down here.”
Her lips parted again and she gave a smile of surrender. “Since I have no choice…”
“Lizzie, you always have a choice, but it’s okay to choose to have fun occasionally. So, shop.” He squeezed her hand before letting it go. “Enjoy yourself. If you want to pay me back you can write me a check later.”
Her expression narrowed on him as she tilted her face. “Will you cash the check?”
“No.” He choked on laughter then turned her toward the large display across the room. “Did I mention the shoes?”
It was like a choir of angels sang ahhh and a light shone straight down onto a pair of crystal encrusted Jimmy Choos. “You’re cheating.” She pouted.
“Pick some things out and you can donate them when you’re done with them.”
“I will never be done with those shoes.” She sighed. “If they fit, I don’t
Lizzie had forgotten he owned the resort until a young man dressed in khakis and an understated island shirt, came hurrying toward.
“Mr. Maretti.” He fell in step with them. “We weren’t expecting you today.”
“David, I’m not here.” He sounded different. Business voice, she guessed, trying not to be impressed. “We’re here to shop and maybe have dinner. It’s not a surprise inspection. Tell everyone to relax.”
“I’m sure you would find everything in order if it was.”
“I have no doubt.”
David gave them both a polite smile then headed back to the registration area.
“He seems nervous.”
Nic shrugged. “Not everyone thinks I’m as nice as you do.”
David had apparently set off some type of silent alert to the hotel staff that Nic was in the house. Everyone all but curtsied when he walked by. The manager of the ladies boutique was waiting for them when they arrived.
“Mr. Maretti, so good of you to visit us today.”
“Anna.” Nic smiled at the older lady and shook hands with her. Did he know everyone or was he reading their discreet name tags? Lizzie couldn’t tell and she doubted neither David nor Anna knew either. “This is Lizzie. Let her have whatever she wants.”
He turned to Lizzie, his hands on her shoulders. “There’s a day spa. I’m sure Anna can take you.”
She brightened. A spa sounded wonderful.
He kissed her cheek, then whispered in her ear, “I had better come back and find lots of shopping bags.”
“I need some shorts, maybe a pair of jeans.”
“Dresses.”
She leaned into him. “I can’t let you buy me clothes.”
Nic blinked. This wasn’t a false protest. She really didn’t want him to spend money on her. He’d never met anyone like Lizzie before. His former girlfriends, his stepmother and even his sister walked into his resorts and charged whatever they wanted to him. He never saw the bills. Pam took care of those details. It had never occurred to him she wouldn’t expect him to pay the bill. Most people in his life treated him like an open line of credit.
Fascinated by her concern, he leaned down, rubbing his face along her cheek until his mouth was close to her ear. “I kidnapped you remember? You have to do what I say until I let you go.”
Her face dissolved into laughter. The sound filled his chest until he couldn’t breathe. Radiant now, she smiled from ear to ear as she…blushed. He wasn’t used to the soft sweep of color or the way it made his lower body turn to stone while the rest of him felt so light he might float away.
He felt her breath on his cheek. “My dad will kill me.”
“Then we won’t tell him.”
“Is this what you do with your women, Nic? Bring them for facials, buy them expensive clothes and—”
“I’ve never brought a woman here.” It was out of his mouth before he could stop it. Something about her disconnected his brain from his common sense. “Key Largo is my sanctuary. I don’t even let Pam come down here.”
Her lips parted again and she gave a smile of surrender. “Since I have no choice…”
“Lizzie, you always have a choice, but it’s okay to choose to have fun occasionally. So, shop.” He squeezed her hand before letting it go. “Enjoy yourself. If you want to pay me back you can write me a check later.”
Her expression narrowed on him as she tilted her face. “Will you cash the check?”
“No.” He choked on laughter then turned her toward the large display across the room. “Did I mention the shoes?”
It was like a choir of angels sang ahhh and a light shone straight down onto a pair of crystal encrusted Jimmy Choos. “You’re cheating.” She pouted.
“Pick some things out and you can donate them when you’re done with them.”
“I will never be done with those shoes.” She sighed. “If they fit, I don’t
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