I’m floating on cloud nine after my recent interactions with Victor. He’s been doting on me and making me feel things that I’ve never felt before. His protectiveness, although at ti
mes outright absurd, also warms my heart in the best ways. I didn’t realize that I was missing that close connection with someone. Even though I’m friends with Smooth and Nathan, they don’t know everything about me. I’ve kept a lot of things private from them. My family sent me here to protect me but they’ve pretty much severed all ties with me. I know it’s probably intentional so that I stay safe but sometimes it still hurts. It feels as if they’ve abandoned me. I shake my head to rid myself of those negative thoughts and remember the kind words Victor said to me. He wants me. All of me.
I continue my walk to find Smooth to get my task list in order. Someone brushes past, almost knocking me off the small heels I picked for the day knowing they wouldn’t kill my feet. I gain my balance and turn to see who it is. I swear from the brief glance that it’s Smooth’s mother. I know that can’t be right because those two do not get along from what Smooth has confided in me. It has to be someone that looks like her. I keep walking but get sidetracked by guests and employees that have questions. I’m finally about to reach the dining hall when I practically run into Smooth as she comes around the corner. The look on her face lets me know she’s upset. I’m now sure that it was her mom that ran into me. No one else ever puts that look on Smooth’s face.
Smooth tells me she doesn’t want to talk about her mom when I ask if it was her that I saw earlier. I do the only other thing I can think of and ask her if she wants to go for a drink. She’s hesitant at first but then she finally agrees. We head to one of the bars inside the resort so we can talk through whatever is going on in her head. She always worries about everyone else. I want the chance to do something for her. She was the one to take me in and give me a new home. I want to be here for her in any way that I can.
I also need a little space from Victor. The man has me all crazy inside. I need this drink as badly as Smooth does. My mind and body are going haywire when it comes to thoughts of him. I shelve my issues for the moment and try and concentrate on being a good friend to Smooth. That feat is pretty much impossible when I can constantly feel Victor’s eyes on me. He may stay out of my sight but I can always feel him close. It’s actually a reassuring feeling to know he wants to be close to me. It’s nice to have someone keeping an eye on me.
“Spill,” I demand as the drinks land in front of us. I listen as she tells me all that has gone on. It’s easy for me to see Andrew Lennox is in love with her as she tells me everything. I can’t stop smiling. He’s completely smitten with her.
“You love him too.” I let out a long, happy sigh. There is nothing I love more than watching people fall in love. One of my favorite things about working at a resort is bearing witness to it often. I know at heart I’m a hopeless romantic. I love the idea of being swept off my feet. I think it’s happening right now but I’m scared it’s too good to be true.
“I never said that he loves me,” she says. Meh. Words are easy. It’s in the man's actions.
“Well, duh he loves you.” I look around to make sure no one is in earshot of us. “I might have done some online stalking.” My face warms because I know this makes me a stalker but whatever. For a friend I can do a little bit of snooping. “I also got more information out of Victor,” I add in so she knows I got information from a good source.
“He doesn't talk.” She raises one of her perfect eyebrows at me.
“He talks.” I sit up a bit straighter, feeling defensive of Victor. My face flushes as I admit how I get him to tell me things. “If you’re willing to pay the price.” The price is wonderful and she’s seen me have to pay it before so she doesn’t have to ask what it is.
“He can’t love me already.” I can see Smooth’s inner denial trying to win out.
“Sure. Whatever you say, Smooth.” I shake my head and roll my eyes at her. “Since I know you’re not going to ask I’m just going to tell you.”
She picks up her cocktail, taking a drink and waiting for me to give the details. I know she isn’t one to gossip. She’ll listen to it often enough because, well, it is part of the job to know what people are saying around here, but she doesn’t add her own two cents. She passes it off as nothing or fixes whatever it is that’s going on.
“This isn't normal Andrew Lennox behavior. I went digging and found nothing. My online searches didn’t discover strings of on-again-off-again girlfriends or anything long-term. To be honest, it didn’t produce anything to make me think he did this sort of thing on the regular.” I am a little shocked by my lack of findings.
“So he’s discreet. He’s built his whole company around that. If he can’t hide his own affairs then no one would believe he could keep the private moments that happen in his luxury hotels under wraps.”
“I thought the same thing so...” I look over my shoulder and see Victor across the room. He isn't alone either. Andrew is sitting with him. They both have their eyes on us. Andrew looks to be going on about something while Victor just nods his head at whatever he’s saying, his eyes staying on me the whole time. I bet he can read lips.
“You gave out kisses,” Smooth says, drawing my attention away from the men.
My stupid face flushes extra this time. As if I am trading sex or something instead of only kisses. Kisses that make the world stop turning and my mind forget about everything else. I’d give them to Victor for free. I don’t need any incentive but it’s more fun this way.
“Victor has never been asked to keep tabs on a woman for Andrew before. He normally only guards him when needed.” I give her whatever information Victor told me. I was a little surprised at first when he’d given up the information so easily but then I recalled how he popped the lock to Smooth’s place for me. He is making it clear that I come first for him.
“You sure about that?” she asks as she glances over to where the men are sitting across the bar watching us. “He watches you,” Smooth says with a smile. I think she likes Victor.
“Hey! Stay on topic. I know what you’re doing. This is about you for once. No changing the subject,” I scold Smooth. The woman can easily shift a conversation somewhere else. It’s how she got her name. She really is smooth about it. You’d never know what she is doing but I’ve been with her too long. I’ve seen how she works. “If you paid more attention to yourself you’d see that man is crazy about you.” I point over my shoulder toward Lennox. “He’s always paying all his attention to you. He’s stayed way longer than he was supposed to and doesn't look to be leaving anytime soon. He made a freaking office in his suite,” I point out. The man is a hot billionaire. He wouldn’t be chasing down some random woman if he didn’t really want her.
“I don’t want to leave here. I finally feel like I have roots.” I know the feeling. I don’t want to leave here either.
“You said he’d stay.” I remind her of Andrew’s words.
“But isn't that the same thing? I’m sure he has roots somewhere else.”
“I think you’re his roots now, Smooth.” I let out another happy sigh. My romantic heart wants this for her.
“Can I get you ladies a drink?” Smooth and I both look up to see two men slide up to the bar next to us. The resort is all inclusive so drinks are free. They look like they’ve come straight from the pool to the bar. It’s easy to spot that they are both drunk. I glance over to Victor, knowing he isn’t going to like this.
“Come on, just have one.” The guy gives a smile like he knows he’s going to get what he wants. One of the two men pushes himself between Smooth and me. I’m not surprised when all hell breaks loose.
I watch as Lennox grabs the man. “Hey. Hey. What’s going on?” the man in his grip stutters as Lennox marches him outside. “I’m a paying guest here,” he declares loudly. “I have rights.”
It’s the last I hear as all my attention goes to Victor, who goes for the other man. He grabs the drink from the man's hand he was trying to offer me. It shatters in his grasp.