Gathering some courage, hoping I don’t regret my honesty, I admit, “I slept with some guests and was fired for it.”
His arm comes up behind me, molding to the shape of the chair back. It brings him close enough for our shoulders to overlap, my skin sparking with anticipation. Leaning in, he murmurs, “We’ll be careful. You won’t lose your job.”
That’s easy for him to say. I know for a fact male employees didn’t get the sack for sleeping with female guests, but I wasn’t given the same latitude. “I was ready to move on anyway. They failed to see the potential in a really great idea of mine.”
He quirks a brow, intrigued. “I want to hear about your good idea, but right now, I’m guessing Stein management knew about those guests?”
“True.”
“And I suspect that maybe you’re not in management anymore?”
I shake my head, sipping from my beer. God, it feels good to sit in the sun and day-drink, confessing. “I’ve lost my reputation, and I need to work my way back up.”
“That’s bullshit,” he rebuffs, his voice low. “Did that shithead Trent not give you a good recommendation?”
Trent? Does he know the CEO at WM? “How does a mystery shopper know David Trent?”
Slowly, Luca relaxes into his chair. “If you want the best staff attending you, you always ask the CEO or head of HR to share the qualifications and experience.”
“Is that what you asked Maria? Maria Wójcik?”
A nod. “What happened?”
“It doesn’t matter what the employment law is or isn’t. This was all I could get if I wanted to stay locally.”
“Why do you? You could go to other resorts in the states.”
My stomach plummets. I don’t like to lie, and as I’ve already found out, Luca has a way of extracting too much conversation from me. But I can’t tell him every single thing about me within two days of knowing him…. “I have family nearby.”
“In Aspen?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“Are they in the hotel industry too?”
“No.”
I won’t divulge anything further which Luca understands, changing the subject. “I’m sorry that happened to you. Hotels are notorious for this, but you shouldn’t have been fired if you weren’t working.”
“It was after office hours, but David Trent didn’t care.”
Our waiter arrives, delivering steaming bowls of vegetable soup and crusty rolls. Before I can pick up my cutlery, Luca’s hand threads through mine. “I want you, Winter. I’ve wanted you since I saw your staff photo. You are undeniably attractive, and Ipromiseyou’ll still have a job.”
Our shoulders lean together, but I remove my sunglasses so that he can see my earnest expression. “I want to believe you.”
“Then believe me.”
And then he kisses me.
As I waiton Maria and Elias to finish up their meeting, I try and forget about the earlier kiss. But all I do is remember the way Luca’s lips fitted against mine so perfectly, coaxing me to respond after the initial split-second shock. The kiss didn’t last long, a few seconds max, but it was his way of easing me in, gathering me into his orbit.
His mouth had the blood in my veins dancing, and I didn’t want the kiss to end. And if Luca’s statement was anything to go by, nor did he. “The anticipation of what comes later is going to kill me,” he growled against my lips. “Tell me this is happening.”
Hesitating, despite the bone-trembling kiss, I said, “The risk is too great, Luca.”
“Give in,” he whispered. “Trust this. What do you need from me to believe that nothing will touch you?”
I thought about how in control he sounded on the phone. At all the ways he seemed so capable. Confident. At how he told ImaniIt’ll be our secret.