Loving Lies(6)
“Naw, I’m good.”
“We open tomorrow at seven a.m.”
He turns and walks away, firmly dismissing me. I walk out the door and then casually lean against the outside wall of the tavern. After about ten minutes I leave, realizing she must have gone out another exit.
I’m making my way down the lane to my cabin when I spot her silhouette up ahead. I quicken my pace until I’m almost behind her.
She stops walking to fidget with her large purse and I’m wondering if I should stroll past to make it look like I wasn’t waiting around for her, but decide instead to go for the honest approach.
“So you’re new to this place, too?” I say as I come alongside her. With dusk firmly setting and the still hot summer breeze flying through the darkening sky I get a hint of her exotic perfume which reminds me of coconuts and patchouli.
“It’s that obvious. Listen, about tonight. I’m really sorry about that. I can’t remember the last time I dropped a load on a customer, but then again the last guy who pinched my ass almost lost his fingers for good. Guess I’m out of practice.”
“Bruce is a dick and I’m the one who should apologize for his behavior. He thinks he’s fourteen still and that women will fall for it.”
“He needs therapy,” she says, with a soft, light laugh that I instantly fall in love with.
“So what brings you to Stone Cliff Resort, Mr.…?”
“No mister, please. It’s Blake.”
“Well, you already know my name.”
“Alyssa, right.”
She nods but I swear I see a flash of sadness cross her beautiful face. I notice again those lush, Angeline Jolie lips which are a sinful tease. She fidgets with the strap to her purse and then we both resume walking. We walk past the tennis court and I’m wishing once again I knew how to play that damn sport.
When she comes to another, larger building she turns to me. “This is my stop.”
“Looks like a college dorm.” It’s basically a four-storey concrete building with faded wooden shingles but you can tell with one glance this place hasn’t made it on the make-over list yet.
“That pretty much sums it up.”
I don’t want her to step up those wooden steps, but hauling her into my arms would probably make her scream. “My cabin’s the last one down that road.”
She peeks over my shoulder trying to see it. “Hope the décor’s better than the dorm rooms.”
“The girl at the front desk told me it’s the last cabin to be redone and oh my god, the inside is so bad it’s not funny,” I say.
She gives me a good once over. “I heard from the staff the cabins already redone are really nice. Sorry you got stuck with an ugly one. They probably told you they can move you on Monday but I overheard of the crew say they were having water problems in a few of the new cabins so don’t hold out hope.”
We both laugh and before I can stop it, I blurt out, “Would figure. Do you want to join me for a drink?”
She stills and gives me a hard, assessing look while biting her lower lip like she’s contemplating my insane invitation. “Ah…”
“I promise I’m not an axe-murder.”
“Shit, I hadn’t even thought of that,” she says, and I notice a gleam in her eye from the flickering light by the side of her building. “No, it’s just that we’re not supposed to fraternize with the customers.”
I figured that, but hearing her say it makes me feel like a dickhead because I honestly don’t care about some stupid rule the owners have imposed, but I certainly don’t want her to get fired.
The door to the building opens. “Everything good out here?”
“All’s great, Donald. Thanks. Just saying goodnight.”
Donald doesn’t say anything. He stares me down and I realize this guy with the intense look is the same person I’d seen earlier wearing the painters outfit. He nods and then thankfully goes back inside.
“I better go in,” says Alyssa. “That was Donald Brake, the manager, and he’s a stickler for rules. Today he was extra grumpy. One of the painters didn’t show and I guess they’re working on a tight schedule to get them all painted so he spent three hours finishing up one of the cabins himself. From what I heard from the rest of the staff, he complained about it non-stop.”
I realize she’s prattling to cover up her nervousness but I’m also hoping she’s thinking of my offer. “Can I get a rain check?”
She glances back at me as she takes a step up and her foot immediately slips. I catch her before she can fall and the feel of her, all woman, in my arms heats my blood.