Billionaire Bachelors 8 : Unexpected Treasure(6)

He'd poured his entire soul into the place, and he wanted his clientele to walk through the doors and instantly feel as if they were in a luxurious wonderland. His staff would treat each and every one like the most important guest in the building, and they all would want to return over and over again.

He'd hired only the best cooks, and his restaurants would soon be famed for tantalizing entrées and enticing ambience. A small theater room was decorated with dark colors, soft lighting and red velvet curtains above a stage where live bands and professional vocalists would perform. The resort planned to cater to its guests' every whim, wanting no one to feel the need to step outside onto the island for anything except the abundant gifts of nature.

Half of the rooms faced an exquisite stretch of the Pacific Ocean, and half faced the inner workings of the island. Crew's preference, of course, was the water, but there were many who would want to open their French doors and step out on the balcony to watch the entertainment below of a town that played hard, and never stopped moving.




 

 

The price tag at his resort wasn't cheap, but the clientele he attracted wouldn't bat an eyelash. They would pull out their wallets, open them willingly, and, in turn, they would get to experience a once-in-a-lifetime vacation.

A stay on his small corner of Catalina would have them floating back home, dreaming in vivid color with digital animation where before they arrived it was only in black-and-white Claymation. The longing for a return, for paradise regained, would begin the minute they left the resort.

A burst of adrenaline caused Crew's stomach to tense as he took a stroll around the outside of the building. His staff was busy, doing all the last-minute preparations needed for a successful grand opening. As the small island awoke to a new day, he awaited the twelve o'clock hour - when the resort doors would open to the public for the first time in ten years.

Though she wouldn't be his for too long, when he finally proved her a success, the months he did have her would be glorious, and he would set the standard for the staff to follow. When he finally sold, under the deal with his father, it would be only to someone who would give the Catalina Couture Resort the same tender loving care that he did.

As he stepped back inside, he was pleased that his marbled floors gleamed, too clean to admit a single germ on their pristine surface. The detailed stained glass sparkled in brilliant colors, the flowers majestic fragrance filled the room, and the Italian granite counters shone. The last of the edibles were being put away in the kitchens, and the final inspection was being performed on the rooms. His project was a work of beauty and she was soon to open her doors.

Chapter Three

Gazing at the man walking from the resort, Haley felt her blood racing as she firmed her shoulders and gave herself a pep talk, which sadly, wasn't unusual for her. Though she put forth the appearance of a woman who had it all together, she didn't know how she pulled it off.

"I can't do this," she whispered to herself, then felt anger well up inside. She was tired of backing down, tired of being afraid of rejection. She wasn't the horrid being that her evil grandparents had continually made her believe she was. She was a strong, beautiful woman who could speak to a handsome stranger without fear and trembling.

As a matter of fact, Crew Storm didn't feel like a stranger to her, because she'd researched the heck out of the man. She needed to know him inside and out if she were to ask him what she was about to - that was, if she didn't chicken out.

Her college professor had suggested a summer assignment just for her. She was to approach a stranger and ask for a date. It didn't need to be anything more than a ten-minute coffee date, but she still had to ask a man out. He felt this would help her to get over her fears. At first she'd thought he'd gone mad, but as the idea had sunk in, she realized he was right. She could and would ask a man on a date. She just needed someone to teach her how to do it properly. 

Why had she taken the human-sexuality course in the first place? It wasn't as if it were going to be a part of her career. She was an archaeology major, eager to explore the ruins of ancient civilizations. Living people were trouble; Haley wanted to focus on the dead. Or did she?

She knew why she'd taken the course. She was tired of being afraid of men. It was ridiculous to make it to the age of twenty-six and still be a virgin. She'd been infatuated with a man on her college campus for two years and yet she couldn't work up the courage to ask him out on a date.

Now, she was on Catalina Island with a free two-week stay in an exclusive resort, and it was the perfect time for her to learn how to be a consummate seductress. If she could convince this man to teach her, she could go back to her college and ask the guy of her dreams out to lunch - maybe even dinner, if she worked up enough courage.