Page 5 of Sinful Escape

Her excited greeting was like a dose of adrenalin. “I’m excited you’re here too, Sunny. You’re going to have an incredible vacation.”

“Thank you. It already is.”

“Perfect. Head on up and grab any seat you like. Preferably a vacant one.”

Sunny giggled with a sweetness and purity that matched her appearance.

Roman was toward the back of the bus, shoving a case big enough to warrant its own zip code into the luggage hold. Any normal human would be gasping after that effort. Roman was not normal.

While flexing his muscles, he was simultaneously flirting with the ladies and pouring out compliments that had the women cackling like hyenas. He was the type of womanizer most mothers would warn their daughters to steer clear of. Except my mother. She would have undone my top button and shoved me at him.

By the way these four gorgeous backpackers were ogling Roman, it was obvious I was going to have a few broken hearts during this tour. I’d witnessed it before with my previous young drivers. And dozens of my male tourists.

The men just wanted sex. The women, though . . . some of them wanted more than a quickie. The worst part was when the women claimed they’d fallen in love. How was that even possible? The tours were only twenty days long.

Besides, there was no such thing as love. Not unconditional love.

The sooner they learned that the safer their hearts would be.

Roman glanced my way, and when a weird expression wobbled across his face, I wondered what Bruce had told him about me. Not that there was much to tell. Other than what I did for a living, Bruce didn’t know me. Especially not on a personal level.

There were so many things I loved about my job . . . visiting thirteen fascinating cities in eight countries every month, seeing amazing attractions, getting to know excited guests ready for adventure.

But breaking in a new driver was not one of them.

Vacation Dreamz drivers didn’t last long. Not that I blamed them. Other than juggling giant suitcases, their job comprised of sitting all day and wrestling the bus through traffic mayhem in major European metropolises. Most of the time, they didn’t even vacate their seat.

Not my problem though.

Roman had applied for this job, so he had better know what he was doing.

With the last passenger on board, it was time for me to do what I did best. I left Roman with the remaining luggage and climbed the steps. After a quick squirt of my favorite triple-strength, lemongrass-scented hand sanitizer, I grabbed the microphone and stood in the middle aisle between the driver’s seat and mine.

“Morning everyone. My name is Daisy, and I’m your punisher, whoops . . . I mean, tour guide for the next twenty days.”

A few people laughed. We’re off to a good start.

“Look at the size of those tits.” Tiffany, the woman who’d made the comment to her sister, was young—I’d guess about twenty-two or -three. Her platinum blonde hair spilled over her shoulders. She had very long, fake lashes, wore loads of makeup, and was chewing gum.

She’d said her statement in a negative way. Not something sympathetic like That poor woman, she’d have to lug those things around all day.

Or, man, imagine the unwanted scrutiny she’d get with breasts that size.

Lexie, Tiffany’s equally blonde sister, glanced at me over the chairs, then leaned toward her sibling. “They have to be fake. Don’t you reckon?”

I’d heard the fake breasts comment in its various forms a thousand times. According to the bulk of the population, F size boobs, on someone as tiny as me, couldn’t possibly be the result of nature.

If I wanted to be mean, I could seat Warren, one of the American boys, who was currently sitting up the back, right next to her. While appealing to the eye, Warren reeked of stale beer. And I’d already pegged him as one of those people who’d remove his shoes without considering those around him.

Tiffany had no idea how powerful my position was.

My shoulders slumped. I wouldn’t do that. I was not in the habit of seeking retribution.

Nope.

I simply smiled, and pretending I hadn’t heard Tiffany’s unwanted observation, I continued my introductory speech along with a few housekeeping details.

To wrap it up, I said, “Our driver will be unchained and led to his seat shortly. Then we’ll get going.”

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