Page 2 of The Guest

“So, anyway,” she continues as though she hasn’t just said something inappropriate, “there are twelve bedrooms, each with its own balcony, bathroom, and minibar. The second floor is divided into a right and left wing. Dad is on the far right, and I’m on the far left, my room facing the ocean.”

“Where’s my room?”

We reach the second-floor landing, and she turns so abruptly that I almost fall down the stairs. “Right beside mine,” she says as she drags a finger from the column of my throat to my chest, my skin burning under her touch.

“What are you doing?” My voice is hoarse even to my own ears.

“Making sure the guest feels welcomed.”

“Do you do this to every guest, then?”

She moves so close that her breath tickles my throat. “No. You’re the only one who gets this special treatment.”

It’s wrong, and I should stop this. Instead, I meet her gaze. “What else does this special treatment include?”

“Anything you want. That’s what Dad said.”

My cock is about to explode in my pants just by her nearness. I still have some brain function, so I shake my head to clear the fog. “Can you please show me to my room?”

She steps back and shrugs. “With pleasure.”

The moment the door swings open, I’m impressed. Craig definitely went all-out.

A king-sized bed with a crisp white duvet and gray throws sits in the center of the massive room, flanked by driftwoodnightstands. The headboard is upholstered in black faux leather with diamond stitching.

The sliding doors opposite the bed open to a balcony with a fantastic view of the ocean. There are a pair of cushioned lounge chairs and a glass-topped table.

In the corner of the room, there’s the mini-bar Kara mentioned, complete with sparkling water, champagne, wine, and some snacks.

It feels like I’ve checked into a five-star hotel in the Maldives.

“I take it you’re impressed?” Kara asks, her hands intertwined behind her.

God, I can never get used to how beautiful she is. “It’s not bad.”

“Ah, a man with high standards.”

That’s so far from the truth that I chuckle before I can check myself. “No, I’m not.”

“What kind of a man are you then, Kevin?”

My name on her tongue elicits all sorts of reactions from me—surprise, delight, and the primal need to take her right here and right now. The need to claim her. Possess her. Make her mine. “Just another boring businessman.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t call you boring. More like reserved. I wonder what it will take to crack those walls you’ve erected around yourself.”

I don’t have an answer, and she doesn’t wait for one. She whirls around and closes the door behind her. Now I’m left with just me and my boner.

God, this is going to be one hell of a weekend. I wasn’t excited to be here, but now that I am, I can’t imagine ever going through life without meeting Kara.

These feelings are sudden and intense, and I’m not someone who gets knocked off his feet by a woman. Yet, that’s exactly what she did to me. And I can say I don’t mind at all.

With a deep breath, I step outside, the warm breeze brushing my face. Part of the reason I agreed to this was to clear my head. Life in the city could be suffocating. Add in my father’s expectations, and my stress levels were bordering on unhealthy.

Right now, though, I don’t think I can relax. Relaxing is the furthest thing from my mind.

“Oh, hi. I didn’t see you there,” Kara calls out from her glass balcony. Her eyes glint with mischief, the freckles across her cheeks more prominent.

“Hey. Long time no see.”

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