Page 99 of The Fixer

Silver Summit shimmered inthe fading sun when Charlie pulled up to the valet. Except for the Grand Majestic—which wasstillhaving problems—the resort’s restaurant was the closest upscale eatery he could think of. Whether it was up to the kinds of places Joy was used to, though … He suddenly felt the disappointment of Fall River’s woeful inadequacy for a big-city girl.

Damn, he wanted to impress her. And it wasn’t a matter of where he could afford to take her. It was a matter of matching or beating what she had back in Chicago.

Why he was so eager to prove that the mountains were every bit as worthy of her approval as the Windy City, he hadn’t a clue. He just knew how he felt around her, and he wanted to prolong that feeling as long as possible because it was inevitable: she was going to leave, and she probably wouldn’t look back. If he could somehow etch an indelible memory on her heart, one that held up far longer than the hickeys on the insides of her thighs …

“Oh, this is lovely!” she gushed as the valet tookhis keys.

“You like it?” His surprise came through in his voice.

Her eyes were moving across the timber facade, so Charlie took the opportunity to move his gaze acrossher. He loved this new look on her. It suited her far better than the harsh lines she’d sported when he’d first met her.

Tonight she wore an off-the-shoulder sundress in muted blacks and whites with a splash of orange. It fluttered around her with the evening’s breeze. The bodice hugged the curves of her upper body perfectly. The skirt’s hem floated just below her knees but featured a provocative split on one side that climbed to about mid-thigh, inviting his itchy fingers to follow the open seam and dive beneath.

Once more, her hair was loose, lying in soft waves on the silky olive skin of shoulders he’d spent a great deal of time exploring in the last twenty-four hours. She wore black high-heeled sandals that accentuated the long lines of her legs and had him imagining doing things to her later in nothing but those. The silver hoop earrings were the only jewelry she sported, and the subtle scent of jasmine drifted off her and wreathed him.

He was mesmerized, enchanted, and he wasn’t the only one who noticed how stunning she was. As they entered the resort, heads swiveled, and eyes moved over her, the men unabashedly appreciating what they saw and the women envying it. Jealousy wasn’t an emotion he had much experience with, but it gave him a gut punch that had him wanting to poke every last admirer’s eyes out.

Mine, an unfamiliar voice snarled inside him.

Pressing a possessive hand into the small of her back, he guided her through the lobby toward the dining room. Head on a swivel, she took in the vaults, the massive timbers, and the views through the walls of glass. Maybe it wasn’t Chicago, but it was impressive in its own right, and he puffed with satisfaction.

“Oh!” she gasped, not unlike the little sounds of pleasure she’d emitted during their sexcapades, and his cock stiffened, a heat-seeking missile on demand.

He held back a chuckle. “What?”

“This place is beautiful,” she hissed. “Are you sure you can afford dinner here?” Her wide eyes met his.

“You did not just ask that.”

“Um, well, I …”

“Yes, princess, I can afford this,” he snorted. “Of course, Ididhave to smash my piggy bank.”

A familiar man rose from a leather armchair arranged in a seating beside the lobby’s stone fireplace. Holding a cut-crystal glass with an inch of tawny liquid, he extended his hand.

“Charlie Hunnicutt, right?”

Indecisiveness froze Charlie in his tracks. Did he call the guy by his first name? Were theyona first-name basis? No, but it would be weird addressing him asMr.Cantrell. Instead, he accepted the guy’s hand, saying, “Nice to see you again.” He turned to Joy. “I’d like to introduce you to Leo Cantrell. He’s part of the ownership group here at Silver Summit. Leo Cantrell, Joy Holiday from Chicago.”

Leo Cantrell was a man who exuded the confidence of a billionaire—because hewasa billionaire—without being arrogant. Dark-haired and blue-eyed, he was somewhere in his thirties. Whether his money came from family or his own successes, Charlie didn’t know. Besides all that wealth, the guy was also ripped and good-looking, at least according to the women Charlie overheard droning on about him.

Cantrell took Joy’s hand in his and flashed her a smile that bordered on salacious, then gave her a discreet sweep from her delicate painted toes to the burnished hair framing her face. “Enchanté, Ms. Holiday.”

Joy tilted her head in acknowledgment and wrapped her arm around Charlie’s. He might have given his bicep an extra flex before sliding her hand into his and interlacing their fingers.That’s right, dude. We’re together.

“Delighted, Mr. Cantrell.”

“Please call me Leo. And may I call you Joy?” He handed off his drink to a passing server.

“Certainly. And may I say, your resort is lovely. I can’t wait to see more of it. Charlie’s told me so much about you and what a positive impact you and your fellow investors have had on the area. You’re also part of the group that’s reviving the train to Fall River, yes?” She flashed him a dazzling smile.

Cantrell returned it. “Why, yes.”

“And how is that coming?” Charlie could have sworn she batted her lashes.

Cantrell paused to scratch the back of his head. “It’s, well, I’m afraid you’ve got me at a disadvantage because, frankly, I’m not sure.” He forced a chuckle. “We’ve been waiting on a plan to get the trains up and running.”

This was Charlie’s entry. “I was at the building department recently, and they haven’t seen any applications come in for any part of the project.”

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