Page 19 of The Billionaire's Kiss
Chapter Eight
Orla
I opened my eyes to a dimly lit room, the sunlight muted by the thick white drapes but not eclipsed. Lying face up, I looked at the barely moving white ceiling fan overhead. It stirred the air just enough.
Memories of the night before flooded my freshly woken brain. A smile curled my lips as I thought of the kiss on the cheek Warner had left with.
I’d become wary on the ride home. Worried that he would want more from me than I was ready to give. That night had been the best date I’d ever had. But I still didn’t know Warner well enough to risk having sex with him.
I wasn’t a prude, but I also wasn’t into anything too kinky. At my age, I’d heard too many horror stories from friends and patrons about some man wanting to tie a woman up and spank her bottom black and blue after the very first date. Not that I thought Warner was the type to be into that sort of thing, but how was I to know any different?
Plus, I didn’t know his reputation yet. And I wasn’t sure I would find out that information in time to move on to having sex with him before I had to leave. I wasn’t going to rush things—even with the short amount of time we had.
Rolling over, I looked at the clock on the nightstand.Ten in the morning.
It wasn’t as late as I’d thought it’d be. I wondered if Warner had made it to work yet—not that I was going to dress and rush down to his office. He had work to do. He’d been plain about that. I could entertain myself throughout the day and leave him to his work.
Getting out of bed, I looked at the tablet that lay on the table.I should book a massage.
Even though I worked at a resort with a spa in it, I rarely treated myself to one. So I picked up the tablet and made an appointment for an in-room treatment.
After showering, I put on a fluffy white robe and waited for the masseur to arrive and give my body a good pummeling. A knock at the door startled me as I’d just sat down on the end of the bed. “Coming,” I called out.
Getting right back up, I opened the door, and there stood a dark-haired woman with a bright smile. “Hello, I’m Alexis Nash, and I’ll be your massage therapist today.”
Her last name snatched my attention. “Nash? As in the owners of this resort?”
With a nod, she began setting up the portable table. “I’m married to one of the brothers, Patton.”
I found that extremely interesting. This woman worked at the resort, and her husband was an owner. “Did you two meet here at the resort?” I had to know. If they had, then it meant that maybe the brothers trolled for women at the resort. And maybe that was what Warner was doing to me.
Only I wasn’t here to stay. All there was for me was to become a notch on the man’s bedpost. One that might look like wormwood from all the notches he’d taken out of it.
“No, he was my brother’s best friend and a friend of our family from way back. He did give me a job though. And our marriage began in an unconventional way, but love won in the end.” She pulled out some oils from a black bag and placed them on the small dining table, ready for me to lie down on the massage table. “Are you ready, Miss Quinn?”
I had a little more that I wanted to ask her before she got down to it. “Did you two date before you came to work here?”
“No, we did not.” She looked at the table. “Are you feeling anxious about taking off the robe?”
“No.” But I did have more questions for her. “So you began seeing each otherafteryou came to work here?”
“Not exactly.” With her arms folded, she eyed me warily. “Look, I don’t know why you’re asking me all these questions about my husband, but I will tell you that I don’t like it one bit.”
I’d irritated her and hadn’t meant to do that at all. “I’m sorry. Let me start over. I’m Orla Quinn, and last night I went out with your husband’s brother Warner.”
The knowing smile told me I didn’t have to explain any further. “Oh, I see now. You want to know if he’s a mujeriego.”
I scrunched my face in confusion. “I’m sorry, a what?”
“A womanizer,” she brought me up to speed.
“Yes.” She understood me completely. “Is he a ladies’ man?”
“No, he isn’t at all. And frankly, I’m surprised to hear that he went out with you. He’s never gone out with anyone from the resort. Not guests or employees. He’s a bit—how to say it? A loner when it comes to women.”
“So, he hasn’t had loads of girls in his life?” I felt sure a man that good-looking had to have had a harem of lovers.
“He’s had two girlfriends in the last three years. And neither lasted even a year.” She put her finger to her lips as she seemed to be thinking. “And you know what? I thinkhebroke up with them—not the other way around. My husband says Warner is afraid of intimacy—probably from losing his parents at such a young age.”
