Page 6 of Sunrise

My smile falters just a moment before I paste it right back on at the end of his little rant. That seems to set him off kilter as his face softens a bit, and there is an unsure look in his eyes too.

When he takes a break, it's my turn, and in my best Southern hospitality voice my momma taught me, I say to him, "Hello, I'm Lin, owner of the Sunrise Inn. This is Brynn, owner of the Sunset Inn next door. We run the inns together, and she has not only helped me get ready for your visit, but she has also signed your nondisclosure agreement. She will be feeding you dinner every night, so it might not be in your best interest to make her mad. She's also my best friend, so it's also in your best interest to treat us both with the same respect you want us to treat you with."

I level him with my best I'm not fucking around look as I keep the smile on my face.

He smirks, and his eyes roam over me once again before he picks up the bag next to him on the floor and adjusts the one slung over his shoulder. He approaches the desk in a confident swagger that I'm sure he's perfected for the Hollywood crowd.

Once in front of the desk, he sets his bags on the floor and opens one to pull out a folder. I hand him the NDAs signed by us and the staff, and he hands me a check for the stay. If the deposit made me smile, this check might have made me pass out. I don't think I've seen so much money come in at once to the inn.

Since it's the off-season and the money wasn’t in the budget, I haven't had time to plan what to do with this money. Brynn and I will sit down with our accountant once Kade leaves, but I already have a few ideas. I want to ramp up our advertisements of the inns being wedding venues and market it to the city crowd.

Once the paperwork is exchanged, I turn to him.

"I have you set to stay in our Sunrise Suite. You'll have your own private balcony and views of the beach. It is the best room in the inn, but you, of course, can have your pick of rooms. Did you want a different room?" I ask.

"No, I checked your website, and the Sunrise Suite looks perfect," Kade says.

"Will you need more than one key?" I ask.

There was no mention of him having a guest, but I'm sure if there is a girl in the picture, he will want her to have a key, too, right?

"No, just me."

I nod and hand him our welcome folder.

"In this folder is a map of the inn and of the Sunset Inn next door. You are entitled to amenities at both places, though you have only rented out this inn. We plan to bring your meals to Sunrise's dining room if you don't wish to dine in the main dining room. There is a private dining area if you wish to head to the Sunset as well. There is also a map of the island and info on local businesses if you wish to explore. Per hotel security and security agreed upon with your manager, you will need to sign in and out each guest you bring on the property. Due to heightened security, we do ask you to limit the guests as we have limited personnel on site per your request, so the more people you bring onto the grounds, the harder it will be to keep you safe." I've been working on this spiel all morning, and I take a deep breath when I finish.

"Don't worry. I have no intention of throwing a party or having a bunch of guests. I don't plan to have any guests, really. Not when the locals are so... entertaining." His heated eyes are on me again.

"Okay then. Here is your key, and I will show you to your room." I say.

I turn to Brynn. "I’ll meet you in the kitchen, and I expect to hear about the flying kiwis." I almost laugh as I round the desk and come face-to-face with Kade Markson, Hollywood playboy, for the first time with no buffer between us.

Chapter 4

Kade

She was so cute as she gave me her spiel on signing guests in and out. I could tell she was hinting about female overnight guests without actually saying it, which means she knows my background. This will complicate things a little, but I hope to prove I'm not the guy painted by the tabloids.

I'm determined to make sure she knows it before I leave, so having this goal for the next two weeks makes my time more interesting.

With her now out from behind the desk and standing to face me, I get to take her in a bit more. She isn't short, which I like since I'm six feet, two inches tall. She comes to my shoulders.

Her cutoffs showcase her long tan legs, and some cute strappy sandals cover her feet. Her dark tank top makes her hair look even more golden. She looks every part the beach girl I would expect to live on this small island.

After a moment of staring at each other, she shakes her head again like she is clearing the fog from it, then reaches for my bags. I beat her to them. There is no way this beautiful, sassy girl is carrying my bags.

When I pick them up, the look she gives me tells me she was expecting some pussy Hollywood type who can barely pick up his own phone, much less a bag. It makes me wonder the type of people she's had in and out of here.

"Lead the way Goldie," I smirk. The pet name slipped out mostly due to her golden hair but also because she reminds me so much of Goldilocks in the book my mom used to read me before bed when I was a little boy.

She leads the way upstairs to my room, and I can't take my eyes off how her shorts hug her heart-shaped ass perfectly. The feeling we got off on the wrong foot is one I can't seem to shake. It seems a good thing to fix and get back on track if I'm going to show her who I really am while I'm here.

"I'm sorry for that back there. I'm just a bit on edge with the media lately. They love to make up their own stories. Whatever it takes to get clicks and sell papers. This break is long overdue," I admit, hoping to smooth things over.

"I get it more than you might think. This is a small town, and the residents all know each other. Things aren't soon forgotten, and when..." She pauses and gets a faraway, sad look in her eyes. I want to ask her what happened and how I can fix it but don't get a chance before she shakes it off. "Well, when big news happens, it's like living in a fishbowl. I'm sure that is magnified in your shoes. I could get away just by leaving town, but really, where can you go? That has to suck," she admits.

I wonder what this beautiful girl has been through to feel like she was living in a fishbowl, and I make a silent vow to find out. A part of me wants to promise her she will never feel that way again, and then another part of me says to do that, I'd have to stay away. My heart doesn't seem to like that idea.

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