Page 10 of Exposed

“Bad experience?” Eric asked, frowning. “This is paradise. How could anything go wrong?”

“Not sure,” John said. “But we talked to them before they left, and the D’Angelos were definitely not happy with their LoveFix experience.”

“D’Angelo?” Beth straightened slightly. “I recognize that name from the website. They posted a review. A very positive review of their experience at the retreat.”

“Positive?” Cindy and John exchanged a look. “That’s weird. Because when I spoke to them, they couldn’t get away from the island fast enough.”

“Huh.” Eric and Beth glanced at each other, his BS meter reading off the charts. “That is weird.”

“Well, we should probably get back to our bungalow,” Beth said, taking Eric’s hand to tug him to his feet beside her. “I want to take a shower and have some downtime before the reception tonight.”

“Us, too,” John said, standing along with Cindy. “It was great playing with you two. Maybe we can do it again sometime.”

“Sounds awesome,” Eric said, waving as the other couple walked out. He waited until they were alone again before saying, “So, a first-hand report of bogus reviews and unsatisfied guests. Maybe you’re on to something fishy here at the retreat after all.”

“Oh, I know I am,” Beth said, keeping hold of his hand and leading him out of the rec room. “Let’s get back to our roomso I can do some snooping into this D’Angelo couple. I’ve got a feeling about this.”

“Like Spidey senses?” he asked. He has the same sensation.

“Exactly like that. Come on.” She tugged on his hand, and he let her lead them away.

7

“How do I look?” Beth asked as she stepped from the master bathroom in their bungalow later that night. She wasn’t used to getting all gussied up, and while it was nice to have an occasion like the formal welcome reception at the resort to warrant looking like a fairy tale princess, most days she felt far more comfortable dressing in comfortable slacks and T-shirts. But given the average income of the typical guest at the retreat, she’d imagine everyone else was accustomed to formal events—and the clothes they required. She needed to be able to fit in. She smoothed a hand down the front of her turquoise blue halter style gown and took a deep breath before stepping into the living room where Eric waited. “Is it too much? ‘Cause if it is, I can try to find something else. I brought a black skirt that I can…”

Her voice trailed off as he turned to face her, looking hot as hell in his tux. God help her, it was getting harder not to jump his bones by the minute. Eric gave her a slow appraisal from across the room, the movement of his heated gaze up her body sending tingles of sexual awareness through her bloodstream like a physical caress.

By the time he met her eyes again, his expression was suitably impressed and she vowed to wear this dress every day around Eric from now on. She patted the back of her hair where she’d coiled it into a neat chignon, then fiddled with the sparkly necklace around her neck. The matching earrings dangled from her earlobes, and though they were only rhinestones—she lived on a reporter’s salary, after all—she’d liked the art deco style of them when she’d seen them in the store the day she’d bought the gown, and she thought they suited her well. Pretty and delicate, but still bold and deceptively strong.

“You look…” Eric moved closer, the spicy scent of his aftershave increasing the odd buzz of giddiness inside her. “Wow. You look amazing, Beth.”

“Thanks.” Heat prickled her cheeks and she swallowed hard. Gorgeous as the man was, she needed to keep her wits about her and keep her hands to herself. It was bad enough that the play acting they’d been doing as a fake couple was feeding right into all the fantasies she’d ever had. Even that one kiss had set a spark through her that refused to be extinguished. She liked his fingers grasped around hers, the brush of his body, the way his shirts molded to his physique. It all led her to imagine more between them. So much more. And part of her thought, why not? They were both unattached. Could they have a fling while at the retreat? Would it really do any harm? Maybe it would even help. Surely she wouldn’t be soawareof him all the time if they were able to work through some of their sexual tension directly.

God, she could picture it too clearly, and it made her squirm.

She shook off those erotic thoughts and turned away to take a sip from her bottled water on the table against the wall. “Are you ready to go?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” He finished off his drink, a tumbler filled with two-fingers worth of amber liquid. Her gaze tracked the lithe muscles of his tanned throat working while he swallowed, then drifted to his broad, muscled chest beneath the starched white cotton of his tuxedo shirt and lower to the waistband of his black trousers. She’d gotten a pretty good idea of what lay beneath those pants earlier when he’d had those board shorts on, and damn. Eric was a well-portioned guy in all aspects.

“C’mon, sweetheart. Let’s do this thing.” Eric set his glass aside and placed his hand on her lower back to guide her toward the door. Goosebumps rose over her skin as she grabbed her bag and they headed outside onto the boardwalk. The evening was warm with a slight breeze blowing in off the water. The last traces of the pinks and golds of the sunset lingered near the horizon and the first glittering stars were twinkling overhead as twilight descended. It would have been a romantic dream come true, if this were a real date and they were in a real relationship.

Which they weren’t. This was all for work, for show.

She couldn’t let herself forget that.

They reached the path leading up the beach to the main building complex where the reception was being held. Several of the other couples from their earlier therapy session passed them on the way, waving in greeting. She tried to find the Murphys but saw no sign of them. Maybe they were inside already.

She’d spent the afternoon looking into the D’Angelos and snapping photos around the resort, but so far, she hadn’t turned up much. She’d left her laptop running a couple of searches, hoping that maybe by the time she and Eric got back tonight they might uncover something more.

Entering the grand ballroom, which was decorated like a cross between a luau and Mardi Gras, Beth found it festive, except for the fact every open space on the walls and even the centerpieces at the tables were once again touting the resort’s free Wi-Fi service. That was weird.

“What the hell is up with that anyway?” Beth asked Eric, hiking her chin toward the nearest sign. “You’d think they own stock in browser software or something.”

Eric snorted. “Yeah, it seems a bit much, doesn’t it? I thought the point of a retreat was so you could unwind and relax and disconnect, but the way they’re advertising it seems they want the exact opposite, huh?”

Beth’s instincts perked up at that and she stopped a passing staff member with a tray of frou-frou drinks. After taking one for her and Eric, she tried to ask the server about it. “What’s with the Wi-Fi around here? Everywhere I turn, there’s a sign for it.”

The staffer’s friendly smile quickly dissolved into a displeased frown. “We pride ourselves on having the best amenities of any resort in the area, and that includes our Wi-Fi. We want our guests to know what we have to offer. Excuse me.”

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