Truth was, all Mickey wanted to do was crawl into her massive hotel bed and pass right the fuck out. In fact, she could almost hear the pillow calling to her as they strode into the building. Later, there would always be later, right?
“Let’s get inside to get some rest, everyone must be tired. Tomorrow onward, we may not even get time to rest,” Mickey said as they reached, looking at the team members.
“Yes, Mickey,” everyone replied.
They got their keys and went to their respective rooms. It was the most beautiful resort. And every team member looked happy and excited to be here.
What the fuck?Mickey’s eyes widened when she entered her room. It was a spacious room with a peaceful color tone, and the lights were soothingly dim. It had everything that any other luxurious hotel room had, but the best part was the beautiful blue water view. She decided to sleep for some time before enjoying the resort.
When she woke up, she stepped out on the balcony. She had a killer view. As far as the eye could see was pure paradise. She’d slept a good couple of hours already, but the idea of taking a dip started to gnaw at her. With a shrug, she slipped back through the sliding glass doors and began sorting through her suitcase in search of her swimsuit.
After a minute, she found it and shimmied out of her pajamas. Her hair was already pulled back from her nap, and she didn’t see the point in fixing. A simple bun always seemed to be just right for swimming, anyway. She grabbed a robe after slipping into the bathing suit and wrapped it tightly around her, easing into the hall as she sauntered quietly toward the elevator.
Honestly, she wanted to enjoy the dip without David’s companionship and then find herself right back in her room resting. There was plenty of time and work to address with David, and she was beginning to feel like he hadn’t entirely given up on the idea of the two of them becoming more than friends. No, going out on her own was necessary for boundaries and personal refreshment alike. The elevator dinged and she walked out, turning toward the pool as she made her way down the corridor.
Quietly, Mickey walked forward, her eyes taking in the interior décor with appreciation. There was no doubt this was going to be a great backdrop for the location wedding she was assisting with. She stepped through the glass doors of the interior pool and tilted her head curiously as her eyes slid past a man seated on the upper balcony, a floor above her.
The glass panes between the two of them made an odd focal point on his face as the sun glinted off it, and Mickey noticed that he was sipping a tea cup and dressed in a fine pinstripe suit, if ever she had seen one. He looked just as refined and polished as the very day she had run into him six months earlier and, oddly, seemed to be smirking down at her as his eyes slid over her standing at the pool’s edge. Shrugging it off, Mickey determined to ignore it, but the original tugging he had struck in her seemed to pop up harder than it first had, and the irresistible urge to glance up at him tore at her, eyes betraying her mind as they lifted to watch him for a moment.
What is with this guy?she wondered.Worse yet, what was with her?
???
If there was one thing about Stephan, it was that he was an incredibly hard worker and very dedicated to his work. He wasn’t the sort of person who liked procrastination, and had no patience for it in any of his employees. Some people thought that made him an asshole at times, but under the surface, everything about Stephan was based on how very important the hotel chain was to him. It had been named The Aiyana Group of Hotels in honor of the woman he had loved, his mate, who had been murdered right before his very eyes.
Since the loss of Aiyana, Stephan had never allowed anyone to get close to him; he had very few friends and even fewer confidantes. He was a resilient man, the strong, silent type, which had served him well as a boss and businessman. With such a huge hole left in his heart, Stephan preferred to stay aloof from the world. It was easier.
It was later in the day now, and he found himself walking around outside of the hotel, something he did to ensure the grounds stayed in perfect condition, when he sensed the presence of a cat shifter.
He searched around and his eyes found her again, the woman who had stolen his attention back in Colorado nearly half a year ago. He wondered what her name was, but noticing that she was with a group of people, it occurred to him that she might be employed for the wedding. He had to admit, he couldn’t keep his eyes off her in the stunning flared sundress she arrived in, complete with matching sunglasses and sunhat. She looked adorable, and he almost forgot that he was searching for something. His eyes followed her until she entered the resort.
The sight alone had fixed a contagious smile on his face that had lasted all day. Undeniably, he was beyond happy when he saw her, it was like his heart had been jolted back into feeling. The woman had kept him restless for last six months, the only person who seemed to renew any hope of vitality rather than miserable existence within his soul. Even when he walked into the staff meeting, he was smiling from ear to ear. It was so noticeable that hotel manager even smiled back at him as he approached.
“Liam, tell me what’s going on with the party arrangements. This is a big celebrity wedding. Ihaveto know everything is going as planned.” The welcome distraction of knowing everything was lined up and in order was one that Stephan pursued strategically. Otherwise, his mind might continue to wander to the woman he could see so perfectly etched into his memory.
“It is, Stephan; you have nothing to worry about,” Liam reassured him.
Stephan sighed. “Good. I have a dinner with Thomas. Keep me informed.” He nodded and strode back out the door, overhearing Liam’s voice as he disappeared.
“Of course.” The door shut and Stephan headed off to the onsite restaurant to meet with his uncle. Because of the wedding, Stephan had chosen the restaurant as yet another means to ensure things were in perfect order. He walked toward the heavy wooden doors, polished so well one could see the light glint off them they approached. He pushed the door open and the host immediately lifted his head.
“Good evening, sir. Right this way. Your uncle has already arrived,” he said as Stephan smiled with a nod.
“Thank you, kindly, Francoise.”
“Of course, sir,” the man said as they wound through the entryway foyer toward the tables secluded in the back. Stephan’s eyes found Thomas quickly as they walked through the labyrinth of tables. Thomas smiled back at him from a corner booth, the one they had both used as their private perch for years. He stepped up on the podium and approached the booth, sliding into it with a nod.
“Hello, Thomas. I see you’ve already taken the liberty of ordering drinks,” Stephan acknowledged as his eyes ran over the shot glass sitting atop the table.
“Ah, you know I enjoy an evening anxiety reliever before dinner. Why, do you need one as well?” he asked with a chuckle.
“Indeed. Thomas, there is a cat here in the hotel, but I haven’t identified it yet.”
“Yes, I sensed the same. Not to worry, if it’s anything dangerous, we both can handle it.”
“I wonder if it’s Dale and George’s shitty plan? Maybe he discovered I am still alive.”
“It’s possible,” Thomas said, nodding his head as he looked at Stephan. “You know that we’ve grown strong enough to handle it in the past few years. That day back in Colorado, I stopped you because you were alone. I knew you were strong enough to handle anything, but I didn’t want you to take the risk when it was not required. Let’s not focus on that; you have so many other things to focus on.”
