By the time we reach the villa, I’m certain my legs are going to give out and my lungs are literally going to explode. Theo, on the other hand, looks fine. It’s as if we are out for a light stroll. God, I hate him. I dig into the pocket of my shorts for the master key while I climb the wide wooden steps that lead to an expansive deck that wraps around the house.
I push the oversized wooden door open and step inside the luxurious living room, dripping all over the terracotta tile. Theo follows me in and shuts the door, which muffles the sound of the driving rain.
We stare at each other while I pant and he runs his hands through his dark hair. Bastard, looking ridiculously sexy at a time like this. I’m sure my face is blotchy and my makeup is running. Glancing down, I see that my T-shirt is stuck to my chest, and my beige bra is most definitely visible. Then I remember today is laundry day, and I’m wearing my super sexy beige granny panties. Perfect. Just perfect.
I attempt to recover from all that running while I glance around the room. It’s decorated with light woods, cream-coloured fabrics, and has floor-to-ceiling windows on nearly every wall. On the far side of the space is a kitchen that looks fit for a gourmet chef. A hallway on the left leads to what I’m sure are the bathroom and bedroom.
Something about being alone with him in a place like this—a villa literally designed and built for romance—is oddly electrifying. Nothing is going to happen, other than me calling the resort to make plans to be picked up when the storm passes, but my mind is going to all kinds of places it shouldn’t about a man I shouldn’t be thinking about.
I hurry over to the radio, which is on a console table, and pick up the receiver. Before I push the button, I say, “The fridge should be fully stocked. Help yourself.”
Instead of doing that, Theo strides towards the hallway. “I’ll get us some towels.”
I call the resort. “Eden Villa to Front Desk. Front Desk, do you read me?” I immediately feel silly using walkie-talkie speak in front of Theo, but at the same time, I hope I sound like I know what I’m doing.
A sharp blast of static fills the room, then I hear Rosy’s voice. “Front Desk, Rosy here.”
“Hi Rosy, it’s Nora. I’m at the villa with Mr. Rojas.”
Her tone changes when she hears it’s me. She goes from chipper to cold, which tells me she hasn’t forgotten what I said to Oakley. “We’ve been waiting for you to call. Is it pouring there too?”
“Yup.”
“This storm was supposed to blow in this evening, but it got here a lot faster than the forecasters expected. It’s also a lot worse than they said it would be. The Coast Guard has issued a tropical storm warning with a potential storm surge.”
My heart drops at her words. Theo, who has returned with a couple of towels, screws up his face in confusion.
“How long until it passes?” I ask, taking a towel and pressing it to my face.
“The Benaventes will be under the warning for twelve hours minimum.”
“Twelve hours?” Theo asks, rubbing his hair with his towel. “I have an important meeting at five.”
Okay, Mr. Big. We’ll stop the storm for you.I press the button again. “That’s not going to work for Mr. Rojas. He has a meeting at five.” I add, “An important one,” just to be extra assy.
There’s a pause, then Rosy says, “He’s joking, right?”
“No, I’m not—” he starts, then gestures for me to push the button. “I’m not joking. There must be some way to get back. You can’t just leave us stranded out here.”
“We’re not going to risk your life or the lives of our employees because you have a meeting, but I’m happy to make some calls for you to cancel it on your behalf.”
“Mierda,” he mutters. “Thank you, yes. Could you please call my brother’s room, explain what’s happening, and tell him to get ahold of Jaquell immediately?”
“Of course.”
While he talks, I calculate what time it’ll be when the storm is supposed to end. At a break in their conversation, I say, “Umm, Rosy, twelve hours from now, it’ll be the middle of the night.”
“That’s correct.”
Theo’s eyes grow wide, so clearly he knows what my next question is.
“So, no one’s coming until tomorrow morning then,” I say, shutting my eyes (because that’s what one does when one doesn’t want to hear an answer).
“That’s right. You two will be fine. There’s no chef, but there should be food you can cook for dinner.”
Theo sighs and rakes his hand through his wet hair. “Rosy, I need you to pass another message to Markos for me. Please tell him to keep watch tonight. He’ll know what that means.”
I wonder what the hell he’s talking about but know he’s not going to tell me, judging by the whole “he’ll know what that means” thing.
