Graciela frowned and consulted a tablet. She scrolled until she found what she was looking for. “This reservation was made under Mr. Antonio Steele, for two. We assumed the other party was Mr. Steele’s wife.” She looked at Jackie. “I’m very sorry.”
This place might have been pretty, but it was the armpit of hell. Calvin was definitely fired. Jackie looked up at Antonio, eyes pleading for him to do something.
“Okay, can you just give us an extra room? It doesn’t matter the cost,” Antonio said, about to pull out his wallet.
Graciela shook her head. “Ah! ¡Lo lamento! We are fully booked. We have no other vacancies. But there is plenty of room for the two of you. ¡Mire!” She opened the door to the villa.
Jackie entered and looked around. Tasteful neutral furnishings with natural fibers were throughout. Massive windows opened up to their own private infinity pool. The suite was huge. But there wasn’t a television. And…oh God. There was one bedroom with one damned bed. Jackie peeked inside the room. Granted, the bed could probably fit six people, but it was one bed nonetheless. She was sweating.
Antonio glanced at Jackie, then followed her gaze into the bedroom. A small smile formed at the corners of his lips. “Graciela, I think we’ll be fine.”
Graciela nodded with relief. “¡Que bien! Please, enjoy your stay. The afternoon’s activities will begin soon. I’ll send up some refreshments via Lupe in the meantime. She’ll be your attendant for the duration of your stay, but please let me know if there is anything I can personally assist you with. ¡Con permiso!”
Jackie peeled out of her suit jacket and threw it across one of the sofas. She sat, but the cushions were uncomfortable as hell. She moved her bottom back and forth, trying to find a reasonable spot to settle in. Jeesh. It was like sitting on a pile of rocks. For a place this expensive, they should have had sofas made from heaven’s clouds. Instead, she was sitting on a tombstone. Antonio was watching her, arms folded.
“I’ll sleep on one of the couches, Jackie. It’ll be fine. You take the bed.”
Jackie looked at the sofa options and back to Antonio. The man was massive. There was no way that he’d be able to fit on these couches, let alone be comfortable. She typed in her Notes app and pointed her phone in his direction.
This sofa is hard as a brick. We can share the bed. Just don’t touch me.
“Don’t touch you? Please. You’re the one who can’t resist all this.” Antonio motioned down his body, and when he did, Jackie’s gaze landed right on the faint outline of his dick print in his sweats. Lord have mercy. She quickly diverted her eyes.
Thankfully, Antonio and his penis moved out of Jackie’s line of sight as he took in their surroundings. “I think I’m going to go find the shower, sincesomeonebarfed on the plane…”
While Antonio explored the suite in search of the shower, Jackie considered unpacking. Before she could make a move, she heard a knock on the window outside and jumped. Antonio was there.
“The shower is outside,” he said. “It’s like a whole wet room out here. And I’m pretty sure you can see it through the bedroom.”
Jackie bit her bottom lip as her nerves began to swell. Great. First, one bed, and now a sexy shower situation. Jackie wasn’t normally self-conscious. She was no free-spirit exhibitionist like Bronwyn, but she generally didn’t care about being naked in front of people. Especially not someone she’d been naked with before. But things were different now. Her body was different—a lot had changed and gone south, gotten fuller and wider, in ten years.
There was a knock on the door. “Room service,” the small voice said. Jackie went to the door and was greeted by Lupe, their attendant. She was a petite woman with a dark, braided crown on her head. Jackie motioned her in.
The woman placed a tray of snacks on the dining room table. As she turned to leave, Jackie grabbed her arm. She held up a finger and began to type in her best elementary-level Spanish.
Habla ingles?
Puzzled, the woman read the note on the screen. She looked back up at Jackie, who pointed to her own throat.
“Oh,” she said with understanding. “¡Si! I speak English.”
Jackie typed fast and then handed the phone back to read.
“I’ll give you $500 for the Wi-Fi password,” the woman read out loud. Her eyes widened as she watched Jackie go to her bag, pull out her wallet, and retrieve five crisp $100 bills.
The attendant looked around as if she were being pranked, or like Graciela might jump out of the shadows at any moment. Reluctantly, she held out her hand, asking for Jackie’s phone. In the Notes, she typed the Wi-Fi name and password. Jackie handed her the bills.
“¡Gracias!” the woman said with a smile and quickly left the suite.
Jackie looked at the tray of assorted nuts, fruits, crackers, and what she was sure was non-diary cheese on the tray, along with fresh-squeezed juices. She picked up a piece of mango and nearly moaned at how sweet and juicy it was. It was the first bit of solid food she’d had since barfing hours ago.
Jackie brought the tray over to the couch area. She nibbled on a cracker as she pulled out her phone to connect to the Wi-Fi and send a group text to Tanika and Bronwyn. She was sure that the two of them were probably tipsy already at the Homecoming tailgate.
JACKIE:I’m in Mexico and it’s a nightmare. How’s Homecoming?
TANIKA:Oh thank God you answered! I thought I was going to have to call the Playa del Carmen police when we hadn’t heard from you. Oh, and Homecoming is lit as usual! A couple of your sorors were asking where you were. We told them you were busy being a boss and closing deals!
BRONWYN:Why is it a nightmare? Is the resort that terrible?
