Chapter 7
“Erosion?” Lucas repeated.
The middle-aged engineer nodded.
“How’s that possible? Half of the bungalows are on the river style pool merging through the property,” he said, circling his fingers to make a point.
The engineer, Marcos, fixed his glasses. For a couple of hours, they had taken him around all the areas, where guests were allowed, to see if Marcos could notice anything that would justify the resort’s underwhelming profits.
“The main lobby,” Marcos pointed at the place where they’d check in, located a quarter a mile or so from the bungalows. “Two years ago, we had a really bad flood in this area. Didn’t make it to international news maybe, but caused a lot of damage. One of them was the erosion in the foundation of the building where the restaurants and reception are located.”
“How do you know for sure?”
“I checked out the area before I met you. And I talked to a few employees I know.”
“Is there a way around it?” Crystal asked, folding her arms.
Marcos shrugged. “There isn’t. My guess is that’s why the current owner has been spending more than making… because he’s trying to Band-Aid it when the best solution would be to demolish the building and rebuild it another mile more inland.”
“Sounds expensive,” Crystal said.
Marcos glanced at her. “And complicated. It can be done, though. If you decide to buy it.”
“Thanks, Marcos. You gave me a lot to think about.”
The engineer shook hands with him and Crystal, and after the payment for his consultancy, he left. Only when the man had walked out a few steps, did he turn to Crystal.“What do you think?”
She looked beautiful in front of some manicured bushes. “I think he’s smart to walk us for two hours to cash in when he probably knew the answer,” she said.
“Valid point. That said, what about the assessment?”
“Could be true. I can go research the timeline he provided, using Google translate to make sure he isn’t lying about the flood. There should be records in local newspapers.”
He nodded. He talked to his family weekly on the phone, and saw them almost once a month, but he didn’t remember hearing anything about this disaster. Perhaps because they all lived in São Paulo, and now in the Northeast. Or maybe they failed to mention it to him. Either way, he needed further information. “You’re so skeptical.”
She raised an eyebrow. “That’s why you pay me.”
“That’s why I… like you so much,” he said, and lowered his lips to hers in a quick kiss. She touched his chest, his flesh warming and searing under her caress. His body went rigid, and he intensified the claim of her mouth, his tongue stroking hers ardently. It dawned on him that it was the first time he had the urge to kiss her during a work meeting, as if it were his way to show her their connection delved deeper than simple employment.
Does it? The word rang in his ears. Did he want to continue their affair in New York? Wouldn’t be fair to her. Crystal deserved more, which meant he’d have to come clean to everyone—damn it, he was too old to sneak around with an employee.
She disengaged her mouth from his just enough to moan.
“Lucas. Maybe we should go to the room?” she said, desire gleaming in her gorgeous eyes.
“Another terrific idea.”
She smiled. He planted his palm on the small of her back, guided her through the lush green of the resort, until they reached their bungalow. He fussed with the keycard to grant the entrance, and she chuckled, probably sensing his urgency.
When they entered at last, he slammed her against the wall, closing the door behind her. She wrapped her arms around him, kissing him, rubbing against him. Today was their last day together, before heading back to the States.
He tried to shove that thought aside. “Crystal,” he called her, even if he didn’t quite know what else to say. Called her name as if it held the answers to all his most complicated problems and worries.
She rolled around, placing him against the wall, her hand anchored on his chest. She slid her hand down on him until she reached his pants. All of him throbbed with want. Hot tingles filled his balls, making them heavier and fuller.
Unzipping his pants, she moaned, and made quick work of pulling them down along with his underwear. His cock sprang free, slapping against his belly, willing and ready. She lowered herself until she kneeled before him, and the image alone of Crystal looking up at him squeezed precum from the tip of his dick.
“You want to kill me.”
