Provocative Paradise: A Secret Stranger Romance Read online

  The woman was at the desk, clacking away on the keys. “ I can get you standby on a flight in six hours?”

  “I was in First Class! Now I have to go standby?”

  The woman looked blankly at me, hands poised over the keyboard. “Do you want the ticket or not?”

  I looked around the terminal and debated whether or not to go home. Comparing the mental image of my dark house, haunted with painful memories, or white sand beaches and crystal blue water, it was a no-brainer. “I’ll take it.

  ***

  Seven hours later, I was crammed in a middle seat in the very back row of the plane. To my left was a smelly man with a French accent whose body spilled over into my seat. When I leaned my body to the right, the goth girl that was in the window seat gave me dirty looks, as if I were hitting on her or something. As if this weren’t bad enough, evidently someone was having digestive issues, as the same person kept going to the lavatory right behind my seat every ten minutes, and the flushing sound kept me from sleeping. Who needs First Class when I have this? And it only cost me $500.

  Things just kept going from bad to worse. Once we’d landed I got stuck in customs by an overeager agent who scrutinized my passport for a good five minutes, while peppering me with questions about why I was traveling on such short notice.

  Finally, after what seemed like at least a week of traveling, I found myself standing at the front desk of the resort. I was so tired my eyes felt like they were coated in sand and I couldn’t wait to crawl into bed and pass out asleep.

  “I’m sorry, what did you say your name was?” The woman at the reservation desk had so much hairspray that she looked like a human bobble head.

  “Liam Kelley.”

  “And you say you have a reservation?”

  “Yes. As I’ve said three times now, I made the reservation this morning... I mean yesterday morning. I booked it online. Here is my confirmation number.” Handing her the phone, I couldn’t stop staring at her head as it moved from side to side. She really did look like a bobble head. It was uncanny. You clearly need a nap, Kelley. You’re getting delirious.

  “I’m afraid I don’t see a reservation with that confirmation number.”

  Of course.

  She just stood there, staring at me blankly.

  “Are you going to call a manager or something?”

  “If you would like me to, I can.”

  That was the last straw and I totally lost it. “Look...” I squinted my tired eyes to see her name tag. “Look, Melissa. I have had the worst possible travel day. I would appreciate it if you would call your fucking manager and try and help me solve this problem. Otherwise, I am going to go over to that couch over there and go to sleep on it.”

  A tall black man with a goatee heard the commotion and came over. “What seems to be the problem, sir?”

  “I made a reservation yesterday and Melissa here can’t seem to find it, despite the fact that the room was charged to my credit card and I have a confirmation number.”

  “My apologies, sir.” He took the paper and typed the information into the computer. “I’m afraid there has been a mix-up with your reservation.”

  “No shit.”

  “We only have one room left, but it is a bungalow that is at the far end of the property. You’d have to take a golf cart back and forth between the cottage and the main house. I’m sorry to disappoint you.”

  The idea of isolation at the far end of the property was the exact opposite of disappointment. It was ideal. In fact, it was the best thing that had happened all day.

  “I’ll take it.”

  Chapter Five Jenny: Smooth Sailing

  “I’m downstairs.” I was just zipping my suitcase closed when Julie called from the car. “It’s the black limo waiting in front.”

  “Did you win the lottery or something? Since when do you have a limo?” I looked around to see if there was anything I was forgetting.

  “I just figured since you were covering the cost of the trip, I could get us there in style. I have a mimosa waiting for you in the car.”

  Very cool. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

  I was insanely excited about the trip. I had no idea what I was going to do for employment when I got home, but I wasn’t about to ruin the trip by stressing out about it. These things had a way of working themselves out.

  Grabbing my rolling suitcase, carry-on bag, and my purse, I took one last look around. Nope. Not forgetting anything.

  Sure enough, there was a long black car waiting at the curb downstairs. Julie’s blonde head popped out the top of the sunroof. “Hey Jen!”

  Laughing at my crazy sister, I wheeled my suitcase to the car, and the driver got out to take it. “Good morning, Miss. I’m Charles, and I’ll be your driver this morning. May I take your bags?”

  Sliding into the back of the limo, I took the mimosa that Julie was handing me. From the broad grin on her face, it appeared she might have had one or two on the way over from her house.

  “Isn’t this great? We should always travel by limo.”

  It was good to see Julie smiling. Things had been pretty hard for her, too, since Mom died. Julie was always closer to her than I was. They even lived together as adults at one point.

  The window between the driver and passengers rolled down. “We should arrive at the airport in about twenty minutes.”

  “Sounds good. Thank you, Charles.”

  As the city sped by, and Julie was chattering on about some television show she saw last night, my mind wandered. I’d never been to the Bahamas before. Was it overrated? I had this mental image of white sand beaches and warm, clear water. But, what if it were overrun with tourists? Not likely, given where we are staying. It seems pretty secluded.

  The truth was, I was looking forward to really unwinding and doing some thinking about my future. Yoga on the beach, meditation, maybe some hiking... that would really help decompress the stress of the past couple of years.

  Before I knew it, the car was pulling up to the airport. I fished around in my purse for a tip for Charles, and a few moments later we were in line to check our luggage.

  “Why is there no line?” Julie asked. “Where is everyone?”

  It was true. The airport seemed particularly uncrowded today. We sped through the short line to get to the ticket counter.

  The man behind the desk scanned our phones for the ticket information. He looked at the monitor and frowned for a second. Then, typed a few strokes, and looked up and said, “Good news. I’ve been able to upgrade you both to First Class.” He grabbed a paper print out and handed a copy to us. “You’re also TSA Pre-check, so security should be easier. Have a nice flight.”

  “Can you believe it?” Julie said, as we walked toward the stairs that led to security. “I wonder why we got an upgrade?”

  “I don’t know! But this is certainly a great start to the trip!” I had to wonder if maybe Mom were pulling some strings from the other side.

  ***

  After complimentary wine and snacks in the First Class lounge, we boarded first and were nestled in our spacious First Class seats, eating a delicious salad for lunch, and having another glass of wine. I didn’t normally day drink like this, but this wasn’t exactly a normal experience for me. I could get used to being treated like a celebrity! Security had been a breeze. The plane was virtually empty, so the flight attendants had been particularly attentive. And, the pilot had just come on to say that we had gotten a tail wind and the flight would be arriving early.

  While Julie watched a movie, I wanted to look at my phone to check out the amenities offered at the retreat. Three weeks seemed like an insanely long time to be on vacation, and I wondered if I would be bored.

  Just then, Julie laughed at something in her movie and I realized that as long as Julie was around, I’d never be bored. Julie always had a way of making everything fun. I was so glad she was with me.

  After watching a movie myself and a brief nap to shake off all the wine, I n
oticed that the plane felt like it was starting to descend. I leaned over to see out the window. All that was visible was an expanse of deep, blue ocean, with sparkling flecks of light as the sun hit the water. “I think we’re almost there...”

  ***

  The second half of the trip was as smooth as the first part had been. The line for customs was non-existent, our luggage had already been waiting for us by the time we got to baggage claim, and the shuttle to the retreat was waiting for us at the curb.

  The Bahamas was as beautiful as I had imagined. In the distance, I could see a tall, white structure that the driver said was a water tower. Apparently it was the highest point in all of Nassau.

  Although the streets were somewhat crowded with college-aged people and some cruise-line tourists, it wasn’t bad. Someone was playing steel drums on a street corner, and the whole vibe was one of island fun.

  The shuttle turned down a long, tree lined private street, and we could see a large house at the end of the road. The house was white, with a pointed roof and tall columns that framed the entrance. Fountains lined the circular driveway, and we could see guests walking to and from a garden that was just to the left of the entrance.

  The air was warm, but not stifling, and smelled like a combination of tropical fruit and ocean air.

  “I love it here, don’t you?” Julie had her face pressed up against the window. “We should move here.”

  That made me laugh. “Right. I bet everyone who comes here on vacation says that.” Technically, I could, though. I could go anywhere I want, now.

  “We are here!” The driver got out and pulled our bags out of a door on the side of the shuttle. Tipping him, I said, “Thank you,” and we headed into the lobby.

  The inside looked just like the brochures. The dark wood floors were covered with floral rugs. There were huge plants inside bright blue pots, with leaves that reached almost all the way up to the ceiling. Wicker chairs and couches formed a seating area, and there were two front desks. We walked toward the one that stood next to an open door that led to a garden path. Giant ceiling fans mounted to the open beams moved slowly.

  “May I help you?” The woman had a huge smile and looked genuinely happy.

  “We are checking in. Jenny and Julie Wilson.”

  “Ah, yes. We have your reservation right here.”

  There was a commotion coming from the other front desk, as a man was trying to check in.

  “We discovered that we accidentally double-booked your room, and so you have been upgraded to a two-bedroom suite. Is that alright with you?” The woman smiled, probably knowing that no one would turn down a suite.

  But I was distracted by that guy over at the other desk. His voice was echoing through the room.

  “ I would appreciate it if you would call your fucking manager and try and help me solve this problem. Otherwise, I am going to go over to that couch over there and go to sleep on it.”

  Julie leaned over to me and whispered, “That guy is super hot, but evidently has some serious anger issues. I hope our room isn’t near his.”

  “Miss Wilson?” The woman behind the desk had her hand out, holding the keys.

  “What? Oh yeah.” I couldn’t tear my eyes off of Angry Hot Guy. “Did you say you upgraded us to a two bedroom suite?” What was going on here? This was turning out to be an incredible vacation!

  “And, since it’s your birthday, here are two complimentary services at the spa.”

  “It’s not my...”

  Julie elbowed her sharply. “It’s okay, sis. You look great for 50.”

  Oh my god. Julie! I whispered to her, “ Fifty! If you’re going to lie about my age, don’t make me as old as Mom!”

  I took the gift certificates and vowed to give huge tips to the service staff. Fifty years old! I would get my sister back for this, for sure.

  As we wheeled our luggage across the lobby toward our room, it looked like Angry Hot guy had calmed down and was talking to a manager. Our eyes locked as I passed him. Wow. That dude is one of the most beautiful men I have ever seen. I bet he’s a complete asshole.

  ***

  “De room is right dis way.” Fortunately, there was a bellman to take our luggage up the stairs. Since the Main House was only two floors, there was no elevator. I was still fit enough from kickboxing to take my own luggage up, but I was exhausted. The trip had taken all day, and I hadn’t slept well last night because I was too excited. But there was a Welcome Party this evening and I didn’t want to miss it. So, I figured I’d take a quick nap and be refreshed for tonight’s party.

  The property was small, as far as retreats go. The Main House had only twenty rooms, double occupancy and only two floors that formed a square around a courtyard and a pool.

  An East Wing that housed another ten rooms (all suites, actually), was single storied, and located right on the beachfront. I’d considered booking a beachfront suite, but wanted to be close to the pool, the gym, and the daily activities. The beachfront wing was more for people who wanted to commune with nature and to socialize less.

  The same floral pattern that was on the rugs downstairs reappeared on the carpet upstairs, and the walls were made of a deep wood that gave off a warm and safe vibe as we walked down the hall.

  There were photographs of the founder of the wellness center at various locations around the retreat. Napur Priyanka was a celebrity yoga guru who’d gotten famous from her self-help book, “Lotus is More than a Car.” Inside the elevator was a photograph of her with Oprah Winfrey, who was holding the book.

  Julie and I trailed the bellman as he walked to the far end of the hall. Stopping at the last door before the hallway turned, it appeared that our two bedroom suite was also a corner suite, and I couldn’t wait to see the view. Unfortunately, the sun had already gone down, so we were going to have to wait until morning.

  The bellman opened the door for us and then set the luggage inside the room, and then handed me the key. “My name is Kanye and if you need anytin’ just ask for me.”

  Julie laughed. “Kanye? Like...”

  He smiled a big, toothy grin. “Ya. Like Kanye West. My wife keep tellin’ everybody dat she name Kim Kardashian.” He laughed and added, “Have a good nite, now.”

  ***

  “I’m starving.” Julie headed straight to the minibar as soon as the door to the suite closed. “Aren’t you?”

  We hadn’t eaten anything since the flight, and I was a bit hungry. But, I was more excited to explore the room.

  “You go ahead. The resort is all-inclusive, so snack away.” Leaving my sister to stuff her face, I wandered around the room, running my hand along the furnishings. This was way nicer than any hotel I’d ever stayed in before. There were two bedrooms, one on either side of a sunken living space. The room was angled such that the corner was flanked with two huge floor to ceiling windows that came to a 90 degree angle right in the middle of the room. The effect was that you could see pretty much a panoramic view of whatever was outside the window.

  The same color scheme that was in the lobby and hallways was carried through to the inside, although everything was more muted and subtle. What was a vibrant navy blue on the rug in the lobby was a lighter blue inside the rooms.

  “Which room do you want? They both look the same to me.”

  Julie was eating a handful of macadamia nuts and flipping light switches on and off. “Either one. Doesn’t matter to me.”

  I grabbed my bag and chose the room to the left. It had a balcony with a smaller version of the view from that side of the living room. It actually felt like two separate apartments that were joined together with a common living room. Like conjoined twins or something.

  Opening the door to the closet, I literally gasped. “Holy shit.” It was as big as my kitchen at home. Suddenly the amount of luggage I brought seemed miniscule and I felt silly hanging it up. There would be so much extra space that I was unlikely to use more than a quarter of the closet. I might need to go shopping, I tho
ught before remembering that I was unemployed. It was hard to feel poor in a place like this!

  Setting my suitcase in the closet for now, I continued to explore the room. I went over to the bed and flopped down on it, spread-eagled. Way better than my hard bed at home! Why am I thinking about Angry Hot Guy right now? Probably because it’s been too long since you’ve had sex, Jenny.

  “Jenny! It’s huge!” Julie's voice was barely detectable from the other side of the suite. They would have a lot of privacy if they wanted it, and could be together when they wanted.

  Forcing myself to get up off the bed, I walked into the living room. “Jules? Do you want to order some room service? There’s still a couple hours til the Welcome Party.” Suddenly, I didn’t want to nap.

  “Sure! That would be great. Do they have a burger? Or is it all kale and tofu?”

  God, I hope not!

  I dug around in the desk drawer and found the room service menu and was relieved to see it was normal food. I ordered a burger for Julie, a salad for me, and a large order of french fries that was big enough for the both of us to share. “I wonder if Kanye delivers the food, too?”

  After that task was over, I sunk down into the white cushions of the couch. Putting my feet up, the urge to nap returned with a vengeance. It had been a long day, and I couldn't wait to crawl into that comfortable bed after the Welcome Party and get some sleep.

  The next thing I knew, I was startled awake by a gentle knock on the door. Room service!

  Opening the door, I realized it was not Kanye but another staff member. Giving the woman a cash tip, I took the tray and called Julie in for dinner.

  “That smells amazing,” she said, taking the burger. “Did you have a nice nap?”

  “I wasn’t napping. I was just...”

  “Resting your eyes? Like Uncle Peter?” Julie was referring to our mother’s brother who always fell asleep on the couch and then denied sleeping.

  We sat on the couch eating dinner and looking at the brochure of activities for tomorrow. “We should go on a guided cave hiking tour tomorrow morning,” I said.