Escape to Paradise Page 14

  Claudia was losing it, on the verge of delirium, but she’d never felt such freedom. Finally, after all these years, she was in control of her pleasure. Free to do whatever she pleased. And Claudia wanted to ride Santiago until she had nothing left.

  “Slow down,” he cautioned, nuzzling his face against her cheek. “We have all night.”

  Claudia sped up and gripped his shoulders so hard, Santiago knew he’d wake up in the morning with a bruise. Santiago soaked up the sexy sounds of her moans. Concealing a grin, he sat back and watched the sexy Southern beauty do her thing. Damn, Claudia was hot. She wasn’t afraid to take the reins, wasn’t afraid to call the shots, and when she clamped her legs around his waist, he almost exploded in his pants. Santiago couldn’t believe this was the same woman who’d run away from him in the Dulles International Airport lounge. The event planner was a shy, quiet type, but after dark she was a brazen sex kitten. Claudia talked dirty, grabbed at his package, and did things with her tongue that would make a porn star blush.

  Claudia felt flushed, wet, out of breath. He tickled the tip of her tongue with his own, and chuckled when she grabbed a fistful of his thick hair. His mouth seared her, set her flesh on fire. The air smelled sweet, perfumed with the scent of their loving and the hibiscus bordering the nearby garden. She squeezed her pelvic muscles and rotated her hips until the tingling in her feet shot straight to her core. Blood flowed to her breasts, hardening her nipples.

  “What do we have here?”

  Light flooded the cabana, hitting Claudia square in the eyes. Her heart did a backflip, then slammed into her rib cage, stealing her breath. Squinting, she held up her palms to shield her face from the intrusive light.

  “I’m sorry,” a squeaky male voice said. “I didn’t know anyone was in here.”

  Claudia sighed in relief when the stranger put away his light. A teenager with acne-stained cheeks stood at the entrance of the cabana wearing a lopsided grin.

  “Who do I have to see to get one of these for the night?”

  Lowering her head, she slid off Santiago’s lap and turned toward the fire pit. Sitting there, watching the red-hot flame, Claudia wondered how one five-second kiss had led to her shamelessly groping and pawing at Santiago.

  Her conscience launched an attack, one that made her feel as guilty as sin.

  That was wrong. Stupid. A tsunami-size mistake, Claudia decided, shaking the images of their cabana romp from her mind. What was I thinking? That was the problem. I wasn’t thinking. At least not with my head—

  Santiago’s sensuous voice interrupted Claudia’s pity party.

  “None of the cabanas are available tonight,” he explained, calmly addressing the intruder. “Check with the front desk tomorrow, and they’ll reserve one for you.”

  The kid pointed a bony finger. “I know you…”

  Claudia stopped breathing. Her mouth filled with fear, which grew so full she couldn’t swallow. She glanced around the cabana, searching for a suitable place to hide. Should I duck behind the cushions or dive under the couch? Her thoughts were irrational but she’d rather look like a fool in front of Santiago than a liar.

  “I can hardly believe it’s you!” The teen rushed inside the cabana and clasped Santiago’s hand and bowed his head. “I’m your biggest fan ever!”

  Stunned, her eyes twice their normal size, she cranked her head to the right. As she listened to the kid address Santiago her confusion grew. His excitement was evident, as real as the powdery white sand between her toes. He was rocking eagerly on his heels, and when he asked Santiago for his autograph, Claudia was convinced he was high on some illicit street drug.

  “Wait until I tell my homeboys that you’re here. I know your family owns the—”

  Santiago coughed then addressed the young man in Spanish. Claudia fanned her face with her hands. His hushed, dreamy tone was the ultimate turn-on. She couldn’t be more relaxed if he was giving her a foot massage, and when Santiago stood up and escorted the kid out of the cabana, she longed to be back in his arms. The thought of kissing him again, of sitting on his lap and rubbing her clit against his erection, made her nipples harden.

  Scooting forward on the couch, she grabbed a butter knife and inspected her makeup. I don’t look half bad for a woman who just had an orgasm. There was no physical evidence of what they’d done, but Claudia felt different. His touch made her ache for him, and instead of feeling guilty that they’d been caught in the act, she was disappointed that they hadn’t finished what they started.

  “We should get out of here. It’s almost 2:00 a.m.”

  “Is everything all right?” she asked, dropping the knife. “That kid sounded out of it.”

  “He’ll be fine.” Santiago strode over to the couch. “I better get you back to your suite. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow, and I want you to get enough rest.”

  Claudia smirked. After what we just did on the couch I’m sure sleep will be the last thing on my mind.

  Chapter 13

  “Where the hell have you been?”

  Claudia choked on her coffee. Stunned by the harshness of Maxine’s tone, she lowered her mug and stared at the computer screen. Sunshine bounced off the laptop, weakening the picture quality, but Claudia could still see her sister’s narrowed eyes and pinched lips. The muscles in her neck were drawn so tight her veins were popping. Claudia couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen Maxine this angry, and couldn’t figure out what she’d done to set her off. If anyone should be mad, it should be me, Claudia thought, folding her arms. I’ve been waiting almost an hour for her to log on to Skype. “Why are you yelling at me?”

  “Because I’ve been calling you nonstop for the last two weeks, and you haven’t returned any of my calls.” Her voice rose to dangerous heights, and her face was pinched with sadness. “Royce and I have been worried sick about you.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “You should be,” she quipped, folding her arms rigidly across her chest. “You’re not supposed to be stressing me out. I’m pregnant.”

  “I know, Max, and I didn’t mean to upset you. I’ve just been real busy, and by the time I return to the suite at the end of the day, I’m pooped.”

  “Of course. Sipping cocktails and sunbathing for hours on end is so taxing.”

  “I wish I had time to hang out by the pool,” Claudia confessed, staring longingly out the balcony window and down at the turquoise blue water. “I’m planning the resort’s twenty-fifth anniversary bash, and it’s more work than I anticipated.”

  Maxine’s eyebrows rose. “But I thought the whole purpose of going to Cabo was to get away from everything, including your demanding nine-to-five.”

  “The resort manager made me an offer I just couldn’t refuse.”

  “Well, I suggest you scale back on all those long hours because you’re starting to look a little worse for wear.”

  “Thanks,” Claudia spat, rolling her eyes to the ceiling. “You’re a doll. You always know just what to say to make me feel like a winner.”

  “I’m not trying to be mean. It’s the truth.”

  Claudia patted back a yawn. “I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

  “You were up fretting about the fraud case, weren’t you?”

  No, I was thinking about the sexy resort manager with the scrumptious mouth. Since their cooking lesson, they had talked on the phone at least once a day, and despite Santiago’s furious schedule he made time to see her every evening. Sometimes they met for drinks, other times they strolled along the beach, and last night it was stargazing in a hammock. At the end of their dates, he often joked about “tucking her in,” but after a hug and a chaste kiss on the cheek he went home. Claudia was glad Santiago had enough willpower for the both of them, because every time he touched her she wanted
to jump his bones.

  “You’ll be happy to know that all the media attention surrounding William’s indictment has died down,” she said, brightening. “These days, all anyone cares about is what outrageous thing Steven Tyler will say next on American Idol!”

  The sisters shared a laugh.

  “How are you doing?”

  “Great, aside from a little heartburn and some weird food cravings.” Maxine glanced suspiciously over her shoulder, then eased forward in her chair. “Girl, I think I’m addicted to peanut butter and onion sandwiches. I’ve already had two of them and it’s only ten o’clock.”

  “How’s Royce doing? Has anything panned out on the job front yet?”

  “No, and I hope he gets a job offer soon, because being unemployed has made him a sourpuss, and his constant griping is driving me up the wall.”

  “Hang in there, sis. He’ll find something.”

  “Have you talked to Old Man Tibbs?”

  Claudia laughed. “Why do you insist on calling my lawyer that?”

  “Because he reminds me of that sexist troll who used to live next door to us when we were kids. You know, that leery-eyed old man who called everyone ‘lil’ suga.’”

  More high-pitched laughter.

  “Every time I talk to Mr. Tibbs he makes me upset. I think I need to find a new attorney. One who believes in me and listens to what I have to say.”

  “Ya think? I don’t know why you hired Old Man Tibbs in the first place.”

  “He was the only lawyer in town willing to take my case, and his fees were reasonable.”

  There was a loud knock on the door.

  “Hold on, Max. Room service is here.”

  “No problem. I’m going to go finish folding the laundry. Talk to you later!”

  Claudia leaped to her feet and hustled across the room. She opened the door and almost fainted with excitement when she saw Santiago standing there holding a silver tray and wearing a smile guaranteed to make her melt.

  “I have a spicy Santa Fe omelette, two sides of bacon, and bowl of tropical fruit salad for one Claudia Jeffries,” he announced, strolling into the suite and setting the tray down on the table. “I know how much you love those breakfast fries, so I added a side to your order.”

  “I didn’t know you helped out in the kitchen. Wow, you do it all around here, don’t you?”

  “No, actually, I volunteered to bring up your breakfast.”

  “Why, when you’re so busy overseeing the final stages of the renovation project?”

  “Because seeing you is the highlight of my day.”

  Claudia smiled.

  “How was your hike?”

  “It’s not as much fun without my hiking partner, but at least I finished the trail this time. I ran into Chaz on the bottom of the hill and he had me in stitches the whole way back to the resort.”

  “Really? How nice.” After a long, awkward silence he spoke. “I’m going into town this afternoon, and I’m not sure when I’ll be back. Actually, that’s why I stopped by. I didn’t want you to wonder where I was when you came into the office.”

  “Are you going there on hotel business?” Claudia tried to sound casual, but heard the curiosity in her voice and knew she’d failed miserably.

  “No, I’m going to pick up my new passport.”

  “Planning a trip?”

  “As a matter of fact I am,” he replied smoothly, inclining his heads toward her. “I’d love to go to Richmond, Virginia, to see one of my sexy lady friends, but she hasn’t invited me yet.”

  “Come anytime,” Claudia said, playing along, “except in the winter. It snows!”

  “I’d walk ten miles through a blizzard to see you.”

  A warm glow flowed through her, and a smile lit the corners of her lips.

  “What do you have planned today?”

  “Not much. I might visit the spa or spend the afternoon reading. Why?”

  “I’d love for you to come with me into town, but I know how much you hate crowds, and Paradise Road will be jam-packed,” he told her. “Today’s market day, and villagers from surrounding areas bring their goods to sell and trade.”

  “Do a lot of American tourists go to the market?”

  “Only a handful. Most travelers prefer the malls and high-end boutiques.”

  Claudia weighed the pros and cons of going into town. She’d been working around the clock on the anniversary party—booking the entertainment, selecting the silverware, designing the invitations—and needed to get out of the resort before she went mad. Since the chances of being recognized were slim, she decided to take Santiago up on his offer. “If you’re sure you don’t mind, I’d love to tag along. I want to buy some souvenirs for my family, and check out what the specialty stores have in terms of lighting.”

  “I’ll call for a taxi and meet you out front at noon.”

  “You’re not driving your car?” she asked, frowning.

  “I don’t have one.”

  “Is it too much of an expense, or are you trying to be environmentally friendly?”

  Santiago chuckled. “The public transportation is so good here I don’t need one. I love being outdoors, so I bike, walk or, if I’m really pressed for time, I hop into a cab.”

  “I couldn’t imagine living without my hybrid,” Claudia admitted. “Much like here, everything runs at a snail’s pace in my city, and I love the freedom of being able to get up and go.” Especially when pesky reporters are camped outside my home, she thought, remembering the scene outside of her house the night she fled Richmond.

  “I must admit, I do miss that.”

  Claudia heard something in his tone, and sensed there was a lot more to the story than he’d offered. A question burned on her tongue, but she didn’t ask it. Sure, they’d made out in one of the oceanfront cabanas, but she wasn’t his girlfriend and she didn’t want to pry.

  “I’ll see you later.” He kissed her cheek, then strode through the foyer and out the door.

  Claudia stood there, inhaling his light, soothing fragrance. One whiff of his scent relieved her stress and put her in a sexy state of mind. Claudia didn’t know when or how it happened, but she’d fallen for the charming resort manager. He was always around, always there, and her desire for him was so strong—

  “Who’s Santiago?”

  Claudia whipped around. Clutching her chest, her heart beating loud and fast, she stared at her sister’s image on the laptop screen. “You scared me half to death!” she complained. “Why are you still sitting there? I thought you went to do laundry?”

  Max held up her sandwich. “I had to make a snack first. Me and the baby are hungry.”

  “I have to run, but I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t. You’re not going anywhere until you answer my questions. Now, who’s Santiago and how long have you two been doing the nasty?”

  Claudia laughed to hide her fear. Her cheeks burned at the memory of his passionate kiss, and she felt herself growing aroused at the thought of his urgent caress. Inhaling sharply, she shook the image from her mind and forced her unruly body into submission. “We’re not sleeping together, Max. We’re just friends. Actually, more like boss and employee since he was the one who hired me to plan the resort’s celebration bash.”

  “Oh, so he works there?”

  Claudia nodded, stared down at the living room floor to avoid her sister’s intrusive gaze. “He manages the resort.”

  “And you like him?”

  “Yes… No… Well, not in the way you’re thinking,” she stuttered and stammered.

  Maxine leveled a butter-smeared finger at her. “I didn’t get a good look at him, but I heard every sexually charged minute of your con
versation. Your voice got all low and husky and for a second I thought you were going to pounce on him!”

  Claudia wanted to tell Max about their growing relationship, about how they’d talked and laughed for hours, but worried what her sister would think. Ana was the only person she felt comfortable talking to about her feelings for Santiago. She didn’t judge, or make fun of her; she listened and offered thoughtful advice. Knowing she’d regret confiding in Max, Claudia decided to keep her mouth shut. So, instead of pouring out her heart, she told her sister about meeting Santiago at the Dulles International Airport lounge, running into him at the resort and the PG version of their first date.

  “He made you cook your own dinner?” She wrinkled her nose and made a face that could scare old ladies and small children. “Ugh! What a cheapskate!”

  “It wasn’t like that Max. It was fun and romantic and—”

  “Tacky,” Max concluded, dropping her sandwich on the plate. “I just lost my appetite.”

  “When did you become such a snob? We grew up in Richmond’s worst ghetto, but you act like you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. You’re not a Rockefeller, Max.”

  “Whatever. Just stay away from this Santiago guy, and dudes just like him, because the only thing worse than a broke man is a cheap one.”

  “Don’t talk about him like that. He’s been nothing but kind and gracious to me.”

  Maxine’s eyes grew wide, and she leaned so far back in her chair Claudia was sure it was going to tip over. “Now everything makes sense,” she said, tapping her front teeth with her index finger. “Now I understand why I haven’t heard from you all week. You’ve been too busy hanging out with resort boy to check in with your family.”

  “I don’t have time for this. I have a—” Claudia caught herself just in time.