Passion Key (A Romance & Suspense Series) by Dani Amore Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Dani Amore
colored shorts along with a form-fitting white silk T-shirt and his favorite pair of topsiders.
It was a beautiful day, already very warm and humid as he walked over to Passion Key Resort. The wind was mild but steady, and he couldn’t help but feel his excitement toward possibly seeing Justine again. He decided he was going to apologize for his rash behavior, and try to convince her he wasn’t some oaf who kissed beautiful women every chance he got.
Hopefully she wasn’t offended, and as much as he was sure it was just his imagination, he wondered if he hadn’t felt her kissing him back, just a little?
One could hope, he figured.
He walked across the main road and down to the resort to the reception office and went inside.
The woman he talked to on the phone glanced out from the little office behind the desk and she walked out to greet him.
“Hello,” she said.
“I’m Archer Thorpe, we talked a little bit ago,” he said.
“Oh, yes, I have your check right here,” she said, and handed him an envelope and then glanced over his shoulder.
“Hi Justine!” she said.
Archer turned and looked into the surprised face of Justine Beaudry.
“Hello,” he said.
“Archer, what are you doing here?” she said.
“Taye called and said my check was ready so I figured I’d better pop right over as I’ve got bill collectors lined up waiting to break my kneecaps,” he said.
She laughed. They probably work for my ex-husband, she thought, but kept the comment to herself.
“Well you did a fine job, everything works just fine,” she said. “It was money well spent.”
“How’s your leg?” he asked.
“Fine. How about I walk you out?” she said.
They walked outside and Archer again felt more comfortable with Justine than he’d felt with any woman in a long, long time. He had the sudden urge to grab her hand but he stopped himself. No more sudden moves with this one, he thought.
“Have you ever gotten a proper tour of the place?” Justine asked.
“No, just what I fixed, and not much else,” he answered. “I’d love a tour.”
Justine led him out to the courtyard, and around the pool area.
“It’s such a great location,” Archer said. It was hard to make conversation with a woman who didn’t seem to want to talk about herself.
“I know, I love it, with the beach right there, although I might stay away for awhile and let the jellyfish go on their way,” she said.
“You probably don’t have much work to do on the place, do you?” he said. “It seems to be newer construction.”
“No, I don’t think there’s a lot to do, other than general maintenance and upkeep. But that’s why I have Taye, to take care of the day-to-day stuff.”
She raised an eyebrow at him.
“You’re probably wondering what I do all day,” she said.
“No, not at all. You said you sold your business back in the Midwest, right? Sounds like you’ve earned the right to delegate for awhile.”
She nodded. “I like the sound of that.”
They walked the grounds and then ended up in front of a condo that was set off from the others and consequently much more private.
“This is my place,” she said. “Do you want to come in for some iced tea? I just made it and I’m thirsty.”
“Sure.” Archer felt himself start to sweat. He didn’t want to do something stupid again. Control yourself, man.
But he couldn’t stop watching Justine as she walked ahead of him into the kitchen. Her shorts were snug and her body looked fantastic. She was so sexy it was killing him.
She handed him a glass of iced tea and their fingers touched.
“Here’s to Passion Key,” she said and they clinked glasses.
Archer took a long drink of his and it tasted great.
He watched as Justine put her glass down, stepped up to him and kissed him full on the lips. He was so surprised he set down his glass a little too forcefully and some tea sloshed onto his hand.
Justine giggled and he kissed her back. Her lips
It was a beautiful day, already very warm and humid as he walked over to Passion Key Resort. The wind was mild but steady, and he couldn’t help but feel his excitement toward possibly seeing Justine again. He decided he was going to apologize for his rash behavior, and try to convince her he wasn’t some oaf who kissed beautiful women every chance he got.
Hopefully she wasn’t offended, and as much as he was sure it was just his imagination, he wondered if he hadn’t felt her kissing him back, just a little?
One could hope, he figured.
He walked across the main road and down to the resort to the reception office and went inside.
The woman he talked to on the phone glanced out from the little office behind the desk and she walked out to greet him.
“Hello,” she said.
“I’m Archer Thorpe, we talked a little bit ago,” he said.
“Oh, yes, I have your check right here,” she said, and handed him an envelope and then glanced over his shoulder.
“Hi Justine!” she said.
Archer turned and looked into the surprised face of Justine Beaudry.
“Hello,” he said.
“Archer, what are you doing here?” she said.
“Taye called and said my check was ready so I figured I’d better pop right over as I’ve got bill collectors lined up waiting to break my kneecaps,” he said.
She laughed. They probably work for my ex-husband, she thought, but kept the comment to herself.
“Well you did a fine job, everything works just fine,” she said. “It was money well spent.”
“How’s your leg?” he asked.
“Fine. How about I walk you out?” she said.
They walked outside and Archer again felt more comfortable with Justine than he’d felt with any woman in a long, long time. He had the sudden urge to grab her hand but he stopped himself. No more sudden moves with this one, he thought.
“Have you ever gotten a proper tour of the place?” Justine asked.
“No, just what I fixed, and not much else,” he answered. “I’d love a tour.”
Justine led him out to the courtyard, and around the pool area.
“It’s such a great location,” Archer said. It was hard to make conversation with a woman who didn’t seem to want to talk about herself.
“I know, I love it, with the beach right there, although I might stay away for awhile and let the jellyfish go on their way,” she said.
“You probably don’t have much work to do on the place, do you?” he said. “It seems to be newer construction.”
“No, I don’t think there’s a lot to do, other than general maintenance and upkeep. But that’s why I have Taye, to take care of the day-to-day stuff.”
She raised an eyebrow at him.
“You’re probably wondering what I do all day,” she said.
“No, not at all. You said you sold your business back in the Midwest, right? Sounds like you’ve earned the right to delegate for awhile.”
She nodded. “I like the sound of that.”
They walked the grounds and then ended up in front of a condo that was set off from the others and consequently much more private.
“This is my place,” she said. “Do you want to come in for some iced tea? I just made it and I’m thirsty.”
“Sure.” Archer felt himself start to sweat. He didn’t want to do something stupid again. Control yourself, man.
But he couldn’t stop watching Justine as she walked ahead of him into the kitchen. Her shorts were snug and her body looked fantastic. She was so sexy it was killing him.
She handed him a glass of iced tea and their fingers touched.
“Here’s to Passion Key,” she said and they clinked glasses.
Archer took a long drink of his and it tasted great.
He watched as Justine put her glass down, stepped up to him and kissed him full on the lips. He was so surprised he set down his glass a little too forcefully and some tea sloshed onto his hand.
Justine giggled and he kissed her back. Her lips