Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 52957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52957 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
Then she made you play, and lose, poker with her.
All the while she packed you even fuller with delicious desserts, thus rendering you unable to leave.
Or even move.
“Afraid it’s just me tonight, my man,” Mason said as he clapped my shoulder, pushing me ahead of him out of the office. “I’ll meet you at my house and we’ll work on your outfit. I’m sure June will love to help. She’s been obsessed with John Hughes movies lately and 80s tv shows.”
“Great, I’m getting dressed by an eleven-year-old.”
“Yep.” Mason locked up his office, then shrugged on the thick black coat he’d grabbed before we left. “See you soon. I’ll have a beer waiting for you and steaks in the oven.”
“Sounds good to me. Just promise me that I won’t be June’s dress-up doll. Last time I let her style my closet it took her three hours. I swear my skin was chafed from trying on things before she was done.”
“And how many items did she find in your closet that had holes in them, or bleach stains, or no longer fit.”
I grunted, unable to say anything in rebuttal. “Whatever. I have to go talk with Derek, but it shouldn’t take long. He’s been after me to take a vacation.”
Mason jingled his keys as we walked down the interior hallway. “Nice to have a boss encouraging you to have a life, huh?”
“Never thought my dream job would be at a sex-positive resort, but here we are.”
We both laughed and I waved goodbye before stopping by Derek’s office.
A quick knock later and Derek’s broad and tall figure filled the doorway.
“Come on in, my friend,” he said with a smile glinting through his salt and pepper beard.
“Hope I didn’t keep you from heading home,” I said as Derek led me into his office and over to a pair of high-backed chairs arranged before the fire.
“Not at all. Mason already texted me, you have my permission and blessing. Go enjoy Spirit Week. Your hard work was a big part of why we were able to pull off such an amazing roster of talent for this event. Our attendees have been thrilled so far, and we certainly benefited from the high profile speakers and guest lecturers. Tickets sold out to the public in fifteen minutes. And the VIP tickets in five.”
I let out a low whistle. “Wow. I didn’t know that.”
“We raised a lot of money this year, Caleb. Thanks in no small part to your efforts.”
Shifting back on my heels, I exchanged a smile with my boss. He owned Rawhide and had a heart as big as anyone I’d ever met. Some people might think the owner of a sex positive resort would be sleazy, but Derek was anything but. A genuinely decent guy, an old-fashioned gentleman, and a shrewd businessman with a strong moral compass. I was glad I was working for him.
This Spirit Week charity thing was one of his babies, and all the proceeds went to a great causes like Rawhide University’s Scholarship program that grew larger every graduating class. This year, in addition to the usual charities, Derek was supporting a small apartment complex that housed kids who had aged out of the foster system and were attending the University of Montana or the nearby community college.
Pride filled me and I answered him honestly as I said, “My pleasure.”
Derek picked up his thick sheepskin jacket and shrugged it on. “Stop by the front desk. They’ll give you your welcome packet and make sure you are registered for the classes you wish to take. I may have put a star next to a few that I think you should take. Heard a pretty redhead might be in them.”
Blinking hard, I stuttered out, “I will. Um, thanks. How do you know she’s a redhead?”
“I watched the security tape.” He smiled at me, his eyes filled with warmth. “Could feel the chemistry between the two of you through the cameras. I’ll be interested to see how things go.”
“Thanks, again,” I said as my excitement grew. “You really did me a solid. I had no idea how I was going to find her.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I merely gave you an opportunity to attend two of the same classes tomorrow as Ivy. The rest is up to you. I truly hope you enjoy yourself, and I want to remind you, as of midnight you’re on vacation. No more working. Just have fun.”
“I’ll try,” I said as he hustled me out the door.
CHAPTER 3
Ivy
Despite my earlier exhaustion, after I’d taken a shower and eaten a delicious chef salad, I woke up after only an hour’s rest.
Lying in bed, I glanced at the clock and sighed when I saw it was barely nine. If I went to sleep now I’d be awake well before dawn. Flicking through the hundreds of channels available on the big screen on the wall, I put it on a twenty-four-hour weather channel and tossed the remote on the thick teal comforter of my bed. Turning on the brass lamp next to the bed, I grabbed the goodie basket that had been waiting for me on the side table when I’d arrived in my room.