No Other Lover Will Do (3 page)

When Kandace pulled up to the mountain resort, she thought she'd found the route to heaven. Snow quietly fell on the lush green grass, and in the background of the eight-story resort was Sugar Mountain in all of its snow-covered glory. Kandace couldn't tell if it was real snow or manufactured, and it didn't matter one bit. She turned her gaze to the classic building in front of her. It resembled a castle, with frosted windows, two towers, and what looked to be a giant snow globe over the entrance. Inside the globe was the Crawford crest, which adorned all of the hotels in the chain. This one was covered in snow. “Wow,” Kandace said as she put her car in park. “I can't wait to see the inside.” As she stepped out of the car, she was met by two porters dressed in gold and cream uniforms.

“Hello, ma'am,” the taller man said. “We'll take your bags and Tony can check you in curbside if you'd like.”

Impressed by their customer service, Kandace smiled brightly and popped her trunk. “Thank you, Cal,” she said, reading his name tag. “I don't have my reservation number handy, so I'll go inside.”

“All right, ma'am. Enjoy your stay at Serenity,” Cal said as he and Tony lifted her bags from the rear of her rented SUV. Kandace smoothed her ponytail and headed inside. Entering the lobby was another breathtaking experience. The lobby was decorated in lush earth tones. The plush carpet was a cocoa brown color, and in the corner, the fire inside the fireplace roared. Kandace wanted to snuggle up in the lavish love seat across from the fireplace and read a good book.

“Good afternoon, ma'am,” the desk clerk said. “Are you checking in?”

“Yes. Kandace Davis.”

The clerk pushed her blond hair behind her ears and began typing Kandace's name into the computer. “Yes, Ms. Davis, I have your reservation right here. You're going to be in our Wonderland Suite. It is a beautiful room with a private balcony and a fireplace.”

“Great, Brandi,” Kandace said, after reading the clerk's tag. “I have to say, this place is beautiful.”

“Isn't it? You're going to love your room,” Brandi said as she passed Kandace her key card. “It's on the fifth floor and three doors down on your right. Would you like me to schedule your spa appointment for you?”

“That's all right. I'll take care of it later, but thank you.”

Cal and Tony approached the desk with Kandace's bags and Brandi told them where to take them. Kandace had expected the porters to ride on the elevator with her, but they didn't. When she arrived on the fifth floor, she saw the porters leaving her room.
Did they run up the stairs?
she wondered as she entered the room. As soon as she stepped through the doors, any thoughts of the porters were replaced by the lavishness of the Wonderland Suite. Her feet sank into the white carpet as she made her way to the center of the room to take it all in. Her king-size bed looked as if it were three feet off the ground, and it was covered with a gold and cream goose down comforter. A twenty-seven-inch plasma TV hung on the wall. Kandace's gaze fell on the marble fireplace in the middle of the sitting room. It was already stocked with wood, and in front of it was a sofa similar to the one in the lobby. Turning back to the bedroom, she saw the cherrywood wardrobe was open and her luggage was resting on the shelves. Unable to resist the call of the bed any longer, Kandace plopped down on the comforter and closed her eyes. So far, her vacation was wonderful.

When Kandace woke up, the sun was setting. She rushed over to the large bay windows and watched the majesty of the setting sun in the Carolina sky. The blue sky was a royal purple with bursts of orange. She saw a few people skiing down the hill next to the resort. Kandace figured that it was a beginner's hill, but she wasn't going try it.

Stepping into the bathroom, Kandace ran her hand across the marble countertop, then she turned on the jets in the walk-in shower. She stripped her clothes off and stood underneath the warm spray. As the water poured over her, Kandace felt nearly orgasmic. Shaking her head, she realized that this was the closest thing to sex she'd experienced since her breakup with Robert. It wasn't that she hadn't had offers for meaningless sex or promises of one-night stands that would make her knees tremble. But Kandace wasn't a one-night stand, meaningless affair type of woman, and that seemed to be all men in Atlanta wanted. Charlotte hadn't offered many more choices.

She saw how those types of relationships had hurt her mother, beginning with her father. Kandace thought of him as more of a sperm donor since she'd seen him only once in her life. For years, Kandace had more uncles than she could count. They never stayed around long and her mother always cried for weeks until she met someone else. Maybe that's why Kandace had stayed with Robert for as long as she did. He allowed her to mask the heartache she continued to carry over Devon Harris.

Sure, she was able to work with him now, but back in college when she'd found out that he'd cheated on her with the one girl she couldn't stand, Jolisa Covington from Richmond, Virginia, she'd been devastated. Her family had money and Kandace's didn't. The only reason Kandace had been able to attend Spelman had been because her mother had joined the army when Kandace was six years old, after her latest relationship fizzled. Scholarships and financial aid had been Kandace's best friends until she found a plum work-study assignment. When she'd started dating Devon, son of NBA player and Atlanta god, Devon Harris Sr., Kandace was about to start believing in fairy tales. Then she'd met his father, who made it clear to the couple that Kandace wasn't the kind of woman he wanted to see his son with.

Then
she
had been brought into the picture. Devon Sr. had handpicked Jolisa to end Kandace's relationship with his son. Jolisa had been given carte blanche to make herself at home in the Harris household. At first, Devon had denied any attraction to Jolisa. He'd called her an annoying groupie. Then, she'd become just his homegirl. And finally, Kandace had walked in on the aftermath of Jolisa and Devon's lovemaking.

Kandace hadn't needed to hear Devon's excuses. She'd heard them all before when one of her mother's boyfriends had done the same thing to her. She pushed past him, leaving her dreams of moving to Paris with him crumpled like the sheets on his bed. One day, she'd vowed, Devon would be sorry he'd treated her this way. She had no idea that she would end up in business with him. Happily none of her old feelings returned. She was over Devon and no matter how Jade tried to tell her that she should give him another chance, she wasn't going to do it.

Kandace was not going to play the same fool twice.

As she turned the water off, Kandace grabbed one of the plush towels and wrapped herself in its warmth. She headed into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed with the hotel information book-let. There was a five-star restaurant on the property with dinner service, and also the option to order from the menu and have it delivered. What caught Kandace's attention was the fact that dinner could be delivered to the hot tub. She snapped the book shut, crossed over to her suitcase, and grabbed her lime green bathing suit. Once she put the bandeau suit on, she placed her dinner order, grabbed the hotel robe and her Uggs, then headed out the door.

 

Solomon was restless. He'd been at the resort for six hours and no one knew who he was. That was great and so was the service that the staff had been providing. They were living up to the Crawford standard and he was proud. Now that he had taken care of business, he needed something else to occupy his time.
Might as well check out the hot tub,
he thought as he pulled off his sweater and kicked out of his pants. Solomon grabbed his Ed Hardy board shorts from his suitcase and pulled them on, then headed out to the hot tub grotto. He and Carmen thought the grotto would be a good idea for guests who came to the resort without their families. At first, Solomon had thought it was a silly idea since their peak time would be in the winter, but the grotto was heated and could be cooled in the summer.

As he entered the grotto and saw the woman in the lime green bathing suit leaning back with her eyes closed, he knew Carmen had been right all along. He stood at the edge of the tub watching her. She was a chocolate beauty with at least a D cup. He wondered how her strapless suit held her breasts up. As she stretched her legs, he noticed how shapely they were, and when she lifted her leg to her chest Solomon began to salivate. She had perfect toes, suckable toes. Looking down at his crotch, he saw how much of an effect this woman was having on him. Solomon climbed into the hot tub, happy that water hid his throbbing erection. At the sound of the splashing water, the woman opened her chocolate brown eyes and peered at him.

“My goodness, I didn't realize anyone else was out here,” she said as she quickly lowered her leg.

“You don't have to get shy on my account,” Solomon said.

The woman sighed and rolled her eyes. This was a reaction that he wasn't used to. Was he being ignored? He glanced at the woman again, and yes, he was being ignored. She'd leaned her head back and had her eyes closed as if he wasn't even there.

Solomon inched closer to her. “Since we're the only ones out here, you could at least introduce yourself to me.”

“And why would I do that?” she asked. Her voice had a hint of a southern accent and a load of sensuality.

“Because it's the polite thing to do.”

She smacked her lips and moved further from him. “I don't feel like being polite,” she replied.

“Now, that's not nice,” he said. “I thought women in the south believed in southern hospitality.”

The woman stood up, and when Solomon saw how her wet suit clung to her ample ass, he inhaled sharply. “There's something else that southern women are known for,” she said. “Not talking to jackasses.”

As she strode over to the lounge chair where she'd placed her things, Solomon hopped out of the tub and crossed over to her.

“I guess I deserved that,” he said.

The woman wrapped the hotel robe around her damp body and tossed her ponytail back. Solomon could not help but wonder how her hair would look tumbling down her shoulders. It was obvious that she wasn't wearing a weave because she didn't seem to mind getting her hair wet.

“Are you still here?” she snapped. “Listen, I don't know about you, but I'm here to relax, and these last few minutes around you have been anything but relaxing. So, I'm going to leave.” Her face, though it was contorted by anger, was beautiful, especially her full lips. Solomon wanted to just reach out and take her bottom lip between his. He inched closer to her, thinking that one kiss would melt this beauty's resistance. But the threatening look she flashed him stopped Solomon from proceeding with his wanton desire.

“What in the hell is wrong with you?” she demanded.

“Let me just say, you're the most stunning woman I've seen in ages, and if I'm coming on too strong, I apologize,” he said, his voice oozing with the Crawford charm that had caused countless thongs and panties to drop.

This woman wasn't buying it as she placed her tote bag on her shoulder. “I'd appreciate it if you moved out of my way,” she said as she extended her hand and pushed him aside.

“I'd love to know your name,” he said as he took her hand in his and held it.

“And people in hell would love ice water. Let me go.” She didn't make much of an effort to free her hand from his, and Solomon smiled. After a moment, he let her go as she'd requested. He wasn't used to rejection and there was no way he planned to give up.

She silently moved away from him and didn't even glance back. As he watched his mystery lady walk away, Solomon knew he had to find her. Just as he was about to dry himself, he saw one of the waiters from the restaurant enter the grotto to remove the used dishes. Solomon smiled, knowing the woman's room number would be on her dinner slip. Before the waiter took the plates away, Solomon crossed over to him.

“Excuse me,” he said. “How many people ordered dinner in here tonight?”

“I'm sorry?” the waiter asked.

“Were there a lot of people in here? A young lady just left and she forgot something. I want to make sure she gets it,” Solomon bluffed.

“I'll be happy to return her lost item,” the man replied as he'd been trained to do.

Solomon—the businessman—was happy, but the man trying to find the sexiness that had just walked out of the hot tub needed information. “It's a rather delicate item and I'm not sure she'd want a stranger returning it,” he said.

“If you don't know her room number, I'm willing to guess you're a stranger too,” the waiter replied, struggling to keep his voice respectful.

Solomon sighed. It was time to unleash the big gun. “Do you know who I am?” he asked.

“Other than the fact that you're a valued guest at our resort, I'm going to say no.”

Solomon chuckled again. This guy was trained very well. “Solomon Crawford. I own the resort.”

The waiter raised his eyebrow and studied Solomon's face as if he was trying to recall the image he'd seen in his training manual. Of course Solomon was fully clothed and smiling in the Crawford Hotel Handbook.

“Mr. Crawford, I didn't recognize you,” the man said.

“I noticed, and I think you handled things superbly, but I need that woman's room number.”

“Of course, sir,” he said, then handed him the food charge slip. Solomon looked up at the waiter.

“What's your name?”

“Matt, sir.”

“All right, Matt, I'll ask one more thing of you. No one needs to know I'm here. So, if you can keep your mouth shut, expect a bonus at the end of my stay,” Solomon said. “A big bonus.”

Matt smiled brightly. “Yes, sir.”

“Thanks. And you're doing a great job. Keep it up,” Solomon complimented as he read the food slip. Kandace Davis was staying in the Wonderland Suite, and from the looks of her dinner order she was alone.
Ripe for the picking,
he thought as he left the grotto.