Chapter 2 #2
“I can assure you that all of our rooms are heated more than adequately, and we trust you will have an enjoyable stay here at the Castle Griffin Hotel.”
He snickered. “Well, it can hardly get worse, can it?”
Offense reared, even despite knowing his comment was more than justified. She handed over his key, briefly explained about meal times at the restaurant, and told him about the golf course, the pool and outdoor spa baths, and some of the other activities the resort boasted.
“Yeah, I’m not much of a golfer. But thanks for the tips.”
He shrugged into his woollen jumper, which instantly made him seem more approachable, like he’d descended from He-god status to a mere mortal who felt the cold. And seeing she hadn’t yet put on a jacket, she could afford to feel momentarily superior.
“W-would you like help with your bags?” she asked.
“I’m fine, thanks. So, where is my room?”
“Up the stairs, first on the right. You can’t miss it.”
He nodded, hefted his bags, and Aisling drew near as they watched him depart.
“Oh my goodness, Rory. What was that?”
She barely knew.
“That man is about the finest specimen to have walked into this place. And yet you’re being snarkier with him than a badger with a broken toe.”
“I… I thought he was trespassing,” she admitted. “Plus he laughed at me outside.”
“Come on. You’re not five years old.”
She shrugged. Yes, she’d sounded lame to her ears. But explaining the effect of this man on her senses was impossible.
“Hmm. Looks like our next guests are here. Maybe tonight after dinner we should get a spa and relax, and you can forget all about the man.”
She nodded. Visiting the spa after it was closed to guests was one of the perks of being the family owners of the hotel. “Sounds like a plan.”
* * *
Okay, now this was the life.
God bless his grandmother for her generosity in insisting he stay here. And while the Castle Griffin Hotel was definitely not the kind of vibe he usually went for, he was starting to understand the attraction.
He stretched out his arms as the warm water kept bubbling its soothing melody. Beyond him, the last glow of sunset silhouetted the coastal shores. All he needed was some kind of tropical cocktail and he could be James Bond, minus the women.
His lips twitched, remembering the two women from earlier who had made their opinion of him very clear.
And okay, he supposed he deserved some of the snarky comments, as he probably could have gone about things in a kinder way, especially with Miss Aurora.
Nobody liked to be laughed at. He knew that only too well.
His mind flicked back to the last meeting at Acton Battersly & Associates, the law firm his grandmother had warned him about. “They do not value people there,” she’d said.
And she’d been right. His skin crawled in remembrance of the meeting with Coleman Acton, the senior partner who had laughed at him during the most recent meeting before his leave.
Nobody appreciated being told their idea to reach out to the local community via establishing a scholarship for lower income students to study law at the nearby university was foolish.
Or that they should rein in their charitable contributions.
No, nobody liked to be made to look like a fool.
Which meant he probably had some making up to do with Miss Aurora.
He’d wondered if he’d see her when he’d returned downstairs to go exploring before dinner.
Instead, it had been her sister manning—woman-ing?
—the desk, and he didn’t feel comfortable enough to deal with two judgy-eyed redheaded women.
So he’d nodded and escaped outside, after snagging a map that showed the trails around the resort.
At over one hundred acres, the resort had a golf course and swimming pool, and also boasted a tennis court, its own private beach, and half a dozen walking tracks.
One of these led to the old ruined castle, and seeing he was only here for two nights, he was determined to make the most of his time here.
Well, he had been, until another of those out-of-nowhere rain showers dampened his ambition, and sent him scuttling back to the hotel.
There, alongside the lounge area he’d napped in before, he found a small library nook, complete with a number of books that featured the local area.
This proved enough to whet his appetite for his research for his grandmother, although he probably could afford to buy his own copies.
A quick glance at the inside front cover revealed a sticker saying “Donated by Quirkes and Connolly Bookshop,” located in nearby Derryloughlin, which he’d have to visit tomorrow.
Reading about the local history helped while away time until his yawns got the better of him, and he went to dinner.
The restaurant he visited was the more casual one, yet its offerings were more than enough to tempt him.
A meal of seafood chowder, baked Glenbeigh garlic mussels and crispy Wicklow brie was just the ticket after airplane meals, and now he was sufficiently full and satisfied and weary.
This relax in the heated spa was just the wind-down he needed.
He lay back, closing his eyes, enjoying the coolness of evening air on his skin and how it contrasted to the warm water. So relaxing. So luxurious. And yet…
And yet it would be nice to share this with someone. To have someone to talk to, to share this experience with, to reminisce with in future years about their awesome Ireland adventure. The fact was yes, he was living like a king, but it would be nice to have a queen to share it with.
He drew his arms in, shifted to the far corner which offered the best view, and was also where the water jets were aimed at willing tired muscles. Around him, the caw of night birds that sounded like the crows of home brought a smile, and he felt himself relaxing, drifting…
Voices woke him. He raised an eyelid, then snapped the other open as two women he recognised from earlier drew near, pausing on the deck, then dropped their white robes to reveal matching black bikinis and pale skin.
He swallowed, shut his eyes. They hadn’t noticed him.
And he really needed to let them know he was here.
Aurora laughed at something her sister said, which instantly flung his eyelids open again.
And maybe it was the moonlight, but he was gripped by the way her smile softened her face.
She’d smiled at him earlier, but that was like one a tiger might offer.
This one was real. And the thought that making his presence known here would make that smile disappear drew a heart pang. But still, it had to be done.
“Look at that moon.” Aurora sighed. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
“So lovely,” her sister agreed.
Aurora stepped down deeper into the water, and he knew he had to say something. But still the words wouldn’t come. Come on. Lying here in the dark would only make her think him some kind of sicko, and he really didn’t want to add to her already low opinion of himself.
He cleared his throat.
She shrieked and lost her balance off the pool steps and fell with a splash into the water. He instantly shifted from his shadowed corner and stretched out a hand to help but she soon stood, hands up in what looked like a jiu-jitsu move, warning him to keep his distance.
Despite the darkness, her eyes held fire. “What are you doing here?”
Sorely tempted as he was to point out the rights of paying guests at establishments like this, he didn’t think she’d appreciate that right now. “I’m sorry for startling you.”
She winced as she grasped her wet hair and began wringing it out. “I didn’t want to get my hair wet. I’ve already washed it once today.”
“I’m sorry,” he muttered.
“You know this pool is closed to guests now,” her sister said, arms crossed over her re-bathrobed form.
“I didn’t, actually. I lost track of the time and fell asleep, but thanks for letting me know.”
“It closes at eight each night.”
“But not to staff?” he couldn’t help but ask. Injustice had always made his blood heat.
The sisters pressed their lips together, glanced at each other then back at him.
Fine. He got the message. They had special privileges, even if he suspected they were the kind of employees who treated this place like they owned it.
“I’ll leave you to it then.” He shot a glance at Aurora, who instantly covered her chest with crossed arms, causing an internal wince inside.
He wasn’t that kind of guy. He might work with a few sleazes, but he’d done enough pro-bono work with women who had endured domestic violence and other issues to know to treat women with respect. Which meant eyes up. “Sorry.”
She shook her head, but whether that was a rejection of his apology or something else he wasn’t going to hang around to find out.
So he waded through the shallows to the steps, picked up his towel and wrapped it around his waist, and nodded to the curvy sister who even now was eyeing him with narrowed eyes.
“I lost track of the time,” he insisted. “It’s really relaxing, so I fell asleep.”
Her chin dipped. “I’m not surprised nobody saw you there when the staff locked up before. We probably should install better lighting in that corner,” she said in a louder voice to her sister.
Aurora was still watching him. She’d done that a few times today. It was a little unnerving. Although he guessed he deserved it, given he’d acted like a bit of a goose. “Good night.”
She pressed her lips together, then dipped her chin, just as her sister had.
He swallowed a smile and turned away.
“Sleep well,” she called, then added softly, in a voice he probably was not meant to overhear, “you obviously need it.”
Even though those last words had been said with what felt like more than a pinch of salt it didn’t change the fact that truer words had never been spoken. He was tired. He did need rest. Ten-hour difference time zones did that to a man.
And this time when he finally fell asleep, he’d make sure he didn’t dream of redheaded princess warrior types wielding swords. “So help me God.”