Chapter 19 – Georgia
NINETEEN
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO
GEORGIA
In the morning, my lips are swollen and deliciously sore from hours of Dominic kissing me. I can’t help but replay the memory of him demanding that I say his name while I rode his hand, while he made me say, “Yes, I fucking want this…”
“Why are you over here talking to yourself, Georgia?” Taryn waves a hand in front of my face. “You’re literally in the middle of a crisis.”
“Sorry.” I shake my head, snapping out of the trance. “What’s going on?”
“Three more people called in sick,” she says. “They didn’t even try to sound convincing. One of them literally laughed in my face.”
“There’s no way people are bailing on me during the holidays.” I glance at the updated spreadsheet, staring at it as if the numbers may change.
“Before I even attempt to get into this...” I pick up a clipboard. “Where are we on Savannah’s cupcake order?”
“The same place we were last week when she called at midnight about it.” She scoffs. “She and her boss should just elope and put us out of wedding planning misery.”
“I suggested that and she turned it down.”
“Suggest it again.”
“Will do.” I’m too stressed to laugh. “I’ll call the baker for some mockups later to keep her at bay. What department do you want to help me with today?”
“Housekeeping.”
“Any chance you can handle the front desk, too?”
“Maybe for a couple hours.”
“Okay, so that leaves me with…” I shake my head. “Everything else.”
The VIP guest service bell rings, and I pick up the phone.
“Guest Services,” I say. “How can I make your evening better?”
“I’d like someone to come upstairs and prepare my hot tub with lavender and candles for me,” a woman says. “I would also like some hot towels.”
“My pleasure, Miss. I’ll fulfill your request right away.”
I start typing an email for the spa department, but I realize they’re down to two employees, which won’t work.
“Taryn, can you do me a favor and—”
The guest service bell rings again, and I fake a smile before answering.
“Guest Services. How can I make your evening better?”
“I’d like to have your best chilled wine, strawberries, and the S’more specialty delivered to my room within the next twenty minutes,” a man says. “I mentioned this at check-in, I believe.”
“You did, Mr. Hanson.” I remember. “Our chef made your order gluten free.”
“You’re the best, Miss Grey. Thank you.”
I wait for him to end the call and page the wine cellar.
The line rings and rings and rings.
Ryan and Liam called off, too?
I slam the phone down. “Turn-down service is in seven hours, and there’s now way we’ll get to everyone in time.”
“It’s okay, Georgia.” Taryn heads to the door. “I’ll handle the lavender bath guest, run to the cellar, and come back, okay?”
“You promise you’ll come back?”
“If you promise to get that crazy look out of your eyes, yes.” She rushes away without another word, and I grab a paper bag.
I breathe into it, ignoring the tears that are pricking my eyes.
Why is this happening now of all seasons?
Dominic suddenly steps into the kitchen, dressed down in jeans and a t-shirt.
“Now isn’t a good time,” I say. “How did you even find me?”
“You told me exactly where you were going.” He smiles. “Plus, I figured you might need some help.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Because no one is answering the front desk line.”
“I’ll go and do that.” I start to walk past him, but he grabs my waist.
“Your cousin is handling it.”
“She doesn’t have the friendliest voice, so I need to make sure she keeps her tone high.” I try to move past him, but he doesn’t let me.
“You need to promise to calm down first.”
“I am calm.” My voice cracks. “I’m not the slightest bit worried about things going to shit and everyone leaving me hanging while also trying to keep thoughts of you at bay because they’re all about fucking.”
“Now you know how I feel.”
“I guess so.” I shrug. “I really am fine, though. So, if you could just let me go so I can get through this hellfire of a holiday sooner than later, I’d appreciate it.”
“Georgia…” He bends his head low, planting a kiss against my neck. “Calm down.”
“I am calm.”
“You’re not.” He darts his tongue against my skin, setting a soft warm trail against my exposed shoulders.
My breathing is no longer my own; it’s stalling and anticipating his next touch.
Staring into my eyes, he unfastens the top button on my shirt and pushers down the lace shell of my bra.
Leaning forward, he sucks my right nipple into his mouth, and I grab onto the edge of the counter for support.
He takes his time kissing me there, sucking it between his lips and kneading my breast with his hands before serving the left one the same pleasurable routine.
After pressing a kiss at the center of my chest, he grabs me by the waist and sets me on the counter.
Moving between my legs, he pushes the skirt up to my stomach and my heart races erratically.
“Dominic…” I manage. “What are you doing?”
“Shhhh.” He presses a kiss against my skin, and my entire body tenses as he gently pushes my panties to the side.
Then he places his hands atop my thighs and spreads them wide.
Before I can ask another question, he leans forward and sucks my soaking wet clit between his lips.
“Oh my god…” His mouth is too much for me to take without warning.
I grab a fistful of his hair as he sucks me harder, as he serves me a gentler reminder of last night by slipping two fingers deep inside me.
My moans catch in my throat as he pulls out his fingers and places my legs around his shoulders.
His tongue is even more pleasurable this way, more reckless this way, and I surrender all control.
He devours me again and again, until I beg to come in his mouth, until my legs stop shaking.
It takes me what feels like forever to come to, but when I do, he’s staring at me with a smile on his face.
“You taste phenomenal,” he says. “Do you feel calm now?”
I nod, unable to speak.
“Good.” He re-buttons my shirt. “I’m going to change my clothes, and when I get back, you’ll tell me what your delegation plan is. Then we’ll go from there.”
Why do you want to help me with this?
“Because I like you.” He reads my mind. “A lot. See you in twenty minutes.”
He walks away and I pull myself together as best I can.
When I’m finished smoothing my hair, Taryn steps into my office with a basket full of cookies.
“So, a VIP guest wants someone to warm these up and have them in her suite by the time she finishes walking her dog,” she says. “Any chance you want to downgrade this place to a two-star resort for the rest of the week?”
“Never.”
“Are you planning to pay me for all this labor?”
“As long as you don’t leave.” I motion for her to hand over the cookies, and she handles the phone while I draft a list.
Shutting my eyes for a few seconds, I consider what’s most important: the things we can get away with slacking on behind the scenes.
“Okay, Taryn,” I say. “I need you to send all the front desk calls to voicemail and tell them that the system is temporarily down, but if they text their request, we’ll get on it.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Yeah, since no one else is checking in for the week, we don’t need someone just standing there if we’re already short staffed.”
“Okay, on it.” She opens a laptop, and I look at Dominic as he returns.
“You and I will need to handle the list of special requests for the next hour, so Taryn can deliver them on time.”
“Okay.”
“No smart-mouthed comebacks?”
“As much as you deserve that for everything you put me through—” He kisses my forehead. “I wouldn’t take any joy in watching you fail.”
“Thank you.”
“You can pay me back in a different way, though,” he says. “Where’s the list you mentioned?”
For the rest of the weekend, I work alongside Taryn and Dominic, living off power naps, coffee, and bagels.
And somehow, I manage to stay alive…