Chapter 30
ROMEO
As I finished clearing away the chairs from this morning’s briefing, my heart hammered in my chest.
Victoria had summoned me to her office, which could not be good. Especially after she caught me with Sammie yesterday.
Although Sammie had told Victoria that it was innocent and I had been a gentleman, I knew the truth.
There was absolutely nothing gentlemanly about the thoughts going through my head about what I wanted to do with Sammie just seconds before Victoria had arrived.
Until I received that message from Victoria ten minutes ago, I thought I had been lucky and that my job was safe.
After Sammie returned to her room last night, Victoria was about to talk to me but she got called away. There would be no more hiding now though. It was time to face the music.
I strode to Victoria’s office, frustrated that my plan to check on Sammie had been disrupted. She had not come for breakfast and she had also missed the last morning briefing.
Now that it was Saturday and the guests had been here for a week, they would be moving from their individual rooms to share a villa with their match.
There would be no more daily group activities. They would be in charge of organising their own excursions with my help.
I hoped Sammie was okay. As soon as I’d met with Victoria, I would go straight to check on her and bring her the pasticciotto pastries I had saved for her.
I knocked on the door.
‘Come in,’ Victoria replied. I sat in the chair opposite her desk, straightened my shoulders then puffed out my chest.
If Victoria wanted to punish me for comforting Sammie, then I would take it. After finding out about Edward’s lies, it was understandable that she was shocked, angry and sad. I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing. If I could go back in time, I would do the same thing all over again.
‘I’ve spent most of this morning on the phone with head office and speaking to Edward.’
‘You spoke with him?’ My nostrils flared. If I ever saw that stronzo again, the only way I would want to communicate with him would be with my fist. I knew he was bad from the beginning. I should have trusted my gut.
‘Yes. The office was closed, but I found his PA’s mobile number and when I told her that we were considering legal action, it was amazing how quickly Edward returned my call.’
‘You can take him to court?’
‘Truthfully? Probably not, but I hoped it would get his attention. And I only said that we were considering it, not that we were going to do it. Anyway, the little weasel said that when his ex heard that he’d applied to come here, she came to see him and they’d ended up screwing a few times and hey presto, now she’s expecting.
Apparently, she called and told him the news the night before the Alberobello trip and he decided that he had to go and see her and talk about it properly. ’
‘And instead of telling us the truth, he lied and said that someone was sick.’ I ground my jaw.
‘According to him, he didn’t lie. He said that he’d told us it was a family emergency and he insists that was true.’
‘And did he also have excuses for why he did not think it was important to tell his match personally instead of ignoring the many messages she sent to him?’
‘He was “busy”, but said he will apologise to her soon.’
‘ Figlio di puttana !’ I scowled.
‘Ordinarily, I would tell you that it wasn’t appropriate to swear and call a guest a son of a bitch.’ She clasped her hands together and leant forward in her seat. ‘But in this case, it’s entirely justified. I’ve been calling him a lot worse in my head. He’s left us with a big mess to clear up.’
‘What will happen with Samantha?’ I said, remembering to use her full name.
‘Obviously we’ll give her a full refund.
It’s up to her whether she stays, but I think it’d be best if she doesn’t leave on such a low note.
If she stays we could show her how sorry we are and prove that the Love Hotel will do whatever it takes to ensure she’s well looked after. Which is where you come in.’
‘What do you mean?’ I asked.
Ordinarily, I would be more than happy to make sure my guests were well looked after. But I was sure that the way I wanted to do that with Sammie was not what Victoria had in mind.
‘Based on how Samantha defended you last night, she trusts you. So, I need you to ask her to stay. At least for a few more days. We’ve reserved one of the best villas for her, we can provide her with a chauffeur-driven car to take her to wherever she’d like to go and pay for any excursions.
The objective isn’t just her happiness. It’s damage control.
In an ideal world, the media won’t find out what happened, because only you and I and a few of the management know what Edward did, but if it does, we need to be able to show that we went above and beyond the call of duty to rectify the situation. Understood?’
‘ Sì . I will go and speak to her now.’
‘Good. Report back to let me know what she said, straightaway. And Romeo?’
‘ Sì ?’
‘Be careful.’ She raised an eyebrow.
I nodded in acknowledgement, got up, left her office, went to the restaurant to collect the pasticciotto I had put aside, then rushed to Sammie’s room. I needed to make sure she was okay.
Sammie opened the door and when I saw her tear-stained cheeks and red eyes, my heart shattered.
‘ Ciao , Sammie,’ I said softly. ‘I came to check on you. You did not come to breakfast or to the briefing. I brought you these.’ I handed her the box of pasticciotto.
Her face instantly lit up when she opened it and relief washed over me.
‘ Grazie ,’ she replied solemnly.
I missed her smile and bubbly personality.
I hated Edward for doing this to her.
‘I wanted to talk to you about the rest of your stay.’
‘Are they kicking me out?’
‘No! We want you to stay. I want to explain what we have in mind for you.’
‘Okay. Do you want to come in?’
‘I…’
Of course I wanted to, but I was not sure if I should.
Even though I could tell she had been crying and was dressed in the hotel’s bathrobe, she still looked beautiful.
If I came inside her room and we were all alone, I was not sure I would be able to resist the urge to kiss her.
That would be wrong at any time, but especially right now when she was upset.
‘Don’t worry,’ she said. ‘I promise not to jump you.’ A small smile touched her lips.
‘Are you sure? Because I heard you are obsessed with Mr Bean and seeing as I am basically his twin, I am worried that you will not be able to resist me.’ I smirked.
‘Shit. I knew I shouldn’t have mentioned the Mr Bean duvet and pillow covers I have in my bedroom or the fact that I kiss the posters I have of him next to my bed every night before I go to sleep on the Love Hotel questionnaire!’ Sammie laughed and the sound warmed my chest.
That was the Sammie I knew and loved.
When I said ‘loved’ of course I did not mean literally.
‘I will sit on the opposite side of the room, just in case.’ I grinned.
Sammie opened the door wider and gestured for me to come in.
‘Excuse the mess.’ She gathered a pile of clothes off the sofa, put them on the bed, opened the curtains, then returned to the sofa and patted the seat beside her. ‘I wasn’t expecting company and obviously I haven’t been feeling my best.’
‘Do not worry. So.’ I inhaled deeply. ‘Victoria spoke to Edward.’
‘What?’ She almost leapt off the sofa in shock. ‘What did that tosspot have to say for himself?’
As I explained everything Victoria had told me, Sammie’s facial expressions jumped from disbelief to anger then rage.
‘What an arsehole!’
‘ Sì . But although we did not find you a match, we do not want all of your memories of the hotel to be negative, so we would like you to stay.’
I told Sammie all about what we would like to offer her and she nodded along.
‘Okay. Do I have to move to the villa right now?’
‘No. Whenever you like.’
‘Could I maybe move there later today or tomorrow? I don’t feel like packing and moving right now.’
‘Would you like someone to come and pack for you?’
‘Thanks, but no, I can do it. Can’t I just get the key from reception when I’m ready?’
‘Normally I take the guests to the villa to show them around personally.’
‘You’ve already done enough. I don’t mind. I’m sure I’ll figure everything out.’
‘If you are sure?’
‘Yep. Now I just need to work out what I’m gonna do all week.’ She blew out a defeated breath.
‘There are many places to visit. Some of the beaches in Salento are so beautiful that they call them the Maldives of Italy. And you could go on a guided tour of the illuminated caverns at Grotte Di Castellana… I could make a list.’
‘To go on my own.’ Her shoulders slumped and an uncomfortable silence filled the air.
‘I could go to some places with you,’ I blurted out and her face instantly brightened.
That was a very, very bad idea. But I could not help it. Sammie looked so defeated and for some reason, making her smile was becoming one of my favourite things to do.
‘You’d do that?’ Her eyes filled with hope. ‘Would you be allowed? I mean, wouldn’t you be working?’
‘During the second week guests organise their own activities, so I am able to have more time off.’
‘If you’re sure, then I’d really love that. I enjoy spending time with you.’
‘The feeling is mutual,’ I said.
Our eyes met and just like last night, I had an overwhelming urge to kiss her. My gaze dropped to her lips.
I wondered if they felt as soft as they looked.
I wondered how they tasted.
And I wondered if once I started to kiss her, I would be able to stop.
If she let me, I would kiss her beautiful breasts.
I would kiss every inch of her, then beg Sammie to let me bury my head between her legs.
As I pictured myself licking her pussy, my cock thickened.
Cazzo.
I wanted Sammie so much.
When my eyes returned to hers, Sammie’s lips were parted and desire burned in her eyes.
She inched forward and I stroked her cheek, then traced my finger over her bottom lip.
Sammie groaned with pleasure and the sound made my dick strain against my shorts.
‘Kiss me,’ Sammie moaned softly.
Hearing her give me permission caused a bolt of electricity to shoot through my veins.
I should not accept her invitation.
There was still time to walk away from this.
But I did not want to. I wanted to kiss her.
And no one would know.
Victoria told me to come and see Sammie. Not to cross the line with her obviously, but this would just be a secret between me and Sammie.
If I was going to kiss her, now was the perfect time.
I inched forward again and cupped her face.
Just as I was about to close the gap between us, the shrill ring of Sammie’s phone sounded.
‘Bloody hell!’ Sammie jumped back, clutching her chest. ‘That scared the shit out of me!’
‘You should get that.’ I stood up. ‘And I should go.’
‘I don’t want you to.’
‘I need to let Victoria know that you will be staying and check that your villa is ready. I will call you when I have some news.’
‘Okay,’ she said.
I rushed towards the door, then stepped outside.
That was close.
Maybe being interrupted was a warning to stop me from making a big mistake.
But if that was true, why was I not glad about it?