Chapter Seventeen
Raina
The past week had been a revelation. As Simon pulled into the sprawling parking lot of Neptune’s Kingdom, I found myself reflecting on everything that had shifted between us since that night at my apartment.
Five days. That’s all it had taken to upend every assumption I’d made about who Simon Powers was—and who we could be together.
We hadn’t slept together again since last weekend.
Not because the desire wasn’t there—God, it was definitely there—but because Simon seemed determined to prove a point.
During the workdays, there was a new ease between us, a current of flirtation running beneath our professional interactions.
Lingering looks across his desk. His hand brushing mine when I handed him his coffee.
The way his voice dropped half an octave whenever he said my name.
But he’d kept things deliberately restrained.
Instead of tumbling back into bed, he’d taken me to dinner.
Twice. Real dates at restaurants with candlelight and wine lists, where we’d talked for hours about everything and nothing.
I’d learned that he collected rare first-edition books but had never told anyone because he thought it seemed pretentious.
That he hated cilantro with an irrational passion.
That he’d wanted to be an architect as a kid before his father steered him toward business.
That he ran five miles every morning, rain or shine, because it was the only time his mind went truly quiet.
And I’d shared things too. Stories about my childhood, my dreams of finishing my degree someday, my complicated feelings about my father’s death and how it had shaped me. Simon had listened to all of it with an intensity that made me feel seen in a way I hadn’t experienced in years.
At the end of each date, he’d walked me to my door and just kissed me, nothing more. Soft and thorough and maddeningly restrained, before pulling back with a smile and saying goodnight.
It had driven me absolutely crazy.
But it had also made something clear: this wasn’t just about sex for him. He was courting me. Actually courting me, like something out of another era, and the realization had cracked open something in my chest that I’d been trying desperately to keep protected.
I was falling for him. Hard. Probably faster than was wise.
The cautious part of me—the part that remembered my heartbreak after Eli and Mr. Hull’s cruelty—kept whispering warnings.
Be careful. Don’t give too much. Protect yourself.
But Simon was chipping away at those walls with every thoughtful gesture, every moment of unexpected vulnerability, every kiss that promised more without demanding it.
We’d agreed to keep things between us private for now.
It made sense—the official story was that our relationship was fake, a performance for Alexander’s benefit.
Even his brother Liam didn’t know that what had started as pretense had evolved into something real.
It was simpler this way, less complicated.
We could figure out how to navigate the professional implications later, once we understood what this was becoming.
For now, we were here. Neptune’s Kingdom. A weekend of playing the happy couple for Alexander Spencer.
Simon pulled up to valet and cut the engine. Before I could reach for my door handle or the attendant could get there, he was already out and circling to my side, opening it for me with a small smile that made my stomach flutter.
“Ready?” he asked, extending his hand.
With a nod, I let him help me out of the car. He handled things with the valet, who were already unloading our luggage onto our cart to deliver it to our room. Simon’s fingers intertwined with mine, and he didn’t let go as we walked toward the entrance.
From the outside, Neptune’s Kingdom looked like any upscale resort hotel—sleek architecture, manicured landscaping, a grand entrance with automatic glass doors.
But the parking lot told a different story.
Families streamed toward the building from every direction, kids bouncing with barely contained excitement, parents laden with beach bags and pool toys.
The energy was infectious, a buzz of anticipation that seemed to vibrate in the air itself.
The lobby took my breath away and we took a few minutes to take in our surroundings.
The ceiling soared at least four stories high, anchored by a massive statue of Neptune himself—trident raised, carved muscles gleaming, expression both regal and welcoming.
Water features surrounded the base, sending gentle cascades down tiered pools that caught the light and scattered it like diamonds.
Children posed for photos while their parents snapped pictures, and the sound of laughter echoed off the marble floors.
It was Friday afternoon—Simon and I had left the office early to arrive before dinner—and the place was already packed. A line snaked from the check-in desk, but even with all the activity, the hotel receptionists and bellhops navigated the chaos with practiced efficiency.
But we didn’t need to wait. Alexander had sent digital room keys to both our phones, granting us immediate access to our suite. I spotted a rack of brochures near the elevator bank and grabbed one as we stepped inside, curious to see how everything the resort had to offer was highlighted.
The elevator was crowded, so Simon and I positioned ourselves at the back, close enough that our shoulders brushed with every slight movement. The contact sent a pleasant shiver down my spine.
“It says here the indoor waterpark is eighty thousand square feet,” I read aloud, scanning the glossy pages. “Kept at a constant eighty-five degrees year-round. Multiple slides, a wave pool, a lazy river…”
Simon leaned closer to look at the brochure, his breath warm against my temple. “I’m more interested in the adult attractions Alexander designed, like the hot tubs, spa services, the fitness center, and the bar with craft cocktails.”
We’d both done extensive research before this trip—studying the resort’s history, its financials, its expansion potential.
Simon wanted to be prepared for any conversation Alexander might initiate, and I’d spent hours reading reviews and analyzing the guest experience.
This weekend was about more than playing a convincing couple; it was about demonstrating that Simon understood Alexander’s vision and could help him realize it.
The elevator deposited us on the top floor, and we made our way down a quiet corridor to our suite. Simon swiped his phone against the lock, and the door clicked open.
The room was gorgeous. Spacious and elegantly appointed, with a king-sized bed draped in crisp white linens as the centerpiece.
A sitting area occupied one corner—plush couch, two armchairs, and a flat-screen TV mounted on the wall.
A desk sat near the window, positioned to take advantage of the stunning view.
The massive outdoor pool complex stretched below us, dotted with colorful swimsuits and splashing children.
Our luggage had already been delivered, and I drifted toward the window, taking it all in. From this height, I could see the entirety of the waterpark—the twisting slides, the lazy river winding like a blue ribbon through the complex, the families creating memories they’d carry forever.
“One bed,” Simon observed, coming up behind me.
His hands settled on my hips, and I leaned back into him instinctively. “Mmm. However will we manage?”
I felt his smile against my hair. “I have a few ideas.”
“Do you now?” I turned in his arms, tilting my face up to meet his gaze. This playful, relaxed version of Simon still caught me off guard sometimes. So different from the demanding taskmaster I’d met on my first day. “Care to share?”
His eyes darkened with promise. “Definitely later. When we don’t have a tour to attend.”
He kissed me then—soft and unhurried, a preview of things to come—before his phone buzzed in his pocket, breaking the moment.
Simon pulled back with a rueful sigh and checked the message. “Alexander. He wants us to meet him in the lobby for the tour. Chuck will be there too.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Wonderful.”
Simon chuckled, but there was an edge to it. Neither of us was looking forward to spending time with Chuck after everything that had happened at the gala, but Alexander had invited him and his family for the weekend, too. We’d have to play nice whether we liked it or not.
I ducked into the bathroom to freshen up—running a brush through my hair and reapplying my coral lipstick—then rejoined Simon. His hand found mine again as we headed back to the lobby.
Alexander was already waiting near the Neptune statue, impossible to miss with his silver hair and warm smile.
Chuck stood nearby with his family, a wife whose attention was glued to her phone and two sons—not quite kids anymore but not yet teenagers—who were engaged in an increasingly aggressive game of tag that threatened to topple innocent bystanders.
“Simon, Raina!” Alexander’s face lit up when he spotted us. “It’s wonderful to see you again. I’m so glad you could join us.”
I stepped forward to embrace him, genuinely pleased by his warmth. “Thank you for inviting us. This place is incredible.”
Alexander beamed with obvious pride. “It’s a special place. My home away from home. My children practically grew up here. Running through these halls, swimming in those pools. Every corner holds a memory.”
“Children are wonderful, aren’t they?” Chuck cut in, gesturing meaningfully at his sons, who had progressed from shoving to full-on wrestling on the tile floor while their mother hissed at them to stop.
When Chuck turned to Simon with a smug smirk, I understood exactly what he was doing. Look at me, the wholesome family man. What do you have, Powers?
I smothered my irritation and pivoted smoothly. “Where’s Brenda this evening? I was hoping to see her.”