Seduced (The Billionaire’s Command #1)

Seduced
Victoria Villeneuve
Copyright 2013 by Victoria Villeneuve
Smashwords Edition

I stood in front of my bed, frowning at the suitcase I’d hoisted onto it, trying to decide which

bathing suit I was going to take with me. I mean, I know, it’s the ultimate first world problem. The red
one piece with black polka dots that covered up more of my body, but would ultimately make me look
like a bit of a prude who didn’t dare wear a bikini, or the black and gold striped bikini that was
undoubtedly sexier, but definitely not me?

I sighed, then tossed the one piece into the suitcase. I wouldn’t be comfortable in the bikini. I

didn’t even know why I bought it. Sure, I’d look like a prude, but let’s face it, I was the prude of the
group. Everyone else who worked in the branch of my office was either already married, many with
kids to prove that they had more sex than I did, or still single and living it up in bars on Friday nights.

God, cheer up Caroline. You’re going to Hawaii, it’s not like this is a chore I scolded myself

as I moved onto figuring out how many pairs of socks this trip was going to require.

In all honesty, I was really looking forward to this trip. It had all started three months earlier,

when the company I worked for, Alistair Investments, put forth a contest. The branch which brought in
the most new business in June would win an all expenses paid vacation to Hawaii for a week in
August at a luxury resort.

I didn’t really have all that much to do with winning the contest. I worked as a financial analyst,

which is a pretty fancy way of saying I’m a glorified accountant. I look at numbers, and I decide if
those numbers are likely to go up or down. I have an office in the back of the building, where I confer
with my fellow analysts, but we’re not the ones who go out and find new clients for the branch. We
don’t bring in the new money, we keep the money that the sales staff bring us loyal.

Luckily for me, however, our sales staff was second to none, and we blew away the rest of the

competition for the duration of the contest. That’s how I managed to get a free vacation to Hawaii
without really needing to do anything for it. Whatever. I worked really hard to get where I was, and I
was going to enjoy this little treat, even if I didn’t really earn it per se.

My best friend, one of the salespeople in question, Lisa, always told me I should be

appreciative.

“You never take any breaks, Caroline. You work like a madwoman. You don’t have boyfriends,

you don’t really go out and party with people, you need an outlet to let off some steam every once in a
while.”

“Yeah, well, I still feel like a cheater going on this vacation I didn’t earn. I mean, you did like,

half the sales for our branch for the quarter.”

“I did, but whatever. We knew from the start that everyone in the branch would get to go. It’s not

like you’re cheating your way in or something. Come on, Caroline. Have some fun, let loose. It’s
Hawaii, all expenses paid! I went there with Rob for our honeymoon and we spent a ridiculous
amount of cash, this is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of trip.”

“I guess so,” I replied, succumbing to Lisa’s positive energy. I wished I could be like her. Lisa

was so strong, so confident. She had grown up in the suburbs here, her father was a former athlete
who had almost gone pro until a knee injury ended his career before it had even started. He bought a
coffee shop in town and ran that, while Lisa’s mom taught kindergarten at the local elementary school.
Lisa basically had the perfect upbringing I had dreamed of having.

She visited her parents every Sunday. On the other hand, I had basically escaped from mine and

spent most of my time trying to make sure I couldn’t be found.

I never knew my father, he left my mother before I was born. But I had the kind of overbearing

mother that never lived the kind of life they wanted to, and so took it out on their kids. Unfortunately,
since I was the only one she had, one hundred percent of that energy turned into making sure I was the
perfect child, that I lived the figure skating dream my mother had hoped for herself.

Twenty two years after she put me in my first pair of figure skates, and it had been eight years

since I had worn a pair. I was twenty four now. A woman in my own right. I had escaped the clutches
of my mother’s fingers, I had gotten away from the life she wanted for me, and I had carved out the
life I wanted for myself. When I got to my late teens I realized I was never going to be a professional
figure skater. I was pretty good, absolutely, but I didn’t have the natural talent required to really make
the national team. I was lanky, I was a little bit awkward, and while I absolutely had the work ethic, I
realized it just wasn’t going to happen. If only my mother had accepted that.

Unfortunately, wounds to the soul don’t heal nearly as quickly as wounds to the body. I was

thankful for Lisa; she was my only friend, really. I had a hard time trusting people. Most people
would ask about my past, want to know everything when I told them about how I used to figure skate.
Not Lisa. She never asked. She realized immediately it was a touchy subject and never brought it up
again. We didn’t speak about anything that happened before we met.

It’s also part of the reason why I never had boyfriends. I mean, I wasn’t a virgin. But I never

allowed myself to get close to someone. We would go on a couple of dates, it’d be fun, maybe I’d
even invite him over for the night, but eventually, he always got too close. He always wanted to
know, to really discover me, and the thought of it terrified me. I always ended up pushing men away.
My last boyfriend was even worse than that, and that’s when I gave up on romance. It wasn’t for me. I
would live out my days a single woman. Career-oriented, they would call me, and I was happy with
that.

I forced the thoughts out of my head. I wasn’t going to dwell on the past. I was my own woman

now. I had gotten good grades in high school, gone to college, graduated, and now found a great job
that paid pretty well and was now treating me with a week in Hawaii. Right now, I didn’t have a lot
to complain about when it came to my life.

Twenty minutes later I was done packing. As I climbed into bed, my suitcase on the floor, ready

to go the following afternoon, I was getting excited.

Travel had never really been the sort of thing I’d been able to do in my life. I mean, that’s not

strictly true. Growing up I’d gone all over the country taking part in figure skating competitions. But
driving around the northern part of America with my mom in a van, sleeping in the back seat,
sometimes getting a hotel room, wasn’t exactly what I called “travelling”. Usually I never saw more
than the arena and maybe one major landmark wherever we went.

After I broke away from my mother’s clutches, I was on my own. When I went to college, I had

to pay for everything myself. My two part time jobs paid for my food, and some of my rent, but not

much else. I lived off student loans, and still had about $20,000 worth to pay off. I had decided when
I finally paid them off and saved some money I would go travel around Europe for two months, but
that was a long way off. This was going to be the first time I’d ever been on a plane. The first time I
was ever going to be somewhere tropical.

I met up with Lisa and the rest of the staff from our office at the Minneapolis airport the next day.

I grinned at her as I came up with my suitcase, all of us waiting for our manager, Tom, to come over
and organize check in.

“Hey,” I told Lisa as I went up to her. “Excited?”
“Oh my God, yes. You have no idea how jealous Rob is of me right now. It’s amazing. I can’t

believe this is actually happening. I love Hawaii so much, and I know you will too.”

“Yeah, I’m definitely getting excited, the closer we get to it.”
We didn’t have a chance to say any more as at that moment Tom came up and organized us all.

He’d checked us all in online before, handed out boarding passes, and we all lined up to check in our
luggage.

“So I was looking up the place we’re staying at online the other day,” Lisa started as we waited

our turn to drop off our luggage. “It’s basically the most amazing place ever. Every room has a view
of either Diamond Head, or the beach. We’re right in the middle of Waikiki, where all the action is.”

“This is probably a really dumb question, but what do you do in Hawaii? Like, do you just sit by

the pool and drink mai tais, or do you go out and spend the day in the ocean, surfing, or what?”

“Well you can do whatever you want. The resort we’re staying at can organize basically any trip

you want. You know what? I’m going to take you snorkelling. We basically take a boat out, they take
us to bays that are filled with coral, tropical fish, turtles, octopi, and more. It’s totally amazing, I
guarantee you it’s something you’ll never forget.”

“That sounds awesome! I’m also going to learn how to surf, I think. It’s just one of those things

that I don’t think I should go to Hawaii without taking a surfing lesson, even if I’ll be totally awful at
it.”

“Definitely. I agree. You should do that, while I sit on the beach and drink. Apart from that,

basically just relax. There’s a ton of shopping you can do, or just lounge by the pool and have sexy
men bring you drinks. It’s awesome. You’re going to love Hawaii.”

We dropped off our bags and went through security. Lisa showed me how everything worked,

and I’m pretty sure I made it through without looking like the lone idiot who had never been on a
plane before.

“Ok, we’re at gate 17. Let’s go find a seat now, or we’re never going to get one at all. We’re

boarding in like, twenty minutes, so it shouldn’t be too long.”

When we got to gate 17 there was an airplane already there, its enormous nose pointing straight

at me as I stared at it out the window.

“Is that what we’re flying in?” I asked Lisa. It was enormous! I had never really actually seen a

plane close up before. I knew they were big, but this was way bigger than I had thought.

“Yeah, it is. They’re just cleaning it up now before letting us in.”
“Holy shit, that’s huge.”
“Not really, it’s just a normal sized plane,” Lisa said, laughing. “I always forget you’ve never

flown before, but yeah, this is basically the type of plane you’ll take anywhere in the country.”

“Wow.” I stared at it for a while after sitting down next to Lisa as we found a couple of chairs.

Don and Karen, the receptionist and another salesman from our office, sat down across from us and
we chatted for a while until we were finally called onto the flight.

I was a little bit apprehensive at first, and when the engines roared to life I genuinely thought I

was going to die, but the plane took off, my stomach plummeted inside my body, and we were in the
air. It was all pretty uneventful after that, and seven hours later we found ourselves landing in
Honolulu.

Tom had organized for a shuttle from the resort to come and pick us up. We climbed into the

seats, and I admired my new lei and enjoyed the heat. It was night time now, just after eight, but it was
still very, very warm. Definitely nicer than the weather in Minneapolis, that was for sure.

When we got to the resort, an efficient looking blonde woman came out to greet us.
“Aloha, I’m Sandra. Welcome to the Hibiscus Resort Waikiki. We’ve got your rooms all

organized, I’ll call out your names and please come and get your keys. The pool is on the third floor,
with a perfect view over the ocean. It’s open 24 hours, and you’ll need your key to access it. The gym
is on the top floor, and you’ll need your key to access it as well. For anyone who wants to organize
excursions either through or outside of the resort, please feel free to come over here to the concierge
desk, where we’ll be happy to book whatever you desire.”

Exhausted, Lisa and I went up to our room. We shared two queen beds, overlooking the sea.
“Oh my God, Lisa, I can’t believe it!” I exclaimed as we entered the room. It was pure luxury. A

huge flatscreen TV against one wall, a kitchenette with a dining table on the other side of the room
and a comfortable looking, modern couch made up the living area. To the side was the bedroom, with
two queen size beds, and a marble bathroom that looked like it came out of the movies.

“I feel like we’re in a magazine,” Lisa exclaimed as she looked around the room with me.
“Just think, this is where we’re going to be staying for the next week. This is amazing!” I

exclaimed.

“Yeah, it is.”
About fifteen minutes later our excitement wore off and exhaustion set in. We crawled into the

incredibly comfortable beds and went to sleep. As I drifted off, I thought to myself that this was going
to be the greatest week ever. Little did I know how right I was, and that it was also going to change
my life.

* * *

For the next three days Lisa, myself, and occasionally some of the other staff from our branch

hung out and relaxed in Hawaii in style. Lisa, as promised, booked a snorkelling tour, where we went
to a place called Turtle Bay in a wonderful, modern catamaran. Sure enough, I saw dozens of sea
turtles, and even an octopus, to my complete and total amazement. It was absolutely awesome.

On the fourth day, Lisa and I were going to leave the resort and go find somewhere nice to eat

along the main strip. We were just leaving the hotel when I realized I’d left my sunglasses in my
room.

“Crap. Can you wait for me in the lobby? It’s so bright out I don’t think I’ll be able to see

anything if I don’t take my sunglasses.”

“Yeah, sure,” Lisa replied, and I made my way back to the elevator. I was racking my brain

trying to remember where I had put the sunglasses, so much so that I didn’t notice the man coming out
of the elevators when the doors opened, and I barrelled straight into him.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” I exclaimed, embarrassed.

“No, no, it was my fault. I apologize,” the man replied, grabbing my shoulders gently to steady

me. His touch was strong, confident, and it sent a surge of electricity running through me. I looked up
at the man, and my breath caught in my throat.

Looking down at me was the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen in my life. High cheekbones, a

day’s worth of dark brown stubble, hair that seemed to practically flow from his head in a polo shirt
and jeans that looked formal somehow, here in Hawaii. I grabbed his arm to steady myself, the hard
muscles of his biceps bulging against my skin.

For the first time in my life, I found myself completely speechless. I wanted to say something,

anything, but no words were coming out of my mouth. I was completely captivated, taken in by the
man’s glistening blue eyes, like the deep waters here on the Hawaiian coast.

“Are you alright?” he asked me, his voice kind, but deep.
“Yes. Yes, I’m fine. Thank you,” I stammered, feeling like an idiot. The man smiled at me and I

melted into a pool on the elevator floor.

“Perfect. Sorry about that once more,” he told me, leaving the elevator. I watched as the man

walked away and the doors closed behind me. As the elevator slid smoothly up to the 12

th

floor I had

completely forgotten what I even came up here for. I couldn’t think about anything except that guy.

Oh my God, what is wrong with you? He’s just some guy. I scolded myself, trying to stop

thinking about him. This wasn’t the sort of thing I did. I hadn’t had a boyfriend in ages, hell, I hadn’t
slept with anyone in ages. After all, my last relationship had ended so badly I’d sworn off men
forever. Maybe this is all this was. Maybe my libido was just in overdrive, desperate for something,
anything.

I could feel my sex pulsating underneath the light sundress I wore. I decided to change my panties

quickly when I got to my room, the ones I was wearing were completely soaked. Look at you. You’re
like a desperate old divorcee or something, collapsing at the mere sight of a man paying you the
slightest bit of attention. He was just making sure you were fine, it’s not like he was trying to sleep
with you.

Still, no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t get the thought of that stranger out of my head. He

was so beautiful, so masculine, so perfect.

“What took you so long?” Lisa asked when I finally met her back down in the lobby.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to.” I told her about the man in the elevator.
“Wow, Caroline, you should totally have asked him out.”
“Why? First of all, I looked like a huge idiot, plowing into him like that. Second, I don’t even

know where he’s from. He’s definitely not from Minneapolis. So like, what’s the point? I wouldn’t
ever see him after we went home? Third, I don’t want a boyfriend. I’m perfectly happy being single
forever.”

“Ugh, you’re so naive sometimes. This is what the one night stand from heaven is made of. Sexy

guy, Hawaii, super expensive resort. Get him to buy you some nice dinners, sleep with him, have the
time of your life, then go back home to your regular job.”

I laughed at Lisa’s ideas of how the world worked. Maybe that was how her world worked, at

least before she met Rob, anyway. But that wasn’t for me.

“Not a chance, Lisa.”
She shrugged. “Fine, your loss. Let’s get going, anyway. I want to get some good seats

somewhere so we can hang out and drink until the sun sets.”

As Lisa and I drank drinks with little umbrellas in them against the beach, relaxing, chatting

about anything, I kept finding my thoughts drifting back to that stranger in the elevator. I couldn’t help
myself, and I had no idea why. This wasn’t like me at all.

“Did you say you were going to go surfing in a couple of days?” Lisa asked eventually.
“Yeah. I think I’ll do it the day after tomorrow. Why, are you thinking of joining me?”
“No, I don’t want a shark to mistake me for a turtle and try to eat me.”
I laughed. “I don’t think we’re going to be going in deep enough waters for a shark to be able to

sneak up on us, not in a beginner lesson.”

“Still, I don’t trust it. I’m sure I’m just going to end up on my ass. I’m not really the athletic

type.”

No, that was true. Lisa had never shown any interest in any real sports. Her idea of athletics was

sitting on the sidelines watching other people, mainly Rob, play soccer or touch football.

“Fine, if you’re going to make me go learn how to surf by myself.”
“I definitely am. I’ll sit on the beach and watch you make an idiot of yourself at the most. What

company are you going with?”

“I don’t know, I was just going to go with the recommendation from the concierge.”
“Well, let me know, and I might just come and watch you.”
“How about you, what are your plans for the last few days of this awesome vacation?”
“I don’t have any yet. I’m just going to relax, go with the flow, you know, that sort of thing.”
Lisa and I didn’t leave the restaurant until after the sun had well and truly set. We listened to the

soft sound of the waves lapping against the shore, music wafting over to us from not only our
restaurant but the others along the strip, the sounds of happy people celebrating their vacations here in
Hawaii all around us.

We went back to the resort, back to our rooms. I lay down in bed and flicked on the TV. I found

that I enjoyed watching the local Hawaiian news at night, it made me feel like I was really here, like I
was truly experiencing Hawaii.

While Lisa had a shower, I watched the screen, but the words weren’t clicking through my brain.

No matter what I did to try and forget him, that stranger kept coming back into my head.

Those beautiful blue eyes, the hard muscles of his arms, that perfect amount of stubble... it was

more than I could take. Every time I closed my eyes I could see him. I wanted to see him again. That
smile... No. I couldn’t have these thoughts. Surely it was just because I was drunk. Maybe I’d had one
or two mai tais too many while I was out with Lisa. The alcohol had obviously just gone to my head.
In the morning, I’d be fine.

Sure enough, the next day I was back to normal. I thought about the guy once or twice, but for the

most part, I had moved on. After all, I was never going to see him again. What was the point of pining
after a stranger, someone I didn’t even know?

Lisa and I went out for breakfast then spent the day hanging out by the pool, lounging in the sun.
“This is basically the perfect life,” she told me, and I nodded.
“Sure is. When I found out we were going to Hawaii, this was exactly what I had been

expecting.”

The next morning I got up and got ready for my surfing lesson. It wasn’t with the hotel directly,

but was with a company the resort partnered with. Based out of Ala Moana beach, the resort offered a
shuttle, but seeing as it was only a 20 minute walk, I decided I’d take the fresh air route. Waikiki in

the mornings was nice. The heat of the day hadn’t set in yet, and I loved the feeling of the fresh ocean
air on my face. We didn’t get a lot of it in Minneapolis.

I found the shack with the company name on it I was looking for, with the perfect stereotypical

surfer waiting out the front for us: wearing a short wetsuit, his shoulder length blonde hair still damp
with the odd drop of water dripping and disappearing into the black fabric of his suit. I went up to
him, and introduced myself.

“Hi. I’m Caroline, I think I’m signed up for a beginner’s lesson with you today,” I started shyly.
“Aloha, Caroline. I’m Stevo,” the man replied in an obviously Australian accent, holding out his

hand. “As I’m sure you’ll notice, I’m not exactly a born and bred local, but I came out here for a
surfing vacation a few years back, and loved it enough to make it my home,” he told me as he grabbed
some paperwork and a pen for me to fill it out. Age, date of birth, medical problems, height and
weight, skill level. All things I knew how to fill out, thankfully. “When you’re finished, just leave the
sheet there and we’ll get you set up with a board.” You’re wearing your bathing suit under your
clothes? Good, you can take them off wherever and I’ll give you a box to keep them in. You’re the
first one here from today’s group, I’m sure the others will show up pretty quickly.”

Stevo was talkative and friendly, and about five minutes after he set me up with a huge Malibu

board (“I know they’re huge, but they’re way easier to balance on, which is awesome if you’re just
starting out.”) another couple showed up, having signed up online for the lesson. Ten minutes later,
after another three people had showed up, Stevo was just about ready to take us out.

“We’re just waiting on one more person, and if I’m not mistaken, here he comes now,” he told

us, and I looked to where he was looking.

As soon as I saw the man he was looking at, my heart froze in my chest. It was that same guy! I

would have recognized that wavy brown hair anywhere. He was topless now, showing off a muscular
chest with just the perfect amount of hair. I wanted to run my hands through it so badly, I wanted to lie
on top of him and stroke that muscular body, slide my hands down to his abs, tracing the visible lines
of his abs, the perfect six pack adorning him, before moving even further down, down towards his...

Stop it, Caroline. What the hell is wrong with you? I forced my brain to stop thinking about it,

but it was too late. I could feel my body reacting to the fantasy I’d just had. Great. Just great. I turned
away from him and grabbed my board as Stevo got the guy checked in. I didn’t want to see if he
recognized me.

Obviously he isn’t going to recognize you. You were just some random chick he ran into in the

hotel. I’m sure he forgot you existed like two seconds after it happened. A part of me wanted to
believe I was more memorable than that, especially since I couldn’t get him out of my head, but I
knew I wasn’t. I was just a kind-of-on-the-pretty-side girl from Oklahoma, he was a God in human
form.

“Awesome, everyone’s set, so let’s get going!” Stevo finally called out. I made sure not to turn

around and look at the guy. I didn’t want to see him. I didn’t want to know if he recognized me. I
didn’t want my body to react the way it did every time I looked at him. It felt so wrong, and yet at the
same time, it felt so good. It felt naughty.

As we walked along the beach towards the surf, I began to silently thank God that Lisa hadn’t

decided to come with me today. I asked her before leaving, but she’d decided to sleep in. I could only
imagine her reaction if she had. She would have instantly introduced me to the guy, told him how hot I
thought he was, and suggested we go out for drinks after the lesson. Yes, it was definitely a lifesaver

that Lisa hadn’t shown up.

When we got down to the beach, Stevo got us all to put down our boards, so we could learn the

positioning. I walked to the other side of the couple that had arrived after me, making sure I was on
the far end.

We spent the next twenty minutes practicing jumping up on the surfboard, while Stevo came

around and gave us tips and advice. It was tougher than I thought it would be, even with the board just
sitting on the sand. I had years of balance practice from figure skating under my belt, but it had been
so long since I had done anything that required any sort of balance skills that it felt like I was starting
again from square one. Then, we got a bit of a talk about paddling out, choosing a wave, tips on how
to catch the waves, and eventually Stevo invited us into the water to practice.

I quickly realized that there was no way I was going to be able to avoid the man completely in

the water. We made eye contact after a couple of minutes, and he smiled at me. I thought I was going
to melt. His smile was gorgeous, it felt like it sent rays of sunlight penetrating through my skin.

Does that mean he recognized me, or is he just being polite?
Before I got the chance to overanalyze the situation to death, Stevo called me over.
“Caroline, you’re up!” he announced. I swam over to him on my board. We were in waist deep

water, the waves we were catching had to be less than six inches high, but they looked enormous to
me.

“Alright. You remember everything we’ve done so far. Just don’t panic, and don’t worry if you

fall, almost everyone falls their first time.”

I nodded and looked out at the water. After a few seconds I saw a wave that looked promising. I

turned and jumped up on my board, and the next thing I knew I was riding on the water! I must have
been going about a mile an hour, but it felt like I was racing. I held my arms out, making sure to keep
my balance, and the next thing I knew I had actually hit the beach. I had done it!

Jumping off my board, I grabbed it and ran into the water, getting high fives and cheers from

some of the others in the group. Then Stevo called out “Mark” and the man whose name I now knew
went out with his board.

I wasn’t the least bit surprised when Mark found a wave and caught it almost instantly. He

looked so athletic, so strong, I had even wondered if he should be in the beginner’s group. At one
point he just about lost his balance, coming only inches away from plunging into the surf, but saved
himself at the very last second.

We spent the next hour in the surf, practicing on the little waves. After everyone had done a

couple of waves with Stevo watching, we were invited to separate and find waves of our own. I
ventured off a little ways from everyone else, not wanting to accidentally run into anyone. Slowly but
surely I was getting the hang of this. I was getting used to it! This was awesome!

The time absolutely flew by. I guess it was probably only about ten minutes or so before the

lesson was ending, but I was getting really confident. Maybe a little bit too confident. I decided I
wanted to go a bit deeper, try and take on a wave that was a foot, maybe two feet high. It was going to
be awesome!

I swam out further than before. It’s not like I was in the deep or anything, the water wouldn’t

have been higher than me. But still, considering this was my first time ever surfing, it was a big thing
for me.

Spotting a wave that looked pretty decent, I turned my board around, paddled with it and jumped

up when I thought the time was right. Sure enough, I nailed it! It was awesome. I felt like I was flying,
I felt like I was really surfing. Floating on the water, it was one of the best feelings I’d ever
experienced in my life.

Then as I came in towards the sand, almost reaching the shore, my left foot suddenly slipped

along the board. I tried to compensate by moving my body to the right, but it was too late. My board
flew out from under me, and the last thing I remember was hitting the water with a splash, and a
horrendous pain in the back of my head.

When I woke up, I was on the beach, blurry faces over me. My throat felt like it was on fire. I

coughed, and seawater came spewing out of my mouth. As I began to focus, I realized it was Stevo
and Mark that were leaning over me.

“Are you alright there Caroline?” Stevo asked. I groaned, then nodded. My head was throbbing,

so much so that I couldn’t even care that Mark had just seen me cough up seawater onto my bathing
suit. Oh God, why did I choose the one piece?

“What happened?” I finally managed to mumble, my throat feeling raspy and sore.
“You were right by the sand, it looked like you lost your footing,” Mark replied. “You fell off the

board, and hit your head. The water was less than a foot deep where you went in. I was the closest
person to you, when you didn’t get up right away I came and got you, and Steve did first aid.”

“Thank... thank you, both of you,” I replied, thoughts swirling in my head. Everything was slowly

starting to make sense again, and the more I realized exactly what had happened, the more
embarrassed I got.

Here I was, lying on the beach because I fell off a surfboard and hit my head in a foot of water. I

couldn’t believe it. I had made a complete and total idiot of myself. I had to get out of here. I had to
go back to the hotel, forget this had happened at all, forget Mark existed, and go on with my life again.

I tried to get up, Stevo and Mark giving me a hand. The world spun and I took a few tentative

steps.

“Are you alright, Caroline? I can call you an ambulance, if you want to go to the hospital. I

suspect you’ve got a concussion,” Stevo told me, but I shook my head. The only thing that could
possibly be more embarrassing than what had already happened was having to go to the hospital on
top of it.

Besides, with every passing second I was feeling better and better.
“No, thanks, I think it was just a bit of a shock, I’m feeling fine now,” I replied, hoping my voice

sounded confident.

“Let me at least take you back to the hotel. You can’t say it’s not on my way,” Mark told me,

flashing me that gorgeous smile that, even in the state I was in, couldn’t help but send a heat rushing
through me. Shit, he does recognize me I thought. There was really no way to get around this. It
wasn’t like I could say I didn’t want him to go out of his road.

“Thank you. That sounds nice,” I told him. “If you’re busy though, I’ll be fine. I’m feeling better

already,” I replied, flashing a smile of my own and hoping against all hope that he did have something
else to do.

“Oh no, I’m on vacation, I don’t have anything planned for the rest of the day.” Crap. There goes

that. I guess I’m going to have to actually do this, I’m going to have to walk back to the resort
with the sexiest guy I’ve ever spoken to.

My heart was pounding as I handed back my stuff to Stevo, he wished me luck and told me not to

worry if I had to go to the hospital, then Mark and I headed back to the resort.

“So you’re here on holidays?” he asked as we headed slowly back down the street. My headache

was pretty much gone, and the more normal I felt, the more my embarrassment meter went into
overdrive.

“Yeah. Our branch won a contest run by the company, everyone in the branch won a week’s

vacation in Hawaii. Listen, thanks for getting me out of the water. It’s pretty embarrassing, I can’t
believe I did that.”

“Don’t worry about it. Everyone falls, some people just have worse luck when it comes to where

they fell. It could have happened to anyone.”

“I guess so. Didn’t happen to you though.”
“That’s because I’m a sporting legend.”
I looked up at him, surprised. “Seriously?”
Mark laughed, not in a mean spirited way, just the way people do when they’re having a joke.
“Nah. I wish. Well, I used to wish, anyway. I wanted to be a professional football player when I

was little. Of course, the fact that I was incapable of catching a ball got in the way of that dream.”

I thought it was going to be the most awkward thing, walking back with Mark. I mean, I had never

been a conversationalist for conversation’s sake. I always thought of myself as awkward with
strangers. On top of that, I didn’t know if I could hide the fact that every fibre, every cell in my body
was on fire, electricity passing through me, desperate for Mark to touch me. I wanted his hands all
over me. I wanted his tongue all over me. I wanted to give him free reign over my body, wanted him
to bring me to new heights of pleasure I couldn’t have fathomed in my wildest dreams, but under no
circumstances could I let him know that. Absolutely not a chance.

It wasn’t as awkward as I thought it would be though. Mark was one of those people who can

have a conversation with literally anybody. The more we spoke, the more at ease I felt, even though I
couldn’t help but feel the pulsating desires in my body every time he looked at me.

“So where are you from?” he asked.
“Minneapolis. I’m a financial analyst.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever met a financial analyst that surfs.”
“I wouldn’t describe what I was doing out there as ‘surfing’,” I joked, and Mark threw his head

back, laughing.

“You were fine. Honestly, I was impressed. You stayed on the board a lot better than most

people.”

“I used to figure skate when I was younger, I guess all that balancing paid off.”
“Oh yeah, that definitely would help. Hey, listen, can I buy you a drink or lunch or something

before we go back to the Hibiscus? I just want to make sure you’re really fine before I leave you.”

I’m pretty sure my jaw dropped open as soon as he asked me. Oh my God, close your mouth

Caroline, you idiot! I scolded to myself as I forced my mouth closed and smiled at Mark in a way I
hoped was charming.

“Yeah, that sounds nice,” I replied. I refused to let myself say anything else. If I did, I knew I was

going to put my foot in it. This crazy sexy guy that had just rescued me on a beach in Hawaii was now
asking me out? What the hell was going on? This wasn’t the sort of thing that happened to me, this
was the sort of thing that happened on cheesy TV shows. It just didn’t happen in real life. Especially
not to me.

Get a hold of yourself. He just wants to make sure you’re ok.
“Awesome, there’s a bar I like over here, we’ll get a great view over the beach,” Mark replied,

leading me towards a row of buildings. We passed through a number of small shops before ending up
almost on the beach, at a bar that sure enough, had an absolutely incredible view.

“Aloha, Mark,” a beautiful woman with curly brown hair greeted Mark only seconds after we’d

arrived. “Your usual seat?”

“Yes please, Alisa,” Mark replied, and she led us straight to the rail, with a perfect view

overlooking Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head.

“Wow, the view here’s incredible!” I told Mark as I sat down. “You come here often, by the

sound of things.”

“Not as often as I like. I’m lucky that I get to work in Hawaii from time to time though. It’s a

beautiful place.”

“So you’re not here on holiday?”
Mark shook his head. “No, that was a little white lie. I work all around the west coast and

Hawaii. Today’s a day off though, so I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t have anything to get back to.
Usually I’m in San Diego.”

“What is it that you do?”
“I help my dad run a couple companies, mainly,” Mark replied.
For the first time I sensed a shadow forming across his face. I could tell there was something he

wasn’t telling me, something he wasn’t happy with. I decided to change the subject.

“All these trips to Hawaii and you’ve never taken surfing lessons before?” I asked, and Mark

grinned.

“Yeah, I guess I deserved that. Seriously though, it had never really interested me before. I’m a

licensed scuba diver and I was even out doing some dives yesterday, but I’d never really considered
surfing. My sister called my yesterday, we got to talking about it, she wished she could come to
Hawaii and then asked me about it. She eventually said it was because I was too chicken, so I
actually just went out today to prove her wrong,” he finished, sheepishly. Oh God, he looked so
adorable with that sheepish look on his face, I just wanted to grab him and kiss him everywhere.

Instead, I burst out laughing.
“Well, I guess you did show her!”
“Yeah, Stevo said he’d send me some photos he took so I could prove to her I did it.”
We had a late lunch and a few drinks, sitting by the ocean, and the more time went on the more

comfortable I was, and yet the more I needed Mark. It was like an all encompassing desire, taking
over my body, inch by inch. My heart pounded when he looked at me. My sex throbbed with desire. I
could feel my bathing suit under my clothes, soaking wet even though I’d dried myself off after getting
out of the water.

This wasn’t me at all. I was career focused. I chose what I wanted to get out of life. I’d had

enough of the choices in my life being made for me, I decided years ago that I would make my own
decisions. And ever since that moment, I had. I had decided to finish high school, I had decided to pay
my way through college. I had decided I would work two jobs to pay for it while minimizing my
student loan balance, and I had decided I would get a good job when I was finished. I had also
decided I was finished with men. Whenever I decided to do something, I did it. I had a one track
mind. And yet, right now, my body was telling me I wanted Mark without me deciding whether or not

that was a good decision. What was going on?

* * *

Before I knew it, the sun was making its way towards the horizon as the blue of the ocean got a

little bit deeper. I’d had a couple of drinks, but I definitely wasn’t drunk. There might have been a
little bit of a buzz, but I honestly wasn’t sure. After all, every second I spent with Mark made me feel
high, alcohol or no.

“I didn’t realize how late it was,” Mark sheepishly replied when I pointed out the time.
“Me neither. It was nice talking to you.”
“Hey, no problem. Same here. Let me get you back to the resort.”
When we finally got to the elevators, where we had met the first time, my heart froze with

embarrassment. More than anything, I didn’t want Mark to mention me running straight into him, and
to my relief, he didn’t.

I was on the 22

nd

floor of the hotel, Mark on the 20

th

. The elevator slid silently upwards,

carrying us up to our rooms. Presumably I would never see Mark again. After all, we were leaving in
a couple of days. My heart pounded in my chest. We didn’t speak. More than anything I wanted Mark
to grab me, to take me right here in the elevator. My skin tingled as I imagined his touch on mine. Fire
coursed through me as I imagined his lips all over me, exploring me, discovering my every curve,
every inch of my skin.

The ding of the elevator snapped me out of my fantasy, the doors opening on the 20

th

floor.

“Thanks again for, you know, saving my life,” I told Mark, trying to sound casual, jokingly.
“No problem,” he told me, leaning in and planting his lips on mine. It was so unexpected, so

sudden, and yet so nice. I closed my eyes and an involuntary moan escaped my lips as Mark’s touched
my own. I leaned in, pressing my breasts against his chest, desperate for more. Pleasure radiated
through my body from my lips. This was everything I’d wanted, everything I’d needed all day.

That was all the invitation Mark needed. With a single quick, swift movement he grabbed my ass

and hoisted me upwards. I grabbed him, wrapping my legs around his waist, feeling his throbbing
desire pressing in between my legs, and he carried me down the hallway towards his room.

I squealed with excitement as he unlocked the door. We didn’t even get inside the doorway

before Mark had me pressed up against the wall, his lips all over mine.

I closed my eyes as his lips roamed my body. His hands, so strong, kneaded the firm skin of my

ass, sending my body absolutely wild with desire. I had never wanted anything as much as I wanted
this, right here, right now.

There was something so strong, so powerful about Mark. Maybe it was the way he had me

pinned against the wall, my arms wrapped around his legs. The way he suddenly grabbed my wrists
and pinned them above my head. I felt so helpless, I felt so weak, and yet it turned me on like I’d
never experienced before.

His hands were so large, his arms so strong, he only needed one hand to pin both my wrists

above my head. I let out a moan as his lips roamed, moving from my lips and down to my earlobe,
nibbling it lightly, then down my jawline. I could feel my pulse against his lips, feel my heart going a
million miles a minute. It felt like my heart was going to burst from the effort, but I hoped it wouldn’t
be until I got more of Mark.

“Oh God!” I cried out, without realizing it, as his lips moved to my neck. I leaned my head back,

exposing my delicate skin to him, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Suddenly, I stopped.
“Wait!” I exclaimed. Mark stopped instantly, letting my hands go.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his eyes full of concern. He didn’t even seem to care that I’d just

basically stopped us in the middle of what was bound to be amazing sex.

“I... sorry... I just don’t usually... do this sort... of thing,” I muttered sheepishly. I could hear how

stupid I sounded.

“What sort of thing?” Mark replied, obviously taking great pleasure in my embarrassment.
“You know... like, casual sex.”
“Well, there’s a first time for everything. Let me know if you want to stop, ok?”
I nodded, and seconds later he was pressing against me once more. I knew then I didn’t want to

stop. I was never going to see Mark again after tonight, but as his mouth touched my skin, his fingers
roaming towards the hem of my shirt, I knew I wanted this more than I’d ever wanted anything before.

His fingers nimbly grabbed the hem of my shirt. Seconds later it was on the floor, discarded and

unwanted. For the fiftieth time that day I cursed my decision to bring the one piece. Why couldn’t I
have been wearing my sexy bikini under this?

Still, it was too late now. Mark grabbed the straps of my suit and yanked them down over my

shoulders, almost roughly. He was definitely in charge. He was taking control, and to my surprise, it
turned me on. I didn’t understand it. I always needed to be in control. So why was it that every time
he took that control away my sex got just a little bit wetter?

“I’m going to take you so hard, make you feel things you’ve never felt before,” Mark whispered

into my ear as he leaned down. The words made my legs feel like jelly as his face moved down,
towards my now exposed breasts. There was something so animalistic, so primal about him. I
grabbed his hair, those wavy brown locks flowing in between my fingers, needing something to hold
onto as his tongue moved down and touched my nipple.

My fingers squeezed harder on his hair as pleasure radiated through me from my nipple. It was

like a tidal wave, a tsunami coursing through my veins, washing every single cell in my body with an
ecstasy unmatched by any other sensation on the planet. I opened my mouth to cry out but no sound
escaped. My body couldn’t handle these incredible sensations, these feelings that rocked me to my
core.

Suddenly, without any warning, Mark bit down on my nipple, hard enough to replace the pleasure

with pain. I cried out, but as Mark immediately suckled my nipple, his hot mouth and tongue caressing
my sensitive skin, the pain was replaced with pleasure once more.

Why is he doing this? More importantly, why do I like it?
Mark continued to suckle my breasts, bringing back the pleasure I’d felt before, when he bit

down on my nipple once more. Again, I cried out, again, he sucked it gently until it no longer hurt. I
didn’t know how to react, but even if I did, I don’t know if my body would have obeyed. I felt glued
to the spot, addicted to the alternating pain and pleasure Mark was making me feel. It hurt so bad, but
it felt so good. I’d never experienced such conflicting feelings, but I couldn’t deny the fact that my
body was reacting in ways I never would have expected.

As he continued to toy with my breasts, Mark’s fingers grabbed my bathing suit, the bottom half

of it still on my body, and slid it slowly down towards my hips. Without looking he found the button
and the zipper to the jean shorts I was wearing, and dropped them to the floor. He grabbed the bathing
suit once more. I closed my eyes as I felt his fingers slowly sliding down my leg, along with the last

little piece of fabric that hid the most private parts of my body from him.

I was naked now, completely naked, completely exposed to this man I barely knew.
“You’re absolutely beautiful, I’m going to fuck every single inch of you completely senseless,”

Mark murmured, and I could practically feel my legs weakening.

“Oh God yes, give it to me, right now,” I begged. “I want you so bad!”
“I’ll give it to you when I’m good and ready,” he growled into my ear, his low, hoarse, manly

voice driving me insane. I couldn’t understand why I was reacting like this, why I absolutely loved
the way Mar was completely dominating me with only his body and his words.

The next thing I knew Mark had picked me up and hoisted me over his shoulder like I weighed

absolutely nothing. He carried me into the bedroom of his suite before placing me half-gently, half-
roughly onto the bed, throwing me back into the comfortable mattress. The bed was quite high up, it
must have been around waist high, and I instantly knew this was one of the more expensive suites in
the hotel. It took me a second before I realized how exposed I was with my legs splayed open, Mark
standing over top of me, looking at my most sensitive parts, parts that hadn’t been looked at by a man
in so long.

Instinctively, I closed my legs.
“No, open them for me, Caroline,” Mark ordered. I paused for a second. I didn’t know what to

do. Then, as though my body was operating as a completely separate entity from my brain, my legs
opened once more, displaying the folds of my sex to him. I could feel my face burning, and yet,
something about him made me obey.

“Good,” he told me. “God, you have a sexy pussy.”
Tingles ran through my body. I looked down at his pants. I could see his erection bulging,

straining against the fabric, desperate to be released. I could tell he was big, but just how big I wasn’t
sure.

“Now turn around, give me a look at the other side.”
This time there was no hesitation. I did exactly as Mark asked, even if I didn’t know why. I could

hear him unzipping his pants, taking off his shirt, and after a few seconds I couldn’t help myself, I
looked back.

When I saw his erection, I gasped. I could tell from his pants he was big, but I hadn’t expected

him to be quite as big as he was. I briefly wondered if he was going to be able to fit inside of me, but
before I got the chance, he moved over to the edge of the bed, sliding in between my legs, his thick
member pressing against the folds of my sex.

“You’re like a furnace down here,” Mark murmured as his fingers found my sex. I gasped,

wanting more from him. I needed more. His fingers roamed carefully, softly, his every touch like
velvet against my skin. I threw my head back as fire ran through me. I had never experienced anything
like this before. It felt so good, and yet it was never enough. I wanted more! I could feel pressure
building inside of me. I had a primal need to have Mark inside of me, and with every inch he moved
his fingers in between the folds of my pussy, I was all too aware that as good as it felt, it wasn’t the
stiff shaft that I wanted in me.

Suddenly he stood up once more, rubbing his shaft in the juices that were practically spilling out

of me.

“Good girl, now here’s your reward,” Mark told me with a grin as he pressed up against my

entrance. I gasped inwardly as Mark slipped inside of me. It had been so long since I’d had sex and

he was so huge that it was a tight fit, my walls stretching to accommodate him. Mark was patient,
allowing my body to conform to his girth for a minute before he began to slide in and out of me.

I closed my eyes and threw my head back as he started off slowly, tantalizingly, every movement

of his hardness inside of me obviously designed to elicit pleasure, and holy shit did he succeed. As he
picked up the pace, Mark moved like a piston, every thrust bringing me to new heights of pleasure I
never would have fathomed.

This was exactly what I had expected, exactly what I had hoped for since I’d first laid eyes on

him. These feelings, this pleasure running through me, it was like nothing I’d ever experienced on this
earth. Yes, I’d had sex before, I’d had boyfriends before, but this was different. It had never been
anything like this. This felt like I was giving up control completely, like I was giving myself to Mark
entirely.

I could feel the pressure inside of me building. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to take it for

much longer. And sure enough, with one final thrust, my body exploded with pleasure, the orgasm
overtaking me completely.

“Oh shit! Oh Mark, I’m coming!” I cried, unable to contain myself. I squeezed my eyes shut, stars

dancing across my vision as my body was racked with waves of pleasure unlike any I’d ever felt
before. This was more than an orgasm, this was the definition of bliss, of heaven. My toes curled and
my muscles tensed, every single fiber in my body focused entirely on the eliciting every little drop of
pleasure Mark was giving me.

It felt like an eternity and only seconds passed simultaneously before I found myself coming back

down to earth. As I did so, Mark began to thrust harder and faster, I could tell his own orgasm was
imminent, and a few seconds later he grunted a few times and pressed hard inside of me, his hot seed
shooting deep into me.

He lay on top of me for a minute, both of us enjoying the feeling of him lying still inside of me,

before he rolled over and collapsed on the bed next to me.

We were both obviously completely spent. A light sheen of sweat covered my skin, I was

exhausted, but at the same time, I hadn’t felt this relaxed in years.

“I never thought this was going to happen when I got on that plane,” I finally laughed, turning to

look at Mark. He was so perfect, his hair slightly damp from effort, his smile effortless. The last
streaks of sunlight streamed through the room, illuminating his face in a soft light that made him glow,
and I suddenly began to regret the fact that I wouldn’t see him again after tonight.

“See, it wasn’t that bad, was it?” he asked.
“Not at all! You were right,” I laughed.
I went into the bathroom to have a quick shower. His suite was pure luxury, with marble

everything in the bathroom. And I thought our room was nice, I thought to myself as I got into the
large walk in shower.

As the hot water pooled over me, steam fogging up the glass, I began to suddenly realize what I

had done. Oh my God. I couldn’t believe it. I’d just had a one night stand. I’d gone home with a guy I
barely knew, let him fuck me in his hotel room. This wasn’t the sort of thing I did, ever. Like
definitely not. This was exactly the sort of thing I spent my entire life trying to avoid.

But it felt so good. I couldn’t deny that. It had felt good. It had felt more than good, it had felt

amazing. However, that didn’t matter. The fact was, it was a mistake. A sexy, incredible mistake, but
it was a mistake I absolutely couldn’t repeat. I didn’t have any control over this situation. I needed to

have control. I always needed to be in control of my life.

When I got out of the shower, Mark was lying on the bed, wrapped in a towel, watching TV. He

grinned at me.

“Coming back for more?” he asked, motioning to the bed next to him.
“Actually, if you don’t mind I think I might head back down to my room,” I replied. They were

among the hardest words I’d ever had to say. I wanted more than anything to accept his invitation, lie
down on the bed next to him and let him ravage me for the rest of the night.

“Aw, that’s too bad. Do you want me to walk you down?”
“No, thanks though. Seriously, I want to stay, but I... I shouldn’t.”
“Alright, up to you. Hey, Caroline?”
“Yeah?”
“I really enjoyed tonight.”
“Me too.”
I didn’t understand why there was a sinking feeling in my stomach as I left his apartment. It felt

like someone had punched me in the gut. Every part of my body wanted me to go back to him, to enjoy
whatever time we could have together, but I knew it was wrong. Mark was a memory now, a happy
memory that I knew I would enjoy for the rest of my life, but that I also knew I wouldn’t experience
again.

When I got back to the room I shared with Lisa, she practically attacked me when I walked in the

door.

“Where the hell were you?”
“What? I went to my surfing lesson.”
“Yeah, like ten hours ago! I thought you’d drowned!”
“Sorry, Lisa. I did actually have an accident on the beach, and this guy saved me, and then he

wanted to buy me a drink, and I thought it would be rude seeing as he was the reason I was alive and
all.”

This realization of exactly what I had been doing made Lisa change her tune instantly.
“Are you serious? Oh my God, Caroline! And after all your going on about how that wasn’t the

type of woman you are!”

I could feel the blush rising up my face. Lisa was embarrassing me, and not only did she know it,

she relished it.

“Little virgin Caroline, you’re a big girl now!”
“Shut up, you know damn well I wasn’t a virgin.”
“You have to tell me everything!” Lisa ordered, jumping onto the bed to sit next to me. “No. Not

here. This requires celebration. Let’s go down to the bar and then you can tell me everything.”

I laughed as Caroline practically dragged me out of the room.
“Hold on, I’m barely dressed, let me put something decent on first,” I begged. Lisa was like a kid

who had just been told they’re going to Disneyland. I couldn’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm. I
couldn’t believe I was actually going to tell her what had happened. I wanted to keep it to myself, but
she had obviously figured it out, and I knew there was no point in lying to her.

Ten minutes later we were down at the bar and I recounted my entire day to Lisa, her eyes glued

to me the entire time.

“If it wasn’t for the fact that I know you don’t have the imagination to make something like that

up, I literally would not believe that story.”

“I’m not sure, but I think you just insulted me.”
“Probably, but you know what? I don’t care. Every woman on the planet wants to be able to tell

a story like that, and yet you’re the one who actually gets to tell it.”

“Maybe, but I didn’t really want to.”
“You didn’t want to have sex with him?”
“No, it’s not that. It’s more... I didn’t want to lose control like that. There was something about

him, something really primal, really dominating. None of my old boyfriends were like that at all.”

“That’s because your old boyfriends were an accountant and a guy who preferred video games to

having sex with you. No offense, but your old boyfriends weren’t exactly studs.”

“Hey, that’s mean!” I replied, offended. Sure, my old boyfriends hadn’t been the manliest people,

but I had liked them at the time. Of course, those relationships had all ended, some of them badly.

“Well, did you like it?”
“Did I like what?”
“Being dominated.”
“The weird thing is, I did. It’s so unlike me. I didn’t think I’d like it at all.”
“That’s totally normal. Especially since you’re a control freak in real life, I’m totally not

surprised that you like to give it up in the bedroom.”

“Oh my God, don’t say it like that Lisa!” I hissed, mortified at the casual way she was talking

about this. She laughed in reply.

“Don’t be such a prude. As I said, it’s totally normal. Sometimes I get Rob to tie me up and...”
“Ewww, TMI, stop that sentence right now!” I interrupted, covering my ears.
“Oh you’re such a baby.”
“Maybe, but I don’t want to hear about you and Rob’s sex life.”
“Why not? I just listened to yours.”
“Yeah, but you’re a pervert.”
“One day, when you hit puberty, you’ll understand,” Lisa retorted, sticking her tongue out and

ordering another drink.

* * *

Despite Lisa’s assurances, I lay awake in my bed that night, staring at the ceiling. I had never

been so confused about anything before in my life. This wasn’t the sort of thing I normally did. I
wasn’t that kind of woman. It’s not like I had anything against people who had one night stands,
absolutely not. It just wasn’t the sort of thing I personally did.

And yet, I’d done it. More than that, Mark had completely dominated me, and I liked it! Why the

hell did my body react the way it did? Had it just been so long since I’d had any sex at all that
anything would have turned me on? It had to be something like that.

Eventually I told myself it didn’t matter. I was never going to see Mark again anyway. We were

leaving in less than 48 hours. In two days I’d be back in Minneapolis, back to my predictable life. I
could go back to work, back to analyzing stock data. After all, it was what I did best. This had been a
great holiday, but it was time to check back in to reality.

Sure enough, as we flew back to Minneapolis, I leaned back in my seat. I hadn’t seen Mark since

that night, and now I was definitely never going to see him again. Hell, even if I wanted to, I didn’t
even know his last name. He was a memory now, a memory that caused a flicker in my nether regions

every time I thought about it.

For Lisa’s part, she took great joy in my torment about it. She teased me constantly, knowing how

uncomfortable it made me. But even so, life quickly settled back in to normal. There was always
more paperwork to do, more to fill out. And yet, I still found my mind drifting away in the middle of
the day. I’d stare out the window of my little office at the great view of the parking lot and think about
Hawaii, think about that night with Mark. I tried to force those thoughts to the back of my head, but no
matter what, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. You need a hobby or something, seriously. You’re
acting like some sort of sex crazed maniac I thought to myself as I fantasized about Mark once more.

He was pretty much the sexiest, nicest, best guy in bed I could possibly imagine. There was

literally nothing he’d ever done that felt weird, creepy or anything like that. He was perfect. It was
too bad I was never going to see him again.

Two weeks after I came back from Hawaii, I was settling in for an evening of relaxing in front of

the TV. I decided to do some laundry, so wearing my pyjamas I shoved one of those ‘healthy’ TV
dinners in the microwave and started flipping through the channels. I had a pile of work to do in the
spare bedroom that had been turned into a home office, but whatever. It was Friday, the work I had to
do could totally wait until the weekend. Right now, I was going to catch up on the episodes of CSI I’d
missed.

Just as the microwave beeped to let me know my dinner was ready, there was a knock at the

door. For a second I didn’t even recognize the sound.

“What the hell?”I muttered to myself. No one ever knocked at my door. The last time it happened

had to be what – three years ago, when Mr. Ulstein down the hall had collapsed and his wife needed
me to call 911 because she couldn’t see the numbers on the phone.

I opened the door, thankful that I lived in a safe enough neighborhood that I didn’t need to worry

about there not being a peep hole, and my mouth dropped open.

Mark was standing there. Mark, from Hawaii. Sexy Mark, with that wavy brown hair that drove

me insane and those glistening blue eyes that seemed to look straight into my soul.

What the hell was he doing here?
“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, not realizing that my mouth said the words I’d been

thinking.

“What, no hello?” he asked with a grin. That was when I realized he had a small bouquet of

flowers in his hand. An orchid, some daisies, a few other exotic flowers I didn’t recognize. I’d never
really been the flowers type of girl.

“No, you don’t get a hello until you tell me what the hell you’re doing, standing here at my

door?”

My privacy was enormously important to me. It was something I took very seriously, and I didn’t

like having a guy who was still pretty much a complete stranger finding out where I lived and
showing up on my doorstep.

Mark’s smile faded.
“I thought I’d surprise you, that’s all,” he said, looking a bit dejected.
“Surprises are good when they’re not incredibly stalkerish,” I replied. I might have been a bit

harsher than I otherwise would have been, but this was serious to me. I placed a premium on my
privacy. My mother spent years trying to figure out where I was, trying get back into my life, trying to
suck the life and soul out of whatever happiness I had created for myself. It was incredibly important

to me that I stay as hidden as possible, and a man I’d met one night showing up out of the blue,
unexpected on my doorstep was a sign that I wasn’t quite as hidden as I liked to imagine I was.

“Look, you’re right,” Mark replied, opening his arms wide, in a disarming way. “I’m completely

out of line here. I’m going to go. Listen, here’s my card. It’s got my cell number on it. I’m going to be
in town for another two days. If you want to meet, go out on a date, I’d love to see you again. If you
don’t, I understand. Sorry for crossing a line.”

He placed the flowers in my arms, and the next thing I knew, he was gone. It was almost like he

had never been there in the first place, but the business card and flowers in my hands proved
otherwise.

As soon as I closed the door behind me once more I began to second guess my every move. I had

never been the most self confident person, my mother spent my entire childhood making sure of that,
but I didn’t think I was this paranoid about everything.

Had I overreacted? Was that a totally normal thing for people to do? Should I have invited him

in? No, it wasn’t normal. It had definitely crossed over into the line of creepy.

But still, even if it was a bit creepy, even if it wasn’t exactly what normal people did, should I

call him? I wasn’t sure. I stared at the card that I placed on the table while I got some water for the
flowers. I briefly considered checking the flowers to make sure there wasn’t a hidden camera in them
or something, then scolded myself for being so paranoid and simply put them on the table.

I knew I was a very private person, but was I being too private? I wasn’t sure. I tried to give

Lisa a call, tried to get her advice, then remembered that she and Rob always went out for a romantic
dinner on Friday nights. She would rave about how nice it was on Monday, like she always did. I
smiled to myself as I thought about it.

I eventually caught up on those CSI episodes I was meaning to watch, but my brain was

elsewhere. I spent the weekend wondering if I should call Mark. A couple of times I even picked up
the phone and started dialing the number, but stopped myself. Why was I calling him? He was a one
night stand with stalkerish tendencies that lived like six states away. There was no way this could be
a relationship. And yet, a part of me kept trying. My body kept trying to get me to contact him. Was I
that sex starved, did I really enjoy that night with him so much that I was willing to do it again?

Sunday afternoon I finally got my answer. With a sudden energy I didn’t know I had, I got up,

grabbed my phone and punched the numbers in with the ferocity of someone who knew that if they
stopped they would never start again. Before I had the chance to think about it, before my brain had a
chance to say no, the phone was ringing. Mark picked up on the third ring.

“Hello, Mark speaking.”
“Hey, Mark, it’s Caroline,” I answered, not really knowing what else to say. Was that what I

should have said?

“Oh! Hey Caroline, it’s nice to hear from you.”
“Yeah, you too. Even though I called you. I guess. Well, seeing as I kicked you out the other

night...”

JUST STOP TALKING my brain begged, realizing this sentence was going nowhere but

downhill, fast.

“Sorry. That came out wrong.”
“No, no. You were right about that. I crossed a line, I shouldn’t have done it, and I need to

apologize for it. I’m sorry, Caroline.”

“It’s alright.”
“Can I make it up to you by taking you out to dinner? I’m leaving first thing tomorrow morning,

but we can grab a bite to eat before then if you’re up for it.”

“That sounds nice, where do you want to meet?”
“Well, you’re the local, where do you recommend?”
An hour later I was sitting in a booth at a local restaurant, made up to be a 50s diner style, that

served hands down the best milkshakes in town. I stared at my hands, my mind wandering as all those
dark corner of my brain that still filled with self doubt came to the forefront.

What if he isn’t coming? What if he decided you were too bitchy at your apartment? What if

he decided he actually doesn’t want to see you again?

Suddenly, all my fears were eased as Mark slipped into the booth across from me. As I looked

up and saw those gorgeous cheekbones, that stubble that looked to be a day or two old, I could feel
electricity pounding through my body, my heart beat rising, my chest pressing against my shirt.
Memories of that night in Hawaii came flooding back. I wanted to feel those same feelings,
experience the ecstasy I’d gotten from that night.

“Hey,” he greeted casually. “Sorry I’m a couple minutes late, had a bit of trouble finding the

place.”

“That’s alright, I just got here myself,” I replied. It wasn’t entirely true, but it wasn’t like I’d

been waiting more than ten minutes.

“I wanted to say sorry in person for showing up unexpectedly at your door the other night.”
“Thanks. It’s ok though, I’m a little bit more paranoid than most people, I should probably get all

the crazy out of the way on our first date.”

Mark laughed. “Well, I’m pretty sure my crazy can top yours. After all, I’m the one who acted

like a creepy stalker.”

“And I’m the one who acted like you showed up to murder me. Who brings flowers to a murder

scene?”

“Don’t forget the business card, so the police would know who did it!” Mark joked back, and I

laughed, just as the waitress came by to take our drink orders.

“Why don’t we move away from a topic that makes me look like an idiot?” Mark asked. “How

are you finding adjusting to life after Hawaii?”

“It’s tough, let me tell you. When I stare out of the view of my office onto the parking lot, it’s

definitely not Waikiki Beach. But hey, I’m usually working and not staring out of windows, so it’s not
too bad. Crunching numbers keeps my mind active, and I actually do enjoy my job.”

“Well, you’re pretty much the first person I’ve ever heard who works with numbers admit that.”
“We all just pretend we have the worst jobs on the planet so no one will come and take them

from us.”

“I think there’s a whole generation of high schoolers behind you that want nothing to do with

math the instant they graduate, I don’t think you need to worry.”

“Maybe, but just to be safe. In this economy, you never know!”
“How did you decide to become a financial analyst, anyway?”
This was a lie I was used to telling. I had a whole lie about my childhood all set up. I liked to

tell people that my parents were both teachers, that they paid for my way through college, and they
had a little house in the suburbs. They sent me $100 every month just because they liked to take care

of me. Reality, of course, was a whole different story. Somehow, however, I didn’t feel like I should
lie to Mark. I didn’t tell him the whole story, of course, but what I did tell him was the truth.

“Honestly, it wasn’t out of some underlying passion for business, or anything like that. I had to

get away from some personal stuff, and the best way to do it, I thought, was to get an education and a
decent job. I did some research, figure financial analysis was probably the best way to go in terms of
time spent studying, job options after graduation, and all that sort of thing, and here I am.”

Mark looked at me, his eyes piercing through me. It was like he could tell there was something I

was holding back, something I wasn’t telling him, but he didn’t ask.

“That’s a sign of a strong person, to be able to overcome barriers like that and be successful.”
I shrugged. “I dunno, anyone would have done it.”
“No, don’t sell yourself short. I imagine there are a lot of people in the same situation as you

who don’t dare leave their comfort zone the way you did.”

I suddenly started to feel embarrassed. I muttered thanks just as the waitress brought us our food.

Thankful for the interruption, I started eating, and Mark did as well, leaving the conversation about
my past unfinished. I was glad. I didn’t tell people, especially not men, about my past. I’d learned that
lesson.

As the night went on, we moved to lighter subjects. Same as in Hawaii, I found that Mark was

charming and funny, he had great stories to tell, and when it was finally time to leave I felt that same
sinking feeling as I had the night in Hawaii. I didn’t know if, or when I would see Mark again. After
all, as he had said last time, he travelled a lot for work, but was based in California. It wasn’t exactly
a commutable distance for a relationship, and I knew all too well how well most long distance
relationships ended.

Holy shit, are you thinking about a relationship now? Seriously? This is exactly the sort of

thing you avoid. Remember what happened the last time you had a boyfriend? The last time you
trusted him? It all blew up in your face. You’re absolutely not dating this man, as nice as he might
seem.

“So all this talk, and I still don’t actually know what it is you do.”
“I run a couple of my dad’s companies.”
“Well yeah, but what are those companies?”
Mark shifted in his seat, almost uncomfortably. He hesitated before answering. “For the most

part, the Hibiscus chain of resorts.”

I could practically feel my jaw dropping on the floor.
“Hold on... you’re telling me your dad owns the Hibiscus resorts? Like, all of them?”
“Yeah. I don’t like to tell people before I get to know them a bit, sorry I didn’t tell you earlier,

but you know, privacy and all that.”

“I think you understand that privacy is important to me,” I replied wryly.
“Shit. So you must be, a millionaire, at least.” I could practically feel myself cringing as I spoke.

I wanted to just act casual about things, but how do you act casually when you find out the guy you’re
on a date with is heir to half the luxury resorts in the country?

“At least. Truth be told my wealth is probably in the billions. My parents created a trust fund for

my sister and myself when we were young. I’m not going to lie, we’re very well off.”

“Why weren’t you in the penthouse then, of the resort in Hawaii?”
“I never book under my own name. I like to be treated like anyone else would be treated. I

generally try to book a middle-of-the-road room and the staff never know who I am. Well, except for
one exceptionally bright housekeeper one day who had researched the company to get her job. She got
a promotion to management that same day.”

“Wow. Shit. I can’t believe it. I don’t even know what to say. Like, how do I talk to a

billionaire?”

“The same way you were talking to me before was working pretty well for me.”
I realized how silly I must have sounded and blushed.
“Sorry. I’m being rude.”
“No, not at all. I’m sure everyone who finds out has the same reaction, just most people don’t say

it out loud. I appreciate your honesty.”

“Serious? Are you serious? You’re not just pulling my leg?” Something in me just couldn’t

believe this was happening, couldn’t believe it was real. Surely a man this funny, this charming, this
sexy couldn’t also be rich. Like, that’s just winning the life lottery. No, more than that, the lottery
doesn’t usually pay out billions.

Mark grinned as he pulled out his wallet, motioning at the waitress to bring the check.
“Here. Maybe this’ll change your mind,” he replied, handing me his credit card. The Amex

Centurion, surrounded by black, with Mark Selzer as the name on the bottom. This was the fabled
Black Card, invitation only, for the richest of the rich.

“Alright, I believe you,” I answered, handing him back his card. “It doesn’t make it any less

surreal.”

“Well, I’m still the same as I was three minutes ago, so don’t worry about that. It’s not like my

snootiness level has gone up because you know how much money I’ve got.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry. Listen, do you want to come back to my place for coffee or something?

Or you know, we could go back to yours, it’s probably nicer than my apartment.”

“I wouldn’t know, you wouldn’t let me in your apartment last time,” Mark teased.
“Well, take my word for it. There are flea infested motels by the highway that are nicer than my

apartment.”

“I’m sure it’s not that bad. Coffee sounds nice.”
It was weird, going back to my place, knowing that I was driving a billionaire in my early 2000s

Honda with the passenger side window that wouldn’t quite close and seats that had holes from God
knows what.

“Sorry about the car.”
“You know, Caroline, you don’t need to apologize for anything. I’m used to this sort of thing, I

don’t need luxury.”

“What kind of car drove you to the restaurant?”
“A Lincoln Town Car,” he admitted sheepishly.
“See? This is definitely a step down from that.”
“I said I don’t need luxury, I didn’t say I don’t have it. You know, it’s funny, most women when

they find out about me insist that the Town Car drive them home. I like your different reaction.”

“Well, if your Town Car drove us, I’d be stranded at my apartment tomorrow.”
“That’s a very sensible way of looking at things.”
I pulled into the driveway and silently cursed myself for not cleaning the apartment before our

date. I mean, it’s not like my place was messy, I kept it pretty organized, but I didn’t expect to be

bringing home a billionaire. He would probably think I was a gigantic mess.

“Sorry about the mess,” I told him as we walked in.
“Don’t worry about it,” he replied, making himself at home on my couch in the living room while

I put the coffee on.

“Cream and sugar?” I asked.
“Just cream thanks, if I’m really lucky I’ll get some sugar later.”
I threw a dish towel at him and he grinned. As he looked at me, I could almost sense that he

knew. He knew my stomach had just done a 180 at those words, knew that my panties were getting
moist, that my skin was tingling. Surely he just had to know.

We sat down with the coffee and got to talking. Pretty soon, the talking became more than talking,

and we moved into my bedroom. My world spun as Mark proved that Hawaii wasn’t just a one time
fluke. He made me feel things I could never have imagined. Orgasm after orgasm rocked my body as
he discovered me, not only with his shaft, but with his mouth, something I’d never experienced
before.

I couldn’t deny it anymore: when Mark completely took over, when he had complete and total

control in the bedroom, I was more turned on than I’d ever been in my life. I didn’t understand it,
didn’t realize why my body reacted the way it did when he ordered me around, pinned me to the bed,
brought me closer and closer to the edge of orgasm then denied me, making me beg for it, making me
plead for that sweet release I craved so strongly. But I did. I did react that way, there was definitely
no denying it anymore.

As I fell asleep, Mark’s arms wrapped protectively around me, I thought about the fact that he

was flying out tomorrow, that once more I was only going to have him for a night. For the first time in
a long time, I wanted more than that.

* * *

Mark and I both woke up at the crack of dawn. He had a flight to catch, and I had to get to work.

He helped me make eggs, which we ate in silence on the couch. I suddenly began to wish I’d invested
in a dining room table, but there was nowhere to fit one in my apartment even if I had.

“So when’s your flight leave?” I finally asked.
“Around ten. I’ll have to be at the airport by nine.”
“I guess that’s it then?” Despite myself, despite how much I enjoyed Mark’s company, I was

starting to feel used, like he had just come here to bang me. I knew that wasn’t true, I knew it was
more than that, but my mind was a mess. A completely unconfident mess.

“Well, about that, Caroline. I was thinking.”
He paused for a minute, almost as though he was trying to figure out what to say.
“I don’t want this to come out as creepily as the last time. I honestly don’t mean this in a creepy

way at all. I want you to come and work for my company. We can always use a good financial
analyst.”

“What? But you don’t know if I’m any good!” I’m not sure why that was the first thing I thought

of, but it was. Mark laughed.

“Of course I do. You’ve got your spare bedroom converted into an office. You’re what, twenty

four, twenty five, and you’ve got a good job, which is more than most young people these days can
say. There’s six tabs open on your computer, all work related, on a weekend. You’re definitely good
at your job. And I’m not going to lie, I’d enjoy having you around. For one thing, we could go out a lot

more.”

“But aren’t you travelling like, all the time?”
“About 100 days a year, yes. But I’ll be in San Diego the rest of the time. Whatever they’re

paying you here, I’ll double it. And you’ll get a company car,” he added with a wink, and I laughed in
spite of myself.

“So, what do you say?”
“I don’t know. I mean, I want to say yes, but I think I’ll have to think about it. I’m not the type of

person who makes big life decisions on a whim.”

“I thought so. Well, you have my number. When you come to a decision, call me and let me

know. Either way, I’m ok with it, although I’d obviously prefer if you said yes.”

The whole day was spent thinking about Mark’s offer rather than working. I tried to work, but

every time I started, I would think about his offer. Did I want to accept? I think a part of me did. I
think a part of me wanted to be with him, to see how our relationship would develop.

But a part of me was scared. After all, this would be a big move for me. I had given up a lot for a

man before, and it hadn’t ended well. Was I ready to try again? Was I ready to trust again? I wasn’t
quite sure. I barely knew Mark. I didn’t know a lot about him at all. But he was intriguing. I liked how
he had picked up on the things like my home office. He was obviously smart, on top of all his other
traits. But did I really want to risk everything I’d worked for just for a chance at love? I wasn’t sure I
did.

Eventually, around the middle of the afternoon, I made my decision. I wanted to talk to Lisa about

it, but I knew what she’d say (“Oh my God, a billionaire wants to pay you twice what you’re making
now to go work for him and date him? Why are we even having this conversation, fly there right
now!”) and she was away on a sales conference for the next two days anyway. Besides, it was my
decision to make, and I made it. I picked up the phone, stared at it in my hand for a couple of minutes,
and then dialed the number.

To Be Continued...

Please stay tuned for part 2 in this series, Claimed, coming soon!

About the Author

Hi! I’m Victoria Villeneuve. I’m a small town girl at heart, with dreams of living in a cabin in

the country with my two dogs and my amazing boyfriend Mike. When I’m not writing you can usually
find me enjoying a nice mocha in my local coffee shop, reading some of my favourite books by the
lake or playing soccer with my friends.

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