So much for getting work done on the plane.
I look out the window and see crystal-blue waters and miles of beaches. I still can’t believe I left the city without a thing on me.
When we arrive at the airport, Devon greets us at the foot of the plane with a Mercedes SLS-Class Roadster with a black exterior and matching interior. Asher and Devon speak for a few minutes and Devon hands Asher the keys. He nods for me to get in the car, and I follow.
We drive down state road A1A with the top down and the sun beating down on us. I wish we were enclosed with the air-conditioner on. My hair that was neatly done up in a bun earlier is getting disheveled, stray hairs flying around my face.
Asher looks cool and comfortable behind the wheel, despite the fact he’s wearing even more layers than I am. Not shaking my mood from earlier, I turn my head away from the sun and let out a sigh.
Damn, it’s hot. Well, at least I brought my sunglasses.
Asher plays with the radio dial, skimming through static and talk radio. His broad white smile lights up when he hears a fun Latin song. His shoulders immediately start to move. My mother always told me never trust a man who can dance.
Asher breaks out in fluent Spanish, singing every line of the song. The sounds from his mouth are smooth and sexy. His voice is gorgeous. I could listen to him sing in a foreign tongue all day. He looks vibrant and free. I like this Asher.
With his coat lying across the backseat, he undoes his tie and throws it back as well. I watch him unbutton his top two buttons, unveiling a sneak peek of his perfectly sculpted chest.
Asher reaches his arm out toward me. It takes me a moment to realize he wants me to remove his cufflink. I raise my hands and unclasp the diamond and onyx cufflink from the French cuff and roll his sleeve up above his elbow. When I’m done with his right arm, he crosses his left toward me and I do the same to the other arm, having to reach over him a bit to do so.
Wearing black aviator sunglasses, the man has transformed in our short drive from polished CEO to fun, sexy, and cool. A thousand light-years from how I feel right now.
I glance down at my beige skirt and matching jacket. It is a thousand degrees outside and the wind from the ride is doing nothing to relieve the heat. Following his lead, I take off my blazer and throw it into the backseat. I unbutton one button from the top of my cap sleeve blouse and let the wind skim up my arms and inside my top. I take the hair tie out of my bun and shake the strands down my shoulders. This feels good.
Asher casts one of those gigantic white smiles my way and starts to sing louder to the music. I don’t know the song, but it’s rather catchy, and I slowly start to move my shoulder to the music. My head sways a little as the chorus picks up, and I let go a little.
I throw my arms up and start moving to the beat of the music. A smile creeps across my face, and Asher lets out a laugh. He grabs my hand and kisses my knuckles. Yes, this is what I needed.
We pull up to the W Hotel Miami. As we exit the car, Asher walks to the trunk and removes two shopping bags. A bellboy quickly retrieves the bags and the overnight bag Asher brought with him from the office.
Asher has secured two rooms, a penthouse suite for himself and a room on the sixth floor for me. He insisted I stay in the suite with him since there is another bedroom, but I would never feel comfortable sharing a room with a man who is not my husband. I have boundaries. Thick, cemented floors boundaries. A single room for me is perfect. I don’t need the bells and whistles.
Well, I may not need the bells and whistles, but my hotel room certainly comes with them. Modern and chic, the room is decorated with white and silver. The spacious room has a king-size bed and an ocean view. The luxurious linens rival anything I could ever imagine. The bathroom has a shower that could easily host a small party and a soaking tub made for two.
“You like?”
Asher follows me into my room and places the shopping bags on the bed.
“I love. The view is amazing.”
Asher’s eyes focus on me. “I couldn’t agree more.”
I blush, thinking that comment sounded like he was talking about me. I look over in the mirror and see I’ve regained some color in my face since the early morning hours. The nap on the plane and sunshine from the car ride agree with me. I’m relieved.
“I have a meeting I have to attend to, but I’ll catch up with you by the pool.” His glowing skin also agrees with the little bit of sunshine from the car ride.
If he has a meeting, then I should go. That’s why I came here. “I’ll freshen up and go with you,” I offer.
“It’s a private meeting.” Asher glances at his Rolex. “Why don’t you put on a bathing suit and meet me by the pool in two hours.”
“I have work to do,” I say, walking over to the desk where I left my bag and all my files.
“You can do it by the pool. Put on a suit and enjoy yourself. When I get down there, we’ll go over everything.” He assures me.
I assess the situation. I don’t have a bathing suit. I don’t have anything for that matter. I still can’t believe I traveled thousands of miles with, literally, just the shirt on my back.
Asher sees the hesitation on my face and points to the bag on the bed. “Devon went out this morning and bought you a few items.”
Bought me a few items? Devon? The driver?
My jaw falls as I try to take in just how insane that sentence sounds. My boss sent his driver out to buy me a few things. What kind of things? If that bag contains more gratuitous offerings, then I cannot accept them. I have my own money and can easily head out to Deco Drive and buy myself something to wear. I give Asher a knowing look, but he’s already read my mind.
“Stop thinking, and just accept them. End of story. I’ll see you by the pool.”
When he leaves the room, I inspect the contents of the bag. There is a pale-blue sleeveless dress and metallic-gold sandals, a black bikini with gold rings on the hips and bust with a matching black cover-up, a long, green one-shoulder dress, gold strappy stilettos, a nightie, and two bra-and-panty sets.
Before I can even get upset about my boss having his driver buy me underwear—or shall I more appropriately call it lingerie?—I find a card from a personal shopper named Avalyn at the bottom of the bag. I feel better knowing a female third party selected these items. The card suggests I call if something doesn’t fit.
To my surprise, everything fits perfectly. I organize the items in the closet and make outfits into them. It’s a sparse selection, which means they were specifically chosen for meetings I’ll be having this weekend. They’re not necessarily my style for the workplace, but this is what the boss wants.
After a long shower, I dive into the bag and put on the bikini, cover-up, and sandals. I can’t help but notice I look pretty good. I should, considering the price tags. Thankfully, the full-service hotel sent up a razor, toothbrush, and all the toiletries I need to get bikini ready. I’m also thankful Avalyn threw in a mascara and lip-gloss. She was clearly informed I traveled down here sans everything.
With my hair tied in a ponytail and my sunglasses in place, I make my way down to the pool area. The lounge chairs are soft and luxurious. As the sun hits my skin, I relax into the much-needed therapy.
I don’t have a laptop, so all my work is in printouts on my lap. I go through each document and make markings of the changes that need to be made. Eric was right. I am behind on my work. I compile a list of what needs to be done. I’ve found myself making a lot of lists these last few weeks, without actually accomplishing everything on my list. Glancing at my phone, I see it’s already close to four in the afternoon. I can’t believe I lost an entire day traveling. I will feel a thousand times better when Asher and I get to work.