I stood at the front desk of the hotel and handed the clerk my credit card as I said, “Dalton and Spade. We should have two rooms reserved. You can use that card for both.”
He typed something into his computer and said, “Yes, I see you’re down for three nights.” He glanced up, looking at Jo and me. “I’ll use this card in case you incur any incidentals. Shall I make one key for each room or …”
“One key is fine,” Jo replied.
“Perfect.” He stuck the plastic key cards into a coder. “I have two king-size rooms on the eighth floor.” He placed the key cards into holders and handed one to Jo. “You’ll be in 809.” He then gave one to me and said, “And you’ll be in 812.”
Rooms right near each other.
So I could think about her only a few doors down, lying naked in her bed.
All night long.
The thought made me want to fucking growl.
He pointed behind us and added, “Walk through the lobby, and the first set of elevators on your right will take you to your rooms.”
Jo thanked him, and we rolled our suitcases to the elevator.
The moment the door slid open, I held out my arm and said, “After you.”
As she moved ahead to the far wall, I got a hell of a view of her ass. Her skirt was skintight, hugging those fucking cheeks, and my cock ground against my pants as I craved to slip between them, rubbing my tip across that forbidden back hole.
When she turned, I made sure she didn’t catch me staring and stayed near the front, pressing the appropriate button. Once we arrived at our floor, I let her get out first.
Her room came before mine, and as I passed, veering to the other side of the hallway, she held the card near the reader.
“Will you let me know if you hear from the realtor?”
I glanced over my shoulder, and her back was pressed against the door, like I was holding her against it.
I took a fucking breath.
“Yes.”
“Is there anything else on the schedule for today?”
Several strands of long black hair were in her face, her lips glossy and parted, her eyes feral.
I couldn’t think.
I couldn’t even process.
I could only imagine, and the scene that was unfolding in my head involved her hands above her head and my mouth moving slowly down her body until I reached her cunt.
I swallowed, knowing I had to say something, and cleared my throat. “What are you asking, Jo?”
“I’m wondering if I should be doing something aside from going to my room …” She swiped her tongue across her lip.
If I stayed in this hallway any longer, she was going to end up in my arms.
Joanna Spade was far too fucking dangerous.
I waved the card in front of the reader and opened my door. “I’ll let you know if I hear from the realtor.” I pushed my suitcase inside. “If I don’t, you’re free until tomorrow morning.”
“That seems like an eternity.”
I didn’t want to go that long without seeing her.
Not after having her to myself all morning.
I’d gotten to smell her in the air and hold her voice close to my ears.
I’d gotten to look at her whenever I wanted.
“Enjoy it. Tomorrow is going to be much busier.”
I went into my room and closed the door.
But I didn’t move.
I stayed right where I was, thinking of her on the other side.
I needed to focus on work.
I needed to focus on the promise I’d made to myself the moment I found out who she was.
Walter Spade’s daughter.
Off-fucking-limits.
But, goddamn it, the only thing I wanted was her.
I left my suitcase and went over to the minibar, removing several bottles of whiskey, dumping them into a glass that I held to my lips.
The liquor burned as it went down.
I wanted it to.
I wanted it to extinguish the thoughts in my head, the desire pulsing through me, the throbbing in my cock. I refilled the glass and took off my jacket, hanging it across the back of the chair and loosening my tie. As I was unbuttoning my shirt, I caught sight of the large bed behind me.
The headboard.
And all I could think about was tying her fucking wrists to each side, her legs spread wide over the mattress.
Jesus Christ.
I tried shaking her from my head, concentrating on work. The full inbox of emails that needed replies. The parcels of land I needed to study, the permits I needed to research, the numbers I needed to analyze.
But I couldn’t focus on that.
I could only think of her.
And the raging hard-on in my pants.
I needed to come.
I glanced toward the door, my hands clenching as I looked at it, desperate to have her body in my grip.
And as I stared at the wood that separated us, I reached for my tie and pulled it off, and I unbuttoned the rest of my shirt. I untied my shoes and slipped off my pants and socks and walked into the bathroom.
As I reached the mirror’s reflection, my cock was almost bursting through my boxer briefs.
I’d only have to round the corner to the hallway, walk out the door, and go across the hall. I’d only have to tap my fingers on her door, and she’d open it.
I’d only have to cup her face in my hands, and something told me she’d be mine.
Her pussy would soon be squeezing my dick.
Her screams filling my ears.
“Walter …” I said out loud. “Walter Spade’s fucking daughter.”
I shook my head, slowly glancing at my eyes in the mirror.
“You can’t do this, Jenner. You fucking can’t.”
My boxer briefs fell to the floor, and I went into the shower, turning the water on as hot as it would go. Once I felt the change in temperature, I stepped under the spray. I squirted some soap onto my hand and wrapped my palm around my dick. My other hand pressed against the back wall. As the water pounded against my chest, images of Jo came into my head. Her body was so fresh in my mind—I didn’t have to search. She was there, always fucking there. And as my eyes wandered over the visions, I pumped harder.
Faster.
I twisted my wrist just like her mouth, as if it were sucking me right now. The soap slick and soft like her tongue.
Within a few strokes, I was there.
My hips reared forward.
My breath came out in hard, deep grunts.
“Fuck!”
My neck leaned back as I gripped the base, sliding my hand forward, milking the cum out of me. I hissed into the steam as each shot burst through my body. I didn’t let up until I was empty, my hand finally dropping, my head moving under the water.
Before I closed my eyes, I watched my cum swirl around the drain.
This would do.
But it wasn’t her.
“What can I get you to drink?” the bartender asked as I sat in one of the stools in front of the bar.
“Scotch, neat, and make it a double.”
I’d done hours’ worth of work, and now, I needed to be fed. Some of my favorite restaurants were in downtown Park City, a five-minute drive from here. But for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to leave the hotel.
She placed a menu in front of me and winked. “In case you’re hungry too.”
Blonde, perky tits, a smile that told me she was extremely attracted to me.
Normally, I would bring her up to my room and fuck her. But since I’d been with Jo, I’d had no desire to be with anyone else.
I didn’t know what the fuck was wrong with me.
She placed the scotch in front of me and said, “Any food?”
I handed her the menu, calling out the first item that was listed, “Red trout.”
“Our chef’s specialty.” She typed my order into the computer. “So, are you here for work or pleasure?”
I wasn’t interested in small talk.
I took out my phone, reading the notifications on the screen. “Work.” I sighed. “Endless work.”
“I’ll let you get to it.”
I was just typing out a reply when I got a whiff of a familiar scent.
A scent I knew better than anything.
I reached for my drink, my eyes closing as I swallowed. When I set the glass down, I didn’t have to glance over my shoulder, but I did.
Fuck me.
Yoga pants that showed the gap between Jo’s thighs, a tight tank top, sneakers, her hair braided, hanging over her shoulder with a baseball hat on her head.
There was something about seeing her in gym gear that made my dick fucking pound.
“I swear I didn’t follow you. I just worked out, and I’m starving. The thought of going back to my room didn’t sound like fun.” She pointed to the other side of the bar. “Should I sit over there?”
“No.” I reached over the top of the bar, grabbed the menu the bartender had taken from me, and set it beside me. “Here. Order.”
She straddled the stool, scanning the large menu. “Did you get food?”
“I did.” I cupped my hands around my drink, knowing I needed about five more of these, especially as I took a quick glance at her legs, the way they stayed wide across the leather seat. “I got the trout.”
She pushed the menu aside. “Sounds good. I’m sold.”
“Sold on what?” the bartender asked as she reappeared.
Jo crossed her arms over the bar, leaning forward, her tits pressing against the edge of the wood. “I’ll take a cab and the red trout, please.”
“Do you want to start a tab or—”
“Put her on my bill,” I said.
The moment she was gone, finding the appropriate bottle of red, Jo said, “I hope you’re billing my father for this. The incidentals for the room—because there will be some, as I had a couple drinks—and now this.”
“I can afford to buy you dinner, Joanna.”
Fire.
That was what I was playing with.
But, fuck, I couldn’t help it.
“I don’t doubt that for a second,” she said. “But you don’t need to—that’s all I’m saying.”
“Here you go,” the bartender said, stopping me from replying as she placed Jo’s drink in front of her. “So, have you guys been to Park City before? Need any suggestions on what to do in the area?”
“This is her second time,” I replied, nodding toward Jo. “I’ve been coming here for a long time.”
“And it’s one of his favorite places to visit,” Jo told the bartender. “I can see why he loves it here so much.” She glanced out the massive windows behind the bar, showing a perfect view of the mountains. “It’s an awesome spot to own a second home.” Jo turned toward me, that gorgeous fucking grin spreading across her plump lips.
“Does that mean you’re buying here?” the bartender asked.
“I checked out a house when I was here last. I’m going back to look at it tomorrow.”
“You are?” Jo gasped. “You didn’t tell me.”
Why would I?
That was what I should say to her, but instead, I voiced, “I haven’t really been in a position to tell you … have I?”
She took a deep breath, nodding. “You’re right.”
“I hope things work out for you,” the bartender said, leaving us alone again.
“I’m sorry,” Jo whispered. “I realize I have no right to know what’s happening in your life, but the disappointment that I didn’t know just hit me really hard.” She clasped my arm. “I’m so incredibly happy for you, Jenner.”
Her touch caught me off guard.
It had been so long since her hands had been on me. I almost forgot how they made me feel.
How even the graze of her fingers could be so intense.
“There’s no reason to be happy yet,” I finally responded. “It’s not mine.”
She squeezed. “But it will be.”
I wasn’t sure if we were still talking about the house.
She released me, and the skin on my arm immediately turned cold.
“By the way,” she added, “I’m taking full credit if you buy the house.”
Her comment and smile made me chuckle. “Is that so?”
“Mmhmm.”
Cute and sexy—a combination that was so fucking lethal.
“Is it beautiful?”
I drained half my glass and said, “Would you like to see it?”
“Like you even have to ask.”
I hit several buttons on my phone and tilted the screen in her direction.
“Oh my God, I’m dead over the view,” she groaned. “Jenner, is that what you’re going to wake up to every morning?”
The first shot was of the living room, and the second was of the master.
Even though I’d viewed the house the last time Jo and I had been here and I’d already learned who she was, when the realtor had taken me into that bedroom, I couldn’t help but picture Jo in the bed.
The way the morning light would cast across her body as she woke up.
The way it would hit her tits as she rode me.
“Yes,” I answered.
She swiped the screen, her finger gently hitting my hand each time. “That bathroom, wow. That’s a tub I could soak in for days.” She paused. “How many heads does that shower have?”
“Ten.”
I’d stopped looking at the phone, now only gazing at her, watching her chew her lips, the temptation to pull them from her teeth so fucking strong.
When she stopped flipping through the shots, she looked up.
Inhaling loudly when she realized my eyes were already on her.
“I’m obsessed,” she said, shifting in her seat, her legs crossing. “It’s an amazing house. You did good, sir.” Our hands brushed each other when she placed the phone in my palm. “Are you going to make an offer?”
“If I still feel the same way about it when I walk through the door.”
“Ah, you will.” She held on to the stem of her wine, twirling the glass. “When you love something, that feeling never dies.”
“You don’t think so?”
Her chin rested on her shoulder. “I know so.”
Her eyes were still locked with mine when the bartender placed the dishes in front of us.
“Can I get you another round?”
“Yes,” Jo and I answered at the same time.
Jo’s stare gradually shifted toward her dinner, and she dipped her fork into the fish. “I’m glad I listened to you. This is excellent.”
I took another sip of my scotch, the drink far more important than food in this moment.
But as I swallowed, she nodded toward my plate. “Aren’t you going to have some?”
I tilted my head back, taking down the rest of my drink. After I licked the wetness off my mouth, I answered, “I’m just savoring it, Joanna.”
The architect looked down at his notes and said, “I think I have everything I need.” A camera hung from his neck, and he turned on the digital display, viewing the shots he’d taken. “I’m going to get the exact specs from the county, and we’ll have another survey done. I know the rock and earth have been tested for weight and stability, but I’m going to have more in-depth tests done, so we don’t run into any problems down the road. Do you have any questions for me?”
“I know your team will be putting together a physical 3D rendering. Is it possible to do a digital one first?” Jo asked.
He lowered his camera onto his chest. “I don’t see why not.”
“There are so many details involved with the aesthetics and facade of this hotel. I think going from drawing to digital would give us a real taste of what we’re looking at,” Jo said. “I would hate to make changes to the physical rendering if we don’t have to.”
He glanced down at his notes. “To be honest, it’s an excellent suggestion. The structure of this hotel is unlike anything I’ve ever built for your father. I don’t know if this is your influence or if he’s feeling inspired by the mountains, but it’s been a long time since I’ve been this excited to start a new project.”
“This is all Joanna’s creation,” I told him.
I’d had a feeling she wasn’t going to comment, so I did, making sure she received every bit of the credit.
For the last two hours, I’d listened to her conduct this meeting, describing the features she wanted to see when pulling up to the hotel. She even got as particular as the texture of the building, the shape of the windows, the slant and slope of the entrance. And what I’d learned was that she wasn’t just a gorgeous face behind the brand; she was a powerhouse and as humble as she was beautiful.
I wasn’t impressed.
I was blown the fuck away.
“I had a feeling,” the architect said. He stuck out his hand in Jo’s direction. “I look forward to working on this project with you. I’m positive my team will have questions—”
“I’m available twenty-four/seven,” she replied before he could finish his thought. “Whatever you guys need, I’m here for it.”
He nodded. “We appreciate that.” He released her hand and moved to mine. “Jenner, it’s always a pleasure.”
“Likewise.”
As he walked to his car, Jo and I made our way over to the SUV waiting for us in the lot. The driver opened the door to the backseat, and before Jo climbed in, she turned around, viewing the entire mountainside.
“Something tells me this hotel is going to do magical things for our company.”
Now that it was their land, I agreed.
We had spent the entire day yesterday going back and forth with the seller, and after multiple rounds of negotiations, he finally caved and accepted our offer. Walter had been shocked at the price I had secured, ecstatic that it was fifteen percent lower than what they had asked.
“Jo, you’re going to turn this into the most magnificent property. I’m excited to book the penthouse for a weekend.”
She laughed, her gaze dropping to meet mine. “We would never let you book one of our rooms. You will always stay at our hotels for free. Besides, you’ll soon have your own home, so you won’t need to stay here.”
“They haven’t accepted my offer.”
A warmth moved across her face as she said, “They will.”
She took a final glance around and climbed into the backseat, her jacket riding up just high enough to give me the perfect view of her ass. The black pants were slick against her cheeks, showing the arch and curves and—
Fuck.
I looked away, the temptation far too strong, and I got in behind her. The driver shut the door, and before I even had on my seat belt, my phone was ringing from my pocket. My realtor’s name lit up the screen.
I held the phone to my face and answered. “This is Jenner.”
“Congratulations,” she replied. “The house is yours.”
I shook my head, chuckling. “I never thought they’d even consider that lowball offer.”
“Their realtor told me they had two offers in the past that fell through because of financing. When they reviewed your proof of funds, I’m sure they realized you’re a buyer they can’t lose.” The sound in the background told me she was on the road. “I’ll take care of the inspection, and we’ll start processing title insurance. I know you said you’re flying out tomorrow. Do you want to do another walk-through before you leave?”
I checked my watch. “Could I do one in the next thirty minutes?”
“I’m headed to a showing right now, and I’ll be tied up for most of the afternoon. I can text you the code, and you can let yourself in and lock up when you’re done.”
“That would be great. Thanks for your hard work on this,” I said and hung up.
The moment I slid my phone into my pocket, Jo’s hand was on me, her touch sending a jolt straight through my body.
“You got the house, didn’t you?”
I exhaled, still trying to process the news. “I did.”
“Yes!” Since she hadn’t put on her seat belt, she slid toward the middle, throwing her arms around my neck. “Oh my God, Jenner, I’m so happy for you.”
Her scent hit me first. Something I’d been smelling since this morning, but now that my face was near her neck, I could take a long, deep inhale of that fall pumpkin perfume. My arms wrapped around her back, her jacket thin enough that her bra strap was teasing my fingers, and so was the heat of her skin. Her hair tickled my cheeks as I got in closer, her body molding against mine.
Goddamn it, I missed this.
The feel of her.
The feeling inside me when she was in my arms.
“You’re going to have so many amazing memories in that house,” she whispered, squeezing my shoulders before she pulled away.
I didn’t want to let her go.
I didn’t want her to fall from my grasp.
But she was moving to the other side of the backseat, and it’d happened far too fast.
I didn’t know what came over me, but as I looked at her gorgeous face, I said, “Do you want to go see it?”
She instantly nodded. “I would love to.”
I gave the driver the address, and he headed for the road that took us up the steep mountain edge. When he parked in the driveway, Jo got out of the SUV first.
“The pictures didn’t do it justice,” she said, staring at the large two-story contemporary design.
The house was done in shades of slate and charcoal, and stone covered different parts of the exterior, adding to the unique construction.
“This house, Jenner”—she took a breath—“is so dreamy.”
I walked with her to the front door, entering the code my realtor had texted me. Once I had it open, I let her go in first.
“Holy fuck,” she gasped, her neck immediately tilting back as she took in the tall ceiling. “This is spectacular.”
She moved through the large foyer and past the living room, stopping at the back of the house. This section was all glass, revealing a view similar to what the hotel would have, the scenery just of a different angle of the mountain range and the dips and valleys below.
I opened the door for her, and she walked out onto the patio.
“Jenner …” She paused, almost like she was breathless. “This is a dream.” She finally turned toward me, my stare already on her. “It’s nice to see you smiling again. I mean, really smiling.”
There was only one thing causing my grin, and it wasn’t the house.